Driving in Colorful Yunnan ~ (Stone Forest, Dali, Shuanglang, Lijiang Dayan, Lijiang Shuhe)

No blue skies or white clouds, no beautiful mood, no detailed guide, no thorough preparation

Only overcast rain accompanying me, with a touch of melancholy --- ---

Destiny seemed to dictate that I have little affinity with Yunnan: I missed it in May, and if I hadn't booked the flights and inn two months in advance, this trip would likely have been shelved again.

I hadn't set a tight schedule, just hoping to see the magnificent Stone Forest, then follow the ancient city of Dali to Shuanglang to view Erhai Lake, and go to Lijiang Ancient City to experience the small bridges, flowing water, and quaint town. I never expected the rain to follow me all the way. Over the 7-day journey, it rained for 5 and a half days. The only attraction, Jade Dragon Snow Mountain, was also invisible. My luck hit rock bottom.

Without my usual travel mood, I didn't take many photos along the way. Occasionally, I pulled out my phone to snap a few as souvenirs.

Not until the last day of the trip did I finally see the beautiful sky that belongs to Colorful Yunnan.

------

Kunming, as a transit hub, doesn't have many tourist attractions.

On the return leg, I only visited the Military Training Academy and Haigeng Dam. The weather was decent, but I got a dark tan again.

The Stone Forest's scenery was quite nice, but domestic ticket prices are way too expensive.

This is the people's beautiful landscape — why is it so hard to get a glimpse?

I had intended to explore Dali Ancient City thoroughly, but the rain was torrential. Starting from Kunming, there were thunder and lightning, and the wipers were on maximum speed.

We had no choice but to buy umbrellas and plastic shoe covers for a quick stroll. It was only 14°C, extremely cold.

We didn't even enter the Three Pagodas; the ticket had risen to 120 yuan for a combo. We took a look at the entrance and left. On the way to Shuanglang, we passed through Xizhou. The rain gradually eased, but the clouds were thick.

Shuanglang has become a very popular place in recent years. It borders Erhai Lake, has a petit bourgeois vibe, and is especially famous for its inns.

Yang Liping's Sun Palace on Yuji Island is particularly renowned. We only stayed one night in Shuanglang. Luckily, the rain stopped for a few hours.

On the road to Lijiang, the rain started again. We spent two days in Dayan Ancient City. Only half a day was rain-free; the rest of the time we hid on the inn's viewing terrace sipping tea, watching the rain, and blowing in the cold wind---

In Shuhe Ancient Town, we finally welcomed the first sunny day in seven days. It was really not easy.

Finally, I had some desire to take photos.

The number of dogs in Lijiang was exaggerated. Almost every household kept a dog. Large and small dogs roamed freely in the alleys, but they were friendly. Sometimes they lay lazily at their owners' gates, looking very relaxed. I miss my big dog.

Yunnan is famous for its cuisine, but I didn't find it tasty at all — it was particularly salty. The dishes in the ancient city were also extremely expensive. Anything with meat was no less than 58 yuan, and snacks started at 10 yuan---

Crossing-bridge rice noodles are a must in Yunnan. I tried crossing-bridge rice noodles, casserole rice noodles, and braised pork rice noodles. I also had yak meat, black goat meat, steam pot chicken, cured pork rib hotpot, Lijiang baba, stir-fried rice cakes, bamboo-tube rice, stir-fried饵块, emperor cake, grilled milk fan, Dongba fried rice, mushroom soup, matsutake, chicken pea jelly, seaweed shreds, yellow braised chicken, and Dali beer (Wind, Flower, Snow, Moon). I've had all these. There were some tasty ones whose names I forgot, but I photographed them all — see for yourselves.

Colorful Yunnan (Part 1) · Shuanglang

There is a famous couplet in Dali, Yunnan: "The flowers of Shangguan, the wind of Xiaguan; the wind of Xiaguan blows the flowers of Shangguan. The snow of Cangshan, the moon of Erhai; the moon of Erhai shines on the snow of Cangshan." These are Dali's four famous spectacles: Wind, Flower, Snow, Moon.

Since we visited the ancient city and the Three Pagodas while traveling from Kunming to Dali, we had to take the western route to Shuanglang, passing through Xizhou. Because we hadn't made a detailed plan in advance, we blindly asked for directions along the way. Unfortunately, we encountered road construction, so we had to take a small detour. On top of that, we encountered a downpour in the morning, forcing us onto a nearly impassable muddy road. Over ten kilometers of muddy road disheartened us so much that we almost gave up. Fortunately, we met a kind cement truck driver who helped us get back on the main road. After that, everything went relatively smoothly.

Finally, we saw houses, and the anxiety in our hearts eased.

Upon arriving in Shuanglang, we saw Yuji Island and Nanzhao Style Island.

