Lijiang

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Lijiang (丽江; Lìjiāng) is a small city in Yunnan Province, China. It was once the capital of a small kingdom and is a busy world legacy listed tourist town today.

Lijiang Halal Explorer

Lijiang-canales-l02 - A canal in the old town

Lijiang is the main center of the Naxi or Nakhi people, though it is by no means a Naxi-only town: at least half a dozen other ethnic groups are represented. The Naxi number under a million and are perhaps best-known for their embroidery; they also have their own language with its own hieroglyphic-style writing system, and their own religion, clothing, art, architecture, music and dance. The Chinese government classifies the Mosuo (found mainly further north around Lugu Lake) as part of the Naxi group, but neither the Naxi nor the Mosuo accept this.

Lijiang or nearby Baisha (now a village 12km north of town) have been important since roughly the time of Christ, when the Naxi settled in the area, and Baisha was the former capital of a Naxi kingdom from 658 to 1107. Then the area came under Chinese control and Lijiang became the administrative center. Parts of the old town date back to this period, built during the Song Dynasty (960-1279). The town was built where the Jade River divides into three and its streams form the canals and waterways which flow along the old town streets.

In 1278 and the Yuan Dynasty appointed the Naxi chief Mu De hereditary ruler of the area, and the Mu family retained power for about 500 years. Today their palace is one of the major tourist attractions of the old town.

Lijiang became known in the west through two men who lived in or near the town in the early 20th century, Austrian-American botanist Joseph Rock who wrote a Naxi dictionary, several scholarly papers, and many articles for National Geographic, and Russian Peter Goullart who wrote several books. It has been suggested that Rock's articles inspired James Hilton's Lost Horizons novel about a fictional Himalayan paradise, Shangrila, but the claim is controversial.

After China started to admit foreign tourists in the 1980s, Lijiang began to attract many visitors. To fulfill their needs, local people started restaurants and cafes. Chinese people also long for the lifestyle and the excellent environment in Lijiang and started to pour in.

An earthquake in 1996 flattened large parts of the town, though quite a few of the traditional wooden buildings remained standing while far more of the Mao-era brick or concrete structures collapsed. Since then there has been extensive rebuilding, mainly in traditional styles. There have been some complaints that much of that work followed traditions of central China, rather than locally appropriate ones, but most visitors will just notice a lot of rather pretty old-looking buildings.

Travel to Lijiang

Most hotels in the traditional architectural style are located in the old town. As taxis are not allowed to enter the old town and they have to stop at the gates. So either be prepared to carry your luggage a bit or call the hotel to send someone to carry your luggage on a cart.

Buy a Flight ticket to and from Lijiang

There are many Flights from Kunming to Lijiang, from early morning to late at night. However and the train service between Lijiang and Kunming is the cheapest and most environmentally-friendly way to arrive at or depart from Lijiang. Note: a new bullet train service will commence on January 2019, which will take you to Lijiang from Kunming in under 3 hours (it will pass through Dali) as well.

Lijiang Airport - Lijiang Airport

It is also feasible to book a flight to Lijiang from any major city in China, direct connecting flights are available from Shanghai, Beijing etc., but many flights will stop in Kunming and many will require a change of planes there.

There are some international flights. Tiger fly direct from Singapore to Lijiang, though only a few flights a week. The return flight makes a quick refuelling stop at Chiang Rai, Thailand.

The modestly sized airport is 40 minutes from the city. You can take a taxi for ¥200 (official fixed price) to get to the city. There are agents that will offer the same trip for ¥60-80, but it is likely you will find yourself squeezed into the same vehicle with strangers. Alternatively, outside the arrival hall, you will find the airport bus, which leaves regularly when full, for ¥20, to the Blue Skies Hotel near the Guangfang Hotel, which is 1km from the old town. A taxi to the old town will be ¥7-10 from the Blue Skies Hotel carpark.

When leaving Lijiang, arriving at the airport an hour before your flight is sufficient.

