A 6-Day, 5-Night Independent Trip to Lijiang and Dali: Unwinding and Letting Fate Lead
For friends planning a trip soon, I’ve put together the rough itinerary of my trip to Lijiang and Dali in Yunnan for your reference. The trip lasts 6 days and 5 nights, with a total cost of about 4,500 yuan for two people. Details are as follows:
I planned a rough itinerary in advance: July 23–28, Chengdu–Lijiang–Dali–Chengdu. 3 days in Lijiang, 3 days in Dali. Theme: empty your mind, go with the flow. Guesthouses and transport were booked in advance on Ctrip, considering location, price, and online reviews. I paid attention to Yunnan’s epidemic requirements in advance, completed the health questionnaire, and got the health code—needed for scenic spots and airports! Packing: long-sleeved jacket, long-sleeved jacket, long-sleeved jacket. Lijiang’s temperature was 25–26°C, a bit cool in the morning and evening. An umbrella is best to have, as the weather changes quickly. Sunscreen is a must because UV is strong when the sun’s out. Other accessories depend on each fairy’s skill—just look beautiful. Here’s the itinerary summary:
July 23, 2020. Cloudy. Took Air China flight CA4451 at 8:45 from Chengdu to Lijiang (due to the pandemic, tickets were cheap, around 400+ yuan). The airport wasn’t as empty as I’d imagined; arriving two hours early was enough. Flight time: 1 hour 30 minutes. Upon arrival, the guesthouse pickup guy called right away to tell us where he was waiting—so thoughtful! (Also, the day before departure, he proactively contacted my husband to confirm the pickup time—very responsible.) The drive from the airport to the ancient town took about an hour. The car could only take us to the entrance of the old town, and we had to walk to the guesthouse inside. (Warm tip: if you’re self-driving, confirm parking with the guesthouse before booking.) The guy led us all the way to the guesthouse and kindly helped carry our suitcases the whole way (the old town has stone-paved roads, so you can’t drag suitcases. Some guesthouses have small tricycles to help with luggage, but you must confirm in advance. Ours didn’t, so I was grateful for the pickup guy’s help! 😊);
We booked Lijiang Yijian Yishan Guesthouse on Ctrip, not far from Sifang Street. Chinese-style king room, price: 387 yuan/night, booked for three nights, with airport pickup included. (Prices may vary at different times; check Ctrip.) Upon arrival, the landlady upgraded us to a Chinese-style deluxe king room for free—a little joy! 😊 The room was larger than the one we booked. The guesthouse overall has a distinctive, quiet, and elegant feel. Our upgraded room was on the second floor. The interior decor was my style: subtle, warm, and cozy. The beddings were of great quality—soft and comfortable. Everywhere in the room you could sense the owner’s care: from the placement of items down to the material of slippers, toiletries, tissue (Jie Rou Black Face), and stable shower water temperature—big thumbs up. (Overall very satisfied, but a tiny regret: the window faced a corridor, not the outside old town. The guesthouse has rooms with views, but the second-floor ones were booked out, and the third-floor ones were a bit pricier, so I passed.)
After settling in, I went down to the tea station near the lobby and helped myself to some tea while asking the landlady for dining and sightseeing tips. 😊 She was very warm and friendly. She moved from Sichuan 14 years ago with relatives to open a shop here, and now her brothers and sisters are all here. She was happy to see us from Sichuan. We told her our theme: leisurely and go with the flow. She recommended we first wander around the old town in the afternoon to soak up the atmosphere. In the evening, if interested, visit the bar street and pick a bar we like. For food, try A Ma Yi (Naxi cuisine), a place they frequent.
At noon on July 23, our leisurely journey in Lijiang Old Town officially began. First, lunch at A Ma Yi. The location is hidden in an alley, hard to find if you’re not paying attention. We chose their set meal for two (cured rib hotpot, baba bread, chicken bean jelly, plum juice, and I also got a yogurt). The portions were generous and enough for two. We couldn’t finish, sadly leaving ribs in the pot 😢 because we were too full. (You can check online—group-buy prices are reasonable.)
