A 9-Day, 8-Night Yunnan Trip – No Recommendations, Avoid Pitfalls…
Nine days, eight nights in Yunnan – no product placements, just tips to avoid tourist traps...
Yunnan, the land south of the colorful clouds, a beautiful and vibrant place. Sometimes, you have to be there to truly feel its splendor and wonder.
A week after returning, I’ve finally recovered from the joy and fatigue of the trip. Strictly speaking, this trip to Yunnan was hastily prepared, and due to time constraints, the route wasn’t perfect, but overall it was still a great experience.
Day 1: Departed Beijing and landed at Lijiang Sanyi Airport around 10 a.m. Took a ride-hailing car to my guesthouse in Lijiang Old Town. Staying inside the old town is a good choice for exploring Lijiang, though commercialization is quite heavy. When shopping, always compare prices at several shops—the price difference for the same ice cream or fruit platter can be huge. There are plenty of photo spots in Lijiang Old Town, like Mufu Mansion, Puxian Temple, Sifang Street, the Big Waterwheel, Wangu Tower, the Large and Small Stone Bridges, Guanmenkou, and more. You can cover these spots well in a day to a day and a half. I recommend just strolling, taking photos, and soaking up the local vibe. If you want to eat all the fruit you can, head to Zhongyi Market southwest of the old town—it’s the largest farmers’ market nearby, with fresh, cheap fruit and vegetables. In the evening, check out a small bar near Lion Hill; enjoy a beer, listen to music, and take in the night views of Lijiang Old Town.
Day 2: Signed up for a small group day trip to Jade Dragon Snow Mountain at a well-known travel service point inside the old town. Because of the season, there wasn’t much snow on the mountain, so if possible, I’d recommend going between mid-March and mid-April. On the way up, the guide takes you to the visitor center, where they sell portable oxygen canisters and anti-altitude-sickness oral solutions, which are much pricier than outside. However, after the tour, you can return unused items there for a full refund. Whether to buy the oral solution depends on your physical condition—if you already bought oxygen canisters elsewhere, don’t flash them around to avoid awkwardness. Before boarding the big cable car to Jade Dragon Snow Mountain, a local guide (affectionately called "Pangjinmei" or "Pangjinge" for young women and men) will explain Naxi ethnic customs and try to sell prayer banners for warding off bad luck and Tai Sui. Buying is entirely up to you if you share the belief. The scenery on Jade Dragon Snow Mountain is truly stunning, especially Blue Moon Valley after descending—so beautiful you don’t even need a filter. For oxygen canisters, I’d suggest two people bring three to four; any more is overkill.
Day 3: Shared a ride to Dali; the cost was about the same as taking the high-speed train. Since we planned to visit other places, we didn’t stay near the sights but chose a hotel near Dali Railway Station. Not far from there is Tianjing Market—a small night market with cheap eats and fruit stalls, quite comprehensive. From where we stayed, we headed to Erhai Park, which even has a small, free zoo. Walking along Binhai Road, we gazed at Cangshan Mountain and Erhai Lake in the distance. At sunset, the light streaming through the clouds and spilling onto the lake made the scenery absolutely breathtaking.
Day 4: Renting a car in Dali is quite convenient. I found a vendor on a platform who delivered the car to me—88 yuan a day for a Wuling Mini. Of course, you can choose a car to match your budget; treating yourself to a luxury car for a day is also an option. Besides varying rental fees, electric cars cost about 0.2 to 0.55 yuan per kilometer, while gas cars run 0.35 to 0.75 yuan per kilometer. I recommend driving the eastern route around Erhai Lake—the scenery is great, and you’ll pass Jinsuo Island, Xiaoputuo Islet, Shuanglang Ancient Town, Xizhou Ancient Town, Dali Ancient Town, and the Three Pagodas Reflection Park. The western loop includes over 40 kilometers of ecological corridor where you can’t see much from the car. Instead, you can park at a small private lot (usually 10 yuan for all day) and rent a shared bike to ride along the famous "S-bend"—a lovely experience. Due to timing, we arrived at Erhai Pier after six and sailed on Erhai Lake aboard the Canger No. 4.
Day 5: Our Dali leg came to an end. We took the high-speed train to Kunming and stayed near the Ethnic Villages Park, which is very close to Dianchi Lake and the Ethnic Village—reachable by shared bike or on foot. Across the roundabout on Haigeng Road, there’s a night market and a seven-kilometer snack street where food and fruit are very affordable. If you didn’t take a boat on Erhai Lake, you can do so on Dianchi Lake for a similar price. If time allows, head to Xishan Park for a high vantage point overlooking Dianchi.
