Dali and Lijiang: The Air Here Is Thin, and People Live a Utopian Life

About Those Memories of Dali and Lijiang

My first true highland trip started with altitude sickness at Lugu Lake. Because of a cold, I had to give up Shangri-La and ended up in Lijiang, the so-called city of romance, where I fell into a love that carried all the way to Dali. That was probably my first impression of the highlands, and my first encounter with Dali and Lijiang.

Just hearing the names Dali and Lijiang stirs a romantic feeling. So many interesting people have passed through or settled here, giving these two cities layered meanings. I’ve always loved the snowy highlands, and the altitudes of Dali and Lijiang are very comfortable — you barely get altitude sickness, yet blue skies and white clouds are supplied in unlimited quantities. How can you not fall in love with them?

The year 2012 was my first year of backpacking. I carried a 60-liter trekking bag and took a hard sleeper train all the way from Chengdu to Xichang, all for a glimpse of Lugu Lake. In golden autumn, Lugu Lake was stunningly beautiful, and that was also the first time I truly trekked a whole day on the high plateau.

Maybe I didn't keep warm enough. I caught a slight cold, and that became my memory of getting altitude sickness on my first visit to the highlands. I had originally wanted to go to Shangri-La to see Meili Snow Mountain, but I gave up because of my health. Yet within that year or two, I found myself going back to Feilai Temple time and again, just to gaze at the Thirteen Peaks of the Crown Prince.

Sometimes people have obsessions. If you feel you haven’t done something you set out to do, it always blocks your heart. It feels best to fulfill your own wishes. Fortunately, later on I went to Lijiang and Dali, visiting Shuhe Ancient Town, Baisha Village, Wenhai, Yuhu Village, and Lashihai, among others. When I got to Dali, I was drawn by a white table and chairs set up in Shuanglang back then, but what left the deepest impression was the early morning mist over the Heihui River in Shaxi Ancient Town.

Somehow, many years passed after that. I’ve been to many places in Tibetan areas, but I never went back to Lijiang and Dali again. Maybe I wasn’t willing to disturb the original beautiful memory, so it was hard to set foot again in this lovely place.

But this time I happened to spot several really nice guesthouses in Lijiang. The timing was perfect — it was the same month I first came, November, when the autumn colors at Lugu Lake are at their peak. So in 2017, I came to Lijiang again.

After all these years, it still seems to me there are only a few places worth visiting in Lijiang. But perhaps because I’ve been on the road for so long, I see things a little differently now. My travel style these days is to take it slow. I no longer want to visit many places at once — that’s just exhausting.

I set aside seven days just for Lijiang, and I didn’t even go to Dali, flying straight in and out. For example, I wanted to go back to the walking marriage bridge at Lugu Lake to watch the sunset. I wanted to spend an afternoon strolling casually in Shuhe Ancient Town, sipping coffee. And I still wanted to visit those old villages on the big grassland beneath Jade Dragon Snow Mountain. I managed to tick off every one of them.

When I came back to Lashihai after so many years, it had changed. I figured it probably no longer ripped off tourists like before, and the recreational facilities had become much better. I have to say, this trip dedicated to Lijiang was very nice. The biggest change was the road from Lijiang to Lugu Lake — it used to take seven hours; now it’s down to just three. So wonderful.

Then it was 2019. An old friend opened an inn in Dali. I thought it must be about to open soon, and I had promised I’d come when it did, so that became my chance to go back to Dali again.

I really like staying put in one place for a few days. That, to me, feels more like real travel. Rushing through, quickly smiling and moving on, is like just going through the motions. In Dali, I stayed five days. The deepest memory: one day I cycled back from Erhai Lake to Dali Ancient Town. The sun was perfect. We sat soaking up the sun at the Four Seasons Market, drinking. It was noon. We kept drinking until ten at night, moving from spot to spot without ever stopping.

How to enjoy Dali? Probably just settle in peacefully. Sleep when you need to, get up to see Cangshan snow and Erhai moon, eat whatever dishes you fancy, drink what you like, and the day slips by. That trip to Dali was truly memorable. Naonao arranged an electric scooter for me, and I zipped freely between Dali Ancient Town and Cangshan and Erhai. Even airport transfers were taken care of; I didn’t have to think about anything.

