Lijiang, You Are My Most Familiar Stranger

Taking a bus from Shangri-La to Lijiang is very convenient. The boss gives a call, reserves a seat first, and you can board right at the shop entrance. The road isn't difficult, and it takes about 3 hours to get there. After arriving, taking a taxi to Dayan Ancient Town and finding your booked accommodation isn't too complicated. Although Lijiang is a long-developed tourist city with a rather high degree of commercialization, overall, the service feels quite reliable.

When you reach the entrance of Dayan Ancient Town, walk along the main road inside, and you'll see familiar old town buildings all the way. It feels like you've been walking for a long time... How big is the ancient town? Soon Fei Bear will climb up to Wangu Tower to show you.

Lijiang's development is already very mature. The feeling after coming down from the wilderness of Shangri-La is like walking into a city's People's Park: orderly planning, bustling crowds, and full of lively activity.

But the sky here is much more impressive than in big cities: blue sky, white clouds, and the intense ultraviolet rays seem almost visible and tangible.

The various displays inside, I wonder where the boss collected them from.

Most of Lijiang's architecture adopts the Naxi ethnic group's civil engineering structures, featuring designs that nestle against mountains and by waters, arranged in a charmingly scattered layout—truly distinctive among China's existing ancient towns.

Going uphill from Dayan Ancient Town, there is a Wangu Tower. How ancient Wangu Tower is remains unknown, but the plaque on the tower has these three characters written from left to right.

In past promotional photos in magazines, I always thought Lijiang was a small town on the top of a plateau. But in reality, it looks like this.

And over there with high-rises is the newly built Lijiang county. Lijiang's approach of building a new county outside the original town is very commendable for preserving the ancient town. How many distinctive ancient towns across China have become permanent memories because of a single word: demolition.

Dongba culture is an important part of Naxi ethnic culture. Shops here sell related souvenirs, including Dongba script, Dongba scriptures, Dongba paper, and so on.

Finally, I found a bar near Sifang Street and sat down to enjoy the decadent vibe of the ancient town.

I don't know if the singers here came specifically to work, or chose this place because they couldn't stand jobs in big cities. The singing here is usually elegant slow songs, melodious and touching, seeming unrestrained and free, but actually revealing a faint sense of loss and melancholy.

Indulging in such a feeling, no matter how long, doesn't feel long.

It's exactly this atmosphere that gives Lijiang so many chance encounters and spontaneity, so much freedom and sentiment, so many stories and memories.

But the problem is, the vast majority of people here will eventually return to their own cities, facing lives that, though varied, are equally harsh and realistic.

So, though Lijiang is beautiful, enjoy it with caution, because, for

Looking down from the second floor of the bar, activities at Sifang Street are about to begin.

Every day at sunset, there are Naxi singing and dancing performances.

Chinese people usually restrain their emotions in public, and only at times like this can they let loose a little.

Looking back, Jade Dragon Snow Mountain still stands quietly by, guarding this increasingly bustling ancient town.

The girl selling flower lanterns is also dressed in Naxi clothing; presumably, these flower lanterns are also a local folk custom.

For traditional locals, the day ends here. But for tourists in the ancient town, nightlife is just beginning.

So, just sit anywhere and fully enjoy Lijiang's night view.

A must-visit place in Lijiang, rarely seen in China as a scenic spot without a strong commercial atmosphere. #Recommended for family and boyfriend travel, also a recommended spot for wedding photos. In the ancient town, I also tasted various flavors of plum wine, and you can give it to good friends. After this trip, I fell in love with traveling~ Looking forward to the next visit to Lijiang~ Love it, heart#

As night falls, it seems like more tourists appear in Shuhe Ancient Town, probably because they've been staying in inns and various small shops all day. Shuhe Ancient Town is truly a great place for daydreaming and relaxation!

Walking along, I got hungry and happened to come across a very distinctive restaurant. The ambiance looked great, so I decided to eat there. The food was really fantastic, I loved it so much. I have to say, the food in Shuhe Ancient Town is much better than in Dayan Ancient Town. The experience was great, and I recommend it!

Travelogue Contents: 1. Lijiang Ancient Town 2. Shuhe Ancient Town Travel Information Hotel Index Travel Tips Index Flight Index Website Navigation Travel Index Cruise Index Business Travel Index Join Cooperation Distribution Alliance Friendly Links Corporate Gift Card Purchase Insurance Agency Agency Cooperation Hotel Joining Destination & Scenic Area Cooperation More Cooperation About Ctrip About Ctrip Ctrip Hot Topics Contact Us Talent Recruitment User Agreement Privacy Policy Business License Security Center Ctrip Content Center Intellectual Property Trip.com Group Algorithm Disclosure