Summary
Along with Dali, Lijiang is one of the most popular locations for visitors to Yunnan in South-West China, attracted by the colourful streets of the Old Town. Many foreign visitors set out from here for hikes in the mountains to the west, in the foothills of the Himalayas. It was out "base camp" for hiking trip to Tiger Leaping Gorge, and a day's cycling in the countryside. Others go on to Zhongdian, 200km north, now being officially promoted as the location of "Shangri-la".
Like many other tourist towns, Lijiang has a clear divide between the historic Old Town (a World Heritiage Site) and the modern town. We took walks around the narrow old streets and up to a great viewpoint on our final day.
- I’ll remember most the view over the roofs of the Old Town.
- The best bit was seeing the people in traditional dress in the square
- The worst bit was suffering the first bout of tummy troubles
- The funniest aspect was the hawker who sang Scottish songs to us at our restaurant
- A particularly relaxing spot was the cafe overlooking the town, run by a young musician
- I didn’t know what to expect here - it was a magical place to visit, despite the commercialisation
- Particularly noticeable is the new tourism development
- some reflections on being a tourist in China are in the Lijiang Old Town story
Click below for the full story of each route
< Return to China Background Page with list of walks
Contributed by: Andrew Llanwarne
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Walking through Lijiang Old Town
Key Facts
| Location |
In Yunnan, close to Tibet, South-West China |
| When it was walked |
June 2005 |
| Walk type |
Easy town and countryside walks |
| Difficulty |
Suitable for anyone who enjoys an easy walk, no special footwear required. Tougher hiking trails in the mountains are close by. |
| Distance approx |
Varied, from approximately 2km around the town centre with longer walks to a lakeside viewpoint (we didn't visit it)
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| Height climbed approx |
A short steep climb up to the pagoda viewpoint, otherwise quite flat |
| Time taken approx |
1-2 hours to get an impression of the Old Town, but you can easily spend longer shopping, eating, relaxing |
| Map used if any |
Town map in Lonely Planet Guide |
| Source of info on walks |
Lonely Planet guide - but mainly just exploring around the town |
| Getting there |
We flew from Kunming, the main city in Yunnan, but there are regular buses as well |
| Places to stay |
Wide choice of guest houses and hotels in Lijiang old town |
| Places to eat/ buy food |
Shops, cafes and restaurants in the Old Town |
| Other attractions |
Black Dragon Pool Park with view of Jade Dragon Snow Mountain; Looking at the Past Pavilion overlooking the town |
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