All I did was eat until full, sleep until full, and when I was full of both, go out to gaze at the lake and take beautiful photos. Besides the craft beer I still think about, Yunnan grows a lot of small-bean coffee. In Dali, find any cafe with an interesting shop front, go in, and you’ll get a hand drip coffee that’s never bad.

The highlands are beautiful, but Dali is even more suited for a utopian life. It has the unique highland elements — blue skies, white clouds, snowy mountains, lakes — but at an altitude where people don’t easily get sick, and sunshine that lacks the harsh UV. That’s probably why so many people quit their jobs to settle down in Dali.

Ever since I met Fan Kaikai, we’ve traveled together every year. But this year we hadn’t. Coincidentally, we were both free at the same time, so we made plans to meet in Dali. It’s not about what there is to see; it’s about who you’re with.

Come to think of it, Kaikai and I have been to many places together. It started with a month-long road trip in Xinjiang, then Chengdu, Chongqing, Taiwan. He’s long been my favorite travel buddy. We live in the same city, and at first we could call each other any time. Now maybe we’ve become so much like brothers that we’ve dropped the formalities. I remember often sitting on the rooftop, sipping Wusu beer and deciding where to go next — either spontaneous or planned long before. Enming had just finished a trip to Bipenggou and used a flexible flight deal to come meet us in Dali early. So the three of us rented a car and started a short Dali journey.

It turned out you don’t need rapeseed flowers in full bloom to have vast fields of gold. When wheat is ripe, the pastoral scenery of Dali is utterly mesmerizing. To fulfill my wish to see Shuanglang, our primary destination was Shuanglang. It’s still the old town where you have to climb up and down many steps, but I no longer had the eagerness to find the white table and chairs of Haidi Life. Now it’s more about sitting down in some inn or cafe to gaze at the sea.

Over a few days, we ate Yunnan cuisine many times. I guess when in Rome, do as the Romans do. Eating it more, I found it pretty good. For instance, the famous Duan Gongzi restaurant, with its distinctive dishes. The Jinhua Amei across the street is also good. There’s also a century-old courtyard restaurant called Jinshan Bainian. The owner is a native of Dali Ancient Town, and their homemade plum wine is super delicious.

As it happened, my next destination was easier to reach by flying from Lijiang, so we all went to Lijiang together. Not for any other reason, just to re-experience Lijiang Old Town. I had thought tourist numbers would be moderate because of the pandemic, but I seriously underestimated it. It was probably the most crowded tourist spot I’ve seen this year.

Dali Ancient Town is a place no one coming to Dali can avoid. The ancient town was first built in the Ming Dynasty and is one of China’s first 24 Historic and Cultural Cities. That travel motto “since you’re here” applies — there’s no way you’d miss Dali Ancient Town.

When I arrived at Dali station, the bus I wanted to catch was just about to leave. No matter how hungry I was, I got on first. Kaikai and I stayed at a guesthouse called Jijian Nanguo right on the edge of the old town. It was only a ten-minute walk into the old town. I ordered delivery on the app while on the road, and by the time we reached the guesthouse, dinner was ready. It’s all so convenient now. Wind or rain, someone will do the running for you.

As soon as we sat down, we started brewing tea. In Yunnan, drinking Pu’er is completely normal. Before I left, Kaikai asked me to bring some green tea. When Fujian people drink tea, Tieguanyin still holds its place. After a short rest, we turned in early — after all, we’d been on planes and trains all day.

The next morning when I opened the window, right there was unmistakable Bai-style architecture. Over the years, I’ve long lost the sense of unfamiliar beds. I often wake up and have to squint and recall which city I’m in. Sometimes I think, turning travel from “play” into “work” isn’t so bad.

I had just woken up when Enming had already arrived from Sichuan at the guesthouse to join us. With the pandemic this year, airlines launched all kinds of flexible flight passes. People with money and time picked the pass that suited them and started ticking off destinations all over the country. Dali is that kind of fun place — all manner of people come, fall in love with it, and stay, running whatever business they can.

Dali has four main gates, one in each direction. From the guesthouse, we passed right by Erhai Gate. You can see the city wall is built with brick on the outside, and the gate tower roof is a high-grade double-eave hip-and-gable style typical of Chinese palatial architecture. Actually, the oldest surviving buildings in Dali Ancient Town are probably only just over a hundred years old. Due to historical events, they’ve been damaged to varying degrees in different eras. The ancient structures that have truly survived over the centuries are few and far between; most were rebuilt in their original style.

