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The Dragon God Temple, Longshen Temple, is located in the Black Dragon Pool park in Lijiang, Yunnan province.

It was constructed in 1737 and was given the name by Emperor Qianlong of the Qing Dynasty. Originally, it was a site to pray for rain and river prosperity, but today, it functions more as a cultural exhibition space.

The temple showcases a mixture of Naxi, Bai, Tibetan and Han ethnic architecture styles - the ceilings have auspicious symbols, while the doors and windows have intricate wooden carvings with birds and flowers, and the frames are decorated calligraphy or landscape paintings. The main courtyard is symmetrically designed with many pot plants, a large pebble stoned mosaic Yin-Yang symbol and Shou symbol (meaning longevity, health & good fortune) in the centre.

Dongba Culture Museum (麗江東巴文化博物館東巴文化傳習院) is a museum in Lijiang, Yunnan province that showcases the Dongba culture of the Naxi people.

The Naxi is a minority ethinic group known for its own ancient and unique language and scriptures. The pictograph language is actually composed of 1,400 picture-like characters and symbols that are still used by Dongbas, researchers and artists of the culture. It is the only living hieroglyph in the world and is regarded as a precious cultural relic of mankind.

On August 30, 2003, the museum's 1,000-volume collection of Dongba classical literature was added by UNESCO to the Memory of the World International Register, recognising it as documentary heritage of global importance.

Attached are some photos of the museum displays including the Naxi pictograph language, their culture, handicrafts, religion, rituals etc. Although it is a small museum, it has a lot of important and interesting information, antiques and artefacts to learn about the Naxi people...

Inside the Five-Phoenix Pavilion complex (in the Black Dragon Pool park) are several buildings that have been turned into little museums showcasing photographs and information about Lijiang’s history, Dayan ancient town, the flora and fauna of the area, about the Naxi people (religion, rituals, ceremonies, festivals etc), Dongba pictographs, and more. It won’t take long to wander through all of the halls (maybe an hour at most?) but its really interesting and worth visiting!

I've uploaded photos from the museum about Dayan ancient town's layout, residential buildings and the water system. This explains how Dayan ancient town was formed and developed - the importance of the streets and bridges, to enable water to reach every part of the ancient town... The design and decor of the buildings have a mixture of Naxi, Han, Bai and other ethnic group architectural styles....

Below are the Google translations of what is written about Dayan ancient town - slide 1, 2 and 17. I've also added some photos that I've taken around the ancient town to help illustrate and provide examples of the different types of architecture that you'll see today...

NOTE: Dayan ancient town is also known as Old Town of Lijiang or Lijiang Old Town and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

GOOGLE TRANSLATION OF PHOTO 1 = Urban Layout

The streets of Dayan Ancient Town in Lijiang are centered around Sifang Street, with five main streets—Xinhua Street, Wuyi Street, Qiyi Street, Xinyi Street, and Guangyi Street—serving as its arteries. The streets follow the contours of the mountains and the water, without a neat grid of roads or a strict axis. The spaces are sometimes enclosed and sometimes open, forming a road network that connects the entire town.

Each main street has a central plaza, with Sifang Street being the largest. Sifang Street is not only the center of Dayan Ancient Town but also the trade and commercial hub of northwestern Yunnan. Located between the West River and the Middle River, Sifang Street slopes from west to east. A movable sluice gate on the West River's duck egg-selling bridge utilizes the elevation difference between the West and Middle Rivers to wash the street surface. This unique sanitation facility is rare both domestically and internationally.

The streets and alleys of the ancient city are all paved with cobblestones, which prevent dust in the dry season and mud in the rainy season. The stones have natural and elegant patterns and a delicate texture, which are very harmonious with the environment of the ancient city.

GOOGLE TRANSLATION OF PHOTO 2 = Residential buildings

The residences in Lijiang Old Town are a concentrated embodiment of the traditional building techniques of the Naxi people. They incorporate architectural elements from Han, Bai, and other ethnic groups, exhibiting distinct local characteristics and ethnic style in terms of layout, form, and architectural art.

Residential buildings are generally two-story wooden structures about 7.5 meters high, with a few three-story buildings. They feature a mortise-and-tenon frame, all-mud walls, and tiled roofs, primarily in the form of gable roofs and hip roofs, and include external verandahs. Based on the frame structure and external verandahs, they can be divided into seven categories: single-story houses, open-air houses, two-story houses with side verandahs, two-sided verandahs, arcade houses, barbicans, and enclosed houses. Floor plans include three courtyards with a screen wall, four courtyards with five patios, courtyard houses, multi-courtyard complexes, and multi-courtyard combinations. Among these, the three courtyards with a screen wall and four courtyards with five patios are the most typical.

The houses are arranged in a crisscross pattern in terms of shape and outline, creating a beautiful silhouette. The facades are mostly made of stone plinths, with plastered walls, brick corners, and blue tile roofs, resulting in a harmonious, simple, and elegant style.

Lijiang traditional houses place great emphasis on the decoration of gate towers, screen walls, outer corridors, doors, windows, and beams. The gate towers are mainly of three types: brick arch, wooden lintel flat arch, and wooden frame. The screen wall is generally of two types: three-tiered and straight. The doors, windows, and doors are all decorated with wood carvings, mainly featuring patterns of music, chess, calligraphy, painting, birds, flowers, and antique objects representing the four seasons.

The courtyard floor is paved with materials such as broken tiles, pebbles, and colourful stones, mainly featuring patterns of flowers, birds, fish, insects, yin and yang symbols, and auspicious symbols like Fu, Lu, Shou, and Xi. Every household likes to plant flowers and trees and display bonsai in their yards.

GOOGLE TRANSLATION OF PHOTO 17 = Water System

Heilongtan – Black Dragon Pool is the main water source for Dayan Ancient Town. The clear spring water originates from multiple springs at the foot of Elephant Mountain. The rivers and ditches flow through thousands of households in a network, forming a well-organised water system with scattered wells and springs to meet the water needs of the entire town for fire fighting, production and daily life.

Black Dragon Pool

[River] Spring water gushes forth from the spring head on the western slope of Elephant Mountain, converging to form a pool of approximately 40,000 square meters. The pool water flows from north to south, splitting into the East River, Middle River, and West River under the Jade Dragon Bridge. After entering the ancient city, it further divides into countless smaller streams, flowing through walls, houses, courtyards, and gardens, spreading throughout the entire city. The main street runs alongside the river, while alleyways border its waterways. The streetscape and the clear water complement each other perfectly.

[Springs and Pools] The famous springs and pools of Dayan Ancient Town include Black Dragon Pool, White Horse Dragon Pool, and Ganze Spring. White Horse Dragon Pool is located on the southeast slope of Lion Mountain, with a water surface area of nearly 100 square meters. The spring water is sweet, pure, and has never dried up. Ganze Spring is located at the foot of Jinhong Mountain in the east of the ancient town, with a pool area of several tens of square meters.

[Wells] There are many wells in Dayan Ancient Town, most of which are in the form of "three-eyed wells". A "three-eyed well" means that there are three eyes in one well, which are connected to each other and are used for drinking water, washing vegetables and washing clothes respectively.

[Bridges] There are 354 bridges spanning the Yuhe River system in the ancient city, most of which were built during the Ming and Qing dynasties. They come in various forms, including covered bridges, stone arch bridges, stone slab bridges, and wooden plank bridges. Famous bridges include Suocui Bridge, Dashi Bridge, Wanzi Bridge, Nanmen Bridge, Baisui Bridge, and Qinglong Bridge.

Attached are photos of Blue Moon Valley which I visited before catching the cable car up to Yulong Jade Dragon Snow Mountain. I joined a group tour, booked via Trip.com

You need about 1hr - 2hr to explore Blue Moon Valley and its best to pay for electric golf cart for 40 CNY to save time and energy. You can definitely feel the high altitude here.

I was at Blue Moon Valley around 7am and it was quite crowded. There were lots of brides and grooms with their professional photographers taking up the best photo spots so you'll need time and patience to wait from them to finish to take your photos...

I think there was one or two restaurants, a few food stalls near the ticket office area? Do bring your own snacks and drinks to save time - especially if you're visiting Blue Moon Valley and want to climb to 4680m on Yulong and watch the Impressions of Lijiang show all in one day.

As I was part of a group tour, we had a shared hot pot lunch together and it was included in the booking price.

I was in Lijiang for 7 nights and joined a group tour, booked via Trip.com, to visit Yulong / Jade Dragon Snow Mountain.

Apparently, only 10,000 tickets are released per day and its extremely popular thus hard to get tickets. The group tour that I was part of only had 7 other tourists and all from South Korea! The guide was also the driver and only spoke Chinese so we communicated via translation apps. Everything was included in the booking price including the shared hotpot lunch meal, except the electric golf-cart ride along the Blue Moon Valley to visit various sections which was an extra 40 CNY.

The itinerary is as follows and times are approx. pending traffic, crowds and queues: 5am pick-up, 5:30am stop for oxygen tank & high altitude medicine upsell (there’s several different packages to cater to everyone’s health and concerns – no pressure to buy but all tour groups stop here... it must be a mandatory visit set by the local government?), 6am photo stop of Yulong Mountain at sunrise along the highway, 7am BLUE MOON VALLEY, 10am shared Hotpot lunch, 11pm – 2:30pm YULONG / JADE DRAGON SNOW MOUNTAIN including return cable car ride, 3pm 1hr IMPRESSIONS OF LIJIANG SHOW, 4pm drive back to Lijiang and 5pm drop-off.

NOTE: 5am to 5pm is a really long day especially with such an early morning start and having to deal with the high altitude! You’ve be napping on the way back to Lijiang… I did haha

The time that you get to go up Yulong Mountain via cable car and the time that you get to watch the Impressions of Lijiang show will depend on what tickets that the tour company / guide can get. Meaning, you might end up watching the show first then go up Yulong Mountain as the cable car ride is allocated time slots and the staff will check and scan your tickets. Even though I was on a group tour, I explored Blue Moon Valley and Yulong Mountain alone – you don’t have to stay with the tour group the whole time... my guide didn’t come up the mountain, she stayed at the cable car entrance and waited for us there.

The guide will WeChat you the schedule, instructions, tips and advice etc. I recommend to bring at least x2 oxygen tanks with you and purchase them from Dayan Old Town as they’ll be more expensive up the mountain! Don’t forget your powerbank and charger cord, dress warmly as its cold up there... The guide did offer us a huge puffer coat but we all took it off and gave it back to the guide as it was getting warm before we caught the cable car up, opsie!

Blue Moon Valley is a great place to visit – the scenery with Yulong Mountain in the background is beautiful and especially on a sunny day but the water isn’t as blue as what I see online and its quite crowded! Many of the best photo-spots are taken by brides and grooms (along with their photographers, make-up artists etc) and there’s a queue to take photos with the yak (I think it costs 50 CNY?). The electric golf-cart for 40 CNY is worth it as you can feel the high altitude here and its better to save time and energy to climb to 4680m on Yulong Mountain.