Lijiang is at 2,400m (almost 8,000 feet) so there is some risk of altitude sickness if you fly in from a lower altitude. The risk is not remarkably severe, but it may be more prudent to fly to Kunming at 2,000m, acclimatise there and then come to Lijiang. Dali would be an interesting intermediate stop. If you do fly direct to Lijiang from sea level, plan to take it easy the first day or two while your body gets acclimatised.

By Rail

Note: a new bullet train service will commence on January 2019, which will take you to Lijiang from Kunming in under 3 hours (it will pass through Dali) as well. The bullet train goes from Kunming, to Dali (one of the intermediate stops) , and in the end, to Lijiang.

You can use travel apps such as Ctrip to book train tickets.

The train station is an impressive structure about 7km south of Lijiang old town. Several public bus lines serve the station, including the number 18 and some number 4 buses. Taxis are reluctant to use the meter and will demand high fares of ¥70-40, though with bargaining ¥25 may be feasible. Be aware that taxis are not easy to come by in Lijiang. An alternative is the small SUV-type vans which cruise around offering a share-taxi service.

Slower, sleeper train (which depart Kunming and night and arrive at Lijiang in the morning) is still available as well.

A hard sleeper berth from Kunming to Lijiang costs ¥230 and runs from 10PM to 7AM. The soft sleeper vehicle would cost you about ¥205 on the same train. If you travel by a small family, parents and a kid, consider the VIP chamber which is at the price of ¥614, one less than purchasing three individual tickets in a four bed standard room. You may feel a bit tight for luggage storage space, but you gain more valuable privacy, with your own family. From Dali the train is a faster, cheaper alternative to the crowded buses: Hard (padded) seat is about 31Yuan, and the journey takes only 2 hours from Dali city. (using the new bullet train)

Travel on a Bus in Lijiang

• The bus station is located south of the old city. Regular services to/from Shangrila and overnight service from Kunming stop here. You can take the bus 8 in front of the bus station to the old town or take a taxi (about 15¥)
• From Dali, shuttle van/bus/comfort bus at 55/60/80¥ about every 30/60min, ~3h on highway.
• There is a direct bus from Chengdu which starts at 11:20 at Xinnamen station in Chengdu. It takes about 24 hours to do the trip, and cost about 280¥.
• Alternatively, you can take a train from Chengdu to Panzhihua (15h, ~191¥ for a hard sleeper) to arrive in the early morning. At the exit of Panzhihua train station, take one of the bus 64 on the left of the exit and get off at the terminus, which is the bus terminal (3¥, ~1h). Then, you can take a bus to Lijiang, which run every 45 minutes from 7AM to 1PM (from 83¥ to 92¥, ~8h).

How to get around in Lijiang

Walking is the only option in the old town, while taxis are often the easiest way around the rest of town from ¥8 (May 2023). Make sure you have the exact location info or address for the cab driver. Some of them do not know a whole lot more than you do.

Fracture alert: watch where you are walking. It is easy to trip on the cobblestones or fall into the canals from the walkways or bridges, many of which do not have handrails. The cobblestones can be very slippery when wet.

To see the sights outside the old town and the options are walking, biking, public bus, private mini-bus, or taxi. The public bus mainly stays within the city and stops 8PM Monday - PM. The mini-buses are the same price as the public bus within the city. They will have the number of the bus on the front windshield. The price of a mini-bus to a nearby village is ¥2-5, but the starting location within the city is different for most villages. If you do not know where you want to go and are limited on time and the best option is to rent a taxi or mini-bus for the day, but the price can vary wildly from about ¥200 all the way up to ¥700. The price mainly depends on whether you can speak Chinese or not, and how comfortable you look when you try to bargain the deal.

What to see in Lijiang

Lijiang Sifangjie - Sifangjie (Plaza Street) LijiangTown - Looking over the city Jade Dragon Mountain - Jade Dragon Snow Mountain Lijiang 3 - One of the many canals

• Old Town - 老镇 - Walk around, watch people, shop, drink and eat. There is bonfire at around 7PM at the Si Fang Jie and the central plaza. Many local folks dance there, apparently entertain themselves. Tourists are welcomed to join. And if you get there early in the morning, you can avoid the crowds.