In the old town, every kind of shop is everywhere. I recall a line I saw today. There are local specialties like preserved pork ribs and stone-grilled barbecue, as well as trendy little shops, cafes, milk tea joints, and more.

After dinner, strolling in the old town at night, there were still many drifters setting up roadside stalls to earn travel money. Or maybe not — perhaps someone with a government job wants a more interesting life, so they come out to sell things on the street.

This song probably left the deepest impression on me from Li Jian: “Beneath the distant blue sky, golden wheat waves surge / That was the place you and I once loved” — “Wind Blowing the Wheat Waves”. At the end of September, the season I visited was Dali’s early autumn. The wheat fields had turned yellow. Endless golden wheat fields lined the road from Dali Ancient Town to Shuanglang, the whole way filled with idyllic scenery.

Actually, before coming I had done a lot of homework. I didn’t just want to loop around Erhai Lake and tick off spots like the cliffside Erhai, or a certain grove of woods that looks dreamy in photos. There were also various little-known temples — Gantong Temple, Jizhao Nunnery, Wuwei Temple — but reality fell to laziness. Like the night before, we drank too much and couldn’t get up; or we’d reach a spot and the three of us would just sleep in the car all morning. That’s a story for another time. In short, we barely ticked off any must-sees; we just went wherever we ended up.

Dali’s weather is also highly changeable. One second it looks like rain; the next, the most typical Dali “Jesus light” appears above Cangshan. We pulled over on a small road into the village, got out to look at this moment’s golden wheat field. In the distance were grey tiles and white walls of Bai architecture — unmistakably Dali, an image etched into my mind.

My drone carried me over the wheat fields, past houses, gazing toward Erhai Lake. The weather had begun to clear compared to the morning, and my mood lifted along with it. It’s always more fun traveling with people who also love to photograph. No one has to wait for anyone; we all know when shooting is done we’ll call it, and if not, everyone just does their own thing. I love that feeling.

Unfortunately, Naonao wasn’t on this Dali trip. But I did meet a netizen I’d added long ago but never seen — Catwoman. This girl bought a Wuling Hongguang van, converted it into a coffee cart, and traveled around China for a year, selling coffee as she went. Last year, when she came to Quanzhou, she stayed at Suqingmen Hostel, but I must have been flying somewhere and missed her. Now she’s temporarily settled in Dali and sells coffee at various Dali markets every weekend!

We went to see her rented little house in Dali. It has its own street entrance, a two-story loft. The upper floor is where she lives; the ground floor serves as workshop and coffee bar, but it’s actually a private reservation space not usually open to the public.

Everyone who earnestly lives the life they desire is admirable. She drove her self-converted coffee cart to many places and finally chose to stay in Dali for now. The pandemic has changed so many people’s lives. In such a difficult year, still chasing the life you want — it’s not easy at all.

She keeps two cats and a golden retriever in that little house; it doesn’t look lonely at all. Though the place is simple, the warm yellow light feels very charming. The backyard is a shared courtyard with the landlord. But you know only yourself whether it’s warm or cold, and only she truly knows how her days are.

From the outside, she really seems to live the life most of us wish for but dare not live — it’s a little cool. I actually felt a bit regretful I didn’t make it to a market to have a coffee from her cart.

Even a Wuling Hongguang van can be made this girlish-hearted. The lake-blue body, open the trunk and it's a coffee bar; the side door opens to reveal a table and chair for drinking coffee and reading. If she’s traveling solo and wants to sleep in the van, the table and chair can be lowered, and storage cabinets leveled into a simple bed board — probably a blend of campervan and coffee cart.

Enming kept murmuring how great Catwoman’s set-up was, how great to be able to live like that. Dali truly is a wonderful place, a livable city. Just watching the sunrise and sunset over Cangshan and Erhai every day is happiness enough. In the end, we only left after coaxing a few packs of drip coffee from Catwoman, reluctantly parting from her coffee cart.

My first time in Shuanglang was in 2012. It was actually the main reason I came to Dali back then — for that iconic image, not the architecture but the white table and chairs of Haidi Life. When I was young, it was like poetry and faraway dreams.

After so many years, I stepped into this small town only a second time. Shuanglang sits on the northeast shore of Erhai Lake, with Jizu Mountain to the east, the famous photo-taking spot Wase Pier to the south, and directly bordering Erhai to the west. It’s the best location to watch the sunset around Erhai Lake.