Day 6: Booked another small group day tour on a platform, this time to Jiuxiang Cave and the Stone Forest. The Stone Forest looks impressive, but I felt the view is better from above—standing among the rocks can feel a bit overwhelming and dwarfed. For Jiuxiang Cave, bring a raincoat and a waterproof phone pouch because it’s quite humid inside; during the rainy season, the cave can flood.
Day 7: The last stop of this Yunnan trip—Xishuangbanna. If you can, come in mid-April to catch the Dai Water Splashing Festival. If not, no worries: just buy a ticket to Dai Nationality Garden, where they hold two splashing events daily. Overall, fruit prices in Xishuangbanna are high; I wandered for two days but didn’t find a night market or market like in other cities. I stayed at a hotel near Gaozhuang, where at night you can enjoy the nightscape and the Starlight Night Market. If you’re bold, there’s a small path leading down to the banks of the Lancang River—just stick to the bank for photos; don’t get in the water. The river is clear but flows very fast.
Day 8: Partly due to laziness and partly after comparing options, joining another small group tour seemed the most suitable. We boarded at a nearby meeting point and headed to the Wild Elephant Valley. There, you can watch elephant shows. Note: when visiting the Baicao Garden, staff may promote dendrobium products; purchasing is entirely optional and not compulsory. The odds of spotting the two larger elephant herds from the high-altitude boardwalk are slim. If you’d like to interact with elephants, you can buy some fruit or opt for the jungle elephant herding program. In the afternoon, we went to the Xishuangbanna Primeval Rainforest. If you’re fit, you could hike up, but with the heat, I chose to pay extra for the sightseeing cart the whole way. Along the route, you pass Aini Village and the rainforest on the mountaintop—small commercialized stops. If your ticket package includes the Mekong Underwater World, you can catch Russian beauties performing underwater ballet and mermaid shows. The highlight is the 7D movie: though only eight minutes long, it was well worth it.
Day 9: Return journey. Due to the weather and my wife not feeling well, we canceled the originally planned visits to the Dai Garden and the CAS Tropical Botanical Garden, as well as the motorboat trip to the China–Laos border (which really just meant zipping around the Lancang River for a couple of loops).
1. Prices in Lijiang Old Town fluctuate wildly. For souvenirs or local specialties, compare several shops. For a fruit feast, head to Zhongyi Market in the southwest. If you want photos in ethnic costumes, shop around—there are many photo studios, and they add to the scenery. For Jade Dragon Snow Mountain, you can buy your own oxygen canisters; one or two per person is plenty. If you buy from outside shops, keep the contact info so you can get a refund afterward.
2. In Dali, rent a car to fully enjoy the scenery around Erhai Lake. Choose a car based on your budget, but take the eastern route, as much of the western ecological corridor doesn’t offer lake views. If you stay near the train station, visit Tianjing Market—its small night market is affordable and has options that northern Chinese palates will find familiar.
3. Kunming—I didn’t plan it perfectly. Ideally, you’d take the high-speed train to Shilin (Stone Forest) first. Stay near the Ethnic Villages Park; it’s close to Dianchi Lake, Xishan, and the Ethnic Village. Cross the roundabout to Haigeng Road’s seven-kilometer snack street—great food at very friendly prices.
4. Xishuangbanna—tricky to sum up. If you want to go all out on fruit, do your research and head to a big mall or market away from Gaozhuang, where fruit is genuinely expensive. When driving to spots like the Gaozhuang Starlight Night Market or the Six Nations Water Market, note that several streets become pedestrian-only at night; park properly to avoid fines. Tired? Try a Dai-style massage (the legitimate kind!). At the Wanda Plaza cinema, you can watch a movie from a double bed-style seat—a unique experience. Xishuangbanna has many Buddhist sites like the Great Golden Pagoda. If you plan to visit, both men and women should wear long pants or skirts to respect the religious culture. (They won’t let you in with shorts or short skirts anyway.)
5. Final thoughts: This route wasn’t the most logical. If possible, visit Yunnan between mid-March and mid-April, and start in Xishuangbanna before heading toward Lijiang—that would give a better overall experience. Honestly, if you have the time, detour to Shangri-La in Diqing Prefecture; its high-altitude natural scenery probably outshines Lijiang. Most importantly, if you’re prone to altitude sickness, buy your own medication beforehand to avoid tourist traps. Much of Yunnan is at high altitude with strong UV rays, so sun protection is a must—don’t skimp…