On this group tour, I had about 3.5hr to ride the cable car up to 4506m then climb the 99+ stairs to reach 4680m and catch the cable car back down to the tour group meeting point. 99+ stairs may sound short and easy but with the high altitude, you’ll struggle! It was just enough time to complete this mission – I had maybe 5min spare? So 3.5hr is tight!!! Ideally, another 1hr+ would have been better to enjoy the views… I used x1 oxygen tank to help me climb to the highest point but another oxygen tank would have been better!

I stopped many times, like every 15+ steps to catch my breath. You’ll see many people sitting on the steps and along the boardwalk to rest so don’t be ashamed or embarrassed to sit down. I saw young and old people resting. Everyone will deal with the high altitude differently. There’s one or two cafes on top of the mountain and a few snack stalls but I do recommend eating before you get on the cable car – there’s a lot more choices at the bottom including McDonald's, KFC, Starbucks, Luckin Coffee, Chagee, 10+ Chinese restaurants, a convenience store etc in front of the cable car entrance.

The Impressions of Lijiang show is a 1hr live outdoor stage performance at the bottom of Yulong Mountain. Its amazing to watch mainly because you have the snow-capped mountains in the background so its really picturesque! With 50+ members, horses and lots of song and dance… There’s English and Chinese subtitles on a digital screen but it’s hard to read as you’ll be busy watching the performance! Before you find a seat to enjoy the show, you can grab a free red cap souvenir!

There are English signs everywhere to direct you where to go so you can definitely self-tour Yulong Mountain but it’ll take a bit more time to figure it all out... Maybe skip Blue Moon Valley and the Impressions of Lijiang show, just go up the mountain so you have more time??? Anyways, I’m really happy that I joined a group tour as I didn’t want to miss out on getting the tickets – that’s the main and most important challenge!

Chinese name: originally named 法云阁 Fayun Pavilion (some records say Fuyun Pavilion) then changed to 五凤楼 Five-Phoenix Tower.

Other names: Wufeng Tower and Five-Phoenix Pavilion.

Location: inside the Black Dragon Pool park, in Lijiang, Yunnan province.

HISTORY: The Five-Phoenix Pavilion was constructed in the Ming Dynasty, in 1601, and originally as a villa with a family temple of the Chieftain Mu – part of the Fuguo Temple at Mt. Zhishan. During the Cultural Revolution, the temple was destroyed, but the Five-Phoenix Tower survived and was relocated to Black Dragon Pool, in 1979. On January 13, 1983, it was listed as a provincial cultural relic protection unit by the Yunnan provincial government.

ARCHITECTURE: The Five-Phoenix Pavilion, the main building, is approx 20m tall, structured with a 3-tiered octagonal design and with 24 eaves that resemble five phoenixes ready to take flight (which is how it got its name). The tower has a nearly square layout, measuring 18.9m in width and 17.78min depth, covering an area of 256sqm.

The shape of the pavilion is like the character 亚 and features 32 columns, with four central columns each reaching 12m in height, using the dou-gong 斗拱 bracket system. The ceiling is adorned with vibrant patterns, auspicious symbols, exquisite wooden carvings, including the Taiji 太极图, heavenly kings, dragons and phoenixes – showcasing architectural styles from Han, Tibetan, Bai and Naxi cultures.

Inside the pavilion, we can see the coffered ceilings (bottom image in photo 14) and wooden beams with artistic influences from the Ming & Qing dynasties, as well as the local Naxi design. When visiting the Five-Phoenix Pavilion, do look up everywhere! The most beautiful and interesting features of this place are on the ceilings, rooftops and verandahs...

Moon Embracing Pavilion, or Deyuelou Pavilion, is located inside the Black Dragon Pool (its a park) in Lijiang, Yunnan province.

It was constructed in 1876 during the Qing Dynasty (but some sources say it was built in 1737 during the late Ming Dynasty) then rebuilt in 1963 due to fire damage.

The Moon Embracing Pavilion is a triple-eave building, approx 20m high. The base is in the form of an octagon and lifts the pavilion up 4m above the surface. The corners of the first floor are supported by beams with clear eaves, upturned. The bucket arch of the 2nd and 3rd floors is in the shape of a Chinese object called Ruyi - an ancient talisman of power and good fortune.

Another interesting feature of Moon Embracing Pavilion, is the hanging tablets with the couplets penned by the renowned scholar Guo Moruo. One couplet draws from Mao Zedong’s verse, evoking a landscape with “three million jade dragons in flight.” The other is written by Guo himself and captures the view before us: thirteen peaks are reflecting in the Dragon Pool with dragons diving up in heaven and flying down on earth...

I think, what makes this pavilion truly special is not only because of its architecture, ornate design with vibrant colors, art, poetry and dragons, but its location - you can really enjoy the scenery from all four sides (of the pavilion) and admire the moon (literally, as per its name). On a clear, sunny day, you can also see Yulong / Jade Dragon Snow Mountain in the distance. This is a popular place to visit to watch the sunrise on Yulong!

NOTE: unfortunately the beautiful four panel bi-fold doors was locked (see photo 5 & 6), so I couldn't enter the pavilion to take photos inside or climb to the top... insert sad face, crying face, and angry face! If anyone has been inside the pavilion, please share photos!!!

I was in Lijiang for 7 nights and took a day trip. I hired a private guide / driver / car for one day (8am to 8pm) to take me to the following places and in this order: Tiger Leaping Gorge, 1^(st) Bend of Yangtze River, Shigu village, Jade Water Village & Dongba Temple, Yun Ti Yang Cafe, and Royal Banquet Dinner & Show. My guide spoke really good English and was a safe driver – if you need a private guide for Lijiang, Shanri-la, Dali etc then DM me and I’ll give you her contact details.

The cost of a private driver / guide varies from city to province and it depends on the size of the group, the time of year, the itinerary etc. The cheapest guide that I found was 600 CNY per day, but most charge around 800 CNY to 1,000 CNY per day. Its cheaper if you’re with a group of people – remember, I’m travelling solo here...

PHOTOS ATTACHED ARE OF JADE WATER VILLAGE & DONGBA TEMPLE.

JADE WATER VILLAGE & DONGBA TEMPLE = not a lot of people visit this place. It’s like an open museum or cultural centre where you can learn about Naxi people, their religion, arts and crafts, music, way of living etc. It’s about 20min drive from Dayan Old Town. Allocate 1hr+ to walk through... Its really peaceful and pleasant.

The main attraction is the Sanduo, Naxi god of nature gold statue and the Dongba Temple with a huge ritual furnace in front. Nearby is a Dongba pictograph workshop (there was a group of adults learning how to write Dongba pictographs here), a Naxi music performance hall…. As you walk through the garden areas you’ll see a Dongba Paper Mill, Dongba Brewery, little waterfall with viewing platform, prayer flags, etc. I think its worth visiting. I’ll post photos separately.

I was in Lijiang for 7 nights and took a day trip. I hired a private guide / driver / car for one day (8am to 8pm) to take me to the following places and in this order: Tiger Leaping Gorge, 1^(st) Bend of Yangtze River, Shigu village, Jade Water Village & Dongba Temple, Yun Ti Yang Cafe, and Royal Banquet Dinner & Show. My guide spoke really good English and was a safe driver – if you need a private guide for Lijiang, Shangri-la, Dali etc then DM me and I’ll give you her contact details.

The cost of a private driver / guide varies from city to province and it depends on the size of the group, the time of year, the itinerary etc. The cheapest guide that I found was 600 CNY per day, but most charge around 800 CNY to 1,000 CNY per day. Its cheaper if you’re with a group of people – remember, I’m travelling solo here...

ATTACHED ARE PHOTOS OF 1ST BEND OF YANGZTE RIVER AND SHIGU VILLAGE.

If you look closely at photo 2, you can see the road is blocked by several huge concrete slabs - this is to stop larger vehicles like trucks from using this road. Only cars and motorbikes can fit in between the concrete slabs. Notice there's marks on the concrete slabs - you need to drive really well here!

It's a really nice place to visit. You don't need a lot of time here.

1ST BEND OF YANGTZE RIVER = it takes about 45min+ to drive from Tiger Leaping Gorge to the 1^(st) Bend of Yangtze River. My guide took me to the main observation deck and within 5min of admiring the view, the weather changed! It was overcast cloudy then really sunny which allowed me to see the area in a different light, literally!!! If you want to see the 1st Bend of Yangtze River as you see online – the panoramic aerial drone type view - photo 5, then you’ll need to hike up for about 1hr+ (high altitude will make you do things slower)... I didn’t have time or the energy for this so we left after 20min. I’m happy that we stopped by but don’t go out of your way just to visit this attraction...

SHIGU VILLAGE = it takes about 5min to drive from the 1^(st) Bend of Yangtze River to Shigu village. We had lunch here and my guide took me to her favourite local place that’s also popular with the residents. We shared a hot and spicy noodle soup, and two different cold noodle jelly dishes = total cost 28 CNY. We walked about 10min to visit the Drum-Stone Tablet - photo 12 to 14 and Tiehong Bridge / Iron Rainbow Bridge - photo 15, which was part of the Ancient Silk Road route. Shigu is really small and not commercialised like Dayan, Baisha or Shuhe so if you want a more “authentic ancient town experience”, perhaps Shigu is for you?

I was in Lijiang for 7 nights and took a day trip. I hired a private guide / driver / car for one day (8am to 8pm) to take me to the following places and in this order: Tiger Leaping Gorge, 1st Bend of Yangtze River, Shigu village, Jade Water Village & Dongba Temple, Yun Ti Yang Cafe, and Royal Banquet Dinner & Show.

My guide spoke really good English and was a safe driver – if you need a private guide for Lijiang, Shangri-la, Dali etc then DM me and I’ll give you her contact details.

The cost of a private driver / guide varies from city to province and it depends on the size of the group, the time of year, the itinerary etc. The cheapest guide that I found was 600 CNY per day, but most charge around 800 CNY to 1,000 CNY per day. Its cheaper if you’re with a group of people – remember, I’m travelling solo here...

TIGER LEAPING GORGE = Originally, I wanted to do a hike but changed my mind due to time and altitude sickness. I spent about 1.5hrs here, including the return shuttle bus that takes you to the main entrance and back to the carpark. It was incredibly windy cold, in May, so please dress warmly! You can either walk down to the main viewing platform decks which takes 1hr+ or pay extra to ride x4 escalators down.