• Mu Palace - 木府; Mùfǔ - The palace where the Mu Clan of the Naxi people ruled for over 400 years. It is a large complex that extends part way up the hill behind it. There used to be a lot of high quality paintings in the palace and finely carved wooden doors, but most were destroyed during the Cultural Revolution. At the top is a Daoist temple, with a few Daoists ready to give fortunes to visitors for a donation. A taste of Mulaoye Wine (木老爷酒; Mùlǎoyejiǔ), a kind of local alcohol, is available for ¥7 (in a shot glass), and there is also a free tea tasting area. Allow at least two hours explore this expansive complex and do wander off into the side courtyards as it will take you back to the main courtyards. If you are visiting Wangulou, exit the Lion Hill Park from the south exit which leads you right into the back entrance of Mu Palace.

• Jade Dragon Snow Mountain - 玉龙雪山; Yùlóngxuě Shān - A mountain massif (also identified as a small mountain range) visible from Lijiang and snow-capped all year round. Its highest peak is Shanzidou (扇子陡; Shānzidǒu) at 5,596m. The view of the massif from the gardens at the Black Dragon Pool in Lijiang is noted as one of China's finest views. The far side of the mountain forms one side of Tiger Leaping Gorge (虎跳峡; Hǔtiàoxiá).
  To reach the mountain area, you have to take a private mini van from the Hongtaiyang square in front of the Mao statue. The mini van costs 20¥ and will wait until it is full before it will leave. There is no official city bus, but the mini vans have adopted the #7 name so people can recognise where they are going. Note that some cable cars can be cancelled due to wind, but there is plenty to see without going up the mountain.
  The mountain area is part of a national park, which has a ticket gate where you will have to buy a 130¥ entry ticket, this ticket does not include any cable cars or other transportation, which is required to actually visit anything. The mini van will drop you off here at the ticket gates and tourism centre. You can't walk anywhere from here (closest stop is 6km), and must buy a 20¥ ticket for a shuttle bus, that makes a loop and stops at all the important viewpoints. The bus ticket gives you access to this route and you can get on and off as you please, and can also return back to ticket gate in the end. The ticket itself has a tiny map showing the stops the bus goes to, but is in Chinese.
  To find the shuttle bus in the tourism centre, follow the signs to "Blue moon valley bus waiting area".
  The first stop is the Blue moon valley where you can see the White water river and artificially made waterfalls. It is worth getting off here. You might be asked to purchase tickets for the electrical bus, which they call the "Little green frog". It's not worth it. You would miss the 20-minutes walk on a wood trail, which is very enjoyable. The walking trail goes parallel to the electric bus route, so if you can't find it, follow the small bus at first. Walking trail is very nice and goes in different directions. It is paved and well marked with signs.
  It is feasible to take a short cable vehicle to Spruce meadow, or get on the shuttle bus and continue to the next stop, where you can see the white water river dammed up and turned into mini reservoirs. From this stop, you can also get back to the park entrance, you can ask somebody if the bus will go back or continue further to the next stop, which is Yak meadow.
  If you take the cable vehicle up the mountain to high altitudes, renting a coat is not necessary during the late spring and summer season. You would find it a big burden later. Watch out for altitude sickness in the thin air. On your way to Yu Long Snow Mountain, you may stop by at the Dong Ba Valley culture center. They moved some families from other places to this village and let them live their normal lives. Such domestic scenes as the husband in a family counting change while the wife is comforting the baby or two young siblings baking cookies and selling them to visitors are common. There are live singers and instrumentalists performing at different corners. Some singers are pretty and sing well.

• Black Dragon Pool - 黑龙潭; Hēilóngtán - Quite large place with some nice natural scenery together with traditional building styles. Don't forget to take pictures on the center bridge where the Yu Long Xue Shan (The Jade Dragon Snow Mountain) can be a perfect background. Popular with local residents, whom you can find dancing or playing games such as mahjongg or Chinese chess. You can also hike up Elephant Hill if you're feeling energetic. Walk north along the canals from the waterwheels just to the north of the old town. It is about 10 minutes walk up-river.

