Lijiang Travel Guide

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Lijiang Travel Overview:

As an exceptional enclave of superlative natural scenery having been nourished by the bounty of water and mountains, and an ancient town of profound cultural heritage jointely created by some of the most enigmatic ethinic groups in the world, Lijiang furnishes your imagination of an utopian Xanadu without any pomp or circumstance.
Apart from the unspoiled natural beauty, in the snow-clad emerald canopies of the Yulong (Jade Dragon) Snow Mountain, the dramatic grand canyon of the Tiger Leaping Gorge, the serene crystal alpine lakes of Lashihai and Lugu, and the timeless flowing of liveliness of the Yangtze, Mekong and Salween Rivers, it is the intriguing aspects of life in this Oriental Venice on the Plateau that you cannot afford to miss.
The Naxi ethnic minority, having flourished for more than 800 incredibly peaceful years at the foot of Jade Dragon Snow Mountain, is the living showcase of ancient Dongba culture, which is represented in the bold innovations in art, architecture and literature by simple and crude means, out of ingenious fusion of natural landscape and cultural traditions.
With the Old Town of Lijiang included in UNESCO's World Cultural Heritage list, its Ancient Naxi Dongba Literature Manuscripts inscribed on the Memory of the World Heritage list, and the Three Parallel Rivers admitted to its World Natural Heritage list, there is little wonder that Lijiang has stood out from the remotness of the northwestern corner of Yunnan Province, stepped out of the stage of major scenic areas in China and won the acclaim of the whole world.
Nearby Cities: Kunming, Dali, Lugu Lake, Shangri-la
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What To Do in Lijiang

1.Nature
Black Dragon Pool Park: locally known as Yuquan, on the northern edge of the Old Town;
Lashihai Lake: the largest lake in Lijiang area, 8 km from downtown Lijiang;
Lugu Lake: Th... More>>>

What To Wear in Lijiang

Influenced by the dominant South Asian monsoon and its geographical location in an alpine river valley surrounded by high mountains, Lijiang enjoys a temperate climate year round, where the tempera... More>>>

What To Eat in Lijiang

1.Local food
What to eat:
Ji Dou Liang Fen: Pea Jelly made of locally grown soybean;
Lijiang Ba Ba: sweet or salty pastry, crisp textured and very long-keeping;
Lijiang Mi Jian: ... More>>>

1.Local food
What to eat:
Ji Dou Liang Fen: Pea Jelly made of locally grown soybean;
Lijiang Ba Ba: sweet or salty pastry, crisp textured and very long-keeping;
Lijiang Mi Jian: Glace Fruit made of apple, chilli, wax gourd, plum, sweet potato, pawpaw, lotus root, eggplant, grapefruit, citrus fruit, etc.
Lijiang Su You Cha: aromatic tea made of butter, brick tea, walnut kernel, sesame, egg and refined salt;
Mi Guan Chang: Sausage Stuffed with Rice, known to be nutritious, medicinal and long-keeping;
Yan Suan Yu: homemade Pickle Sour Fish from Lugu Lake, seasoned with salt, pepper and cooking wine, sealed in an earthen jar for about 10 days and eaten raw or cooked.
Yi Zu Tuo Tuo Rou: fist-size piece of pork, beef, or sheep cooked in a unique Yi clan way;
Zhu Piao Rou: Pig's fat preserved and made in Mosuo people's special way, tastes neither fatty nor greasy.
Where to eat:
Big Stone Bridge Snacks: No.5, Square Street, the Old Town, Lijiang City
Black Goat Chafing Dishes Restaurant: Black Dragon Pool (0888/3103686);
Cao Jiang Fishing Village Restaurant: Shangri-la Road (0888/5166666);
Dragon Chinese Restaurant: Shangri-la Road (0888/3116688);
Hua Hua Shen Restaurant: Fuhui Road, the New District, Lijiang City (0888/5124269);
Hua Yan San Sheng Vegetarian Restaurant: West Fuhui Road (0888/5104798);
Li Jiang Gucheng Jiulou: Dong Dajie, at the entrance to the old town (0888/5181818);
Naxi Flavor Snacks: 22 Shuang Shi Duan, Xinhua Jie (0888/5189591);
Naxi Food and Culture City: middle section of Fuhui Road, the New District, Lijiang City.
Naxi Music Academy Restaurant: Dong Dajie, south of Naxi Music Academy (0888/6667577);
Old Town Beef Restaurant: Xueshan Middle Road;
Shangbala Cafe: 84 Yu Yuan Road, Old Town (0888/ 5120195);
Wangfu Hotel's Main Restaurant: 9 Yi Gu Xiang, Nan Men Jie (0888/5189666).
2.Foreign food
Don Papa's Pizzeria: 3 Jishan Xiang, Xinyi Jie (0888/5183967);
Lijiang Sakura Cafe: 123 Cuiwen Lane, Xinhua Street, Lijiang
Mamafu's Restaurant: Xinyi Street, the Old Town, Lijiang City
Prague Cafe: 80 Mishi lane, Xinyi Street, Old Town (0888/5123757);
Rembrandt Cafe: 6 Xin Yi Street, Bai Sui Fang, Old Town (0888/5129971);
Water Nymph Bar and Restaurant: 21 Bai Sui Fang, XinYi Street, Old Town (0888/5101550).