Due to time, I paid for the escalators, return trip. There are x2 photo-spots where a staff member takes your photo for free and you can choose the 2 inch size photo for free or pay for an 8 inch size photo for 20 CNY – make sure you take and keep the little numbered receipt to get these photos back at the main entrance, near the first escalator entrance and ticket office area…

There’s only a few restaurants and cafes around the viewing platforms so I suggest to bring food / drinks or allocate more time to wait for your meals and find a table / seat. There’s a line to take photos with the famous tiger statue – I didn’t line up, I took a selfie on the staircase!

If you look across the gorge, you’ll see the other two tiger statues, a bridge and cliff walkway... you can go to the other side of the gorge… how? My guide told me that tour groups go to the other side for a different view and its less crowded. I went to the main area and it was enough, like I wouldn’t return here. One visit was great and memorable… I’ll post photos separately.

PHOTOS ATTACHED ARE ALL OF TIGER LEAPNG GORGE.

1ST BEND OF YANGTZE RIVER = it takes about 45min+ to drive from Tiger Leaping Gorge to the 1^(st) Bend of Yangtze River. My guide took me to the main observation deck and within 5min of admiring the view, the weather changed! It was overcast cloudy then really sunny which allowed me to see the area in a different light, literally!!! If you want to see the 1st Bend of Yangtze River as you see online – the panoramic aerial drone type view, then you’ll need to hike up for about 1hr+ (high altitude will make you do things slower)... I didn’t have time or the energy for this so we left after 20min. I’m happy that we stopped by but don’t go out of your way just to visit this attraction... I’ll post photos separately.

SHIGU VILLAGE = it takes about 5min to drive from the 1^(st) Bend of Yangtze River to Shigu village. We had lunch here and my guide took me to her favourite local place that’s also popular with the residents. We shared a hot and spicy noodle soup, and two different cold noodle jelly dishes = total cost 28 CNY. We walked about 10min to visit the Drum-Stone Tablet and Tiehong Bridge / Iron Rainbow Bridge which was part of the Ancient Silk Road route. Shigu is really small and not commercialised like Dayan, Baisha or Shuhe so if you want a more “authentic ancient town experience”, perhaps Shigu is for you? I’ll post photos separately.

JADE WATER VILLAGE & DONGBA TEMPLE = not a lot of people visit this place. It’s like an open museum or cultural centre where you can learn about Naxi people, their religion, arts and crafts, music, way of living etc. It’s about 20min drive from Dayan Old Town. Allocate 1hr+ to walk through... Its really peaceful and pleasant. The main attraction is the Sanduo, Naxi god of nature gold statue and the Dongba Temple with a huge ritual furnace in front. Nearby is a Dongba pictograph workshop (there was a group of adults learning how to write Dongba pictographs here), a Naxi music performance hall…. As you walk through the garden areas you’ll see a Dongba Paper Mill, Dongba Brewery, little waterfall with viewing platform, prayer flags, etc. I think its worth visiting. I’ll post photos separately.

YUN TI YANG CAFE = this is plastered all over social media and what they show you isn’t exactly what it’s like when you’re there! Well, I had a very different image… Entrance is free but the staff do ask if you’ve purchased any food or drinks from their cafe – I guess many people just want to come to take photos!!! The area where you take photos has several viewing platforms including the wooden hut rooftop (most popular), a massive chair and long grassy hilltop section that gives you a great view of Yulong Mountain. There’s also a seating area to bask in the sun and the cafe is a two-storey building that serves mainly modern cafe type dishes and drinks (if I’ve remembered correctly, as I only ordered a drink).

Right next to this cafe is another popular photo-spot with food trucks and a helicopter pad – people were taking 5min helicopter rides, every 15min! You can’t walk over to these attraction as there’s a fence and road in between, so you’ll have to drive over… Anyways, Yun Ti Yang Cafe is a good place to take photos but it depends on the weather for you to be able to see Yulong Mountain clearly. When I was here, around 5pm, the top half of Yulong Mountain was covered with clouds, even though it was really sunny! I stayed for 1hr+… If you come here, it might be a 2hr+ visit especially if you want to take photos at each photo-spot.

ROYAL BANQUET DINNER & SHOW = I booked tickets on Klook. The location of this place is quite remote and about 25min drive to Dayan Ancient Town. If you come here by taxi DiDi, I’m not sure how fast and easy it’ll be to get a ride back at 8:30pm? My guide took a nap in the car while I was inside having a hotpot meal (fresh and more than enough) and watching the 1hr performance of cultural dances and songs then a modern remix at the end. If you come to these dinner and show places, its best to arrive at least 30min earlier to join the games such as pitch-pot (throwing arrows or stick into a vase-like pot from a distance) and you could win prizes, play (or pretend to play) the guqin, take photos with the dancers etc. You can also pay to rent hanfu and take photos...This one is really popular with the Chinese tour groups, it was full!

Trip Report for Lijiang.

FYI this is my 4^(th) time to China and my 1^(st) time to Lijiang, so my itinerary and interests are very specific.

My travel dates was May 8^(th) – June 9^(th) 2026 and travel route was Lijiang – Shangri-la – Dali – Kunming – Guiyang – Chongqing.

I hope this information will be useful for those planning a trip to Lijiang. I’ve tried to list and describe as much as possible and highlighted some important parts. I’ve added some prices, the hotels that I stayed at, reviewed attractions that I visited in each city or town. Feel free to ask questions and I will respond as soon as I can... Thanks for reading!

HOTEL = I stayed at Galsang Heyue · Gesang Yunduo | Yunmengze Sun | New Chinese style | Lvju Garden Meisu (Yes, it has a very long name!).Address is No. 45 Wensheng Lane, Wuyi Street, Gucheng District, Lijiang, Yunnan 674100, China. I can’t upload the link so please search in Trip.com. This hotel (more like a x12 room family-run homestay) is located inside the Old Town. I recommend booking a room with the airport / train transfer so the driver can drop you off right at the door or contact the hotel and ask for the airport / train transfer (apparently it costs 40 CNY as you need to pre-book access to drive inside the Old Town). Hotel location is on the far right side of the Old Town and close to a main street (about 2min walk north but its more like 5min walk as you’ll walk slower due the high altitude and its on a slope) where you can catch a taxi DiDi easily and quickly....

I stayed here for 7 nights and paid $153 AUD. Rooms are of a simple Chinese décor design and has everything you need for a comfortable stay including air-con / heater, wet / dry bathroom with western toilet, free laundry service (machine-wash and hang dry on balcony). The staff are really nice and helpful with restaurant suggestions, attraction ticket discounts, maps, etc. The staff even suggested a great studio for hanfu rental and professional photography with editing options (they’ll WeChat and email you the photos later). Yes, I would definitely stay here again!

HIGH ALTITUDE = During the whole time that I was in Lijiang, I could feel the high altitude. After I checked into my hotel, I had a little headache and it didn’t go away until the next day… The air is definitely thinner here... Within 5min of wandering around the Old Town, I was out of breath! Every 30+ steps, I needed to stop and catch my breath! I’m a fast walker – a power walker, so slowing down was a real challenge for me! I highly recommend to plan your Lijiang visit with extra time, at least another day / night if you can, to help you adjust to the high altitude. Oxygen tanks are sold everywhere and prices vary depending on the brand and tank size. Most oxygen tanks cost around 10 CNY, but I did see 15 CNY, 20 CNY etc.

DAYAN OLD TOWN / ancient town = The Old Town is a UNESCO world heritage site and a must visit as it has a few worthwhile attractions such as Sifeng Street & Square Market which is in the centre with a daily bonfire dance party at 7:30pm and 9pm. See photo 7 which was taken at 7pm – it doesn't get dark til about 8:30pm in May. The main streets with the most crowds are Xinhua Street, Wuyi Street, Guangyi Street and Qiyi Street as they all lead to the Square Market. Some other famous attractions are the Giant Waterwheel, Three-eyed Well Wencheng Palace with viewing platform opposite the entrance, Dayan Flower Alley, Dashiqiao Bridge – photo 8 (very popular photo spot), Bar Street / Jiubajie, and Zhongyi Farmers Market. I also visited Puxian Temple, which is hidden in an alleyway… I’ll post some maps soon and I recommend to use Amap to help you navigate the Old Town...

To walk from one end of the Old Town to the other, it takes approx 45min-1hr but probably longer due to the high altitude (you’ll keep stopping to catch your breath and take photos). To wander around the Old Town, I recommend to allocate least a full day, especially if you need time to adjust to the high altitude. If you want to visit places like Mu Mansion, Wangulou Tower on Lion Hill and watch the Naxi Ancient Music Performance then its best to add another day so you can relax and enjoy your time – not rush. I’ve read a lot of people visit this Old Town only for a few hours… I think it deserves more time. Yes, its quite commercialised with all the shops and restaurants but there are some really worthy attractions!

If you want to sit down and eat, enjoy a panoramic view of the Old Town and area, then head to Lion Hill – there’s quite a few choices near the main entrance to Lion Hill. I stopped at Two Cats Coffee Cafe as it was the first place that I came across. Since I didn’t have my usual appetite due to altitude sickness, I just ate when I was hungry and small simple meals... I didn’t go out of my way to find any of the social media recommended places to eat. I did have crossing bridge noodles a few times, and an interesting chicken noodle soup dish (but it looks and tastes like fish!) for only 29 CNY, location near the blue North Gate – see photo 20 top image. Another place that I ate at is a little restaurant that specialises in noodles and serves dumplings, which is very popular and was suggested by the hotel staff.

With shopping for souvenirs, you’ll see the usual stuff like bottle opener magnets, key-rings, mobile phone charms, paper or silk fans, stone jewellery, Chinese hairpins, tea, snacks etc. One store that I do recommend visiting is Dongba Paper Workshop store (179 Cuiwen Duan, Xinhua Jie) that sells paper products made from bark, plant fibre and by the Naxi people for over 1,200 years... bookmarks cost from 12 CNY depending on the design, they also sell postcards, notebooks, lanterns etc. If you need a CCC powerbank, I suggest going to Miniso – they cost from 69 CNY to 99 CNY (depending on design) for a 10,000 mah fast charging one and fast charger cords from 20 CNY to 50 CNY.

MU MANSION = also known as Mufu’s Residence is huge! I was really impressed with this place and enjoyed my visit. It’s inside the Old Town and from the main entrance, you can’t tell how big it is inside. Allocate at least 2hrs – 3hrs is even better, if you want to explore the place and climb the stairs to Sanqing Palace that offers a panoramic view of the Old Town. If you have the time and energy, climb up further to another building (I don’t know the name, sorry) for the highest point in Mu Mansion – I didn’t as I was already out of breath, many times... A few buildings and halls have been turned into museums showcasing the Mu family history, local art, customs etc. There’s several small garden areas with stone tables and stools that you can relax in between visiting each building. There’s a little souvenir store and clean toilets – really important! Do make the time to visit Mu Mansion, I think its a must visit.