When I came the very first time, Shuanglang was like a construction site, with inns being built everywhere. A few years ago, Erhai underwent a major renovation, and many waterfront inns in Shuanglang suffered too. I guess it’s only in the last couple of years that things have begun to return to normal.

We got out of the car and strolled from the roadside down to the lakeshore, passing through a market, small shops, and many steps. Bai aunties in local dress were everywhere, buying or selling vegetables — the whole place oozed a strong sense of daily life. Shuanglang has always been a town built into the hillside and stretching along the water, so dragging a suitcase to find your inn might be a bit of a hassle.

In Shuanglang, besides wandering the village, visiting the inns is also a huge pleasure. We picked a lakeside inn and ordered their signature durian pizza and some tea — a perfect afternoon tea moment.

I went up to the inn’s rooftop to fly my drone. Ever since I got a drone, I often feel many views seem unworthy if you don’t have a drone to capture them. Standing on the rooftop, watching Erhai and Shuanglang Town at sunset, let time rush by — I only care about this moment’s scenery.

If you really want to experience Shuanglang, I’d still recommend staying overnight in the town. Watch a sunset, fall asleep accompanied by sea breezes at night, wake up naturally in the morning, open the window to the blue-blue Erhai — what more could you ask for?

Without a car, getting around Shuanglang is a bit inconvenient, but luckily there are now apps for ride-hailing conveniently. A taxi is also easy if you don’t mind. Driving from Dali Ancient Town to Shuanglang takes about one hour, and there are several buses a day making the trip.

“The seaside in Shuanglang is truly beautiful, but there’s too much construction around the village — dust and noise everywhere. It’s mostly women doing the heavy labor. Along the way, Mosuo, Naxi, and Bai are all matrilineal societies — women work especially hard. The blue of the sky against the blue of the sea, click, and everything is a beautiful picture.”

That was my very first impression of Shuanglang. Now, probably the drone is the only thing showing me the world. I’ve gotten too lazy, unwilling to walk more than a few steps. I just want to find a seaside afternoon tea spot, quietly bask in the sun all afternoon — perfection.

Here’s a funny story. The night before, the three of us agreed to go to bed early, get up early next morning, and hit many places, stop-and-go, plan everything out. The next morning we did rise early — set off from the hotel past eight. Never mind whether we had drunk a lot the night before, or stayed up late shooting the starry sky, we actually all gathered at the agreed time. I’m not sure whose homework was incomplete, but we drove to Haishe Park only to find a closed door sign — it wasn’t even open.

So what did we do? The three of us... slept in the car the whole morning. When we woke, it was almost time for lunch. I just want to ask, were the guesthouse beds not soft enough? Not fragrant enough?

At this point, I have to thank my drone. When people can’t enter, this gadget with wings flies in to see for us. Haishe is a stretch of oasis protruding into Erhai — it looked even more vivid from above.

That oasis is actually quite beautiful. I remember when I came alone before, riding an electric scooter with a tripod, I took many self-portraits.

In Xizhou Ancient Town, there’s Xilinyuan, and beside it lies a beautiful paddy field — this has become a must-snap spot for many people visiting Xizhou. The first time I came alone, I didn’t take a single photo. The second time was with Sister Hua and others; we were just about to start a 45-day self-drive trip to Tibet. We drove straight from Guangzhou in two days to Dali. It was early September then, still somewhat the rainy season, three days of continuous drizzle. We didn’t even step near Erhai’s shore; we only wandered Xizhou’s old houses and glanced at that same paddy field.

Xizhou seems to be a place I visit every time I come to Dali. Just strolling through the ancient town is a lovely feeling. Wealthy people live in Xizhou; many of Dali’s business-minded folks are from here. That’s why Xizhou has so many well-preserved Bai-style residences. Yan’s Courtyard right by Sifang Street, the Dong and Yang family compounds... Anyone interested in Bai domestic architecture absolutely shouldn’t miss Xizhou Ancient Town.

We struck poses in the golden rice fields, just to fill our travel memories with more amusing moments. Enming called out instructions — toothache, stomachache, headache — while changing poses. And what about Fan Kaikai? Both using A7R3, how come every single shot of him was out of focus? Oh well. The floral dress I bought last night must have been a waste.

