Only $468 to Explore Xichang! A Must-Save Money-Saving Guide for Students

🌟 **3 Days & 2 Nights Budget Travel Guide to Xichang | The Sunshine City for Just $468 Per Person**

Who says travel has to be expensive? This cost-effective Xichang guide shows you how to savor Yi cuisine, tour Qionghai Lake, and visit Lushan Mountain for just **$468**—perfect for students and couples on a budget!

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💰 **Cost Breakdown (Per Person)**
✅ Accommodation: $60 × 2 nights = $120 (hostel/shared guesthouse)
✅ Transportation: Round-trip bullet train from Chengdu $146 + local buses/shared e-bikes $30 = $176
✅ Food: $20 × 6 meals = $120 (street snacks + budget eateries)
✅ Tickets: Lushan Guangfu Temple $5 + Qionghai Lake (free) = $5
✅ Extras: BBQ split bill $40 + snacks $7 = $47
**Total: $468** (can be even lower with flexibility!)

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🗓️ **3 Days & 2 Nights Itinerary**

**Day 1: Budget Tour Around Qionghai Lake**
- **Morning**: Take the bullet train to Xichang, then Bus 106 straight to Qionghai Lake ($2)
- **Noon**: Grab street food (rice rolls $6 + Liangshan Snow yogurt $5)
- **Afternoon**: **Free fun!** Hike or rent a shared bike to loop Qionghai (Wetland Park—Moonlight Town—Little Fishing Village)
- **Evening**: Watch the sunset at Golden Scale Beach (no ticket)
- **Night**: Share a table for firepot BBQ ($40/person, recommend roadside stalls in Little Fishing Village)

**Day 2: Lushan Mountain + Yi Culture**
- **Morning**: Take Bus 22 to Lushan, hike up/down (skip the cable car), but hide snacks from monkeys!
- **Noon**: Buy fruit at the market (strawberries $5/lb) + cold noodles ($8)
- **Afternoon**: Free visits to **Torch Square** and **Yi Ethnic Slave Society Museum**
- **Night**: Try **Yi fast food** at the market (TuoTuo pork + buckwheat cakes $15)

**Day 3: Low-Cost Hidden Gems**
- **Option A**: Bus to **Hetao Village** for panoramic Qionghai views (no ticket)
- **Option B**: Shop at **Nantan Farmers’ Market** for bitter buckwheat tea ($10/bag)
- **Return**: Bullet train back to Chengdu (pack Yi-style buns for the ride)

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🍢 **Eat Well on a Budget!**
▪️ **$5 range**: Rice rolls, Liangshan Snow yogurt, roasted potatoes
▪️ **$10 range**: Beef/lamb rice noodles, buckwheat cakes, fried potatoes
▪️ **$15 range**: Yi fast-food combo, tipsy shrimp (small portion)
**Tip**: The cheapest, most authentic eats hide in markets and alleys!

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🛏️ **Budget Stays**
📍 Qionghai International Youth Hostel ($30/bed, lakeside)
📍 Old Town guesthouses ($50/person for shared rooms, great transit)

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⚠️ **Tips**
1️⃣ Book bullet train tickets 15 days early—opt for the cheapest **D-series** trains
2️⃣ Sun protection! Xichang’s UV is strong—hats + arm sleeves save money over sunscreen
3️⃣ Avoid Yi Torch Festival/National Week—hotel prices double

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**“$468 isn’t a limit—it’s another way to explore.”**
Qionghai’s sunsets are free, Yi village songs cost nothing, and budget travel still fills your backpack with memories!