WANGULOU TOWER & LION HILL = Wangulou Tower itself is a wonderful building but the views from the tower were really disappointing. It’s not like what you see online… There are way too many trees that block the panoramic view. 1hr is plenty here as you’ll need time to climb up / down the staircase – there’s no lift. It’s located on Lion Hill. It wasn’t crowded when I visit, maybe 20ppl were here? If you visit, just lower your expectations about the views from the tower...

NAXI ANCIENT MUSIC PERFORMANCE & MUSEUM = The 1hr music performance is worth your time. You’ll see about 12ppl to 16ppl playing various music instruments, sing songs that have been past down through the generations and there’s a host that explains the importance of each song in Chinese and English. Before you attend the music performance, do wander through the museum to see the numerous musical instruments, learn about the history etc – allocate 30mins or so, its not big. You can book tickets on Trip.com or at the door. I went after dinner and there was about 15ppl in the same session as me, but the hall can fit over 100ppl easily. I think its a shame that not a lot of people make the time to appreciate Naxi ancient music…. As you sit down and just watch and listen to the music, its a good opportunity to be still and adjust to the high altitude as well as have a cultural, musical experience.

ZHONGYI FARMERS MARKET = this is located on the far south end of the Old Town. Its about 20min+ walk from Square Market. I came here after 6pm and it was packed as many people were having dinner. It’s mainly market stalls and vendors selling street food, snacks, little takeaway bowls of noodles or rice-based dishes where you eat and walk around or can sit down on a plastic stool and share the foldable table with other people. I think its worth coming here as there’s also a section that sells fresh fruit and vegetables – like x5 bananas for 5 CNY, there’s also a bakery...

ROMANTIC SHOW OF LIJIANG / SONGCHENG = I wasn’t planning on visiting Songcheng or watching any high-scaled shows but it was raining (not heavy but constant and very cold) and the hotel staff strongly advised not to walk around the Old Town (polished stones are very slippery so wear well-gripped shoes) and to stay indoors (don’t wander around outside in the rain to avoid getting sick). I’m glad that I took their advise as I really enjoyed my visit and the shows are definitely worth seeing! There are 3 recommended shows but the main event is available twice a day. You’ll get to see lots of different cultural style outfits and ceremonial costumes, there’s singing and dancing, with a huge digital screen as the backdrop.

Songcheng is not located in the Old Town but you can catch a free shuttle bus to take you there and back to the Old Town – ask hotel staff for information. Allocate half a day here – make sure to check the show schedule before going. There’s a few other attractions like a little petting zoo for the kids, ghost house (funny experience if you walk in with people who are scared of the dark), about a dozen different 5min 3D shows, street performances, shops, gardens, etc to keep you occupied in between the shows. I especially liked Dawa Village, the leather workshop store, and how there’s many Naxi and Tibetan designed photo spots.

LIJIANG INTERNATIONAL SHOPPING PLAZA = Before I went to Songcheng, I went to this mall to hide from the rain. It looks huge from the outside but was empty and quiet inside. Most of the stores are local brands, there’s some restaurants…. The street shops seemed more interesting and there’s a local indoor market about a block away that I didn’t have time to visit but might be worth going if you want cheap clothes, shoes etc…

HANFU PHOTOSHOOT = There are many hanfu rental stores and photoshoot studios in the Old Town and you’ll see many people dressed up taking photos professionally or with their family and friends. Allocate at least an hour to select your outfit and for hair / make-up. If you’ve paid for a photographer, then you’ll need another hr to walk around the Old Town area to get your photos taken. I went where my hotel staff recommended and they were great – also very popular, it was crowded. The photographer spoke a bit of English as well which made the photoshoot easier.

After I had my photos taken, I went back to the studio and sat with the photographer to select which photos that I wanted edited, which takes about a day to complete. I chose a Naxi outfit and a Tibetan outfit with 45 photos and 9 edited photos for 200 CNY. Prices will vary depending on the outfits that you choose, how many photos you take and want edited (like it cost me an extra 9 CNY per extra edited photo). The photographer then WeChat the photos and emailed me the photos in HD, he also edited the photos a few times til I was satisfied!

BLACK DRAGON POOL / HEILONGTAN = one of the best places to see Yulong Mountain / Jade Snow Dragon Mountain from afar, is Black Dragon Pool – but apparently only in the morning, like at sunrise... I’m not a morning person so I went later on in the day and it was really overcast, so I didn’t get to see the whole mountain – top half was covered in clouds. While you’re here, definitely visit Dongba Cultural Museum to learn more about the Naxi people, handicrafts, their religion and rituals, some cultural outfits, artefacts and antiques etc – will take 45min+. There’s Chinese and English translations on what you’re looking at.

A place worth visiting inside the Black Dragon Pool, is the Five-Phoenix Pavilion which was built in the Ming Dynasty, in 1601, and has been turned into a museum and gallery showcasing Yunnan province nature side (photos and information about the flora and fauna, Naxi culture, the arts and ceremonies, Dongba pictographs, history of the Old Town and architecture, etc – will take 30min+. The building has been well-maintained, renovated and restored...

The Dragon God Temple, built in the Qing Dynasty, in 1737, is another great place to learn about the Naxi people. The side halls and buildings have large photographs of their ceremonies, paintings, calligraphy works, etc – will take 30min+. Opposite the Dragon God Temple is the Ancient Opera Stage and the Moon-Embracing Pavilion which was built in the Qing Dynasty, in 1876, and rebuilt in 1963. To get to the pavilion, you must walk across a little footbridge. You can’t enter the pavilion (wasn’t open when I was there) but the building is beautiful and a really nice place to sit down and enjoy the lake view.

The Five-arched Bridge and the Green-locking Bridge are the most popular photo spots inside Black Dragon Pool. Tour groups stop here to take photos so it can get really crowded and you’ll have to wait to take your photos... Keep an eye out for the One-Penny Pavilion which is located in the centre of the pool and can only be reached by boat – its really small but a nice feature... About 5min walk uphill and on the right side of the Green-locking Bridge is the Naxi Dongba Literature Manuscripts Museum and Jietuolin Temple which has English explanations about the Naxi displays. Most people visit Black Dragon Pool for the Yulong Mountain view but I think there’s a lot more to see here. I suggest 3hrs+ to enjoy Black Dragon Pool. There’s a few cafes, restaurants, shops etc.

BAISHA ANCIENT TOWN = I had high expectations for this ancient town and unfortunately it wasn’t what I expected. I arrive before 3pm and stayed for 3hrs+ or so wandering the streets... The ancient town is flat, there’s no stairs to climb. You do get a great view of Yulong Mountain but it depends on the weather. The shops and restaurants are very similar to the ones you’ll see in Dayan Old Town. The main square area is most busy and crowded. I managed to visit Naxu Embroidery Institute which was great for 30min+ and the store had some interesting items that you can purchase such as playing cards with the Dongba pictographs for 20 CNY. By the time I reached Dabaoiji Palace and the Baisha Murals, it was closing so I didn’t enter. When I return to Lijiang, I’ll come back in the morning to visit these attractions, along with Dading Pavilion, Liuli Temple and Fuguo Temple. If you want to see it all, I suggest a full day for Baisha as it depends on how you’re coping with the high altitude as well...

SHUHE ANCIENT TOWN = I was pleasantly surprised with Shuhe – I think it’s a lot “prettier” that Baisha. With the stream running through the ancient town and all the flowers, I found it more colourful and photogenic. Yes,to many people, its just another overly commercialised attraction, but I live in Sydney, Australia and we don’t have ancient towns like these so I like visiting them!The main street is called Sifang Street, there’s Qilong Bridge / Green Dragon Bridge, Juidong Dragon Pond, Sansheng Palace, and the Ancient Tea Horse Culture Museum. I spent about 5hrs here but mainly because I got “stuck” in a few stores! I’m happy to revisit Shuhe and get lost wandering through all the alleyways as I felt I didn’t get to see it all… Do allocate at least 3hrs+ to explore Shuhe. I saw a horse and carriage that you can rent to take you around...

DAY TRIP 1 = I hired a private guide / driver / car for one day (8am to 8pm) to take me to the following places and in this order: Tiger Leaping Gorge, 1^(st) Bend of Yangtze River, Shigu village, Jade Water Village & Dongba Temple, Yun Ti Yang Cafe, and Royal Banquet Dinner & Show. My guide spoke really good English and was a safe driver – if you need a private guide for Lijiang, Shanri-la, Dali etc then DM me and I’ll give you her contact details.

DAY TRIP 2 = I joined a group tour, booked via Trip.com, to visit Yulong / Jade Dragon Snow Mountain. Apparently, only 10,000 tickets are released per day and its extremely popular thus hard to get tickets. The group tour that I was part of only had 7 other tourists and all from South Korea! The guide was also the driver and only spoke Chinese so we communicated via translation apps. Everything was included in the booking price including the shared hotpot lunch meal, except the electric golf-cart ride along the Blue Moon Valley to visit various sections which was an extra 40 CNY.

I will post about my Day Trip 1 & 2 separately as this is already a very long post!

FYI = I wish I can add photos to the post but I can't. I've sent a message to the mods and they said they're working on it...

Trip Report for Lijiang.

FYI this is my 4^(th) time to China and my 1^(st) time to Lijiang, so my itinerary and interests are very specific.

My travel dates was May 8^(th) – June 9^(th) 2026 and travel route was Lijiang – Shangri-la – Dali – Kunming – Guiyang – Chongqing.

I hope this information will be useful for those planning a trip to Lijiang. I’ve tried to list and describe as much as possible and highlighted some important parts. I’ve added some prices, the hotels that I stayed at, reviewed attractions that I visited in each city or town. Feel free to ask questions and I will respond as soon as I can... Thanks for reading!

Photos attached are all from Dayan Old Town / ancient town except Photo 14 which is of the Romantic Show of Lijiang / Songcheng.

I’ll upload more photos of Lijiang attractions soon!

HOTEL = I stayed at Galsang Heyue · Gesang Yunduo | Yunmengze Sun | New Chinese style | Lvju Garden Meisu (Yes, it has a very long name!).Address is No. 45 Wensheng Lane, Wuyi Street, Gucheng District, Lijiang, Yunnan 674100, China. I can’t upload the link so please search in Trip.com. This hotel (more like a x12 room family-run homestay) is located inside the Old Town. I recommend booking a room with the airport / train transfer so the driver can drop you off right at the door or contact the hotel and ask for the airport / train transfer (apparently it costs 40 CNY as you need to pre-book access to drive inside the Old Town).Hotel location is on the far right side of the Old Town and close to a main street (about 2min walk north but its more like 5min walk as you’ll walk slower due the high altitude and its on a slope) where you can catch a taxi DiDi easily and quickly....