Another thing not to miss in Xizhou is this “public telephone” — it sits at a crossroads, and many people snap photos here. Walk past the round-angled building and continue a bit further, and you’ll see the rice fields of Xilinyuan.

“Just in a moment, only then I realized you’re right beside me / Just in a moment, only then I realized I’d lost your face / Whatever I can forget, just your face / Whatever can change, let me see you once more” — “In a Moment”. Since Lijiang Xiaoqian released this song in 2011, ten years have passed, but walking along the bustling or quiet lanes of Lijiang Old Town, you can still hear that familiar hand drum sound today.

Think of Lijiang and Dali, how many people’s desired destinations. The earliest folk singers all came from these southwest places. Utopian days all originated from this place of blue skies, white clouds, and snowy mountains. The last time I seriously played around in Lijiang was four years ago. Life is always moving between misses and mistakes, and time often doesn’t wait. Kaikai and I hitched a ride from Dali; in about two hours we reached Lijiang and stayed at Shiheyuan, which sits conveniently right on the edge of the old town.

If you stay at an inn near Sifang Street in the old town, dragging your suitcase over the cobblestone paths is likely to be a miserable experience. I’d expected that coming to Lijiang during the pandemic would mean fewer visitors. But as a famous tourist destination, Lijiang never stops the flood of visitors. I was too naive. From Shiheyuan we walked along Wuyi Street all the way to Sifang Street — crowds of people everywhere.

My favorite moment in an ancient town is just when the sky begins to darken, and a deep blue hue appears on the horizon, while the lanterns are just being lit — it’s incredibly beautiful. Having been to Lijiang many times, I didn’t feel the need to tick off any particular spot. Kaikai and I just sat on the third-floor terrace of our inn, sipping tea and overlooking the entire old town, already feeling fully content.

Bougainvillea in the old town seemed to grow as if it cost nothing, blooming lushly everywhere. It gives the antique buildings a shot of vitality. I envy Yunnan’s climate the most — be it succulents or all kinds of flowers and plants, everything grows so well. All year round in Lijiang you can see a variety of blooms; it’s such a blessing.

Another purpose for this trip to Yunnan was to try several Yunnan cuisine restaurants. Yunnan cuisine actually divides into several regional styles. In Dali and Lijiang, it’s mainly northwest Yunnan fare. For instance, Dali leans toward Bai culinary characteristics, while Lijiang, as the most important stop on the Ancient Tea Horse Road into Tibet, has a cuisine slightly more highland-influenced. The biggest feature of Yunnan cuisine is the kingdom of mushrooms; whenever you come here, you’ll be eating lots of edible wild fungi.

Recommended Restaurants:

1. Dali Duan Gongzi (Dali Ancient Kingdom Cultural Experience Shop)

Actually, the one closer to our guesthouse was the Tian Long Ba Bu themed shop. But when we arrived at Erhai Gate ready to eat, we were told there was a private booking at lunch and the wait for dishes would be at least an hour. We thought forget it, let’s keep walking, and ended up passing a McDonald’s. I recalled my last Dali visit, staying with Naonao at Wuxiang Xunyou, and there also seemed to be a Duan Gongzi nearby. Sure enough, the draw of this popular restaurant was real — at mealtime, the entrance was packed.

Duan Gongzi restaurant claims to be Dali people’s own dining brand, so naturally the dishes are predominantly Yunnan cuisine. Most customers seemed to be tourists. Their food presentation is quite thoughtful; for example, the Sichuan pepper chicken was served on a sword-shaped plate, which reminded me of Duan Yu from Tian Long Ba Bu.

Feng Hua Xue Yue Fish was the most delicious dish I had there. It was served on a bed of dry ice for the swirling mist effect. The soup was appetizing with a slight spicy kick, and the fish had a tender, smooth texture.

Cangshan Wild Fungi — for our first meal in Dali, we naturally had to sample Yunnan mushrooms. The taste was incredibly fresh; several different kinds of mushrooms were stir-fried together.

Duan Gongzi’s signature Sichuan Pepper Chicken — the chicken was marinated, then fried to a crispy golden brown, accompanied by Yunnan’s special Erkuai and green Sichuan pepper. It looked appetizing and tasted great.

With all that said, since it’s a themed restaurant with Dali local character, the environment was of course impeccable. Dining here felt like being in ancient Dali Kingdom; even the waitstaff were all dressed in period costumes. Inside and out there were many photo-worthy spots. If you want to leave some memories on your journey and eat fairly good local food, Duan Gongzi is genuinely a good choice.