During the day, the old town wasn’t crowded, making it very pleasant for strolling. The alleys are like a maze, each different with its own scenery. Around 4 p.m., we passed Da Bing’s Little House and heard guitar music. The lady at the door smiled and said there were seats; soy milk and beer were 40 yuan per bottle, and one bottle allowed you to listen all day with unlimited refills. Drawn by the descriptions in the book, I stepped inside eagerly. The house lives up to its name: little, really little. Sunken seats held five listeners, making the narrow space feel cramped. There was no fire pit as described in the book—apparently it used to have one, later replaced by a small tea table. We, travelers from different corners, sat together listening to the wandering singer’s stories and music. Each singer performed in no fixed order, so you could hear different singers at different times. Toward evening, more and more people arrived, until the tiny room was packed with admirers experiencing the joys and sorrows in the music, reflecting on their own past. I was grateful for this musical experience, but the downside for me was the lack of ventilation in such a small space—it felt stuffy, so I didn’t stay till the end and left early. The old town at night was livelier than during the day, buzzing with people, like flowers awakened, brilliant and colorful.
July 24. Cloudy. Had a long lazy sleep, then went down to the guesthouse restaurant for breakfast (simple fare: congee, eggs, steamed buns, flower rolls, four pickled dishes, and rice noodles—choose what you like). Today’s plan: Mufu and Shuhe Ancient Town. After a hearty breakfast, we headed to Mufu inside the old town. Ticket: 40 yuan/person. Before entering: have your health code ready and wear a mask. Right when we went in, a tour group was starting with a guide—can’t miss that, you know. I quietly joined the group to learn about Mufu’s history. You can spend about 2 hours there. Afterward, we walked to the exit near the Big Waterwheel and hailed a Didi to Shuhe Ancient Town, fare around 12–13 yuan. (There’s a bus to Shuhe from near Zhongyi Market. Worried it would be hot, we skipped it, but later I found out the buses have air conditioning—learned that on the way to Baisha.)
Shuhe Ancient Town is not far. No entrance ticket needed—just scan a code on your phone at the gate to enter for free. Compared to Lijiang Old Town, Shuhe has far fewer people and is very tranquil. Those who like peace and quiet can choose this place. We basically walked through all the lanes and alleys of Shuhe, bumping into many fellow townsfolk—Northeasterners living away from home, very warm and familiar. At a café along the river, we ordered two drinks and sat by the window on the second floor to relax. The owner’s little dog followed us upstairs, circling around me at first, then plopped down to sleep under my chair. Felt so happy the dog liked me. Gazing at strollers outside, listening to music in the air, emptying my mind—what a beautiful moment! In the evening, we returned to the Lijiang Old Town area, wandered the nighttime town, got tired, and went into hibernation!
Morning, July 25. Sunny. After breakfast, set off for Baisha Town. Found out the route: exit left from the Big Waterwheel, walk to the bus stop next to China Construction Bank, take bus No. 11 to Lijiang Jiayuan, then transfer to bus No. 6 to Baisha Murals. Didn’t see the murals—said to be under maintenance ?. Baisha Town is older, preserving earlier Naxi architecture. The area isn’t big and has no extra fees. Shops are old-fashioned, with goods like tie-dye, Naxi embroidery, shawls, silverware, jade, and various possibly ancient trinkets. I found a rather charming café, Miliang Coffee. To be honest, neither of us tried their specialty coffee; instead, we opted for rose tea, ice cream, and tiramisu. I absolutely loved the tiramisu, so delicious ?. The rose tea was gorgeous: a whole rose blooming in the cup, stunningly beautiful. The ice cream had a light lemon flavor, fine texture, and just-right sweetness. Everything was perfect!
