A Four-Day, Three-Night Naxi Culture Family Getaway in Lijiang
Yunnan’s Lijiang is like a distant poem, a youthful dream—once a utopia for so many hearts. This isn’t my first visit: from the backpacker with youthful dreams, to the seasoned traveler bringing parents after work, to the honeymoon with Mr. Xue after marriage, Lijiang has witnessed my life’s milestones. At every key moment, I seem to want to bring my loved ones here to see it.
Sometimes I sigh for the Lijiang that’s gone forever, yet still hold a few stubborn attachments—maybe a wandering singer’s melody lingering in my mind, the youthful marks left on ancient blue bricks, or perhaps simply a longing for that Lijiang blue and the gentle time that settles here.
So when planning a National Day trip with the little one, Old Xue and I quickly agreed: let’s take a vacation in Lijiang. We avoided the holiday peak and slipped away as the crowds were returning to the cities. With a baby, I wouldn’t suggest a packed itinerary. For me, a true vacation feels far more pleasant than constantly rushing between spots. Slowing down is the only way to truly feel a place.
Strolling around, eating, and experiencing local culture—letting our child soak in Lijiang’s atmosphere—that was what we wanted. After combing through plenty of hotel info, InterContinental Lijiang Ancient Town Resort became our favorite: Naxi character, serene and comfortable, directly facing the Yulong Snow Mountain, just steps from the old town but outside it for easy parking, and best of all, you can earn IHG Rewards points. Their points are always handy—redeemable for free stays or airline miles—perfect for vacation lovers like us.
A Pocket-Sized Naxi Village
When the plane touched down, Lijiang was already cloaked in night. InterContinental Lijiang Ancient Town Resort sits at the southern edge of Dayan Old Town. A 30-minute taxi ride from the airport, and as soon as we pulled up, a concierge came over to open the door and grab our bags. Traveling with a child always means a mountain of luggage.
Stepping into the lobby, the joy of vacation hits you straight away. Lijiang touches are everywhere: the high pitched triangular roof, dark wood structure, soft lines, warm lighting—all reminiscent of Lijiang’s gentle night. The front desk islands look like three small isles, with a suspended fish motif hanging behind them, as if fish are swimming among them, mirroring the fish-shaped boards the Naxi people hang on their houses for peace and safety.
Facing the front desk, the lobby lounge area resembles a traditional Naxi hearth. In Lijiang, families gather around the hearth during festivals, sitting close to share the joy of reunion.
Between the front desk and the lounge, a double-fish Taiji symbol stands for abundance and surplus year after year. In a place with so many wooden buildings, it also signifies using water to guard against fire—a blessing of home safety.
After check-in, we took the shuttle to our room. We had booked the base category, a Superior Room. At 45 square meters it isn’t huge, but right beside the precious land of Dayan Old Town, that’s already rare. The space is divided into three functional areas—bedroom, small sitting area, and bathroom—and the designer even managed to fit in a bathtub without compromise, perfect for our bath-loving little one.
The room brims with the essence of Naxi dwellings: traditional Chinese charm, wood textures, yet modern and clean. The two-meter-wide bed is plenty for a family of three. A sanitized notice card sits on the bed, and a bedside comfort kit includes alcohol wipes, masks, and disinfectant cloths—such details are reassuring, especially in times like these.
A pillow menu on the bedside table is wonderfully thoughtful, letting you choose according to your own preference.
The separate washroom already had a set of children’s toothbrush, shower gel, little slippers, and pajamas. Though InterContinental Lijiang doesn’t advertise itself as a family resort, how they handle guest needs feels genuinely caring.
There’s even a capsule coffee machine, but what Mr. Xue fancied most was the tea set and the accompanying Pu’er tea. In Lijiang, a region known for Pu’er, sitting down quietly to enjoy a cup is its own kind of delight.
Waking to Lijiang’s warm sunlight, we took the baby to the hotel’s buffet breakfast at the Seven Colors Chinese Restaurant on the ground floor. We were staying near the lobby, so it was an easy walk to the main building.
The Seven Colors restaurant design is steeped in Lijiang’s unique culture and customs: thread spools from daily life, fishing creels, suspended fish ornaments, hand-woven bamboo chairs and square tables, and the wooden chairs and round tables used in Naxi homes—you’ll spot them all here.
The buffet selection is abundant, and besides the basics, the highlight is tasting local Lijiang specialties. From various snacks like baba, rice sausage, and Naxi roast meat to a piping hot bowl of Yunnan rice noodles, you can sample the local flavors without ever leaving the hotel.
