About independent travel to Lijiang

Detailed guide for self-guided tour of Lijiang

D1 Arrive in Kunming, catch a long-distance bus to Dali (308 kilometers, more than 4 hours, more than 5 hours at night), visit the old town of Dali Night view of the city, stay overnight in Dali Old Town;

Special note: There are buses from Kunming to Dali at almost every long-distance bus station, and the latest bus is at 17:30 in the evening. If you arrive in the evening, you can rent a carriage outside the ancient city to Erhai Lake (maximum 10 yuan), and visit the night market in the ancient city. When you arrive in Dali, you must try Dali's specialties, fish casserole 20 yuan/pot, papaya chicken, and fried snail meat in sauce. Address: Yiheng Hotel, No. 120 Renmin Road, Dali Ancient Town. You can buy bus tickets to Lijiang in advance next to the Jinhua Hotel for 30 yuan/person. The Golden Flower Hotel is right next to Foreigner Street, and the conditions are pretty good. If you stay in a standard room at Jinhua Hotel, the price is 100 yuan/room. I spent 2 nights at a bar called TANG on Foreigner Street. The boss there is from the north and is very generous. It happened to be the boss's wife's birthday when I went there. He invited me to drink local green plum wine (a drink with almost no alcohol, recommended), and we partyed together for almost the whole night. The boss has a friend who is a musician. He plays foreign instruments and has a great personality. He likes to pick up girls. It is very interesting to chat with him.

D2 Visit Dali Ancient City, Cangshan Erhai Lake and other scenic spots. You can hang out at Foreigner Street (Bar Street) in the evening and stay in Dali Old Town;

Special note: You can take the bus to Cangshan Mountain Drive to Gantong Temple and go to Cangshan Mountain from there. The cable car on Shangcang Mountain costs 30 yuan (ends at Zhonghe Temple). It is recommended to go up the mountain on horseback. The price is the same. You can also take photos at any time. The most important thing is that you don’t have to walk a long uphill road to the cableway station (Dali City is not big, and there are many disabled vehicles or Other means of transportation are not expensive); Yudaiyun Road is very long, and you can see a hole at the end, which is not very interesting. You can take a rough look and walk around, but you don’t necessarily have to go to the end. It is said that it is not safe to go there normally, so be careful. If you want to take a photo of the Three Pagodas, you can take a photo on the cable car going down the mountain, or go to the Reflection Park in the south, or ride a bike to the fields in the east. It is also good to take photos from Cangshan Mountain. Anyone who buys a ticket to enter the park is a complete fool. Half a day is enough for Cangshan Mountain. After getting off the ropeway, you can take a ride at the foot of Cangshan Mountain and go straight to Erhai Lake. You can take a boat ride on the Erhai Lake (there is a one-day trip to the Erhai Lake, but I think it is of little significance). You can go to the island where the Bai people live (it seems to be called Yinhua Island) where there is authentic three-course tea. The Guanyin Pavilion in Erhai Lake costs 20 yuan per person. It is an antique building, so there is no need to see it. It is a good idea to rent a bicycle in Dali (8 yuan/day in mountainous areas). You can ride to Xizhou (13KM away from the ancient city) to have a look. The buildings in the village are more interesting than the ancient city.

D3: Take the first bus to Lijiang at 7:30 in the morning (distance: 248 kilometers, 3-4 hours). Have lunch in Lijiang, visit the ancient city and white sand murals in the afternoon, enjoy Naxi ancient music in the evening, and stay in Lijiang;