We took a Didi back to the Big Waterwheel area from Baisha. Chatting with the driver about Lijiang cuisine, he enthusiastically recommended the snack street: the claypot rice noodles and claypot rice at the entrance, and a specialty Naxi restaurant called Old Lijiang—an established place with many choices. We chose Old Lijiang. The restaurant was very busy; only one or two tables were free when we got there. We ordered fried white fish, water spinach, and stir-fried pork. The fried fish was just so-so for me—a bit oily, nothing special. The stir-fried pork and water spinach were okay, with generous portions; these dishes would be enough for three. But the flavors didn’t move me. Disappointing!
Throughout the Lijiang leg, we didn’t go to Jade Dragon Snow Mountain (this season there’s not much snow anyway, and mainly I couldn’t handle the altitude sickness); didn’t go to Lugu Lake (recommended—it’s beautiful. We’d driven there before, so didn’t include it this time). Didn’t watch the Lijiang Eternal Love show (you can decide based on your schedule; if you go, book seats early for good spots). That’s my rough itinerary and sharing for three days in Lijiang Old Town, for your reference, friends.
Morning, July 26. Cloudy. Lijiang to Dali. The guesthouse owner gave us a contact for a car service. We booked in advance: 100 yuan per person. Departed Lijiang at 9:00 and arrived in Dali around 11:30, with eight passengers total. The lady driver was very helpful and dropped us right at our Dali guesthouse—nice.
Around 11:30, arrived at our booked Dali guesthouse: Jinghua Shuiyuan. It’s located outside Dali Ancient Town, near Bo’ai Gate. Since our room wasn’t ready yet, we decided to have lunch first. The guesthouse’s lovely girl recommended A Peng’s place nearby, a 3-minute walk. We ordered sour and spicy fish and granny’s mashed potatoes (highly recommended—so delicious!). The prices were fair; lunch cost 76 yuan. After eating, we went back to arrange the afternoon. We asked the girl to help buy tickets for the Cangshan Ximatan Cableway (a round-trip full-route ticket + Tianlongbabu Film City combo, 290 yuan/person). We heard the uphill cable car stops at 14:00, and it was already nearly 13:00 when we bought the tickets. Luckily, the girl arranged a car to take us to the scenic area, so we made it just in time. (If you’re wearing skimpy clothes, suggest renting a coat at the foot of the mountain—it’s a bit cold up top. I didn’t buy oxygen; the mountain has rich vegetation, so I was fine. Just don’t run around. If taking kids up, bring a can as backup.)
The cableway has two sections: you can transfer immediately or visit nearby sights first before transferring. But the weather turned drizzly, and the mountain was all fog—no beautiful views. Boohoo, fog, fog, fog. The cableway reaches the summit, but you still need to hike to Ximatan Lake, which looks stunning in photos. Too bad we missed it because of the rain. Still, I made it to the top, a personal breakthrough for me. I suggest going on a clear day so you can climb and breathe fresh air. Tianlongbabu Film City is at the foot, but we barely explored it due to the rain (some shops and areas weren’t open—maybe it was too late, very quiet). We spent about 4 hours in the scenic area, and it started pouring as we left. Couldn’t find the direct bus to the old town that was included in the ticket, so I called the guesthouse. The girl arranged a car to pick us up—so grateful. When we got back, the rain intensified. The girl upgraded our room to one on the third floor—super lucky. The room was big, with a large bathtub and a big bay window, which I absolutely loved. They also gave us a disposable bathtub cover to use for free. The host was very warm, reminding us how to enjoy the old town and recommending good food; really grateful. For dinner we ordered delivery—of course, couldn’t miss the granny’s mashed potatoes, plus a crispy rib and fish-fragrant eggplant. The rain kept falling, making me worry about our next day’s self-drive around Erhai Lake.