Where To Stay in Lijiang

1. Adange Hotel, Lijiang
Tel: +86-888-5166666
Location: Shangri-la Ave, Lijiang
Its central location on the business center of Shangri-la Avenue giving picturesque enviroment and convenient transport link to all scenic spots and historic landmarks in Lijiang and the surrounding areas, the Old Town of Lijinag among others, is only 8 mins walk away, its 128 well appointed guestrooms in its well-furnished 8 storey premise promising everything you desire for a pleasant pampering lodging experience, including air conditioning, IDD telephone, high speed Internet access, en suite bathroom, in-room safe deposit box, etc, its comprehensive hotel amenities and services extending to a variety of on-site restaurants and Bar/Lounge, Business Center and conference facilities, swimming pool and tennis court, beauty salon and night club, as well as shopping center, and ticket service, no wonder Adange is one of the finest 4 star hotels in Lijiang.
2. Banyan Tree Lijiang
Tel: +86-888-5331111
Location: Yuerong Road, Su River, Gucheng District
A cocoon of luxury in the thick of UNESCO World Heritage listed natural landscape, multi-ethnic heritage and historical milieu, Banyan Tree Lijiang reflects the rich fabric of this legendary locale through its design and furnishings, in its inimitable Banyan Tree Gallery, its award-winning heavenly Banyan Tree Spa, its boldly innovative but smartly balanced luxurious villas, its wide array of gastronomical treats available at the on-site Bai Yun, Ming Yue Restaurant, Wen Hai Bar, Chun Feng Tea House as well as in-villa dining, its wealth of arrangement for recreational pursuits ranging from trekking to golfing to guided tours around the Old Town, and its singnature home collection of royal retreat and resort living luxuries of a Singapore-based resort group.
3. Grand Lijiang Hotel
Tel: +86-888-5128888
Location: Xinyi Street, Dayan Town
A well-suited property with the majestic Jade Dragon Snow Mountain looming in the background, the UNESCO World Heitage listed Old Town of Lijiang beckoning right outside the front door, and the beautiful Black Dragon Pool Park as well as the Dongba Cultural Center located within walking distance, and a well-outfitted international standard hotel with its 126 guestrooms remarkably decked out with a range of amenities, the Snowbird Restaurant, lobby lounge, and Paradise Club outstandingly completing its guests' dining and entertainment experience, and a 24 hr modernized Business Center further enhancing an easy stay, the Grand Lijiang Hotel counts itself among the natural choice of all hotels outside the Old Town of Lijiang.
4. Li Jiang Guanfang Hotel
Tel: +86-888-5188888
Location: Shangri-la Ave. Lijiang
Built as the first 5 star hotel in Lijiang, featuring central city location on Shangri-la Ave at the junction of Old Town and the new city in the surroundings of the beautiful scenery, a high-rise glass-and-steel building consisting of 292 spacious guestrooms and suites coming with full amenities, a 400-seat Chinese restaurant, a Western restaurant, lobby bar, as well as a rooftop Jade Dragon Revolving Restaurant affording excellent views of the Old Town and Jade Dragon Snow Mountain, a Business Center, exhibition hall, and a 400-seat international conference hall well stocked with the latest audio-visual equipment, plus the billiards room, bowling alley, dance hall, karaoke hall, KTV rooms, art gallery, library and ancient Naxi music shows for relaxation and recreation purposes, Li Jiang Guanfang Hotel is definitely hard to miss.
5.Lijang Jade Dragon Garden
Tel: 86-888-5151288
Location: 62 Jishan Lane, Xinyi Street, Lijiang
Lijang Jade Dragon Garden boasts a prime location within the Old Town of Lijiang, a unique architectural design outlined in the traditional Naxi family dwellings' gardening style, where a hundred-year-old garden, a palace shaped lobby with tri-caved roof and unicorn eaves, and courtyards and corridors decorated with Dongba pictographic paintings capture the essence of local culture, as well as contemporary comforts of home, with its 150 guestrooms and suites fully outfitted with modern conveniences like central air-conditioner, satellite TV programmes etc., a versatile Chinese Restaurant as well as a Western Restaurant, Business Center, professional laundry, a 300 seat Conference Hall, multi-function Dancing Hall, Medicinal Sauna Center, Shopping Center, etc.
6. Lijiang Jian Nan Chun Courtyard
Tel: +86-888-5102222
Location: 8 Guanyi Street,Dayan Town, Lijiang
Boasting a privileged location in the center of the ancient Old Town of Lijiang right adjacent to Sifang Street and the Mansion of the Mu Clan, 56 well equipped guestrooms and suites rich in atmospheric ambience, distinctive cultural features, as well as modern facilities and first-class service, a business center, conference hall, meeting rooms accommodating events of all sizes, a restaurant, a tea house and and multi functional dining-hall catering to occasions of all kinds, Lijiang Jian Nan Chun Courtyard Hotel is an ideal place to stay to soak up the aura of an UNESCO World Heritage listed ancient town.
7. Lijiang Sanhe Hotel
Tel: 86-888-5120891
Location: 4 Jishan Lane, Xinyi Street, Lijiang
Featuring an idyllic location in the surroundings of lush calm greenery of the Old Town of Lijiang, 50 meters to the entrence of the Old Town and 2 km to the coach bus station, Naxi Home yard style guestrooms and suites equipped with private bathroom and TV, plus courteous and efficient business services such as internet, mailing and IDD calls, etc. Lijiang Sanhe Hotel is one of the well-established historical cultural hotels dedicated to preserving its centuries-old architectural structure, capturing the essence of traditional Naxi way of living, as well as facilitating a pleasant and memorable lodging experience for guests from all walks of life.
8. Zen Garden Hotel Lijiang
Tel: + 86-888-5189799
Location: 36 Xingren Alley, Wuyi Road,Dayan Town
An intimate inn nestled in in a very tranquil secondary lane just inside the Old Town section of Lijiang, 100 meters from Sifang Street, Zen Garden Hotel Lijiang features houses and courtyard built in traditional Naxi style, guestrooms and suites decorated with Ming and Qing dynasties antiques and modern amenities such as internet connecitons, live traditional Naxi and Chinese music performances twice a week, demonstrations of Chinese painting and drawing in the teahouse upon request, as well as tours and excursions to Tiger Leaping Gorge, Shangri la, Jade Dragon Snow Mountain, Lugu lake, etc