• Baisha Naxi Embroidery Institute - 白沙锦绣艺术院 - The Baisha Naxi Embroidery Institute. It is in the old town of Baisha, 12 kilometers away from Lijiang City. It is a typical Naxi courtyard with a very nice surroundings. The mission of the institute is to save, protect, inherit and promote the Naxi traditional hand-made embroidery. It occupies 800 square meters and there are many embroidery masters and students, also many hand-made embroideries there. You can try how to do hand-made embroidery there if you have time. Also you can buy some very nice embroideries there if you like.

• Baisha Murals - 白沙壁画 - Baisha Town was once Lijiang's political, economic and cultural center. The Buddhist murals here reflect a fusion of both Han Chinese and Tibetan painting techniques with Naxi cultural traditions.

• Gold Dragon Bridge - Jinlong Bridge 金龙桥, Zili Bridge 梓里桥 - Built between 1876 and 1880, this iron chain suspension bridge spans the Jinsha River, a tributary of the Yangtze. It is said to the oldest bridge on the Yangtze still in use today.

Top Muslim Travel Tips for Lijiang

• Naxi Concert Hall - Enjoy the traditional Naxi music Culture Show performed by the Naxi Orchestra, which includes some 70-90 year old men. The music itself is a combination of traditional Chinese music dating back to the Tang dynasty and local instruments and flavours. The music is well performed, however be prepared for long explanations of its musical history in Mandarin between each piece and the sometimes self-serving comments of Xuan Ke the Director. While the Naxi Ancient Music group of Lijiang is famous and well promoted and there are other excellent classical Chinese music groups playing in Lijiang's parks (for ¥20) or at weddings or housewarmings all over Yunnan.

• Float styrofoam boats - Along the main streams are girls selling candles that float on delicate flower-shaped styrofoam boats. Tourists can purchase one, make a wish, and send their candle down the waterways. Late in the evening after groups have had significant amounts of drinks you can see many floating candles sailing down the waterways. If you are environmentally conscious and have reservations about sending styrofoam downstream do not worry. There is a net, far down the waterway, that catches the boats. The girls just go down, pick the boats up, and re-sell them the next night.

• Biking - Rent a bike downtown, eg at Ali Baba's near Mao Zedong's statue, and see the sights. Ali Baba's will give you a handmade map of smaller surrounding towns that capture the quaint styles of Lijiang without the heavy tourism and the tacky souvenir shops. There are at least three towns, ranging from converted hippy communes to remote farming villages. There is a beautiful remote Buddhist monastery at Puji Mountain which is worth the 30 minutes hike. There is also a Tibetan village labeled on the map but is hard to find, so ask Ali Baba for directions. Most of the terrain around Lijiang is level and the roads have only light traffic. These small, non-many towns and other sightseeing destinations can be visited within a 20 minutes ride.

• Walk the canal path - To get to the Black Dragon Pool you can walk the canal path north near the main water wheel. It will take you to the south entrance of the park. The north part of the park is free and you can get there by walking around the south entrance and keep heading north. You should reach a street with the main entrance to the park. Keep going north and you will see a small bridge that leads to a large white building. The white building is the Dongba Museum, everything north of that is free. If the guards bother you at the gate, just walk back to the street and keep walking north and there will be another path to get in to the free part with no gates or guards to bother you. Further north of the park is a local college, and northwest of that is a small reservoir. The reservoir is a good place to take photos of the snow mountain when it is visible. On hot sunny days in the summer there will be lots of local residents swimming there in the afternoon. At the local college you can find students to help you. The English building is the large pink one just right after you enter the south entrance. There is a student run café that is open in the evening from 6:30PM Monday - 10PM in the "butterfly" building, which is opposite of the English building. As of 2007 the school has an English corner every Thursday after lunch (~1PM), and after dinner at ~5:40PM. The English corner is so-so, but it is a great chance to ask students about where to go, and affordable transportation. Many of them are from other places in Yunnan.