I stayed here for 7 nights and paid $153 AUD. Rooms are of a simple Chinese décor design and has everything you need for a comfortable stay including air-con / heater, wet / dry bathroom with western toilet, free laundry service (machine-wash and hang dry on balcony). The staff are really nice and helpful with restaurant suggestions, attraction ticket discounts, maps, etc. The staff even suggested a great studio for hanfu rental and professional photography with editing options (they’ll WeChat and email you the photos later). Yes, I would definitely stay here again!

HIGH ALTITUDE = During the whole time that I was in Lijiang, I could feel the high altitude. After I checked into my hotel, I had a little headache and it didn’t go away until the next day… The air is definitely thinner here... Within 5min of wandering around the Old Town, I was out of breath! Every 30+ steps, I needed to stop and catch my breath! I’m a fast walker – a power walker, so slowing down was a real challenge for me! I highly recommend to plan your Lijiang visit with extra time, at least another day / night if you can, to help you adjust to the high altitude. Oxygen tanks are sold everywhere and prices vary depending on the brand and tank size. Most oxygen tanks cost around 10 CNY, but I did see 15 CNY, 20 CNY etc.

DAYAN OLD TOWN / ancient town = The Old Town is a UNESCO world heritage site and a must visit as it has a few worthwhile attractions such as Sifeng Street & Square Market which is in the centre with a daily bonfire dance party at 7:30pm and 9pm. See photo 7 which was taken at 7pm – it doesn't get dark til about 8:30pm in May. The main streets with the most crowds are Xinhua Street, Wuyi Street, Guangyi Street and Qiyi Street as they all lead to the Square Market. Some other famous attractions are the Giant Waterwheel – photo 16, Three-eyed Well – photo 3, Wencheng Palace with viewing platform opposite the entrance, Dayan Flower Alley, Dashiqiao Bridge – photo 8 (very popular photo spot), Bar Street / Jiubajie – photo 18 top image, and Zhongyi Farmers Market – photo 11. I also visited Puxian Temple, which is hidden in an alleyway… I’ll post some maps soon and I recommend to use Amap to help you navigate the Old Town...

To walk from one end of the Old Town to the other, it takes approx 45min-1hr but probably longer due to the high altitude (you’ll keep stopping to catch your breath and take photos). To wander around the Old Town, I recommend to allocate least a full day, especially if you need time to adjust to the high altitude. If you want to visit places like Mu Mansion, Wangulou Tower on Lion Hill and watch the Naxi Ancient Music Performance then its best to add another day so you can relax and enjoy your time – not rush. I’ve read a lot of people visit this Old Town only for a few hours… I think it deserves more time. Yes, its quite commercialised with all the shops and restaurants but there are some really worthy attractions!

If you want to sit down and eat, enjoy a panoramic view of the Old Town and area, then head to Lion Hill – there’s quite a few choices near the main entrance to Lion Hill. I stopped at Two Cats Coffee Cafe – see photo 4 as it was the first place that I came across. Since I didn’t have my usual appetite due to altitude sickness, I just ate when I was hungry and small simple meals... I didn’t go out of my way to find any of the social media recommended places to eat. I did have crossing bridge noodles a few times – see photo 2 & 6, and an interesting chicken noodle soup dish (but it looks and tastes like fish!) for only 29 CNY – see photo 10, location near the blue North Gate – see photo 20 top image. Another place that I ate at is a little restaurant that specialises in noodles and serves dumplings – see photo 15, which is very popular and was suggested by the hotel staff.

With shopping for souvenirs, you’ll see the usual stuff like bottle opener magnets, key-rings, mobile phone charms, paper or silk fans, stone jewellery, Chinese hairpins, tea, snacks etc. One store that I do recommend visiting is Dongba Paper Workshop store (179 Cuiwen Duan, Xinhua Jie) that sells paper products made from bark, plant fibre and by the Naxi people for over 1,200 years... bookmarks cost from 12 CNY depending on the design, they also sell postcards, notebooks, lanterns etc. If you need a CCC powerbank, I suggest going to Miniso –they cost from 69 CNY to 99 CNY (depending on design)for a 10,000 mah fast charging one and fast charger cords from 20 CNY to 50 CNY.

MU MANSION = also known as Mufu’s Residence is huge! I was really impressed with this place and enjoyed my visit. It’s inside the Old Town and from the main entrance, you can’t tell how big it is inside. Allocate at least 2hrs – 3hrs is even better, if you want to explore the place and climb the stairs to Sanqing Palace that offers a panoramic view of the Old Town. If you have the time and energy, climb up further to another building (I don’t know the name, sorry) for the highest point in Mu Mansion – I didn’t as I was already out of breath, many times... A few buildings and halls have been turned into museums showcasing the Mu family history, local art, customs etc. There’s several small garden areas with stone tables and stools that you can relax in between visiting each building. There’s a little souvenir store and clean toilets – really important! Do make the time to visit Mu Mansion, I think its a must visit.

WANGULOU TOWER & LION HILL = Wangulou Tower itself is a wonderful building but the views from the tower were really disappointing. It’s not like what you see online… There are way too many trees that block the panoramic view. 1hr is plenty here as you’ll need time to climb up / down the staircase – there’s no lift. It’s located on Lion Hill. It wasn’t crowded when I visit, maybe 20ppl were here? If you visit, just lower your expectations about the views from the tower...

NAXI ANCIENT MUSIC PERFORMANCE & MUSEUM = The 1hr music performance is worth your time. You’ll see about 12ppl to 16ppl playing various music instruments, sing songs that have been past down through the generations and there’s a host that explains the importance of each song in Chinese and English. Before you attend the music performance, do wander through the museum to see the numerous musical instruments, learn about the history etc – allocate 30mins or so, its not big. You can book tickets on Trip.com or at the door. I went after dinner and there was about 15ppl in the same session as me, but the hall can fit over 100ppl easily. I think its a shame that not a lot of people make the time to appreciate Naxi ancient music…. As you sit down and just watch and listen to the music, its a good opportunity to be still and adjust to the high altitude as well as have a cultural, musical experience.

ZHONGYI FARMERS MARKET = this is located on the far south end of the Old Town. Its about 20min+ walk from Square Market. I came here after 6pm and it was packed as many people were having dinner. It’s mainly market stalls and vendors selling street food, snacks, little takeaway bowls of noodles or rice-based dishes where you eat and walk around or can sit down on a plastic stool and share the foldable table with other people. I think its worth coming here as there’s also a section that sells fresh fruit and vegetables – like x5 bananas for 5 CNY, there’s also a bakery...

ROMANTIC SHOW OF LIJIANG / SONGCHENG = I wasn’t planning on visiting Songcheng or watching any high-scaled shows but it was raining (not heavy but constant and very cold) and the hotel staff strongly advised not to walk around the Old Town (polished stones are very slippery so wear well-gripped shoes) and to stay indoors (don’t wander around outside in the rain to avoid getting sick). I’m glad that I took their advise as I really enjoyed my visit and the shows are definitely worth seeing! See photo 14. There are 3 recommended shows but the main event is available twice a day. You’ll get to see lots of different cultural style outfits and ceremonial costumes, there’s singing and dancing, with a huge digital screen as the backdrop.

Songcheng is not located in the Old Town but you can catch a free shuttle bus to take you there and back to the Old Town – ask hotel staff for information. Allocate half a day here – make sure to check the show schedule before going. There’s a few other attractions like a little petting zoo for the kids, ghost house (funny experience if you walk in with people who are scared of the dark), about a dozen different 5min 3D shows, street performances, shops, gardens, etc to keep you occupied in between the shows. I especially liked Dawa Village, the leather workshop store, and how there’s many Naxi and Tibetan designed photo spots.

LIJIANG INTERNATIONAL SHOPPING PLAZA = Before I went to Songcheng, I went to this mall to hide from the rain. It looks huge from the outside but was empty and quiet inside. Most of the stores are local brands, there’s some restaurants…. The street shops seemed more interesting and there’s a local indoor market about a block away that I didn’t have time to visit but might be worth going if you want cheap clothes, shoes etc…

HANFU PHOTOSHOOT = There are many hanfu rental stores and photoshoot studios in the Old Town and you’ll see many people dressed up taking photos professionally or with their family and friends. Allocate at least an hour to select your outfit and for hair / make-up. If you’ve paid for a photographer, then you’ll need another hr to walk around the Old Town area to get your photos taken. I went where my hotel staff recommended and they were great – also very popular, it was crowded. The photographer spoke a bit of English as well which made the photoshoot easier.

After I had my photos taken, I went back to the studio and sat with the photographer to select which photos that I wanted edited, which takes about a day to complete. I chose a Naxi outfit and a Tibetan outfit with 45 photos and 9 edited photos for 200 CNY. Prices will vary depending on the outfits that you choose, how many photos you take and want edited (like it cost me an extra 9 CNY per extra edited photo). The photographer then WeChat the photos and emailed me the photos in HD, he also edited the photos a few times til I was satisfied!

BLACK DRAGON POOL / HEILONGTAN = one of the best places to see Yulong Mountain / Jade Snow Dragon Mountain from afar, is Black Dragon Pool – but apparently only in the morning, like at sunrise... I’m not a morning person so I went later on in the day and it was really overcast, so I didn’t get to see the whole mountain – top half was covered in clouds. While you’re here, definitely visit Dongba Cultural Museum to learn more about the Naxi people, handicrafts, their religion and rituals, some cultural outfits, artefacts and antiques etc – will take 45min+. There’s Chinese and English translations on what you’re looking at.

A place worth visiting inside the Black Dragon Pool, is the Five-Phoenix Pavilion which was built in the Ming Dynasty, in 1601, and has been turned into a museum and gallery showcasing Yunnan province nature side (photos and information about the flora and fauna, Naxi culture, the arts and ceremonies, Dongba pictographs, history of the Old Town and architecture, etc – will take 30min+. The building has been well-maintained, renovated and restored...

The Dragon God Temple, built in the Qing Dynasty, in 1737, is another great place to learn about the Naxi people. The side halls and buildings have large photographs of their ceremonies, paintings, calligraphy works, etc – will take 30min+. Opposite the Dragon God Temple is the Ancient Opera Stage and the Moon-Embracing Pavilion which was built in the Qing Dynasty, in 1876, and rebuilt in 1963. To get to the pavilion, you must walk across a little footbridge. You can’t enter the pavilion (wasn’t open when I was there) but the building is beautiful and a really nice place to sit down and enjoy the lake view.

The Five-arched Bridge and the Green-locking Bridge are the most popular photo spots inside Black Dragon Pool. Tour groups stop here to take photos so it can get really crowded and you’ll have to wait to take your photos... Keep an eye out for the One-Penny Pavilion which is located in the centre of the pool and can only be reached by boat – its really small but a nice feature... About 5min walk uphill and on the right side of the Green-locking Bridge is the Naxi Dongba Literature Manuscripts Museum and Jietuolin Temple which has English explanations about the Naxi displays. Most people visit Black Dragon Pool for the Yulong Mountain view but I think there’s a lot more to see here. I suggest 3hrs+ to enjoy Black Dragon Pool. There’s a few cafes, restaurants, shops etc.

