Jianchuan, Dali: A lesser-known, non-commercialized ancient tea and horse town

Yunnan has so many fun places to visit, such as Lijiang, Shangri-La, Dali, Shuanglang, and Xizhou. Shaxi Ancient Town, which became popular after being featured in the TV series Meet Yourself, is already a crowded tourist destination. If you want to escape the overly commercialized ancient towns, why not explore this non-commercialized ancient wood carving town with over 600 years of history and culture?

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1️⃣ Jianhu National Wetland Park
On the way to Jianchuan Ancient Town, you will pass by a wetland park. It is a great place to take photos on a sunny day. It is also a great place for a small camping trip if you are not in a hurry. Admission is free.

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2️⃣ Shibao Mountain
The ancient temple Baoxiang Temple, known as the Hanging Temple of Yunnan, is said to be full of monkeys.
Tickets: CNY 45/person, sightseeing bus CNY 40/person

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3️⃣ Jianchuan Ancient Town
This secluded ancient town is more than 50 km from Shaxi Ancient Town. Enter the ancient town and walk along the main street to the end, where you will find Jianchuan Museum. Next to Jianchuan Museum, I stumbled upon a wood carving workshop called Songyuan Caiyi Wood Carving Factory, where I found a fruit plate and a vase I liked. Each handmade piece is unique. I highly recommend you visit this shop. It is said that the factory director is a skilled woodcarver who has been dedicated to the inheritance of painted woodcarving. He also helps the disabled and the weak by providing free training and employment opportunities for people with disabilities, helping these special groups to enhance their confidence in life and improve their self-worth. A big thumbs up for Director Yang! 👍

🔊 Finally, I recommend a local home-style restaurant with delicious and large portions (Cantonese scream)
Deep-fried tenderloin ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Clay pot tofu ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Hot and sour fish ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

✅ Recommended self-driving route:
Shaxi Ancient Town ➡️ Baoshan Temple ➡️ Jianhu ➡️ Jianchuan Ancient Town ➡️ Dali