Banks: 08:30 to 17:30, Monday to Friday
Post Offices: 08:00 to 20:00, Monday to Friday
Department Stores and Shops: 10:00 to 18:00, daily
Museums: 10:00 to 17:00, Tuesday to Saturday
Business Offices: 09:00 to 17:00, Monday to Friday

In general, China is one of the world’s safer travel destinations, but tourist spots like Lijiang tend to see more crime than other towns. Theft is the main problem around here so be careful not to leave your bags or valuables unattended. Crowded markets, tourist attractions and on transport is where most of the theft and pick pocketing occurs. Street crimes increase around the annual Chinese New Year period, as returning migrant workers need extra cash to get back home.

Lijiang also has a few local scams to be aware of. Young Chinese who come up to foreigners and try to engage them in conversation are usually looking for a handout. Worse, they often lead tourists into their friend’s shop and pressure them into buying something that is grossly overpriced. Keep in mind that karaoke bars are also potentially dangerous places to overindulge. In addition to the social issues, visitors should keep an eye out on dimly-lit streets which have potholes, cracks or other obstacles. Even power wires along the street occasionally hang at neck height. 

Police: 110 
Electricity:220V AC, 50Hz; round two-pin European plugs are the norm.

The main health concerns for visitors to Lijiang is the quality of the water, and to a lesser degree the food. The tap water in China is not safe to drink so stick to bottled water for drinking and brushing your teeth; it is readily available in every shop in town. The food in Lijiang can be hit or miss. The only standards of hygiene are the ones imposed by the cooks and owners of the restaurants. To hedge your bets against getting a stomach-ache, make sure meat is thoroughly cooked and stay away from fresh leafy greens or other uncooked vegetables.

It is suggested that all visitors to Lijiang be vaccinated against hepatitis A and B, tetanus and typhoid. There isn’t a huge risk of contracting a disease in Lijiang, but hepatitis is easily spread when basic hygiene is overlooked.

Should you fall seriously ill, there are adequate medical facilities in Lijiang and even better hospitals in nearby Kunming. Unfortunately, very few of the staff at local hospitals can understand English. Traditional Chinese medicine is heavily practiced in Lijiang so you may consider trying some natural cures for any minor ailments. If your medical insurance doesn’t cover you in China, it’s advised you buy some travel insurance to safeguard against the costs of any unexpected medical emergencies.

Ambulance: 120 
Lijiang People’s Hospital: +86 888 512 1343

Very few Chinese on the mainland speak English, or any language other than Mandarin or Cantonese Chinese. This is a real obstacle if you need to call an emergency service, police station or booking company. In Lijiang, some of the hotels have a receptionist who can speak basic English.

China’s national currency is the renminbi yuan (¥). There are 10 jiao or 100 fen in a renminbi yuan. Banknotes come in denominations of ¥100, 50, 20, 10, 5 and 1, as well as 5 and 1 jiao. Coins come in denominations of ¥1, 5 and 1 jiao, as well as 5, 2 and 1 fen. Visitors should be aware that China has a big problem with counterfeit ¥50 and ¥100 notes.

Visitors to Lijiang will need to exchange their foreign money into Chinese renminbi. Chinese currency is not traded outside of the country, and only the Bank of China is officially allowed to exchange currency. You will see branches of the bank at the airport, in some hotels and at large shopping complexes. China has a major problem with counterfeit money so don’t use any black market moneychangers. Only exchange your money at a place operated under the control of the Bank of China. You will quickly become familiar with the ubiquitous ultraviolet banknote testers found in even the humblest shop.

Although there are a number of different banks and ATMs in China, in Lijiang only the Bank of China is a reliable place to withdraw cash from an ATM. The ATMs here accept cards with PLUS, Cirrus and Aeon logos on them, but check to see if there are any high transaction fees in advance of making a withdrawal. In general, cash is the best form of payment for just about everything around Lijiang.

Credit cards from foreign banks are accepted only in the nicer hotels and at most upscale restaurants. Even though you’ll see the Visa logo in many shop windows, the shops here can usually only accept Chinese-issued credit cards. The Bank of China will let you withdraw cash from your foreign credit cards with a four per cent service charge. Traveller’s cheques can only be cashed at the Bank of China or at currency exchange desks in your hotel.

All visitors to China may bring with them: 400 cigarettes, two bottles of alcohol, 50 grams of gold or silver and an amount of perfume for personal use without incurring a duty tax. Chinese customs officials may seize anything they deem political, pornographic or religious if they feel it is subversive to society. Customs staff have been known to search the contents of laptops, cameras and video cameras for illicit material.

There are plenty of cultural shocks waiting for first-time visitors to China. One cultural chasm is discrimination against foreigners. In Lijiang, this discrimination typically comes from overcharging for everything from transport and lodging to simple purchases in the shops. It’s very hard to know when and how much you’re being overcharged so it helps to get an idea of the real costs of things from fellow travellers or reliable hotel staff.

Since more than half Lijiang’s population is Naxi, the city has very different cultural leanings than predominately Han Chinese cities. Even so, the concept of saving face is a major component of Chinese etiquette here. Roughly translating as saving your honour and reputation, saving face is essential if you want to avoid causing others to lose face by insulting them in public. Don’t lose your temper or act foolishly or you will lose face.

The Chinese have developed an entire system of non-verbal communication to help balance this need to maintain public harmony. Facial expressions and posture can mean more than you think here. Avoid frowning while someone is speaking to you as this shows disapproval. It’s also disrespectful to stare into someone’s eyes.

Greetings are formal affairs, with the eldest person greeted first. Handshakes are the common way to greet foreigners, and many Chinese will glance down at the ground while greeting you as a sign of respect.

Dining Etiquette
There are dozens of social rules when dining out with the Chinese, but if you remember the most important ones you’ll do fine. Although it’s more likely you’ll be invited to eat in a public restaurant, if the meal is at someone’s home be sure to bring a small gift for the host. Take your shoes off before entering someone’s home and arrive on time. Let the host tell you when and where to sit, and try to eat everything that is offered to you. Eating a lot is a sign that you enjoyed the meal, but never take the last piece from the serving dish.

Chopsticks should never be pointed at someone’s face or left sticking upright in your rice bowl. Don’t lick your chopsticks, and return them to the chopstick holder when not using them. Don’t be surprised if your Chinese friends loudly slurp their soup or burp during the meal, as these are signs they enjoy the food. In mainland China, tipping is still forbidden in many places. Waiters are slowly opening up to Western methods of tipping, however, so you can leave the small change if you feel it’s appropriate.

All foreign visitors to China must apply for a travel visa in advance of their trip. This is done at your local Chinese embassy, and typically takes around five working days to process. If approved, you will receive a 30-day visa. Your passport must be valid for at least six months from your date of entry and have two blank pages remaining. The fee for your visa depends entirely on what country your passport is from. Getting a visa to visit China isn’t the easiest thing in the world, but if you have all the proper paperwork it shouldn’t be a problem.

Your best source of tourist information in Lijiang is the small ticketing kiosk in the Old Town next to the restored water wheel. The most useful information is actually found online, although travel agencies in Lijiang can help as well.