📍 Address: Intersection of Upper Renmin Road and Bo’ai Road, Dali Ancient Town

🚗 Transport: Near Cangshan Gate, walk

🕙 Opening hours: 11:30-22:30

💰 Average spend: ¥100

2. Dali: Jinshan Bainian Ancient Courtyard Restaurant

This one is a must-recommend, right on Renmin Road. It’s an old restaurant easy to miss — Renmin Road has all kinds of shop fronts, but Jinshan Bainian’s entrance is draped in flowers and greenery, very girlish. Once inside, the whole courtyard was absolutely full of even more flowers.

According to the owner, theirs is probably the only shop on the whole Renmin Road still run by the family that owns the house. The century-old residence has been preserved, and the people now living have given it a new lease on life.

We looked around the courtyard, then decided to have dinner there. Where else can you find genuine Bai cuisine cooked by Bai people? The owner personally came to take our order and recommended their most famous wild mushroom and free-range chicken soup, plus unique corn cakes wrapped in corn leaves... The three of us drank that entire pot of chicken soup down to the last drop, mostly because it was so delicious! The richness of the free-range chicken oil paired with the mushrooms’ freshness — a bite of bamboo fungus, a bite of porcini — there’s nothing more satisfying.

In addition, the passion fruit spicy-sour fish is not only a Bai specialty, but their own original creation adding passion fruit’s fruity fragrance.

The water-shield weed, a classic Yunnan wild vegetable, was stir-fried with mushrooms here, making it wonderfully refreshing. All evening, that was the dish I kept going back to.

Lastly, I have to praise the owner’s homemade plum wine — it was so good I packed a bottle to sip secretly back at the guesthouse.

📍 Address: 99 Mid-section of Renmin Road, Dali Ancient Town

🚗 Transport: Stroll through the old town on foot

🕙 Opening hours: 10:00-23:00

💰 Average spend: ¥80

3. Dali: Jinhua Amei Specialty Restaurant

“Five Golden Flowers” — probably a story many had heard even before coming to Dali. A very old movie, and through cultural osmosis, you know it’s a fun love story ending happily. “March in Dali has wonderful scenery, comb your hair by Butterfly Spring…” “Searching for a golden flower at the foot of Cangshan, the golden flower is Amei…”

Sometimes we may not meet the perfect partner in our own lives, but treating ourselves is still doable. The third Dali restaurant I recommend is Jinhua Xiaoamei, right across from Duan Gongzi. It’s a Yunnan cuisine restaurant themed around the Five Golden Flowers.

Walking inside, the waitstaff wore Bai ethnic attire, just like the golden flowers in the movie. The walls featured hand-drawn illustrations and old photos, presenting the story of Dali’s five golden flowers. We started with a Yunnan-style cold chicken shreds with red rice noodles — very Yunnan, sour and cool, appetizing.

We sat by the window; the waitress was gentle and introduced the specialty dishes one by one. We ordered a few and waited. When we asked how to get to Shuanglang from Dali Ancient Town, a golden flower even gave us a little guidebook of Dali tips, very warm.

Enming really loves bamboo fungus, so we ordered another wild mushroom soup. Finally in Yunnan, we had to eat our fill. Indeed, it came impressively — a big platter with about five or six different mushroom varieties. This kind of fresh mushroom feast is only possible in Yunnan.

Amei’s molten-center tofu deserves strong praise. Don’t judge by its plain look; the outside is crispy, the inside tender, just the right softness, and the sauce goes perfectly with rice. This directly resulted in me ordering molten-center tofu at every Yunnan restaurant afterward, but Jinhua Amei’s version is still the best.

📍 Address: Intersection of Renmin Road and Bo’ai Road, Dali Ancient Town, opposite Duan Gongzi

🚗 Transport: Walk through the old town

🕙 Opening hours: 10:00-23:00

💰 Average spend: ¥90

4. Lijiang: Dianxi Wangzi

We caught a ride-hailing car to Shiheyuan Inn, which sits on Wenming Lane right by the main road. The feeling of not needing to drag luggage over cobblestones was absolutely wonderful. After dropping off our bags, famished, we headed out to look for food.