Special note: You can book accommodation in a youth hostel in Lijiang (Tel: 0888-5180124, 5175403), there are not many people in Lijiang during the non-tourist season, so there should be plenty of accommodation. There are many houses to stay in the old city. You can compare them. The prices are very cheap (tens of yuan/person). You can go to Jixian Snack Shop in Baisui Square to taste eight large bowls (must be eaten by 6-8 people. It is a local wedding food. , said to be made from 8 kinds of food), the most famous among Lijiang snacks is "Lijiang Baba", which comes in two varieties: sweet and salty. The authentic one is about 50 meters down the street from Menmenkou. The ones near Sifang Street are mostly wholesale compared to other places. The price is slightly higher and the taste is less. Chickpeas are a legume grown at high altitudes and in very low yields. Jelly made from this kind of beans is a popular snack. The more accurate ones are at the wooden bridge thirty steps down the river from the big stone bridge. There are generally two kinds of hot and cold ones. When hot, they are mushy and very flavorful. Including a local braised rice cake, it is enough for three to four people (the price is 4 yuan or 5 yuan, depending on the quantity). Ice powder and cold rice noodles (the poetic young people of Peking University call them cold shrimps, both in form and spirit) are a favorite snack among tourists. Those with longer working experience can be found at the entrance of Sifang Street, next to the Coca-Cola machine. Blowing the liver is rare elsewhere. It is made from pig liver that has been blown, pickled and naturally air-dried. It is usually eaten cold. Be sure to ask if it is air-dried, because most of the common ones are fresh. The taste of ham is okay, but it is difficult to find homemade ham, and as the temperature rises in winter over the years, cured ham is more likely to go bad. Usually it is bought or Sanchuan ham from Yongsheng (a county in Lijiang area) (the taste is also very good). The above-mentioned concentrated foods are more distinctive, but the taste is different. . . . . . whee. If you stay at the Naxi Ancient Music Studio, you can listen to ancient music for free. If you want to listen to authentic ancient music, you must first ask if it is hosted by Mr. Xuanke. If not, it is best not to listen. You must go to the riverside bar to drink tea and wine in the evening, otherwise your trip to Lijiang will be in vain.

D4 Jade Dragon Snow Mountain, take the cable car up the mountain (110 yuan/person). After viewing the snow-capped mountains, go to Black and White Water, arrive in Daju that night, and stay overnight in Daju (or return to Lijiang);

Special note: Shuhe can actually be reached by bicycle from Lijiang, and it is not far away. It is said that there are birds in Lashihai, but it depends on the season. If you don’t have enough time, don’t go there. It is best to charter a car for this trip. Because eating in Baishuihe is more expensive (because this is the only one), you can bring your own dry food.

Riding a horse to and from Maoniuping costs 60 yuan per person. If you want to ride a horse when you arrive at Maoniuping, you have to pay separately, which is 40 yuan in peak season and 20 yuan in off-season. If you don't want to ride a horse, you can slowly enjoy the scenery of Jade Dragon Snow Mountain and alpine grassland along the wooden bridge. When riding down the mountain, the horseman may tell you to add 10 yuan to take you to another route, where you can enjoy a different scenery. But don't be fooled, just return the same way. If you want to hike Tiger Leaping, you should stay in Daju, but the accommodation conditions there are not good, so you should be prepared in advance. Those who just want to visit Hutiao can return to Lijiang. If you are traveling here, you can join a one-day tour group in Lijiang. The itinerary is roughly the same, just remember not to buy things randomly.

D5 Go to Tiger Leaping Gorge and visit the First Bend of the Yangtze River

Special note: The best way to visit Tiger Leaping Gorge is on foot. The hike takes 2-3 days. If you only want to visit, you can jump up and down to have a look and then go to visit the first bend of the Yangtze River. If you want to travel around, you can join a one-day tour group in Lijiang for this day's tour route.

D6 starts from Lijiang towards Lugu Lake (200 kilometers, 7-10 hours) and arrives at Lugu Lake in the afternoon.

