Guangzhou Self-Drive - Chongzuo - Kunming - Dali - Lijiang - Shangri-La - Congjiang - Sanjiang

Travel mileage: Approximately 5,000 km

Route: Guangzhou - Chongzuo - Qianxinan Buyei and Miao Autonomous Prefecture - Kunming - Dali - Lijiang - Shangri-La - Congjiang County - Sanjiang County

Travel cost: Approximately 5,500 yuan

8:00 Guangzhou - 17:00 Chongzuo, 800 km, estimated drive time 9 hours

After arriving, you can go to Taiping Ancient City for dinner and explore the night market. The atmosphere is quite good. Taiping Ancient City in Chongzuo is a second batch national nighttime cultural and tourism consumption cluster area. It's affordable and free to enter.

You can stay nearby for the night; hotels are very reasonably priced, 76 yuan per room.

The next morning, head to the Detian Transnational Waterfall (110 yuan). Recommended visit time: 3 hours. Its uniqueness lies in being on the upper reaches of the Guichun River at the China-Vietnam border. It's Asia's largest and the world's fourth largest transnational waterfall, worth seeing.

Afterward, drive to the second stop, Kunming, 616 km, estimated drive time 8 hours. Upon arrival, stay in Guandu District, Kunming, which is close to several attractions and reasonably priced at 71 yuan per room. It's recommended to stay two consecutive nights to wash clothes. My hotel's bathroom had a heater reaching 40°C, which I used to dry my clothes, haha.

Second stop: Kunming (1-2 days, cost about 500 yuan)

After waking up, head to Dianchi Lake first. This is a must-visit. From November to March each year, many seagulls spend the winter here, allowing close interaction. It's a truly unique and joyful experience! Seagull feed is very cheap, 10 yuan for three bags, enough for photos and fun.

Then, take a stroll in the nearby Haidong Wetland Park, another great spot for amazing photos. Photography enthusiasts, don't miss it.

By noon, go to Guandu Ancient Town for lunch. Yunnan has many local snacks. After eating, wander around to slowly experience Yunnan's character.

Around 5-6 PM, visit Nanping Walking Street, Nanqiang Walking Street, and Kunming Old Street. These streets are close together and you can easily spend hours exploring, tasting Yunnan's diverse cuisine. Many dishes I'd never seen in Guangdong were incredibly addictive. During holidays, the streets are crowded and parking is scarce, so park early.

If you still have energy, enjoy a drink in the old streets—it's very pleasant.

Dali has many attractions: Erhai Moon Wetland Park, Sansheng Island, Longkan Ancient Ferry, Dali Ancient Town, Caicun, Chongsheng Temple Three Pagodas, Cangshan Mountain, Corridor Bridge, Xizhou Ancient Town, Haishe Ecological Park, Shuanglang Ancient Town, Wase Town, Xiaoputuo, Jinsuo Island, Yinsuo Island, etc. Due to time, I didn't visit all. Here are my recommended spots and route...

After waking up at 8-9 AM in Kunming, navigate to Dali Binhai Avenue (or directly to Sansheng Island, but I feel this is the start of Erhai with unique scenery). Park, have lunch, then get up close with Erhai. Seeing Erhai instantly reminded me of the song 'Even if broke, go to Erhai.' Words can't describe its beauty.

First, here's my walking route map.

Near Xiajiacun, there's a grove perfect for photos—capture a different beauty.

After the initial thrill, choose accommodation near Dali Ancient Town. I strongly advise against staying inside the ancient town (expensive, inconvenient transport, noisy at night). I stayed outside the north gate, a 10-minute walk to the ancient town, convenient for driving, and the room was 153 yuan per night.

After resting, head to Dali Ancient Town for shopping. The ancient town is quite large; unfamiliar visitors should check a map.

Buses and stalls are denser on Bo'ai Road, Renmin Road, Huguo Road, and Guangwu Road. Yuer Road is a main traffic artery with little to explore. I had plenty of energy, so I visited all major gates. The ancient town has unique Dali Bai cuisine. As an outsider, everything looked fresh. After watching many TV dramas, I really wanted to try 'Shuixing Yanghua' and the Bai specialty 'Stone Plate BBQ.' Too bad I was traveling alone and had limited stomach space.

The next morning, consider climbing Cangshan Mountain or visiting the Three Pagodas (total about 300 yuan). Due to itinerary, I didn't climb Cangshan.

After breakfast, I first went to Sansheng Island. The seaside path and unique guesthouses there lifted my spirits.

Then follow the Erhai circular island route: Longkan Ancient Ferry - Corridor Bridge - Xizhou Ancient Town - Haishe Ecological Park - Shuanglang Ancient Town.

Park early at the roadside for Shuanglang Ancient Town; the entrance faces the expressway exit with limited parking. Shuanglang's atmosphere is better than Dali Ancient Town, with exquisite seaside guesthouses and cruise ships for island tours—a must-visit in Dali. The small fragrant pineapples here are delicious—try them. Oh, and Dali has high altitude and strong UV rays, so remember sunscreen.

Visiting Shuanglang took longer than expected—over 3 hours.

After eating and resting, drive along the ring road to Wase Town's Xiaoputuo. This season has many seagulls. To avoid harming them, I recommend not flying drones. Xiaoputuo is a small, unique island, but too crowded with no parking for photos.