There’s an outdoor terrace. If you don’t mind a little chill, I’d recommend having breakfast there. It faces Yulong Snow Mountain, and in November they say you can see the sunrise gild the peak almost every day. Breakfast with a view like that? This spot definitely deserves extra points!
After the meal, we strolled around the hotel with the baby. Arriving so late last night, we hadn’t noticed that our home for the stay is like a miniature Lijiang Ancient Town. The whole InterContinental resort consists of a main building and villa clusters. The main building houses functional areas—front desk, restaurants, fitness zone, ballroom, meeting rooms, and more. The guest rooms span various types, from standard Superior Rooms to Executive Rooms with courtyards, and even family suite with courtyards for bigger clans—plenty of choices.
Wandering through the resort feels like threading through an ancient Naxi village. Small Naxi-style buildings are scattered around, all modeled after Yunnan’s local “three houses and a screen wall” or “four-sided courtyard with five skywells” layouts, with Naxi cultural elements woven into every corner.
The little one was clutching the InterContinental Lijiang mascot—a baby yak doll from a corner of the lobby lounge. A small charity donation gets you one, and he wouldn’t let go. We hadn’t planned a yak excursion this trip, so this was a sweet consolation.
There’s Lijiang’s iconic great waterwheel, a pond symbolizing the Black Dragon Pool, streams flowing past every courtyard, and that classic trio of wells—each used for a different purpose, a sight still found today inside the ancient town.
Basking in the mild autumn sun, listening to trickling water, watching fish glide, and seeing our child romp in the garden; time just slips by gently.
Autumn Delights on the Tongue
Letting time pass might just be the right way to experience Lijiang. Everything can be slow: slowly appreciating the courtyard views, slowly savoring Naxi culture, slowly enjoying local food.
After our slow meander through the resort, lunchtime arrived. This season is peak harvest for soft-seed pomegranates and also the best time to try local Lijiang snow peaches—something you can’t easily find in the old town. So we decided to dine at the Seven Colors restaurant right inside the hotel and sample its seasonal specials. With a child, I always worry about taste and food safety, but dining at a five-star hotel means you never have to fear a bad meal.
We ordered local specialties and seasonal dishes. The adapted Yunnan cuisine definitely suits travelers’ palates better.
Pomegranate Vegetable Salad: As jewel-like pomegranate seeds tumble onto the plate, they freshen up the green salad. Crisp vegetables combined with sweet-tart pomegranate awaken the taste buds.
Stir-fried Pomegranate Flower with Sanchuan Ham: It was my first time seeing pomegranate flowers, and even more a first to try them in a dish. They’re crisp and refreshing, paired with the famous Sanchuan ham from Yongsheng, Lijiang—fat and lean, wok-fired to fragrant perfection.
Snow peaches are a highland variety unique to Lijiang. The server explained that unlike regular ones, these peaches come from Jibeike, a tiny mountain hamlet like a hidden paradise. That very remoteness makes transport tricky, and the peaches don’t keep long, so fresh ones are a rare find. This batch was already late-season; a week later and that taste would be gone.
Snow Peach Prawn Balls: My baby’s favorite. Plump prawn meat, lightly fried as for traditional shrimp balls, but here tossed stir-fry style with juicy snow peach chunks—each bite delivers freshness and peachy fragrance.
Pu’er Braised Pork: The signature Pu’er tea braised pork melts in the mouth, leaving a unique mellow scent.
Yunnan Rice Noodles: How can you visit Yunnan and skip a bowl of rice noodles? The hotel’s version is limited, so it’s best to reserve. The limit is all about the broth, because that’s where the soul of Yunnan crossing-the-bridge noodles lies. Making the broth is an art—simmering various bones for hours, then the moment all the side ingredients dive into the soup, a perfect harmony unfolds.
Sitting out in the open air, tasting local dishes, with a soft breeze—pure contentment.
Discovering Pu’er Culture
As a luxury brand, InterContinental’s hard product is something I never worry about. What I care more about is what local experiences this global hotel can offer to elevate our journey.
Among their local experiences, one especially appealed to Mr. Xue and me: the Pu’er tea-making experience, which is part of the InterContinental package.
The Pu’er tea workshop is right inside the old town. The hotel has its own direct access gate to the town, super convenient. Just a wall separates the two worlds: outside, the bustling crowds; inside, a peaceful calm.
Winding through alleyways and over blue-stone paths, about ten minutes later we reached the tea-making spot. Entering the garden, flowers were blooming in profusion, and two peacocks hid in a corner, preening. The plaque read Nali·Shangpin, the name of this place.
Here you can experience the entire Pu’er tea-making process—recognizing, weighing, steaming, and pressing the tea—all by hand.
Now the tea cake is done: air-cool, wrap, pack, and take it home. That’s right, a tea cake perfect for gifting or keeping—and you can bring it back. My very first handmade tea cake was great fun.