BAISHA ANCIENT TOWN = I had high expectations for this ancient town and unfortunately it wasn’t what I expected. I arrive before 3pm and stayed for 3hrs+ or so wandering the streets... The ancient town is flat, there’s no stairs to climb. You do get a great view of Yulong Mountain but it depends on the weather. The shops and restaurants are very similar to the ones you’ll see in Dayan Old Town. The main square area is most busy and crowded. I managed to visit Naxu Embroidery Institute which was great for 30min+ and the store had some interesting items that you can purchase such as playing cards with the Dongba pictographs for 20 CNY. By the time I reached Dabaoiji Palace and the Baisha Murals, it was closing so I didn’t enter. When I return to Lijiang, I’ll come back in the morning to visit these attractions, along with Dading Pavilion, Liuli Temple and Fuguo Temple. If you want to see it all, I suggest a full day for Baisha as it depends on how you’re coping with the high altitude as well...

SHUHE ANCIENT TOWN = I was pleasantly surprised with Shuhe – I think it’s a lot “prettier” that Baisha. With the stream running through the ancient town and all the flowers, I found it more colourful and photogenic. Yes,to many people, its just another overly commercialised attraction, but I live in Sydney, Australia and we don’t have ancient towns like these so I like visiting them!The main street is called Sifang Street, there’s Qilong Bridge / Green Dragon Bridge, Juidong Dragon Pond, Sansheng Palace, and the Ancient Tea Horse Culture Museum. I spent about 5hrs here but mainly because I got “stuck” in a few stores! I’m happy to revisit Shuhe and get lost wandering through all the alleyways as I felt I didn’t get to see it all… Do allocate at least 3hrs+ to explore Shuhe. I saw a horse and carriage that you can rent to take you around...

DAY TRIP 1 = I hired a private guide / driver / car for one day (8am to 8pm) to take me to the following places and in this order: Tiger Leaping Gorge, 1********^(st) Bend of Yangtze River, Shigu village, Jade Water Village & Dongba Temple, Yun Ti Yang Cafe, and Royal Banquet Dinner & Show. My guide spoke really good English and was a safe driver – if you need a private guide for Lijiang, Shanri-la, Dali etc then DM me and I’ll give you her contact details.

DAY TRIP 2 = I joined a group tour, booked via Trip.com, to visit Yulong / Jade Dragon Snow Mountain. Apparently, only 10,000 tickets are released per day and its extremely popular thus hard to get tickets. The group tour that I was part of only had 7 other tourists and all from South Korea! The guide was also the driver and only spoke Chinese so we communicated via translation apps. Everything was included in the booking price including the shared hotpot lunch meal, except the electric golf-cart ride along the Blue Moon Valley to visit various sections which was an extra 40 CNY.

I will post about my Day Trip 1 & 2 separately as this is already a very long post!

Chinese name: 木府 (Mu Fu)

Other names: Its official name was Mansion of the Duke of Qian, but nowadays it's mainly known as Mu's Residence, Mu Fu Mansion, and Mufu Palace.

Address:  No. 49, Guangyuan Alley in Lijiang ancient town, Gucheng District, Yunnan Province.

HISTORY: Mu's Mansion is the residence of Mu Ying (a founding general of the Ming dynasty) and his descendants. The Mu family was the ruler of Naxi people for about 470 years in ancient China, as well as the government office of Lijiang.

The main structures of Mu's Mansion were initially constructed by Mu De (reigned 1382–1390) during the Ming Dynasty. In the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911), Mu's Mansion was destroyed by war. Then during the reign of Emperor Guangxu (11th emperor of Qing Dynasty who ruled China from 1875 to 1908), descendants of Mu rebuilt some part of Mu’s Mansion but it was just a small part with three rooms.

On February 3 of 1996, a 7-magnitude earthquake struck Lijiang. After some visits and investigations, the World Bank agreed to offer a loan to Lijiang government to repair and rebuild Mu's Mansion in preparation with the declaration of Lijiang ancient town being inscribed as a World Heritage Site in 1997. The construction lasted for about 3 years and Mu's Mansion was opened to visitors on May 1, 1999.

The Mu were a Naxi family who also became well-known for their exceptional skill and experience in city planning - they designed and constructed Baisha Village and Dayan Town (modern-day Lijiang ancient town).

ARCHITECTURE: Back then, twenty-two generations of the Mu family lived in this mansion. It once covered over 64,000 sqm (16 acres) and consisted of nearly 100 buildings and over 162 rooms. Now, the complex covers half the area it once did, stretching to only about 32,000 sqm (8 acres).

Mu's Mansion was built symmetrically according to the imperial palace designs of the Central Han, Naxi and Bai minority ethnic groups. Because of its majestic, axial layout, multi-courtyard system and large-scale imperial style, the mansion is often referred to as the "Forbidden City of Lijiang". The courtyards, and the mansion as a whole, also reflect the architectural style of the Ming and Qing dynasties.

The stone memorial arch in front of Mu's Mansion, made of white marble, is 18m high and 9m wide (top image in photo 1). Mu's Mansion includes an administrative office area, a sprawling living area, a garden area and a sacrificial area with a temple, numerous pavilions and halls. Yishi Hall is the main building in front of the huge concrete courtyard - when you visit, make sure you look up to see the dragon in the ceiling (photo 3 & 4).

The gardens are reminiscent of Suzhou's royal gardens as they have many exotic flowers and rare medicinal herbs. The paintings on the inner and outer walls are of Bai, Tibetan and Naxi styles. Right now, on display, is a Buddhist fresco (photo 11), and other paintings, artworks, woodworks, calligraphy etc around Mu's Mansion. There's also a few halls dedicated to the Mu family where you can learn about their family history, way of life, Naxi customs and beliefs etc.

NOTE: Try to visit Mu Mansion as soon as its opens and bring some water, snacks... There are clean toilets inside! Allocate at least 2hrs but 3hrs+ is better, as Mu's Mansion is huge and with the 2400m high altitude, you'll need time to slowly wander around and enjoy your visit.

If you have the energy, do climb the mountain of stairs at the back to explore the buildings that provide a wonderful panoramic view of the old town! Such as Sanqing Palace (photo 5 & 6) and the garden pavilion overlooking the grounds (photo 7 & 9) are a must! When you visit the pavilions and halls, check if you can also go upstairs to have another view of the area as well (bottom image of photo 19).

Trip Report for Lijiang.

FYI this is my 4^(th) time to China and my 1^(st) time to Lijiang, so my itinerary and interests are very specific.

My travel dates was May 8^(th) – June 9^(th) 2026 and travel route was Lijiang – Shangri-la – Dali – Kunming – Guiyang – Chongqing.

I hope this information will be useful for those planning a trip to Lijiang. I’ve tried to list and describe as much as possible and highlighted some important parts. I’ve added AUD prices, the hotels that I stayed at, reviewed attractions that I visited in each city or town. Feel free to ask questions and I will respond as soon as I can... Thanks for reading!

Photos attached are all from Dayan Old Town except Photo 14 which is of the Romantic Show of Lijiang / Songcheng.

I’ll upload more photos of Lijiang attractions soon!

HOTEL = I stayed at Galsang Heyue · Gesang Yunduo | Yunmengze Sun | New Chinese style | Lvju Garden Meisu (Yes, it has a very long name!). Address is No. 45 Wensheng Lane, Wuyi Street, Gucheng District, Lijiang, Yunnan 674100, China. I can’t upload the link so please search in Trip.com. This hotel (more like a x12 room family-run homestay) is located inside the Old Town. I recommend booking a room with the airport / train transfer so the driver can drop you off right at the door or contact the hotel and ask for the airport / train transfer (apparently it costs 40 CNY as you need to pre-book access to drive inside the Old Town). Hotel location is on the far right side of the Old Town and close to a main street (about 2min walk north but its more like 5min walk as you’ll walk slower due the high altitude and its on a slope) where you can catch a taxi DiDi easily and quickly....

I stayed here for 7 nights and paid $153 AUD. Rooms are of a simple Chinese décor design and has everything you need for a comfortable stay including air-con / heater, wet / dry bathroom with western toilet, free laundry service (machine-wash and hang dry on balcony). The staff are really nice and helpful with restaurant suggestions, attraction ticket discounts, maps, etc. The staff even suggested a great studio for hanfu rental and professional photography with editing options (they’ll WeChat and email you the photos later). Yes, I would definitely stay here again!

HIGH ALTITUDE = During the whole time that I was in Lijiang, I could feel the high altitude. After I checked into my hotel, I had a little headache and it didn’t go away until the next day… The air is definitely thinner here... Within 5min of wandering around the Old Town, I was out of breath! Every 30+ steps, I needed to stop and catch my breath! I’m a fast walker – a power walker, so slowing down was a real challenge for me! I highly recommend to plan your Lijiang visit with extra time, at least another day / night if you can, to help you adjust to the high altitude. Oxygen tanks are sold everywhere and prices vary depending on the brand and tank size. Most oxygen tanks cost around 10 CNY, but I did see 15 CNY, 20 CNY etc.

DAYAN OLD TOWN = The Old Town is a UNESCO world heritage site and a must visit as it has a few worthwhile attractions such as Sifeng Street & Square Market which is in the centre with a daily bonfire dance party at 7:30pm and 9pm. See photo 7 which was taken at 7pm – it doesn't get dark til about 8:30pm in May. The main streets with the most crowds are Xinhua Street, Wuyi Street, Guangyi Street and Qiyi Street as they all lead to the Square Market. Some other famous attractions are the Giant Waterwheel – photo 16, Three-eyed Well – photo 3, Wencheng Palace with viewing platform opposite the entrance, Dayan Flower Alley, Dashiqiao Bridge – photo 8 (very popular photo spot), Bar Street / Jiubajie – photo 18 top image, and Zhongyi Farmers Market – photo 11. I also visited Puxian Temple, which is hidden in an alleyway… I’ll post some maps soon and I recommend to use Amap to help you navigate the Old Town...

To walk from one end of the Old Town to the other, it takes approx 45min-1hr but probably longer due to the high altitude (you’ll keep stopping to catch your breath and take photos). To wander around the Old Town, I recommend to allocate least a full day, especially if you need time to adjust to the high altitude. If you want to visit places like Mu Mansion, Wangulou Tower on Lion Hill and watch the Naxi Ancient Music Performance then its best to add another day so you can relax and enjoy your time – not rush. I’ve read a lot of people visit this Old Town only for a few hours… I think it deserves more time. Yes, its quite commercialised with all the shops and restaurants but there are some really worthy attractions!