Inside, the wall paintings were full of old-world charm — golden flowers in ethnic attire, images of the Torch Festival, Water-Splashing Festival — all visible in the dining environment. There was a window specially marked “Southwest Virtuous Steam Pot Chicken”; that must be a specialty, so we ordered it.

Yunnan Steamed Chicken with Virtue came in a modest portion, just right for two or three people. Inside were still several types of wild mushrooms. A bowl of soup before the meal is so gentle on the stomach.

I ordered the water-shield weed again; I’d been thinking about it since eating it in Dali days earlier. I truly love its texture.

Lijiang Preserved Pork Ribs — perhaps from the guests’ perspective, they served a side of fresh vegetable salad with it, which helped cut the grease while eating the ribs. Preserved ribs are a very famous Lijiang dish, and they were fragrant and crispy. This kind of twist likely appeals to more people; it looked good and the portion was generous.

Ethnic Bamboo Tube Snow Mountain Fish — I noticed almost every Yunnan restaurant has a snow mountain fish and a wild mushroom chicken soup, as if mandatory. This version served in bamboo was fairly unique. The hot-and-sour taste was quite nice.

📍 Address: Intersection of Wuyi Street and Wenming Village, Lijiang Old Town

🚗 Transport: Northeast part of Lijiang Old Town, reachable on foot

🕙 Opening hours: 11:00-22:00

💰 Average spend: ¥100

5. Lijiang: Dian Yuan Private Kitchen

Dian Yuan’s shop front is small; you walk in and find a courtyard. It’s right near Sifang Street, very central. I love these single-door small courtyards in Yunnan; wherever sunlight reaches, there are always lots of flowers and plants, such a warm feeling.

As soon as we entered, the staff gave us a very warm welcome and frequently asked if the food suited our taste. The service was very attentive. The courtyard has two floors, and the dining space is large. From a second-floor window seat, you can watch people come and go on the street.

Dian Yuan’s molten-center tofu also comes highly recommended. Inside, it has the texture of Japanese tofu, while the outside is crispy. The sauce isn’t spicy and goes well with rice.

Stir-fried rice with tea tree mushroom and minced beef — the grains of rice were separate and distinct, and the intense aroma of tea tree mushroom made it very satisfying.

After days of drinking chicken soup, it had become a staple, but today we chose Dian Yuan’s stir-fried wild mushrooms. This dish was super appetizing with rice: tender, fresh, fragrant, with a slight thickening. I could easily have two extra bowls of plain rice.

📍 Address: Between Big Stone Bridge and Small Stone Bridge, Wuyi Street, Lijiang Old Town

🚗 Transport: Walk; it’s right next to Sifang Street, very central and easy to find

🕙 Opening hours: 11:00-23:00

💰 Average spend: ¥90

Food, lodging, and transport have always been the top considerations on a journey. This trip to Dali and Lijiang, we stayed at three places. Overall, the value for money was good, and the locations were fine.

1. Dali Ancient Town: Jijian Nanguo Boutique Inn

The inn is on the edge of the old town, in an area called Miwan Town. After getting off at Dali station, you can take bus No. 8 and walk a few steps to get there. Staying in Dali Ancient Town is certainly lively, but if you prefer liveliness with a dose of nighttime quiet, Jijian Nanguo is a good choice. It’s about a five-minute walk to Dali Ancient Town, and just outside the old town is a peaceful small town.

Jijian Nanguo also houses the office of the Dingyin Management Academy. Coincidentally, Kaikai knows Hanjie very well. Having worked in guesthouse and tourism-related fields for years myself, the night we arrived we talked late into the night about guesthouse philosophies and more.

The rooms here are quite nice. In Yunnan overall, guesthouses are not expensive and facilities are decent. Wake up, open the window, and outside is Bai architecture — in a daze, I realized I was back in Dali Kingdom.

I stayed in a tatami-style king room, with a long work desk, separate wet and dry bathroom, and a super spacious room all to myself. One noon we even managed to cadge a meal at the inn; the auntie’s cooking was simply fantastic.

2. Dali Cangshan: Jijian Canghai Jisu

After two nights at the edge of the old town, it was time to play around Cangshan. Coincidentally, this is also a sister property of Hanjie’s. Jijian Canghai Jisu sits at the foot of Cangshan, inside the Mingxing Village of Cangshan Golf on Sanbei Road, with the golf course right behind the inn.

Because we had a rental car, coming and going was very convenient. GPS directions were accurate. A villa on the hillside, you can overlook the Three Pagodas of Chongsheng Temple and Erhai Lake, and late at night even capture scattered stars and Erhai.

