Lijiang is where most Yunnan trips swap lakes for mountains. The old town of the Naxi people, a UNESCO World Heritage Site of cobbled lanes, stone bridges and fast little canals, sits at about 2,400 m, and on clear days Jade Dragon Snow Mountain fills the skyline to the north.
It is also one of China's most-visited sights, and by late morning the center feels like a single long shopping street. Use it as a base: walk the lanes early and late, and spend your days in the villages and valleys around it.
Top things to do
Prices as of 2026; check before you go.
Lijiang Old Town 丽江古城
Also called Dayan, it is a maze of wooden Naxi houses, water channels and courtyard inns. Come at 7 or 8 a.m., before the shutters open, then climb Lion Hill 狮子山 for the view across the rooftops.
Shuhe 束河古镇
A smaller old town 15–20 minutes northwest by taxi, once a stop on the Tea Horse Road. Commercial too, but greener and slower, with clear streams running past the cafés.
Baisha Village 白沙古镇
A historic Naxi village near the foot of Jade Dragon, 30 minutes by taxi from town. See the Baisha Murals, Ming-dynasty temple paintings mixing Buddhist, Taoist and Tibetan styles, then continue to Hutuwo Pasture 糊涂窝牧场, a paid viewpoint with open meadow facing the peaks. This is the easiest village-plus-snow-mountain day from Lijiang.
Yuhu Village 玉湖村
A Naxi village of stone houses at the foot of the mountain, once home to the explorer-botanist Joseph Rock. Come for the late-afternoon light on the peaks. A daytime shuttle serves the village for about ¥39 per person.
Dongba Valley 东巴谷
A favorite spot for "sunrise on the golden mountain," the few minutes when first light turns the snow peaks gold. You need a pre-dawn start and a clear sky, so keep one morning flexible.
Jade Dragon Snow Mountain 玉龙雪山
The glacier cable car tops out around 4,500 m. On a clear day the view repays the effort; on a cloudy one it is a costly walk in fog. Entry and cable-car tickets sell out, so book about seven days ahead, expect long queues, and read our Jade Dragon guide first.
Tiger Leaping Gorge 虎跳峡
One of the world's deepest river gorges, roughly two hours' drive away. Day-trippers take the steps down to the river at the upper gorge; hikers walk the signposted High Trail over two days, sleeping in village guesthouses.
Lugu Lake 泸沽湖
Have two or three spare days? This clear alpine lake on the Sichuan border, 4–5 hours by road, is the extension most worth adding. See our Lugu Lake guide.
Where to stay
- Old Town: Best for first-timers. Choose a courtyard inn on the quieter edges, away from the bar street, and expect to wheel your bags in, since the town is car-free.
- Shuhe: Calmer evenings and roomier guesthouses. Suits couples and slower travelers.
- Baisha or Yuhu: Mountain views and real quiet, but few restaurants and you'll need a driver. Worth a night before an early start on Jade Dragon.
What to eat
Lijiang baba 丽江粑粑
A dense, flaky flatbread fried in layers and sold sweet or savory. It is the town's breakfast staple.
Chicken bean jelly 鸡豆凉粉
No chicken involved: a jelly made from a local bean, served cold with chili and vinegar or pan-fried in warm chunks.
Cured pork rib hotpot 腊排骨火锅
Lijiang's signature dinner: salt-cured ribs simmered into a rich broth, then potatoes and greens cooked in it. Salty, hearty and ideal after a cold day out.
Wild mushroom hotpot 菌子火锅
In the rainy season, restaurants simmer fresh local mushrooms in chicken broth. Let the staff time it: wild mushrooms must be fully cooked before you eat.
The honest take
Repeat visitors tend to love the countryside more than the town. Baisha with the pasture, Yuhu at sunset and Lugu Lake come up again and again as the highlights.
The complaints are just as consistent: a crowded, commercial old town by midday, and Jade Dragon tickets that are hard to get, with long queues and a real risk of cloud.
Reviews of Blue Moon Valley 蓝月谷 and Spruce Meadow 云杉坪 on the mountain are split, and many online photos of the valley's turquoise water are heavily filtered. We'd skip the bonfire shows.
Lijiang also draws plenty of complaints about unreliable hired drivers and cheap group tours with jade and silver shop stops. Read why we skip shopping tours, and agree any driver's route and total price in writing first.
Getting there and around
- By train: About 1.5 hours from Dali, 3.5–4 hours from Kunming (most trains leave from Kunming Station 昆明站), and 1.5 hours on to Shangri-La. Book with your passport on the 12306 app or Trip.com; see trains.
- By air: Direct flights from Kunming and many other Chinese cities.
- In town: The old town is car-free. Taxis and ride-hailing apps cover Shuhe and Baisha.
- Farther out: For Yuhu, a Dongba Valley sunrise, Jade Dragon and Tiger Leaping Gorge, a private driver saves hours. We can arrange one at a fixed price.
