Shaxi Ancient Town: Peaceful Beauty on the Ancient Tea Horse Road

#shaxiancienttown #dali

Shaxi Ancient Town in Dali is truly a wonderful destination. I was strongly advised by many friends to stay here for a night and enjoy the peaceful morning, and I've found it was an excellent decision.

However, getting to Shaxi isn't easy. From Dali, we took a shared ride with other people for 80 RMB per person, and the journey took two hours. We traveled on a highway and then went up a mountain pass before reaching Shaxi. The road from Shaxi to Lijiang is more comfortable as it's just on the highway. My recommended itinerary is to go from Dali to Shaxi early in the morning, then head to Lijiang around 5 PM, or if you have more time, you should definitely stay a night in Shaxi.

The scenery here isn't as noisy or bustling as other ancient towns; it has its own unique, very peaceful beauty. Every street corner has a distinct, rustic, and surprisingly quiet charm. I spent a lot of time sitting in a small cafe, sipping hot tea, and watching the daily life of the locals. Everything passed by slowly and leisurely, giving me a feeling of comfort and ease. In the late afternoon, I went to the stone bridge to listen to live music and watch people and horses carrying goods pass by. It's the only ancient town left on the Tea Horse Caravan Trail, which is why these scenes still exist. In my personal opinion, Shaxi is the most wonderful ancient town in Yunnan.

Post by Diesel47 | Sep 8, 2025