• Visit Naxi villages - If you would like to visit some of the Naxi villages in the hills surrounding Lijiang, you can rent a small van to take you around for ¥200-300, depending on the driver and how much Chinese you speak. There are regular minivans on Shangrila Road and the primary street on the west side of town, which take local residents to and from the villages. Sometimes it can be difficult to find a mini-van to go back to Lijiang after 5PM if you do not make arrangements with the driver who took you there. The regular one way mini-van fee is ¥2 to Shuhe, and ¥7-5 for villages farther north (2022). It is highly recommended to ask a student at the local college on where to find the mini-buses and the prices of the village you want to go. Many drivers will try to rip you off if you do not speak Chinese, and the buses are not always easy to find as they look the same as the private "3-8" buses that travel inside the city.

• Impression Lijiang - A cultural show demonstrating the traditions and lifestyles of the Naxi, Yi and Bai peoples of the area. The show takes place inside Jade Dragon Snow Mountain Park at 3500m in an outdoor theater specifically designed to showcase the mountain which is used as a backdrop. The production itself was designed by Zhang Yimou (director of Hero, House of Flying Daggers), Fan Yue and Wang Chaoge, a cast of over 500 people, and a number of horses. However and the show does not have a plot. Tickets cost ¥290 and can be purchased from the ticket booth in the Old Town (make a right at the water wheels and walk down the main street and the booth will be on your left). The ticket price does not include transportation to and from the theater (approx 1 hour drive) or the entrance fee for the park (¥80). There is also an Old Town Preservation fee that the park tries to charge as well, however, this can be avoided by claiming to have already paid at you hotel (and showing your hotel key). Bus 7 will take you to the theater for ¥20 and can be caught across from the Mao Zedong statue, but be sure to find out what time the last bus leaves the park.

• Dry Sea Meadow - Ganhaizi - The closest chair lift up the mountain to Lijiang. It transports visitors to a large meadow located at 3050 meters.

• Cloud Fir Meadow - Yunshanping - From the reception centre which is located adjacent to Impression Lijiang on the Lijiang-Daju road a fleet of buses transports visitors to a cable car. Both bus transfer and cable vehicle costs a total of ¥210 for a return trip. From the upper terminus of the cable vehicle a vehicle takes you to the Cloud Fir Meadow for ¥70. The view is not very spectacular which makes this trip highly overpriced.

• Yak Meadow - Máoniúpíng - The furtherest from Lijiang at a distance of 60km, this cable car, costs ¥60 for a round-trip. At an elevation of 3,500 metres and the least-visited of the three chair lifts this area offers grazing yaks, a Tibetan temple and a number of hiking possibilities. On the way to the chairlift’s lower terminus the road drips down and crosses a river. A number of yaks are located here where for a fee you can sit on one. Their owners seem to have no objection to visitors taking photos for no fee of the yaks standing in the river with awesome Jade Dragon Snow Mountain in the background. You can also access Yak Meadow by hopping aboard bus 7 across from the Mao Zedong statue which will take you to the Impression Lijiang Theater for ¥20. At the theater there is a ticket booth to the left of the show entrance which sells tickets to both Spruce Meadow and Yak Meadow (¥80) and provides a tour bus to and from the cable cars and a cable vehicle ticket. Be sure to find out what time the last bus passes the Impression Lijiang theater or you may find yourself calling a taxi which could be expensive. Also see "Impression Lijiang" info for entrance fees to the park itself.

• Baisha Village - 白沙村 - A small village in Yulong Naxi Autonomous County, part of Lijiang city, well-known for its Jade Dragon Snow Mountain range. It is the original settlement of the Naxi people who came to the greater Lijiang Valley over a thousand years ago. Made up of at least 12 smaller villages and the main village is Sanyuan (三元村), which has one main stone street called of course, Baisha Street. It has a typical Chinese "old-town" tourist setup, consisting of a stone paved street with a mixture of Chinese trinket sellers-shops and several quaint cafés to stop at relax, have a drink some Yunnan Coffee eat a Naxi Pie and avoid the crowded Lijiang. A great escape from Lijiang Old-town tourist trap, only 12 kilometers north of town, you can rent a bike and get there in about 40 minutes. You should consider staying a few nights, in a Naxi family’s courtyard, no "hotel-Hostels" here. Even though almost everything costs you a ticket price to do in China these days you can do many things here for free! Like hike the local mountains through the high alpine botanical garden and search for herbs on your way to the Jade Dragon Lake and the backside of Snow Jade Dragon Mountain. Visit some of the temples or traditional Naxi houses of the area before they are gone.