For deeper exploration, continue to Jinsuo Island (by boat). The scenery is reportedly beautiful. The coastline along Haidong Town and Wase Town is perfect for sunset photos, facing Cangshan Mountain with lovely coastal roads.

Dali to Lijiang: 220 km, 2.5 hours. En route, pass through famous Shaxi Ancient Town, where you can spend a few hours before continuing to Lijiang.

Romance and freedom in Lijiang! Stroll by Cangshan and Erhai, savor nostalgia! First choice: stay near Lijiang Ancient Town, not inside, unless for a longer stay. The ancient town is large with labyrinthine streets. I relied on Gaode Maps to navigate, or I'd easily get lost. Cars cannot enter. If staying inside, ask the guesthouse owner to help with luggage and guidance. Off-season room rates around the ancient town: 90-150 yuan; holidays usually increase by over 50%.

The ancient town has many entrances/exits. I used the southeast gate as it leads directly to the scenic area parking lot—very convenient. Parking is limited; during holidays, arrive early or you won't find a spot. Important: if going to Jade Dragon Snow Mountain, book tickets in advance. I couldn't get a ticket; I heard you need to wake up at 7 AM to snap up daily releases. So I missed it this time.

Since I arrived early, there weren't many people, so I flew a drone to see the ancient town's full view.

Avoid flying when crowded to prevent accidents.

My route first went to Wangu Tower, offering a panoramic view—a great photo spot. Ticket: 26.7 yuan (purchase anytime on Ctrip). This iconic Lijiang building is called 'Millennium Tower' in Dongba script, and 'Wen Gulun' in Naxi language, meaning a high place to enjoy vistas. Its Chinese name 'Wangu Lou' is worth a visit. The rear mountain also offers a good view of Jade Dragon Snow Mountain. Then, I wandered to the Big Waterwheel in the ancient city. Lijiang's ancient architecture is uniquely charming, overwhelming my eyes. Photography lovers can wear ethnic costumes for distinctive shots—truly a photo paradise. The central Mufu Palace ticket: 40 yuan (book in advance on Ctrip). I explored thoroughly for 7 hours. However, Lijiang Ancient Town is quite commercial, with slightly expensive dining.

Besides the ancient town and Jade Dragon Snow Mountain, other places are great too. Refer to my route: ①Lijiang Ancient Town ②Jade Dragon Snow Mountain ③Lashihai ④Baisha Ancient Town ⑤Shuhe Ancient Town ⑥Wenbi Mountain. Spending 5 days here to feel Lijiang's beauty is rewarding.

Lijiang Ancient Town to Shangri-La in Diqing Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture: 170 km, about 2 hours. Pass through Tiger Leaping Gorge—if interested, visit.

Shangri-La's altitude is much higher than Lijiang. I had mild altitude sickness the next day. Let me talk about my accommodation in Shangri-La: I stayed at the Shangri-La Qianji Boutique Hotel near Dukezong. There are three branches on the same street. Picture below.

The hotel was newly decorated in gold tones, spacious rooms, clean, with air conditioning and underfloor heating. It was luxurious—imagine wearing shorts indoors in -10°C weather! Best of all, the price was 198 yuan for two nights—truly great. I also liked the local girls' accent—very unique.

For longer stays, I recommend a joint ticket (multi-attraction pass). Single tickets are not cost-effective. Some attractions are inconveniently spaced without a car.

After many days without hiking, I chose Pudacuo National Park first (ticket 138 yuan). Getting off the car was freezing cold; some tourists bought thermal underwear on the spot. I, a rough guy, just endured. Shangri-La is near Tibet; most residents are Tibetan, so architecture differs from other Yunnan areas. In winter, only part of Pudacuo is open. The lake water is clear, and under strong UV light, it appears like a turquoise blue, like 'Blue Enchantress' water.

Current season wildlife: yaks, squirrels, wild horses. Spring would be greener and more beautiful. Due to partial opening, 3.5 hours sufficed.

Then a half-hour drive to Songzanlin Monastery (ticket 90 yuan). This is Yunnan's largest Tibetan Buddhist monastery, a major one in the Kham region, and a Gelugpa center in Sichuan and Yunnan, holding significant status across Tibet, known as 'Little Potala Palace.'

Many people in Tibetan costumes enjoyed photography; their makeup was dazzling. Birds flew overhead, unafraid of crowds—perhaps a karmic connection?

If not deeply into photography, 1.5 hours is enough. Then a half-hour drive to Dukezong Ancient Town (free). As the oldest castle on the Ancient Tea Horse Road, it warmly welcomes weary travelers with its unique location and historical depth. Their high-altitude yak hotpot might surpass Chaoshan beef hotpot, and prices are very reasonable. I treated myself once. In the ancient town, visit Guishan Park, home to a giant prayer wheel 21 meters high, weighing 60 tons. It takes at least 20 people to turn it, and you must turn it clockwise at least three times. In Shangri-La's Dukezong, this Tibetan Buddhist practice has become a must-do for visitors seeking blessings.

Updating...

Travel directory: 1. First stop: Chongzuo (2 days, cost about 1000 yuan) 2. Third stop: Dali (2-3 days, cost about 1300 yuan) 3. Fourth stop: Lijiang (2-3 days, cost about 1200 yuan) 4. Fifth stop: Shangri-La (2-3 days)

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