The overall style is Chinese, and the bedding was comfortable. Though it’s up the mountain, food delivery can still reach you, and a taxi to the old town is just the starting fare rate — overall very convenient. Breakfast was simple, just rice noodles with milk and eggs on the side.

3. Lijiang Old Town: Shiheyuan Inn

Shiheyuan is well-located, right near the main road on Wuyi Street, Wenming Lane, and a short walk to Sifang Street. At check-in, the front desk told us the third-floor terrace overlooks the old town. We didn’t pay much attention at first. It wasn’t until we were about to leave and still had some time before our ride that we thought to go up and look. The moment we stepped onto the third-floor terrace, I fell in love. Tatami tea seat, prepared Pu’er tea, and complimentary fruit from the host. As we brewed tea and chatted, every journey has its end, but a beautiful ending is the start of something new.

The room at Shiheyuan was also full of classic charm, with a large tea table — fine for both tea drinking and writing. I prefer coffee; I brewed a cup and stepped out the door into the well-arranged courtyard. In terms of value for money and location, Shiheyuan is indeed very worth choosing.

This Trip’s Itinerary:

Day 1: Dali – Dali Ancient Town – Dali pastoral scenery – Catwoman’s coffee house – Shuanglang

Day 2: Dali Ancient Town – Haishe Park – Xizhou Ancient Town

Day 3: Dali – Lijiang

Day 4: Lijiang Old Town

Transport: Kunming, Dali, Lijiang all have airports, and now the high-speed train is incredibly convenient, with several runs daily. So if you’re doing this route, you can check which airport has the cheapest flights and fly there. Just remember to book tickets early. Between Dali and Lijiang, there are many buses every day, and if that doesn’t work, ride-hailing is an option — about ¥100 per person if sharing, maybe ¥150 without, taking just over two hours, quite acceptable.

A few tips:

1. Dali: The loop around Erhai Lake is 120 km, divided into the west and east shores. Driving the whole Erhai loop takes about a full day’s play. The west shore road near Dali Ancient Town includes Cai Village, Xizhou Ancient Town, Haishe Park, etc., good for sunrise. The east shore has Shuanglang, Wase, Little Putuo, and Haidong Town, where you can watch Cangshan and Erhai sunset…

2. Renting a car is very easy now. There are many rental companies near Dali Ancient Town, with all sorts of colorful jeeps perfect for those girlie photo moments. If you’re worried about safety, using well-known rental apps might be more suitable. We rented a car in mid-September, two days and one night, including fuel, cost just over ¥500.

3. Recommended Dali accommodation: The two places we stayed were both from the Jijian series — one by the old town, Jijian Nanguo; one on Cangshan with starry views, Jijian Canghai Jisu. Both were decent.

4. Recommended Dali food: Duan Gongzi restaurant, Jinhua Amei, Jinshan Bainian Ancient Courtyard Restaurant.

5. Lijiang: If you’re worried about getting ripped off by taxis, there are apps nowadays, so it’s recommended to just use app-based ride services, which I find relatively safer.

6. Because Lijiang is an extremely famous tourist city, if you’re not driving or chartering a private vehicle, I strongly suggest only joining tours from licensed, reputable agencies. Don’t be tempted by ridiculously low-priced tours, or you might end up being sold and counting money for others.

7. Recommended Lijiang accommodation: Honestly, there are too many choices in Lijiang Old Town and Shuhe Ancient Town — it’s dizzying. Most importantly, it depends on your budget. The Shiheyuan Inn I stayed at this time was relatively high value for money. I’ve also stayed at some really nice ones before, like Aruo Kamba in Shuhe, but that was a bit pricier.

8. Recommended Lijiang food: To avoid the homogenized Yiwu trinkets and skewers of lamb and fried chicken that all look the same across ancient towns, I still recommend Yunnan cuisine. Dianxi Wangzi and Dian Yuan Private Kitchen in the old town are both decent, offering traditional Lijiang flavors.

9. Lugu Lake: I’ve heard that locals’ shared-car lake tours can be a bit of a money trap. In short, when out and about, I strongly suggest driving yourself, so the steering wheel — and what you want to see — is in your own hands. If not, even a private car charter is better than sharing a car, which is more tiring and you never know what kind of fellow traveler you’ll get.