July 27. Sunny. The sun woke us up early—so beautiful! I opened the curtains, and sunlight flooded in—so much happiness! I washed up, dolled up, put on sun protection: hat, sunglasses. After breakfast, off we went. We rented a car in advance online: 300 yuan/day, a Beetle automatic. The rental company offers delivery and pickup service, but you need to arrange it with them in advance; it might depend on distance. You can also rent after arriving—there are many rental shops near the guesthouse. It’s peak season now; I suggest contacting the guesthouse ahead to ask about nearby rental options so you can secure good prices. We added 100 yuan of gas, didn’t use it all, about 40 yuan left after circling Erhai Lake.
Off we went on our self-drive around Erhai Lake. First stop: Xizhou Ancient Town (parking fee 10 yuan; all sights inside charge separate tickets, so we decisively skipped). We set the GPS directly to Shuanglang Ancient Town (no highway, took the coastal route). The scenery along the way was breathtaking: lush green rice paddies, pink tender lotus flowers, and fluffy white clouds. Huge clouds drifted in the azure sky, taking on every shape: cotton candy, hearts, matsutake mushrooms, ladders, puppies, phoenixes—anything you could imagine, they’d shift into. Shuanglang Ancient Town is gorgeous, with many Instagram-worthy spots, but they charge for photos, and lots of pretty ladies were queuing. Inside, there are sightseeing cars if you get tired (10 yuan per ride). We played there until around 1:30 p.m., then drove out to circle Erhai (east loop). The sun was blazing—so hot! Even through the car window, I felt like I was roasting. Some people drove with the top down; I worried about their skin. At first we stopped occasionally to hop out and snap photos by the lake. Later, it was just too hot, we hardly dared step out. I admired the couples taking wedding photos we saw along the way—they must be in pain and joy. We agreed that some day, on an anniversary, we should try a travel photo shoot—how wonderful!
We got back to the guesthouse before 4 p.m. The young man there smiled wryly: you two are the earliest returnees. 😊 Hot + tired, we took a shower and decided to nap. After waking, we strolled around the old town. For dinner, we’d picked a highly rated Western restaurant online: Fly Me to the Moon. Very popular; what you can eat depends entirely on luck—because it’s crowded, crowded, crowded. When we arrived, the waitress said food would take about 50 minutes and suggested we save a seat with personal items first, or there’d be none. Just then, the previous guests left, so I quickly sat down. I claimed the seat and asked the waitress for recommendations. Eventually we ordered: one steak, medium well; a black pepper beef flatbread; German sausage (one pasta, but we canceled it because it was too much); two cans of Sprite. Total around 178 yuan. Portions were generous. The steak was tender and huge, but the plate wasn’t easy to use with a knife and fork 😅. The flatbread was crispy, the beef juicy—delicious. I wasn’t crazy about the German sausage, but my husband loved it; it came with three sauces (I think ketchup, garlic sauce, and a pale yellow one—not sure what it was, but he said it was tasty). I recommend you try it; prices are reasonable too. If you go, go early, or there’ll be nothing left. Not long after we arrived, they stopped taking orders.
After dinner, it was nice to follow the crowd and wander the old town. We chose the busiest street: Yangren Street (Foreigners’ Street). After dark, lots of stalls lined both sides selling all kinds of trinkets—lively and bustling. We strolled until 9 p.m., admiring the old town’s nightscape, bright and beautiful.
July 28. Sunny. Departure day. Early morning, we went out looking for local snacks. At the entrance of South Gate Market, we got a grilled er kuai (rice cake) — delicious. My husband picked a busy rice noodle shop and ordered lamb rice noodles—so fragrant. (Recommended, near South Gate Market.)
We used the last bit of time to explore more of the old town. Visited Puxian Temple, hidden away—after spotting the sign, you still need to pass through an alley; the temple entrance was under renovation with hoardings. Around 10:30, we rushed back to the guesthouse, getting ready to head to the airport. The guesthouse provides free airport drop-off, very convenient.
I’m sharing this itinerary with you all, hoping it makes your trip easier. Thank you!
May life always be beautiful for everyone. May all hardships eventually become significant life experiences—no complaining, no despair, no running away.