A Lijiang Food Feast
As we left, Kaikai woke eagerly, carrying the tea cake all the way back to the hotel. Mr. Xue wanted Lijiang specialties for dinner, so we headed to Hotel Indigo Lijiang Ancient Town for their Yunnan native chicken hot pot.
Both Hotel Indigo and InterContinental are under IHG, and they’re just across the road from each other.
If InterContinental exudes high-end luxury resort vibes, then Indigo is all about stylish, vibrant neighborhood energy. Inside the lobby, the lively colors and refined details catch your eye.
The jingling of horse bells at the entrance echoes the ancient Tea Horse Road. My kid mischievously tried it out; I wonder if he heard the clatter of old horse hooves.
Stepping into the lobby felt like entering a caravan outpost. Saddles, horse-head door locks, horses—every element of the horse caravans can be found. Overhead, pink creative lighting represents alpine rhododendrons, the perfect finishing touch for the space.
Floor-to-ceiling windows in the lobby open wide on fine days, letting sunlight flood in. Puddles reflect trees, houses, and flowers in the eye.
To the left is our dinner venue: a restaurant serving authentic caravan cuisine and Southeast Asian flavors, the Chama Restaurant. Horse caravan motifs run throughout—a leaping steed—and even in autumn, lush greenery seems unable to be contained.
We ordered their Joy Food hot pot set. There are four kinds: tom yum hot pot, yak tomato hot pot, Yunnan native chicken hot pot, and Sichuan-Chongqing mala hot pot. Since we were in Lijiang, we had to try the local Naxi cured spare ribs and chicken, which is especially suitable for a child. A copper pot is a must for the right atmosphere. After hours of simmering the broth, the pot was packed with ingredients that tasted of Lijiang.
Like all hot pots, you can choose your dipping sauces from the self-service bar, but the selection here felt innovative, with many Thai-style sauces I’d never seen before.
At first I thought the 238 RMB for two people wouldn’t be enough, but dish after generous dish kept coming: boneless free-range chicken thigh, yellow beef slices, cured spare ribs—all local specialties—plus various meatball platters, vegetable platters, mixed mushrooms, and more, all swimming in the chicken broth and absorbing the rich flavors, absolutely delicious. Mr. Xue couldn’t stop exclaiming over the value!
We ended up eating at that restaurant several times over the following days. Besides the hot pot sets, their à la carte menu is also excellent. The 198 RMB set includes a main, snacks, dessert, and drink. I recommend the Taiwanese-style braised pork rice and beef rice; neither is spicy, portions are generous, and they’re great for sharing with a child.
The hotel borders the old town, making getting around easy. We walked along the blue-stone paths toward Sifang Square, past roads both familiar and strangely new—those same stones we once tread, shop owners long since replaced.
We passed the ancient town’s most life-filled spot, the Three Wells Spring. Melting ice-water from Yulong Snow Mountain nourished generations of Naxi people. After the Black Dragon Pool, the water splits into three streams that flow through the entire town. Through years of custom, the Naxi developed a water-saving habit of multiple uses: the first well, from top to bottom, is for drinking; the second is for washing vegetables; and flowing to the third, it’s used for laundry.
My child happily pointed out that we saw the same setup in the morning. Yes, there’s a similar three-well arrangement inside InterContinental, hence why we call it a miniature Lijiang.
Lijiang is a magical place. Maybe it’s the abundant sunshine on the Yunnan-Guizhou Plateau, the endless snowmelt from Yulong Snow Mountain, or the introspective courtyards of the old town. People lost in the city come here dusty and weary, seeking answers to life, and here a joyful, longing-filled life takes root.
Some leave, some arrive. Some love her tranquility, some her charm, some her languor. Strolling Lijiang with a child seems unrelated to those adjectives. You just wander, bask in the sun, admire the blooming flowers, and feel the Naxi’s unique way of life.
More than Sifang Square, I prefer the quiet alleys far from the crowds, walking through a maze of countless intricate lanes. Around a corner, the crisp sound of a hand drum; greenery spilling over courtyard walls; a swing hidden among the blossoms.
Stealing a Half-Day’s Leisure
I’d booked an SPA at the InterContinental in advance. Since having a child, I’d long forgotten what free time felt like. Mr. Xue granted me two hours off, saying since this was a vacation, I deserved some pampering, and he’d take care of the kid.
The spa is near Sun & Moon Plaza, tucked away like a Naxi courtyard. Once inside, all pressure seemed to melt away.