How To Go Lijiang

1.By Air
Airport:
Lijiang Airport: 28km east of the city center
For more details, contac the airport on 0888-5173088, 5173095.
Destinations:
Direct: Chengdu, Chongqing, Gu... More>>>

What to be noted in Lijiang

1.Time to visit
Best time to visit:
April and October, when temperatures are pleasant and it doesn't rain as often.
Less desirable months to avoid:
July and August: when r... More>>>

1.Time to visit
Best time to visit:
April and October, when temperatures are pleasant and it doesn't rain as often.
Less desirable months to avoid:
July and August: when rain almost falls every day, accompanied by occasional lightning storms;
January and February: when the wintry weather comes to its climax.
Public holidays:
New Year's day: January 1th;
Spring Festival: 3 days in late-January or mid-February;
May Day: May 1th;
National Day: October 1th;
Local festivals:
Bangbang Meeting: lunar calendar January 15;
Sanduo Stanza: lunar calendar February 8th.
March Meeting: lunar calendar March;
Dongba Meeting: lunar calendar March 5th;
Torch Festival: lunar calendar June 24th;
July Meeting: ten days in the lunar calendar July;
Zhuanshan Stanza: lunar calendar July 25th.

2.Health
Altitude sickness:
Lijiang is 2,400 meters above the sea level, at such a high elevation, almost all tourists from a low-altitide area will experience symptoms of altitude sickness at different levels.
Organize your Lijiang trip reasonably and scientifically, according to the actual altitude, the ascent rate during upward journeys and your personal physical condition.
Prepare enough medicine for all eventualities.
Temperature difference:
The difference between daytime and nighttime temperatures can range from 5-18 degrees Celsius in Lijiang and the surrounding areas. Prepare a variety of clothes to keep warm.
Sunburn:
The higher the elevation, the stronger the ultraviolet radiation. Sunscreen, sun glasses and a hat should not be forgotten for a Lijiang visit, especially during summer.

3.Safety
Secure your valuables in hotel room safe or at the front desk;
Traveling around the old town in groups, especially if you're a woman;
Look out for pickpockets and similar petty theft while traveling around;
Respect cultural customs and religious traditions of Naxi people and other ethnic minorities inhabited in the region;
While photp-taking, don't risk disturbing the herds of animals, climbing up a rock face or clinging to the edge of stone bridges.

4. Useful phone numbers
Emergency:
Fire: 119;
Police: 110;
Ambulance: 120 ;
Traffic Accident: 122.
Genneral inquiries:
Time: 117;
Weather forcast: 121;
Local phone directory: 114;
Long-istance call inquiry: 113.
Tickets:
Bus ticket office: 0888-5121106;
Air ticket office: 96518, 0888-5161289.
Complaints:
Consumer Complain: 12315;
Lijiang Tourist complaints: 0888-5123432;
Lijiang airport services complaints: 0888-5173019;
Jade Dragon Snow Mountain tourist complaints: 0888-5131068.

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Lijiang Travel Guide