Special note: There are long-distance buses to Lugu Lake. Remember to inquire about the departure time in the morning the night before. There are not many buses, so be careful not to miss the time. There is a place on the way where you can take a panoramic view of Lugu Lake (it seems to be called a viewing platform or something). If you want to experience the real Mosu life, it is best not to stay in Luoshui Village. You can find a car locally to go to Lige Peninsula (8 kilometers), which is the real Mosu village. If you can get used to the local accommodation conditions, you can live directly in Mosha people’s homes. If you have higher requirements, you can stay in Luoshui Village. The accommodation there is ok and the price is not high (20-30 yuan/person). There are parties at most places where you stay at night. It is recommended not to participate in Luoshui Village. You can go directly to Rige Peninsula for dinner (you should be able to eat well if you pay 10-15 yuan per person) and participate in a real massage party (if you are lucky, you can also see the coming-of-age ceremony). In the evening It is very convenient to let the locals take them back on pig trough boats. If you want to ride a horse, the Lige Peninsula is much cheaper than Luoshui (10 yuan can get you from one side of the island to the other. If you pay 20 yuan, you can ride for half a day).

D7 Visit Molu Village, take a pig trough boat tour on Lugu Lake and the three islands of Lugu Lake (it is best to ride a horse around the lake), and return to Lijiang in the afternoon;

D8 Leisure Relax and experience the quiet life in Lijiang, spend the night in Lijiang or return to Kunming to stay in Kunming (it takes 8 hours from Lijiang to Kunming. There are at least 4 long-distance stations in Lijiang. If a family has no car, they can go to the other 3, take a taxi and ask the driver Just bring it with you, it's very cheap! Don't worry if you don't have a car, just take a taxi to Dali Xincheng Long-distance Bus Station for 200 yuan. There are many buses in Dali, don't worry! Hehe!);

D9 Tour in Kunming, stay in Kunming or return;

Suggestions on time arrangement

It is highly recommended to go if you have time Zhongdian, but Zhongdian is very big and requires a lot of time on the road. It is okay if you rent a car, but it is inconvenient to take a long-distance bus. And if it snows frequently in Zhongdian in winter (after November), the mountain will be easily closed.

Actually, Lijiang is a very attractive place, and you might not want to leave again after staying there. So leave more time for Lijiang, you won’t regret it.

Want to see the real ancient city? Then get up early! In the morning, there is no noise or the strong smell of copper in Lijiang. There is only peace and tranquility. Remember, if you live in Lijiang, you must get up early to see it.

If you have any difficulty arranging accommodation, transportation, return air tickets, etc. in Yunnan, please contact Manager Chen Jiamei of Yunnan International Travel Service (13808794904). If you are traveling by chance, you can collect enough people to charter their car and come down directly from Kunming. This saves money and a lot of time, and avoids a lot of the hassle of renting a car locally. Car rental price: TOYOTA Hiace (11 seats) is about 500 yuan/day.

Suggestions about photography in Lijiang

First of all, you must have a camera, the more advanced the better. Otherwise, you will be annoyed that your camera cannot record the beauty of nature. It doesn’t matter if you use a fool’s machine. There are many things worth recording in Lijiang, and your fool’s machine will also be useful.

Because it is a plateau, the solar radiation is strong. So try to avoid shooting at noon. UV is a must. It is still necessary to bring a polarizer (it allows you to better express the blue sky and white clouds of Lijiang). Many times you may also need a neutral gray gradient filter because the contrast is too great.

Take more film. Last time I went there, there was heavy snow and the mountains were closed. I couldn’t go to many places and burned about 10 films, so be sure to bring more, otherwise you will regret it. Friends who like photography should prepare 4-5 volumes per day, and other friends should prepare 2-3 volumes per day!

Remember to bring enough camera batteries. Many places are so remote that there will be no AA batteries for sale next year, let alone special LI batteries. Moreover, if you go to Zhongdian and other places where the cold climate will affect the battery life. If the battery runs out of power at the critical moment, you will die miserably. It is recommended to bring at least 3 sets of spare batteries.

There is a time difference of at least 2 hours between Lijiang and Beijing. The sun sets much later than Beijing time, so you can calculate the best shooting time based on the situation.

Almost all the most beautiful scenery in Lijiang is on the road (there are very good scenery along the road from Kunming to Dali, from Dali to Lijiang, and from Lijiang to Lugu Lake).

