Few Chinese cities can rival the sense of history palpable as a walk through Lijang’s Old Town, the largest of its kind. Spend the night nearby in a room you’ve found thanks to HotelTravel.com and get up early to take photos in the beauty of the dawn.
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.
Finding activities in Lijiang which children will consider entertaining may be a challenge. The highlights here are based almost entirely around the unique Naxi culture and the dramatic outdoor scenery in the neighbouring mountains. If your kids enjoy tramping through hills and valleys, then Jade Dragon Snow Mountain and its cable cars will provide plenty of fun. Older kids will be able to appreciate the wonderful Naxi lifestyle that is best experienced by wandering the Old Town and watching the impressive cultural show of traditional performances.
Everything in Lijiang centres around its Naxi Old Town and the sublime Jade Dragon Snow Mountain Park just a few miles outside of the city. It’s a wonderful mix of culture and nature. The Naxi have created one of China’s most charming and tidy towns, and they still follow their traditional lifestyle. Temples, murals and outlying villages offer plenty of diversion for visitors looking to absorb the unique ethnic culture of this region. The nearby mountains are a source of countless alpine excursions from the relaxing to the strenuous.
Lijiang has a mid-sized airport located 17 miles (28kms) to the south of the city. All of the flights into Lijiang are domestic, so international travellers will need to fly to Kunming first then make a connection. Direct flights are also offered from Beijing, Shanghai, Chengdu, Guangzhou and Guiyang. There are only about 12 flights each day so the options are limited. Lijiang’s single terminal is modest but provides the basic amenities a traveller will need upon arrival.
While staff were friendly and the hotel was well run, their lack of English prevented them from being proactive in offering support (e.g. luggage transport to the taxis/buses in/out of the pedestriani...
