As the traditional home of the Naxi people, who make up around 60 per cent of the population, Lijiang offers visitors a different experience from other typical Han Chinese cities. The atmosphere in the charming Old Town has an ethnic flair rarely seen in a country littered with innocuous concrete settlements. Lijiang’s Old Town is one of the real cultural gems of China, and well worth a visit.

Like all incredible travel destinations, Lijiang isn’t much of a secret anymore. Its 1999 UNESCO World Heritage site status served mainly to put it on the map of both Chinese domestic tourism as well as the international travel scene. The result is a tale of two cities: a lovely timeless Old Town full of beautiful Naxi architecture, gurgling waterways and cobblestone streets, mirrored by the New Town’s typically bland Chinese offerings of restaurants and low rises.