If you want to sit down and eat, enjoy a panoramic view of the Old Town and area, then head to Lion Hill – there’s quite a few choices near the main entrance to Lion Hill. I stopped at Two Cats Coffee Cafe – see photo 4 as it was the first place that I came across. Since I didn’t have my usual appetite due to altitude sickness, I just ate when I was hungry and small simple meals... I didn’t go out of my way to find any of the social media recommended places to eat. I did have crossing bridge noodles a few times – see photo 2 & 6, and an interesting chicken noodle soup dish (but it looks and tastes like fish!) for only 29 CNY – see photo 10, location near the blue North Gate – see photo 20 top image. Another place that I ate at is a little restaurant that specialises in noodles and serves dumplings – see photo 15, which is very popular and was suggested by the hotel staff.

With shopping for souvenirs, you’ll see the usual stuff like bottle opener magnets, key-rings, mobile phone charms, paper or silk fans, stone jewellery, Chinese hairpins, tea, snacks etc. One store that I do recommend visiting is Dongba Paper Workshop store (179 Cuiwen Duan, Xinhua Jie) that sells paper products made from bark, plant fibre and by the Naxi people for over 1,200 years... bookmarks cost from 12 CNY depending on the design, they also sell postcards, notebooks, lanterns etc. If you need a CCC powerbank, I suggest going to Miniso – they cost from 69 CNY to 99 CNY (depending on design) for a 10,000 mah fast charging one and fast charger cords from 20 CNY to 50 CNY.

MU MANSION = also known as Mufu’s Residence is huge! I was really impressed with this place and enjoyed my visit. It’s inside the Old Town and from the main entrance, you can’t tell how big it is inside. Allocate at least 2hrs – 3hrs is even better, if you want to explore the place and climb the stairs to Sanqing Palace that offers a panoramic view of the Old Town. If you have the time and energy, climb up further to another building (I don’t know the name, sorry) for the highest point in Mu Mansion – I didn’t as I was already out of breath, many times... A few buildings and halls have been turned into museums showcasing the Mu family history, local art, customs etc. There’s several small garden areas with stone tables and stools that you can relax in between visiting each building. There’s a little souvenir store and clean toilets – really important! Do make the time to visit Mu Mansion, I think its a must visit.

WANGULOU TOWER & LION HILL = Wangulou Tower itself is a wonderful building but the views from the tower were really disappointing. It’s not like what you see online… There are way too many trees that block the panoramic view. 1hr is plenty here as you’ll need time to climb up / down the staircase – there’s no lift. It’s located on Lion Hill. It wasn’t crowded when I visit, maybe 20ppl were here? If you visit, just lower your expectations about the views from the tower...

NAXI ANCIENT MUSIC PERFORMANCE & MUSEUM = The 1hr music performance is worth your time. You’ll see about 12ppl to 16ppl playing various music instruments, sing songs that have been past down through the generations and there’s a host that explains the importance of each song in Chinese and English. Before you attend the music performance, do wander through the museum to see the numerous musical instruments, learn about the history etc – allocate 30mins or so, its not big. You can book tickets on Trip.com or at the door. I went after dinner and there was about 15ppl in the same session as me, but the hall can fit over 100ppl easily. I think its a shame that not a lot of people make the time to appreciate Naxi ancient music…. As you sit down and just watch and listen to the music, its a good opportunity to be still and adjust to the high altitude as well as have a cultural, musical experience.

ZHONGYI FARMERS MARKET = this is located on the far south end of the Old Town. Its about 20min+ walk from Square Market. I came here after 6pm and it was packed as many people were having dinner. It’s mainly market stalls and vendors selling street food, snacks, little takeaway bowls of noodles or rice-based dishes where you eat and walk around or can sit down on a plastic stool and share the foldable table with other people. I think its worth coming here as there’s also a section that sells fresh fruit and vegetables – like x5 bananas for 5 CNY, there’s also a bakery...

ROMANTIC SHOW OF LIJIANG / SONGCHENG = I wasn’t planning on visiting Songcheng or watching any high-scaled shows but it was raining (not heavy but constant and very cold) and the hotel staff strongly advised not to walk around the Old Town (polished stones are very slippery so wear well-gripped shoes) and to stay indoors (don’t wander around outside in the rain to avoid getting sick). I’m glad that I took their advise as I really enjoyed my visit and the shows are definitely worth seeing! See photo 14. There are 3 recommended shows but the main event is available twice a day. You’ll get to see lots of different cultural style outfits and ceremonial costumes, there’s singing and dancing, with a huge digital screen as the backdrop.

Songcheng is not located in the Old Town but you can catch a free shuttle bus to take you there and back to the Old Town – ask hotel staff for information. Allocate half a day here – make sure to check the show schedule before going. There’s a few other attractions like a little petting zoo for the kids, ghost house (funny experience if you walk in with people who are scared of the dark), about a dozen different 5min 3D shows, street performances, shops, gardens, etc to keep you occupied in between the shows. I especially liked Dawa Village, the leather workshop store, and how there’s many Naxi and Tibetan designed photo spots.

LIJIANG INTERNATIONAL SHOPPING PLAZA = Before I went to Songcheng, I went to this mall to hide from the rain. It looks huge from the outside but was empty and quiet inside. Most of the stores are local brands, there’s some restaurants…. The street shops seemed more interesting and there’s a local indoor market about a block away that I didn’t have time to visit but might be worth going if you want cheap clothes, shoes etc…

HANFU PHOTOSHOOT = There are many hanfu rental stores and photoshoot studios in the Old Town and you’ll see many people dressed up taking photos professionally or with their family and friends. Allocate at least an hour to select your outfit and for hair / make-up. If you’ve paid for a photographer, then you’ll need another hr to walk around the Old Town area to get your photos taken. I went where my hotel staff recommended and they were great – also very popular, it was crowded. The photographer spoke a bit of English as well which made the photoshoot easier. After I had my photos taken, I went back to the studio and sat with the photographer to select which photos that I wanted edited, which takes about a day to complete. I chose a Naxi outfit and a Tibetan outfit with 45 photos and 9 edited photos for 200 CNY. Prices will vary depending on the outfits that you choose, how many photos you take and want edited (like it cost me an extra 9 CNY per extra edited photo). The photographer then WeChat the photos and emailed me the photos in HD, he also edited the photos a few times til I was satisfied!

BLACK DRAGON POOL / HEILONGTAN = one of the best places to see Yulong Mountain / Jade Snow Dragon Mountain from afar, is Black Dragon Pool – but apparently only in the morning, like at sunrise... I’m not a morning person so I went later on in the day and it was really overcast, so I didn’t get to see the whole mountain – top half was covered in clouds. While you’re here, definitely visit Dongba Cultural Museum to learn more about the Naxi people, handicrafts, their religion and rituals, some cultural outfits, artefacts and antiques etc – will take 45min+. There’s Chinese and English translations on what you’re looking at.

A place worth visiting inside the Black Dragon Pool, is the Five-Phoenix Pavilion which was built in the Ming Dynasty, in 1601, and has been turned into a museum and gallery showcasing Yunnan province nature side (photos and information about the flora and fauna, Naxi culture, the arts and ceremonies, Dongba pictographs, history of the Old Town and architecture, etc – will take 30min+. The building has been well-maintained, renovated and restored...

The Dragon God Temple, built in the Qing Dynasty, in 1737, is another great place to learn about the Naxi people. The side halls and buildings have large photographs of their ceremonies, paintings, calligraphy works, etc – will take 30min+. Opposite the Dragon God Temple is the Ancient Opera Stage and the Moon-Embracing Pavilion which was built in the Qing Dynasty, in 1876, and rebuilt in 1963. To get to the pavilion, you must walk across a little footbridge. You can’t enter the pavilion (wasn’t open when I was there) but the building is beautiful and a really nice place to sit down and enjoy the lake view.

The Five-arched Bridge and the Green-locking Bridge are the most popular photo spots inside Black Dragon Pool. Tour groups stop here to take photos so it can get really crowded and you’ll have to wait to take your photos... Keep an eye out for the One-Penny Pavilion which is located in the centre of the pool and can only be reached by boat – its really small but a nice feature... About 5min walk uphill and on the right side of the Green-locking Bridge is the Naxi Dongba Literature Manuscripts Museum and Jietuolin Temple which has English explanations about the Naxi displays. Most people visit Black Dragon Pool for the Yulong Mountain view but I think there’s a lot more to see here. I suggest 3hrs+ to enjoy Black Dragon Pool. There’s a few cafes, restaurants, shops etc.

BAISHA ANCIENT TOWN = I had high expectations for this ancient town and unfortunately it wasn’t what I expected. I arrive before 3pm and stayed for 3hrs+ or so wandering the streets... The ancient town is flat, there’s no stairs to climb. You do get a great view of Yulong Mountain but it depends on the weather. The shops and restaurants are very similar to the ones you’ll see in Dayan Old Town. The main square area is most busy and crowded. I managed to visit Naxu Embroidery Institute which was great for 30min+ and the store had some interesting items that you can purchase such as playing cards with the Dongba pictographs for 20 CNY. By the time I reached Dabaoiji Palace and the Baisha Murals, it was closing so I didn’t enter. When I return to Lijiang, I’ll come back in the morning to visit these attractions, along with Dading Pavilion, Liuli Temple and Fuguo Temple. If you want to see it all, I suggest a full day for Baisha as it depends on how you’re coping with the high altitude as well...

**SHUHE ANCIENT TOWN=**I was pleasantly surprised with Shuhe – I think it’s a lot “prettier” that Baisha. With the stream running through the ancient town and all the flowers, I found it more colourful and photogenic.Yes,to many people, itsjust another overly commercialised attraction, but I live in Sydney, Australia and we don’t have ancient towns like these so I like visiting them!The main street is calledSifang Street,there’sQilong Bridge / Green Dragon Bridge, Juidong Dragon Pond, Sansheng Palace, and the Ancient Tea Horse Culture Museum. I spent about 5hrs here but mainly because I got “stuck” in a few stores! I’m happy to revisit Shuhe and get lost wandering through all the alleyways as I felt I didn’t get to see it all… Do allocate at least 3hrs+ to explore Shuhe. I saw a horse and carriage that you can rent to take you around...

DAY TRIP 1 = I hired a private guide / driver / car for one day (8am to 8pm) to take me to the following places and in this order: Tiger Leaping Gorge, 1********^(st) Bend of Yangtze River, Shigu village, Jade Water Village & Dongba Temple, Yun Ti Yang Cafe, and Royal Banquet Dinner & Show. My guide spoke really good English and was a safe driver – if you need a private guide for Lijiang, Shanri-la, Dali etc then DM me and I’ll give you her contact details.

The cost of a private driver / guide varies from city to province and it depends on the size of the group, the time of year, the itinerary etc. The cheapest guide that I found was 600 CNY per day, but most charge around 800 CNY to 1,000 CNY per day. Its cheaper if you’re with a group of people – remember, I’m travelling solo here...