In Biasha village and there is an old woman named Liu who will sometimes stop tourists and invite them into her home. She is a very nice lady, who will show you pictures of people who have visited her home as well as messages that people have left in her guestbook. She will feed you Snacks and tea and make you feel welcome. Before letting you leave, she will ask for a small 'donation' (around ¥70 per person).

• Go hiking to local Naxi villages - Get out of Lijiang and discover the real place, by hiking in the Lijiang valley or in the hills to temples, lakes, villages and scenic lookouts. Agencies like Lijiang Guides can arrange trips to remote villages, as well as Tiger Leaping Gorge, Lugu Lake and Baoshan stone village.

• The Baisha Naxi Emboidery Institute - The Baisha Naxi Embroidery Institute. The mission of this institute is to protect, save, inherit. develop and promote the Naxi traditional hand-made embroidery. This institute is located in the Baisha Village, 12 kilometers away from the Lijiang city. There are many local embroiderers and many nice hand-made embroideries there. It is a typical Naxi style courtyard with a very nice surroundings . It is a very stunning location, you have to go there.

Muslim Friendly Shopping in Lijiang

Lijiang 2 - Typical Old Town Street With Shops

Loads of tourist shops available in old town. Probably overpriced, but Lijiang does not have as many cases of the Westerner price being too much higher than the Chinese price as in many other parts of China.

• Burned wood carvings - One of the popular local specialties. Quality varies greatly by the individual artist, and prices vary by shops. Some shops do custom etchings of your face (near photo-realism) with Lijiang in the background. Expect to have your picture taken and then come back in a few hours.
• Yak horn combs - Also popular, with some combs also carved from the yak hoof (the ones with the rougher edge on the handle).
• Naxi clothing - For ¥7 you can get your picture taken in them without having to buy them. Local skirts that include designs that appear Ancient Egyptian may actually be based on pictographs that preceded Chinese characters.
• Art and writing samples (东巴; Dōngbā) - The Naxi have the only living hieroglyphic language in the world, and retail outlets with samples of it, or of the unique Naxi style art, are abundant.
• Yunnan Coffee - Coffee ground to a fine powder then added to water, although most contain milk and sugar powder already.
• Warm Clothing - In the Old Town warm clothing is quite expensive if you are just looking for something affordable to keep the chill out. The road just outside the town by the waterwheel has very affordable hats, mitts, and even long johns. Just turn left at the first intersection.
• Small red coconut - DO NOT BUY a small red fruit shaped like a coconut. Actually, it is just a coconut painted red and sold for a very high price. This is a scam.
• Naxi hand-made Embroidery - You can find many nice Naxi hand-made embroideries in the Baisha Naxi Embroidery Institute. Some of them are arts , very unbelievable, made by the famous Naxi masters.

Halal Food & Restaurants

There are three primary types of restaurants in Lijiang: Naxi, Tibetan, and Sichuan. Some restaurants offer more than one type of food. Halal food is also available, but more expensive. Lots of local snack-type foods available from street vendors.

eHalal Group Launches Halal Guide to Lijiang

Lijiang - eHalal Travel Group, a leading provider of innovative Halal travel solutions for Muslim travelers to Lijiang, is thrilled to announce the official launch of its comprehensive Halal and Muslim-Friendly Travel Guide for Lijiang. This groundbreaking initiative aims to cater to the diverse needs of Muslim travelers, offering them a seamless and enriching travel experience in Lijiang and its surrounding regions.

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eHalal Travel Group Lijiang is a prominent name in the global Muslim travel industry, dedicated to providing innovative and all-inclusive travel solutions tailored to the needs of Muslim travelers worldwide. With a commitment to excellence and inclusivity, eHalal Travel Group aims to foster a seamless travel experience for its clients while respecting their religious and cultural values.

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Muslim Friendly Hotels

Lijiang has https://els.ehalal.io/hotels?destination=Lijiang&locationId=26187&checkIn=2023-09-16&checkOut=2023-09-17&children=&adults=2&&with_request=true plenty of hotels to fit all budgets and styles.