There are many spa packages to choose from according to your needs. The staff carefully explained each treatment’s benefits—some focus on relaxing the shoulders, neck, and back; others on the legs. I chose the Thai essential oil massage to ease the neck and shoulder soreness from carrying the baby.
Following the therapist one floor down, I realized there was a hidden world: the entire spa is built as a sunken garden, ensuring privacy. The classic design cleverly blends nature’s essence, creating a retreat-like atmosphere. The treatment room was softly lit, serene, and elegant. Two massage beds stood in the center; on the left, a large soaking tub looking out to the garden; on the right, changing area with separate shower, dressing, and relaxation zones.
In my robe, I sipped a cup of hibiscus flower tea and soaked my feet in a basin with rose petals and a few drops of essential oil. The light, spicy fragrance gradually calmed me.
Lijiang’s highland climate tends to dry the skin, but the spa’s oils, combined with the therapist’s gentle technique, moisturized my skin and easily lifted the day’s fatigue.
Meanwhile, Mr. Xue was with the child in the kids' club, another free facility at the InterContinental. Once there, it’s like a mouse in a grain jar: slide, coloring books, building blocks, all kinds of balls, rocking horses—playtime just won’t end.
Near the kids' club are the fitness center and swimming pool, both on the first floor. The InterContinental’s pool is Lijiang’s only constant-temperature pool, maintained around 26°C year-round, and free for hotel guests.
Perfect Autumn Picnic Time
With a gentle breeze and mild sunshine, what could be better than afternoon tea? After the SPA, I called Mr. Xue and the little one to join me.
The InterContinental’s afternoon tea is special: when the weather’s nice, besides enjoying it at the Time Bar, you can even have the staff set up a full picnic for you.
The moment the afternoon tea arrived, my child couldn’t sit still, eyeing every dainty-looking treat, wanting to taste them all.
The selection was abundant, from cakes and pizza to nuts and fruit, savory and sweet. It’s honestly my favorite afternoon tea—perfectly controlled sweetness, every bite rich but not cloying.
Sometimes the little one would hide in his own little tent; other times scamper out for a bite. When feeling extra playful, he’d take a walk on the lawn. This is the childhood of freedom.
He even invited other children over to share the snacks.
This was the vacation life I dreamed of: lawn, picnic mat, tent, food, sunshine. I seemed to have found yet another reason to love Lijiang.
Dreaming Back to the Tea Horse Road
On our last night, we moved across to Hotel Indigo Lijiang Ancient Town to experience a different hotel style.
Indigo takes a more intimate, refined approach. Its overall footprint is smaller than the InterContinental, and with 273 rooms at the InterContinental, Indigo has fewer public spaces and guestrooms. The upside is that the two hotels share public areas—the InterContinental’s pool, kids' club, gym, etc. are all open to Indigo guests.
Another draw at Indigo is the individual Naxi-style two-story buildings, each with that dreamy little courtyard. Just like Lijiang locals, with a natural love for the outdoors, you feel you must have a small courtyard to dine, drink, and while away the years.
If InterContinental aims to create a Naxi cultural atmosphere, Indigo showcases the horse caravan culture everywhere, with Tea Horse Road elements woven through the entire hotel.
We stayed in a 128-square-meter villa, a two-story standalone with its own small courtyard, incredibly peaceful. The moment my child saw it, he was overjoyed, immediately pulling me onto the swinging chair to play.
Inside, the Naxi traditional wooden beam ceiling remains; sofa cushions and throw pillows are made of horsehair. The ground floor serves mainly as a living room and garden space, perfect for relaxation and play.
Up the staircase, the second-floor bedroom is warm yet tasteful, with a terrace-patterned rug in front of the bed and vintage leather suitcase decor.
The bathroom is spacious, with dry and wet areas separated, and even comes with a Dyson hairdryer and Ferragamo amenities—details that speak of quality.
Here you can go treasure hunting with your child, finding all kinds of Tea Horse Road artifacts: horse-saddle-shaped wall hangings, a hand-drawn leather map of the old town, horseshoe-shaped hangers. Everything in the guestroom draws inspiration from caravan culture.
Indigo also hides some very niche spaces, like the private lounge on B1, a recreational area fashioned like a cave. Inside, separate sitting and conversation zones are carved out as private nooks.
Of course, you can also follow the caravan’s footsteps, searching for the old Tea Horse Road’s camel bells, savouring Naxi culture, and experiencing life on horseback.
Naxi culture and the Tea Horse Road are the soul of Lijiang. Only by slowly absorbing the culture can we perhaps truly understand this ancient city. On the morning we left, we were lucky enough to catch a glimpse of Yulong Snow Mountain emerging from the clouds at the InterContinental’s Time Bar. Though fleeting, it was the perfect finishing touch to our Lijiang journey.