TIGER LEAPING GORGE = Originally, I wanted to do a hike but changed my mind due to time and altitude sickness. I spent about 1.5hrs here, including the return shuttle bus that takes you to the main entrance and back to the carpark. It was incredibly windy cold, in May, so please dress warmly! You can either walk down to the main viewing platform decks which takes 1hr+ or pay extra to ride x4 escalators down. Due to time, I paid for the escalators, return trip. There are x2 photo-spots where a staff member takes your photo for free and you can choose the 2 inch size photo for free or pay for an 8 inch size photo for 20 CNY – make sure you take and keep the little numbered receipt to get these photos back at the main entrance, near the first escalator entrance and ticket office area… There’s only a few restaurants and cafes around the viewing platforms so I suggest to bring food / drinks or allocate more time to wait for your meals and find a table / seat. There’s a line to take photos with the famous tiger statue – I didn’t line up, I took a selfie on the staircase! If you look across the gorge, you’ll see the other two tiger statues, a bridge and cliff walkway... you can go to the other side of the gorge… how? My guide told me that tour groups go to the other side for a different view and its less crowded. I went to the main area and it was enough, like I wouldn’t return here. One visit was great and memorable… I’ll post photos separately.

1ST BEND OF YANGTZE RIVER = it takes about 45min+ to drive from Tiger Leaping Gorge to the 1^(st) Bend of Yangtze River. My guide took me to the main observation deck and within 5min of admiring the view, the weather changed! It was overcast cloudy then really sunny which allowed me to see the area in a different light, literally!!! If you want to see the 1st Bend of Yangtze River as you see online – the panoramic aerial drone type view, then you’ll need to hike up for about 1hr+ (high altitude will make you do things slower)... I didn’t have time or the energy for this so we left after 20min. I’m happy that we stopped by but don’t go out of your way just to visit this attraction... I’ll post photos separately.

SHIGU VILLAGE = it takes about 5min to drive from the 1^(st) Bend of Yangtze River to Shigu village. We had lunch here and my guide took me to her favourite local place that’s also popular with the residents. We shared a hot and spicy noodle soup, and two different cold noodle jelly dishes = total cost 28 CNY. We walked about 10min to visit the Drum-Stone Tablet and Tiehong Bridge / Iron Rainbow Bridge which was part of the Ancient Silk Road route. Shigu is really small and not commercialised like Dayan, Baisha or Shuhe so if you want a more “authentic ancient town experience”, perhaps Shigu is for you? I’ll post photos separately.

JADE WATER VILLAGE & DONGBA TEMPLE = not a lot of people visit this place. It’s like an open museum or cultural centre where you can learn about Naxi people, their religion, arts and crafts, music, way of living etc. It’s about 20min drive from Dayan Old Town. Allocate 1hr+ to walk through... Its really peaceful and pleasant. The main attraction is the Sanduo, Naxi god of nature gold statue and the Dongba Temple with a huge ritual furnace in front. Nearby is a Dongba pictograph workshop (there was a group of adults learning how to write Dongba pictographs here), a Naxi music performance hall…. As you walk through the garden areas you’ll see a Dongba Paper Mill, Dongba Brewery, little waterfall with viewing platform, prayer flags, etc. I think its worth visiting. I’ll post photos separately.

YUN TI YANG CAFE = this is plastered all over social media and what they show you isn’t exactly what it’s like when you’re there! Well, I had a very different image… Entrance is free but the staff do ask if you’ve purchased any food or drinks from their cafe – I guess many people just want to come to take photos!!! The area where you take photos has several viewing platforms including the wooden hut rooftop (most popular), a massive chair and long grassy hilltop section that gives you a great view of Yulong Mountain. There’s also a seating area to bask in the sun and the cafe is a two-storey building that serves mainly modern cafe type dishes and drinks (if I’ve remembered correctly, as I only ordered a drink).

Right next to this cafe is another popular photo-spot with food trucks and a helicopter pad – people were taking 5min helicopter rides, every 15min! You can’t walk over to these attraction as there’s a fence and road in between, so you’ll have to drive over… Anyways, Yun Ti Yang Cafe is a good place to take photos but it depends on the weather for you to be able to see Yulong Mountain clearly. When I was here, around 5pm, the top half of Yulong Mountain was covered with clouds, even though it was really sunny! I stayed for 1hr+… If you come here, it might be a 2hr+ visit especially if you want to take photos at each photo-spot.

ROYAL BANQUET DINNER & SHOW = I booked tickets on Klook. The location of this place is quite remote and about 25min drive to Dayan Ancient Town. If you come here by taxi DiDi, I’m not sure how fast and easy it’ll be to get a ride back at 8:30pm? My guide took a nap in the car while I was inside having a hotpot meal (fresh and more than enough) and watching the 1hr performance of cultural dances and songs then a modern remix at the end. If you come to these dinner and show places, its best to arrive at least 30min earlier to join the games such as pitch-pot (throwing arrows or stick into a vase-like pot from a distance) and you could win prizes, play (or pretend to play) the guqin, take photos with the dancers etc. You can also pay to rent hanfu and take photos...This one is really popular with the Chinese tour groups, it was full!

DAY TRIP 2 = I joined a group tour, booked via Trip.com, to visit Yulong / Jade Dragon Snow Mountain. Apparently, only 10,000 tickets are released per day and its extremely popular thus hard to get tickets. The group tour that I was part of only had 7 other tourists and all from South Korea! The guide was also the driver and only spoke Chinese so we communicated via translation apps. Everything was included in the booking price including the shared hotpot lunch meal, except the electric golf-cart ride along the Blue Moon Valley to visit various sections which was an extra 40 CNY.

The itinerary is as follows and times are approx. pending traffic, crowds and queues: 5am pick-up, 5:30am stop for oxygen tank & high altitude medicine upsell (there’s several different packages to cater to everyone’s health and concerns – no pressure to buy but all tour groups stop here... it must be a mandatory visit set by the local government?), 6am photo stop of Yulong Mountain at sunrise along the highway, 7am BLUE MOON VALLEY, 10am shared Hotpot lunch, 11pm – 2:30pm YULONG / JADE DRAGON SNOW MOUNTAIN including return cable car ride, 3pm 1hr IMPRESSIONS OF LIJIANG SHOW, 4pm drive back to Lijiang and 5pm drop-off. NOTE: 5am to 5pm is a really long day especially with such an early morning start and having to deal with the high altitude! You’ve be napping on the way back to Lijiang… I did haha

The time that you get to go up Yulong Mountain via cable car and the time that you get to watch the Impressions of Lijiang show will depend on what tickets that the tour company / guide can get. Meaning, you might end up watching the show first then go up Yulong Mountain as the cable car ride is allocated time slots and the staff will check and scan your tickets. Even though I was on a group tour, I explored Blue Moon Valley and Yulong Mountain alone – you don’t have to stay with the tour group the whole time... my guide didn’t come up the mountain, she stayed at the cable car entrance and waited for us there. The guide will WeChat you the schedule, instructions, tips and advice etc. I recommend to bring at least x2 oxygen tanks with you and purchase them from Dayan Old Town as they’ll be more expensive up the mountain! Don’t forget your powerbank and charger cord, dress warmly as its cold up there... The guide did offer us a huge puffer coat but we all took it off and gave it back to the guide as it was getting warm before we caught the cable car up, opsie!

Blue Moon Valley is a great place to visit – the scenery with Yulong Mountain in the background is beautiful and especially on a sunny day but the water isn’t as blue as what I see online and its quite crowded! Many of the best photo-spots are taken by brides and grooms (along with their photographers, make-up artists etc) and there’s a queue to take photos with the yak (I think it costs 50 CNY?). The electric golf-cart for 40 CNY is worth it as you can feel the high altitude here and its better to save time and energy to climb to 4680m on Yulong Mountain.

On this group tour, I had about 3.5hr to ride the cable car up to 4506m then climb the 99+ stairs to reach 4680m and catch the cable car back down to the tour group meeting point. 99+ stairs may sound short and easy but with the high altitude, you’ll struggle! It was just enough time to complete this mission – I had maybe 5min spare? So 3.5hr is tight!!! Ideally, another 1hr+ would have been better to enjoy the views… I used x1 oxygen tank to help me climb to the highest point but another oxygen tank would have been better! I stopped many times, like every 15+ steps to catch my breath. You’ll see many people sitting on the steps and along the boardwalk to rest so don’t be ashamed or embarrassed to sit down. I saw young and old people resting. Everyone will deal with the high altitude differently. There’s one or two cafes on top of the mountain and a few snack stalls but I do recommend eating before you get on the cable car – there’s a lot more choices at the bottom including McDonald's, KFC, Starbucks, Luckin Coffee, Chagee, 10+ Chinese restaurants, a convenience store etc in front of the cable car entrance.

The Impressions of Lijiang show is a 1hr live outdoor stage performance at the bottom of Yulong Mountain. With 50+ members, horses and lots of song and dance… There’s English and Chinese subtitles on a digital screen but it’s hard to read as you’ll be busy watching the performance! Before you find a seat to enjoy the show, you can grab a free red cap souvenir!

There are English signs everywhere to direct you where to go so you can definitely self-tour Yulong Mountain but it’ll take a bit more time to figure it all out... Maybe skip Blue Moon Valley and the Impressions of Lijiang show, just go up the mountain so you have more time??? Anyways, I’m really happy that I joined a group tour as I didn’t want to miss out on getting the tickets – that’s the main and most important challenge! I’ll post photos separately about my time here.

Now, even with 7 nights in Lijiang, I didn’t see and do everything that I wanted to... Another 2 days would have been perfect! Well, now I have a reason to return to Lijiang hehe

I’ll post about my time in Shangri-la soon…

Chinese Name: 万古楼

Other names: Wangu Pavilion, and Wengu Lun in Naxi language.

Location: on Lion Hill (Lion Mountain), in Dayan Old City (ancient town), Lijiang, Yunnan, China.

Architecture: It is a 33m tall, five-storey wooden structure constructed with 16 columns and each one is 22m tall. The use of 16 columns reflects a legend of epoch-making seven sisters and nine brothers in Naxi Dongba hieroglyphs, meaning Naxi people creating a better world together. The height of 22m reflects the saying “Good things should be in pairs” and the marriage custom of selecting double day as the auspicious day.

The carvings and design is a mix of Naxi, Han and Tibetan cultural influences. Wangulou is decorated with 2,300 auspicious patterns and represents the 23 ethnic groups living in Lijiang. It is an art form with 9,999 dragon patterns sculptured on the wall of the pavilion and with the 10,000th dragon in the centre caisson ceiling - the meaning of 10,000, pronounced in Chinese as “wan”, ever-lasting or eternal prosperity.

The wooden pavilion was reconstructed in 1997 as part of the Lijiang areas' declaration as a UNE$SCO World Heritage Site.