It is sometimes difficult to find specific addresses in the old town; the best option, especially in low season, is to walk around town and check out prices and rooms to see which suits you best, as there are many different options to choose from. In the winter, ensure that there is a heated mattress pad or heating in the room as the nights are quite chilly.

There are https://els.ehalal.io/hotels?destination=Lijiang&locationId=26187&checkIn=2023-09-16&checkOut=2023-09-17&children=&adults=2&&with_request=true hundreds of beautiful and clean Chinese hotels not listed below. To find them it's best to ask around, or stand in the train station bus drop-off stop (East of the water-wheels central square) with a big backpack and look lost.

• halal.io//2023-09-16&checkOut=2023-09-17&26187&&Lijiang+Baisha+Holiday+Resort&hotelId=157599&&.Zz34e5ac05cd1f4747ad4e2b1-206204 Baisui Inn - 百岁桥客栈 - A 300 years old Naxi traditional house renewed in 2004 with a pebble cobbled courtyard surrounded by three wooden buildings. The owner Mrs Ho is a 55 years old Naxi lady who has been living in the old town since she born. As the old Naxi saying says: one Naxi lady equals to 8 horses,the poor lady works all day long in the Inn. The inn is very peaceful,quiet,and good location. Haba a 25 years old tour guide who speaks very good English and Japanese, he is a nephew of Mrs Ho, assists Mrs Ho in the inn most of the days.

• halal.io//2023-09-16&checkOut=2023-09-17&26187&&Lijiang+Sina+Hotel&hotelId=354869&&.Zz6a875c8f69594151999d23a-206204 Lijiang Sina Hotel 新纳大酒店 - Lijiang Sina Hotel is located in the famous "World Cultural Heritage" – inside the old town of Lijiang City. Accessing the hotel by the South Gate, its architectural structure is rich in art and also follows the traditional "Naxi" dwelling and is owned and managed by Emperor Resorts International Pte Ltd, Singapore. For info - Facebook Page - Lijiang Sina Hotel 新纳大酒店

• halal.io//2023-09-16&checkOut=2023-09-17&26187&&Pullman+Lijiang+Resort+%26+Spa&hotelId=22596&&.Zz0952dfbae9f044d283d336f-206204 Pullman Lijiang Resort & Spa - Shuhe Road, Shuhe Old Town. Possibly the most comfortable place to be in Lijiang is here, with rooms starting at ¥2,400+ per day and villas starting at ¥2,400+ per day (as of Sept 2011). The interiors are of contemporary Chinese design, reflecting Naxi architecture and style. Amenities include new 42” LCD TV and sliding doors for washrooms. For cuisine and there is fine international cuisine, with local Chinese food in their restaurant. Jade Dragon Snow Mountain backdrops the resort. Water is free and transportation is well. The hotel is about 7 minutes away from Shuhe Ancient Town.

• halal.io//2023-09-16&checkOut=2023-09-17&26187&&Banyan+Tree+Lijiang&hotelId=354880&&.Zzf1e7e043e7734891944e307-206204 Banyan Tree, Lijiang - For those with deep pockets the Banyan Tree Lijiang is possibly one of the world's nicest hotels with rooms at ¥7,000+ per day (price of April 2022). Placed way out in the middle of farmland, this hotel is quiet, peaceful, and from afar looks like a fortress village. The "rooms" are small villas built in traditional farmhouse architecture, comprising of a bath, study and bedroom with a direct view of the Jade Dragon Snow Mountain, a private garden, patio, and an outdoor jacuzzi. The food here is mediocre but the prices are comparable to the tourist parts of the old town with meals costing ¥70-40. However the water is outrageously expensive with a bottle of Perrier setting you back a staggering ¥65, making it more expensive than a glass of (¥78). A taxi is required to get to and from the hotel (¥20-15 to the old town). (current Nov 2006) NOTE: This hotel is quite far from the center of Lijiang city.

