丽江
Lijiang
Lijiang is a plateau travel area, not just an ancient city. Dayan, Shuhe and Baisha preserve different levels of Naxi settlements and water system management, while Jade Dragon Snow Mountain and long-distance Lugu Lake require independent transportation and high-altitude preparation. The itinerary should revolve around two or three connected areas, and leave the most crowded commercial streets as early as possible to observe the living heritage that continues.
At a glance
- Stay
- 2–3 days
- Best seasons
- Mar–May, Sep–Nov
- Airports
- Rail or road access
- Region
- Southwest China
Last updated: 9/29/2026
First visit
Arrive and settle in Lijiang
Start with arrival and where to stay, then choose your sights. Recheck transport and accommodation details before booking.
Getting there+
Sanyi (LJG) airport is 30 kilometres south with flights from Kunming, Chengdu and the big cities; the shuttle takes about 40 minutes. Trains from Kunming take about three hours and from Dali under two, arriving at Lijiang station south of town, a short taxi from any of the old towns.
Rail tip. Your passport is your ticket. Book on 12306 or Trip.com, then go straight to the gate. See Getting around. The Trip.com link earns us a small commission at no cost to you (how that works).
Stay online. Google, WhatsApp and Instagram are blocked on Chinese networks; a travel eSIM that roams gets around it. Install one before you fly — Saily takes US$5 off a first plan with the code CHINA. See Staying online. The code earns us the same amount in Saily credits, at no cost to you (how that works).
Where to stay+
Shuhe
束河
A smaller old town with the same canals and half the crowd. The best base.
Courtyard inns, many with a view of the mountain. Twenty minutes to Dayan by taxi or an hour on foot along the fields.
first visitquietcourtyards
Baisha
白沙
A Naxi village at the foot of the mountain. Fields, murals, silence.
A handful of guesthouses and cafés on one street. You will need taxis, and you will not mind.
quietwalkingmountain views
Dayan old town
大研古城
The famous one. Gorgeous, loud, and best visited rather than slept in.
Hundreds of inns. If you stay, choose a courtyard up the hill near Wangu Tower or in the Wuyi Street lanes, away from the bar street.
nightlifeconvenience
Booking. Compare hotels in Lijiang on Trip.com, filtered to its China travel essentials list: English-speaking staff, foreign cards, guest rating 8 or higher. See Where to stay. Booking through this link earns us a small commission at no cost to you (how that works).
Overview+
GUANGXIHAINANCHONGQINGSICHUANLijiang
The Naxi built Dayan without walls, on canals fed by the Black Dragon Pool, and its lanes of grey tile and timber are a World Heritage site that now holds mostly bars and souvenir shops. See it early in the morning, when the water runs clear and the shutters are still closed, then base yourself somewhere calmer.
Shuhe, four kilometres north, is a smaller version with room to breathe. Baisha, further up the plain, is still a village, with Ming murals in its temple and the mountain filling the end of every street.
You are at 2,400 metres, so take the first day slowly. Jade Dragon Snow Mountain needs a booking; Tiger Leaping Gorge, two hours north, is the best walk in the province and worth an overnight.
Where next?
Save places you like, then use your saved list to build a trip.
Practical travel guides
Places to explore in Lijiang
Tiger Leaping Gorge
虎跳峡
Tiger Leaping Gorge is located between Lijiang and Shangri-La. The Jinsha River cuts deep into the canyon between Jade Dragon Snow Mountain and Haba Snow Mountain. The river is turbulent and is a classic one-day trip destination around Lijiang.
Black Dragon Pool
黑龙潭
Black Dragon Pool Park lies at the foot of the mountains, around a 15-minute walk from Lijiang Old Town. On clear days, the still water can reflect Jade Dragon Snow Mountain and Wufeng Tower, making it a popular place for a short walk and photographs.
Baisha village
白沙古镇
Baisha Ancient Town is the most pristine of the three ancient towns in Lijiang. You can see the Jade Dragon Snow Mountain when you look up. It retains old Naxi rammed earth houses, copperware, and Dongba handicraft shops. The pace is slow and suitable for a half-day stroll.
Dayan Old Town
大研古城
Dayan Ancient Town is commonly known as the Old Town of Lijiang. It is surrounded by streams and crisscrossed by streets and alleys. It is lively during the day and gently lit at night. It is the place with the strongest everyday atmosphere in Lijiang.
Shuhe old town
束河古镇
Shuhe is an old Tea Horse Road town where streams run through quiet lanes. It is calmer than Dayan Old Town and suits a relaxed half-day or full-day walk.
Lugu Lake
泸沽湖
Lugu Lake is a plateau lake shared by Yunnan and Sichuan. Peninsulas, forest ridges, and communities such as Mosuo are located around the lake. Local culture cannot be reduced to a single vision of matrilineal life, family structures, rituals, and tourism economies are all more complex. The long road distance, elevation, and cross-province management differences make it a stand-alone multi-day destination rather than a drop-in attraction in Lijiang city.
Baisha Village and Murals
白沙古镇与白沙壁画
Baisha is an earlier settlement among the world heritage sites of Lijiang Ancient City, located at the foot of Jade Dragon Snow Mountain. The religious buildings preserve murals that have been gradually formed since the 13th century, integrating Buddhism, Taoism, Naxi and other local image traditions, reflecting cultural exchanges; the surrounding residences and fields retain a smaller-scale settlement pattern than Dayan.
Jade Dragon Snow Mountain
玉龙雪山
Jade Dragon Snow Mountain is an alpine mountain system in the north of Lijiang. Glaciers, meadows, forests and peaks tower above the Naxi cultural landscape. Different ropeways reach completely different altitudes and environments, and the highest conventional tourist platform is a high-altitude area that needs to be taken seriously; weather, ecological protection and ticket amount jointly determine the reachable range on the day.
Local snacks
What to eat in Lijiang
These cards describe dishes, not restaurants.
Crispy wheat flavor, can be sweet or salty
Naxi Flatbread
纳西粑粑
The layered wheat flour cake is made by baking or baking, and can be filled with sweet or salty fillings. It is an easy-to-carry pasta for Naxi families and when traveling on the Tea Horse Road.
Suitable for serving hot, confirm meat, lard and specific fillings if you have dietary restrictions.
Bean flavor, sour and refreshing, can be spicy
Lijiang Chickpea Jelly
鸡豆凉粉
Local chickpea starch is condensed into firm jelly. After slicing, it can be served cold with spicy vinegar, or fried until crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. The same raw material presents two distinct tastes.
You can choose to cook it cold or fried and indicate the spiciness. If necessary, confirm whether the frying oil is shared.
Salty, strong cured flavor, warm and solid
Lijiang Cured Pork Rib Hotpot
腊排骨火锅
Salted and air-dried pork ribs are cooked with vegetables, potatoes, mushrooms or local greens to create a rich hot pot for sharing, perfect for cool nights on the plateau.
The dish has a high salt content and is suitable for sharing, so you should check the portion size; if you add wild mushrooms, make sure they are cooked thoroughly.
Salty, oily, strong tea flavor
Butter Tea
酥油茶
Strong tea is repeatedly whipped with butter and salt into a hot drink. It is common in plateau communities influenced by Tibetan culture. The specific tea concentration, cream source and saltiness vary.
For the first time, you can try a small cup to confirm the source of milk fat. The drink contains dairy products and may be salty.