We found the parking lot in Dajianpang Village, grabbed our simple luggage, and started looking for our pre-booked inn, Peninsula 63. Accommodation is an essential part of a Shuanglang trip. Since it borders Erhai Lake, we booked a sea-view room. Peninsula 63 is mid-range but very comfortable to stay in. It's about 5-6 minutes' walk from the parking lot. Peninsula 63 and Haiti Life are two famous neighboring inns, so we followed the signs that benefited from Haiti Life's reputation to find the inn.

We successfully reached our booked room. Actually, my favorite seaside room wasn't available, but this backup was decent enough to accept.

Outside the room was a small terrace directly overlooking Erhai Lake, but the weather was bad, so it didn't feel particularly beautiful.

We put down our luggage and took advantage of the rain break to visit Yuji Island. The inns in Shuanglang were densely packed, with signs everywhere.

We initially planned to take a shortcut, but everything went wrong. The main road was also under construction, all red mud. An old local lady nonchalantly pointed at the mud and said, "Go down this way!" We were speechless. Turning back was too far; walking through the mud was truly disheartening. In the end, we had no choice but to close our eyes and step in it. I was totally defeated. On the roadside leading to Yuji Island, there were many small, stylish shops.

We paid 25 yuan to enter Yuji Island. The first thing we saw was the filming location of *Five Golden Flowers*, which looked like it was about to be demolished.

After turning through a few alleys, we arrived at artist Zhao Qing's residence. "Qinglu" was designed by himself and very beautiful, but we didn't go inside; we just walked around the exterior.

There was an extended glass yoga corridor.

Since accommodation here was too expensive, we could only look and forget.

Erhai Lake was right before our eyes.

Next to Qinglu was Yang Liping's residence, "Sun Palace". It was also said to be designed by Zhao Qing and very beautiful, but it's a private club, so photography and visits are not allowed.

I secretly took a photo when no one was around.

Following the stone steps, we arrived at "Moon Palace", which was under renovation and not open.

An old local grandma.

After a short walk, we returned to the island's entrance, "Qingchen", which had a very stylish atmosphere.

Because of the muddy road earlier, our shoes were too dirty to enter. After circling the island, they were somewhat cleaner, so we planned to go in for a drink.

As it was still early, there were few customers. Several singers were rehearsing for the evening performance, which should be good.

We ordered two glasses of homemade yogurt.

Qingchen's design was unique — open-air, with no cover overhead, and "windy" from all sides, which was quite comfortable.

I felt there were some communication issues, perhaps due to dialect. After dinner, it was already dark. We asked for directions back to our lodging but took the wrong path several times. In the pitch darkness, we struggled for over an hour before finding the right road. Finally back at the inn — what a journey! The trip to Shuanglang was really full of twists and turns.

In the evening, we went to Peninsula 63's coffee shop, which was very cozy. If the weather were clear, you could see stars from there, but unfortunately, our luck was bad, so we just sat and rested.

Outside the window was Erhai Lake.

The next morning, the sky was still overcast. I no longer hoped for sunshine, just that it wouldn't rain.

It drizzled on and off.

From the balcony, we could see the neighboring Nanzhao Style Island.

This was our "Erhai Feast", actually quite nice.

The inn's small yard.

After a simple breakfast, we planned to visit the famous neighboring inn, "Haiti Life".

Haiti Life is a youth hostel that is very popular. It has a waterside platform that particularly attracts tourists who come to the island to take photos. Haiti Life is generous enough to allow free entry.

This is the spot — almost every visitor to Shuanglang takes a souvenir photo here.

After enough fussing around, with sporadic light rain, we returned to the Peninsula's lounge area to rest. The pomegranate tree in the yard.

Peninsula 63's waterside platform.

Back in the room to pack, we were about to head to Lijiang.

Photos taken in the lounge area.

Around noon, we left Shuanglang. Although it was only a short day, I had already fallen in love with this place (of course, except for the inconveniences caused by road construction and the massive spiders hanging everywhere).

Colorful Yunnan (Part 2) · Lijiang Dayan Ancient City

In Lijiang, time slows down.

You no longer need to rush; you no longer need to face troublesome work.

You can even turn off your phone and the internet, leisurely stroll on the cobblestone paths,

let go of all worries, immerse yourself in the slow-paced life,

and let your heart fly freely.

— *Lijiang Slow Life*

Lijiang is a prefecture-level city.

What we usually refer to as "Lijiang" often means Dayan Ancient City.

From Shuanglang, it's only a little over 100 kilometers to Lijiang, a two-hour drive.

Light rain accompanied us all the way, but it went smoothly.

It is said that all the merchants in Lijiang jointly wrote a letter demanding a mandatory stop to playing the song "Dida" in the ancient city, because after hearing it for years, it had become unbearable. So this time in the ancient city, we really didn't hear that song.

Perhaps it was the absence of that song that made this trip to Lijiang not as wonderful as I had imagined.

Many people say that Lijiang is a place that gets under your skin after just one visit. I wonder if my mood affected me, but I didn't find it particularly attractive. With continuous rain and cold weather, I even felt a bit cheated.

