Lijiang travel

Lijiang is a pretty old town. It is very touristy but nice nonetheless and as there are no cars that was a nice change for China. I stayed at the International Youth Hostel in Jinshan Alley, it had a pretty garden with a pomegranate tree. The dorms were comfortable with lockers and extra blankets for 20 yuan. The staff were friendly and helpful and could help with travel plans and bus times etc.

A visit to the Black Dragon Pool Park about 15 mins walk is worth it with good views and if it is a clear day it is worth climbing Elephant Hill to get a good view of Yulong Snow Mountain. You can only go up in groups of 4 for security reasons.

The nearby village of Baixa makes a nice excursion about 30 mins by mini bus around 10 yuan. Avoid the main street full of souveneir shops and walk the back streets of the village.

A trip tp Yulong Snow mountain is good but expensive but if it is clear the views are breathtaking, Yak meadow is also very pretty.

In Lijiang avoid the restaurants and bars by the river, they are full of blaring music, chinese tour groups, Karaoke and strobe lights complete with staff dancing in ethinc dress. Lamu's house of Tibet off the main drag has good reasonable food 15 yuan for noodles. Beer ranges from 10 yuan for a big bottle upwards depending on the bar location.

To get to Lijinag from Chengdu you do not have to go via Kunming and Dali as it says in the lonely planet you can get a night train to Panzhihua around 13 hours 128 yuan and then a bus to Lijiang 5 hours 76 yuan. The journey is beautiful and at times you are looking down on the clouds.

Tiger Leaping Gorge is great and worth doing before work starts on the dam. The Nai family Guest house had stunning views, friendly staff and good food whih is reasonable and cheap beer. Dorms are 15 yuan and a beer 8 yuan. In Walnut Garden Chateau de Woody is friendly with a pretty terrace. You do not have to walk 4 hours to Daju village to get the 13.3 bus back to lijiang as implied by the Lonely Planet and maps in Lijiang. There is a bus which passes throug Walnut Garden at 11 am and goes back to Lijiang around 3 hours and 15 yuan.

If you are tired of Chinese cities then Lijiang and the surrounding countryside is the place for you.