• [https://+GUANFANG+HOTEL&hotelId=153183&&.Zz611c61f83a344b8f81742ba-206204 Guanfang Hotel. Although not located in the old town (it's in the new city), you can get a taxi ride from this hotel to the old town's entrance for a reasonable fee (less than ¥20 - US$1.50). Guanfang hotel is actually part of a hotel-chain owned by a Yunnanese hotelier group - it has "Guanfang hotels" in other cities in Yunnan province. The Lijiang Guanfang hotel is built to a resort (bungalow) style. The hotel ground area is very big and you have to walk quite a distance from the hotel lobby to your assigned bungalow (containing a number of rooms). But the rooms are pretty spacious and it's beautifully set and are between 4-5 stars.
• [https://+Indigo+Lijiang+Ancient+Town%2C+an+IHG+Hotel&hotelId=1495235&&.Zz6aeb16 bfe65c471dacd05ea-206204 Hotel Indigo Lijiang - Hotel Indigo Lijiang Ancient Town is perfectly located for both business and leisure guests in Lijiang. The hotel has everything you need for a comfortable stay. To be found at the hotel are free Wi-Fi in all rooms, 24-hour front desk, facilities for disabled guests, express check-in/check-out, luggage storage. Guestrooms are fitted with all the amenities you need for a good night's sleep. In some of the rooms, guests can find television LCD/plasma screen, internet access – wireless, internet access – wireless (complimentary), whirlpool bathtub, non smoking rooms. To enhance guests' stay and the hotel offers recreational facilities such as fitness center, sauna, indoor pool, spa, kids club. A welcoming atmosphere and excellent service are what you can expect during your stay at Hotel Indigo Lijiang Ancient Town.

Stay Safe

The smaller streets in the old town are reported not to be safe at night. Do not walk alone.

Travel Next

Lijiang is on a popular route which we describe at Yunnan tourist trail. Other major towns along that route are:

• Dali, next main city south. There is a direct bus to Xiaguan, Dali new town. You need to take another bus to Dali ancient city. There is also a direct bus from Lijiang to Dali ancient city; ask your hotel or a tour agent to book the ticket. All of the Lijiang buses pass the Dali old town on the way to Xiaguan. Just tell the driver to drop you off in Dali.
• Shangrila, next main city north. It is ¥60 from Lijiang to Shangrila by express bus. about 4h trip, bus every hour.

Other places in the region include:

• Shuhe old town, better than Lijiang if you want a place less commercialized; a horse ride in the town is an attraction. Easy bus and mini bus service to the town from Lijiang: bus 5 from old town 1y/~30min (arrive south/oldest part/most homestay, north/old town Lijiang like and hotel/restaurants; homestays price ~100y for s/d but can bargain), maybe bus 11 from bus station; horse ride ~100-200y; monastery & lake to see around but a bit far for just a walk.
• Shaxi ancient town, between Dali and Shangri-la. Unexploited ancient town unlike Lijiang, less travel by tourists, but is now attracting backpackers. There is no transport direct to Shaxi, you need to arrive at Jiangchuan first. An express bus operates from Dali (Xiaguan) to Jiangchuan, and Lijiang to Jiangchuan. A mini bus will also take you from Lijiang to a border of Jiangchuan and Lijiang, where you need to take a shuttle van to Jiangchuan city, and continue with another minivan to Shaxi old town. If you miss the express bus and the mini bus will be an alternative; it is faster. Or you can just flag down any bus going From Dali to Shangri-la and tell them you're getting out in Jiangchuan.
• Lugu Lake, north of Lijiang near the Sichuan border, direct bus from Lijiang. As of 2023 and the road was under construction and very rough, more than seven hours of rough ride. Presumably construction is now complete, so travel should require about four hours and be reasonably comfortable.

Lijiang is also a jumping off spot for treks; see Tiger Leaping Gorge (quite nearby) and Three Parallel Rivers National Park (more of an expedition).

• Qiaotou for Tiger Leaping Gorge - regular bus services are available from the main bus station. You can also take any Shangrila bound bus and have the driver drop you off at Qiaotou. Costs about ¥25. If you take a Shangrila bus, make sure to ask for the ticket to Qiaotou only, otherwise they will charge you the full fare to Shangrila.
• For Three Parallel Rivers National Park you will need a guide (readily available in either Lijiang or Shangrila), equipment, and at least a week.

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