At Sifang Street, we saw many Naxi elders dancing to music, rain or shine. I barged into their group, and an old grandma looked at me strangely.

I grabbed a map from the inn and started a leisurely walk around Dayan Ancient City.

Lijiang has become very commercialized. Most storefronts sell tea, shawls, African hand drums, jewelry... Specialty ethnic-style clothing like this wasn't particularly abundant. I bought a few pieces I liked to wear for photos.

Since it was drizzling, I probably didn't pay much attention to the scenery. Now looking back at the photos, the small bridges and flowing water are actually quite beautiful.

Following the path, I accidentally arrived at Mu Mansion. Recently, a TV drama *The Wind of Mu Mansion* has been very popular; it seems to have been filmed here.

Lijiang's characteristic shawl shops can be seen everywhere.

Not far away is Qiyi Street, the famous snack street. Every snack starts at 10 yuan. I had a mouthful of food while eating enthusiastically, and my friend Du insisted on taking a photo of me. This is the character-guessing wall, with many pictographs — quite interesting.

Walking down the path, we were almost out of the ancient city.

This big cat initially looked pitiful, tied with a small chain, unable to move freely. It seemed cute, so I posed for a photo with it. Before I could move, it turned and slapped me twice — really fierce! No wonder it was locked up.

Look at its disdainful expression in the photo with me — hilarious.

We arrived at the windmill attraction; there were very few tourists this season.

A must-visit spot in Lijiang.

We roughly circled the ancient city and then walked back along the bar street.

The famous "One Meter Sunshine".

Various gimmicks in front of the bar street to attract customers.

Looking back at the photos, I realized I didn't take many scenery shots.

We stayed in Dayan Ancient City for two days, and it rained for one and a half days. The heaviest rain reached moderate intensity. We hid on the inn's second-floor viewing terrace, drinking tea, watching the rain, and blowing in the cold wind... When we couldn't stand the cold anymore, we held umbrellas and wandered around. That's why there aren't many photos from those two days.

On the evening of the second day, the rain began to ease. We held umbrellas, brought our cameras, and went out to explore the alleys. If we hadn't, we would have come for nothing.

A "miracle worker" at the entrance of a bar.

When taking photos, we tossed the umbrellas aside and braved the rain.

I don't have many photos of Dayan Ancient City. Tomorrow, I'll post some from Shuhe Ancient Town — where we welcomed the first sunny day of our Yunnan trip.

Colorful Yunnan (Part 3) · Lijiang Shuhe Ancient Town

If you decide to go to Lijiang, or are on your way there,

then you must be someone with a story, or someone about to have a story in Lijiang.

— *Lijiang Slow Life*

Shuhe is located at the core of all Lijiang attractions. It's a hub for visiting Lijiang Ancient City, Jade Dragon Snow Mountain, Lugu Lake, the First Bend of the Yangtze River, and the Three Parallel Rivers scenic area.

Originally, I hadn't set many attractions for this Lijiang trip. The only one I wanted to see, Jade Dragon Snow Mountain, was also grounded by continuous rainy weather. In four days, I didn't even catch a glimpse of the snow mountain — a regret.

Shuhe Ancient Town has an entrance fee of 50 yuan, but it's not formally enforced. Those who have been there know that even if there is a ticket check, you can bypass it by entering via the small path on the right side.

Our luck was extremely bad this time. In the early morning, we braved heavy rain and groped our way to the town. Unexpectedly, before we even reached the main entrance, a ticket inspector blocked our way. We explained that we were staying at an inn inside, but it was no use — we had to buy tickets. Fortunately, the inn I contacted was considerate; they drove out personally to pick us up and entered the town via another village road.

During our two-day stay in the town, we passed the ticket gate twice more, but never saw any ticket inspectors again.

I was utterly amazed by our "luck".

After checking into the inn, the rain continued. I took many photos in the room. In the afternoon, when the rain eased, we held umbrellas and went out for a stroll.

That evening, we had cured pork rib hotpot at this restaurant. There was a little episode: my friend Du reached into his pocket and found only 193 yuan. Too lazy to go back to the inn for more money, he decided to spend within that amount. Since dishes in Lijiang are quite expensive, we ordered a few that seemed reasonable. In the end, the bill came to 192 yuan. He insisted on taking a photo with the remaining one yuan as a souvenir.

People who have been to Lijiang all say that Shuhe Ancient Town is much more rustic than Dayan Ancient City.

I didn't believe it without personal experience, but after coming here, I found it to be true.

Shuhe has many natural elements, unlike Dayan's heavy commercialization.

Here, I felt very comfortable.

These two big, lovely dogs.

The small bridge and flowing water at Feihua Chushui (Flying Flowers Touching Water) were very pleasant. Sitting here to enjoy the view was beyond words.

Following the path upward, we arrived at Old Sifang Street. The atmosphere here was really good.

Everywhere exudes a primitive flavor... because horse manure was everywhere.