So if possible, it is recommended to hike all the places (it’s a bit ruinous! Hee hee!). It’s a good idea to rent a car. If you take a long car ride, you will regret missing the beautiful scenery! If you rent a car, remember to stop at any time. Don't be polite. You'd rather get scolded than go out and film. Otherwise, you'll regret it and even God won't be able to save you!

Yunnan is known as the south of colorful clouds. If you are lucky, you can see many beautiful colorful clouds (real colorful auspicious clouds). The best time to see colorful clouds is after sunrise in the morning and around sunset in the evening.

Fifteen Travel Safety Tips

1. When taking an airplane, you should pay attention to flight safety, buckle your seat belt, do not carry dangerous or flammable items, and do not use hand-held mobile devices during the takeoff and landing of the aircraft. Telephones and other related electronic supplies.

2. Do not change seats at will when riding a bus, and do not stick your head or hands out of the window. When getting on or off the bus, please pay attention to the direction of the oncoming vehicle to avoid danger.

3. Please put valuables in the hotel safe. If you carry them with you, please keep them safe and never let them go.

4. Please close the door when entering or exiting the hotel room. Do not put clothes on the lamp or smoke on the bed. If you hear the fire alarm, please leave quickly through the emergency exit and do not take the elevator.

5. Before each check-out, please check your luggage, paying special attention to your documents and valuable belongings.

6. When traveling, pay attention to your health. Do not eat raw food, raw seafood, peeled fruits, and do not patronize unlicensed roadside stalls to prevent overeating. Drink more water, eat more fruits and vegetables, smoke less, and drink less alcohol.

7. When traveling in a group, you are not allowed to leave the group without permission. If you need to leave the group alone, please obtain the consent of the accompanying tour guide and bring the address and phone number of the local hotel with you to avoid accidents.

8. Before arriving at the scenic spot, remember the gathering place, time, and tour bus number given by the tour guide. In case of leaving the group, please wait at the centralized location for the tour guide to return and look for you.

9. If you go out on your own at night or during free time, please inform the accompanying tour guide or group members to pay special attention to safety.

10. If there are any stimulating activities during the itinerary or during free activities, those in poor physical condition should not participate. People with heart disease, lung disease, asthma, and high blood pressure should avoid engaging in water or high-altitude activities.

11. When taking a speedboat, rafting or participating in water activities, please wear a life jacket as required and follow the instructions of the staff.

12. When taking the cable car, please go up and down in order and follow the instructions of the staff.

13. Please be careful when walking on snowy areas or steep mountain roads.

14. When playing in the water at the beach, please do not exceed the safety warning line. Those who are not familiar with water should not go into the water alone.

15. Do not show your money in public places, and do not count money in public when shopping.

Seven taboos when traveling

1. Avoid just looking at things. The purpose of our travels is to entertain our bodies and minds and increase our knowledge. If we do not carefully observe and appreciate the local customs every time we go to a place, we will lose the meaning of travel.

2. Avoid carrying too much luggage. There is no point in bringing too many items when traveling, it is a burden to our travels. It's inconvenient to carry it with you; it's not safe to leave it in a hotel. That’s why I advocate a one-pack policy: just one large rucksack for all luggage.

3. Avoid causing trouble. The place of travel is never your own "locality", so it's better to tone down your brute force and domineering attitude.

4. Avoid distracting activities. If you are traveling in a group, it is best not to have your own programs, but to keep the number of people at least two or three to disperse the activities. Never go out alone! Remember, remember!

5. Avoid separation between money and people. It's better to be cautious.

6. Avoid bringing children. Children always need the attention of adults, which prevents adults from fully enjoying the fun of travel. The child still has a long life in the future, and there are still many opportunities in the future!

7. Avoid unclear geography. Whenever you visit a place, please buy a local map. First, it can be used for emergency purposes when you get lost; second, it can be kept as a souvenir.