Lijiang Old Town
After sharing our train cabin with another Chinese couple, we disembarked at Lijiang - a former capital of a small kingdom and today a major tourist (trap?) town. Lijiang is notorious for the Naxi people who used to be a matriarchal group meaning women were in charge.
As we knew taxis were reluctant to use their metre for short distance trip, we walked and caught the bus 26 to our hostel. It took 3 guys and 23 minutes to check us in and we still don't know why...
Exploring the Old Town
After paying the 80 yuan "Old Town preservation" ticket as the ticket booth, we disappeared in the labyrinth of back alleys. Most people don't pay the fee but we did as we wanted to explore the Black Dragon Pool scenic spot later that day.
We spent the afternoon strolling the cobbled streets packed with food stalls, souvenirs, local handicrafts and fabrics shops. It was lunchtime when we entered Lijiang Old Town for the first time, so we're feeling hungry. Food stalls offered street-food like Lijiang baba (wheat-based flat bread filled with sweet ingredients), fried tofu, or walnut cakes. We bought some spicy dried yak meat we missed when we stayed in Songpan. Tasty but very spicy.
Black Dragon Pool
After getting lost (on purpose) in the maze that is Lijiang we followed the streams north to the Black Dragon Pool passing by the waterwheels. The garden was beautifully backdropped by the massive mountain called the Jade Snow Mountain. The natural scenery was so gorgeous with traditional building scattered about. The pool was the home of thousands of goldfishes. We never saw so many fishes! We could even pay 10 yuan to release a lucky fish they caught earlier that day. A great way to make money!
Shuhe Ancient Town
To escape the Chinese tourists, we onboard a bus to the Shuhe Ancient Town. The compact town is a well-preserved town along the ancient tea trade route. Less crowded and tacky than Lijiang, it's a great place to kick back.
Lijiang Barbecue
For dinner, thanks to the 'Dianping app', we found the best place to eat in the Old City of Lijiang. The barbecue meat was so tasty! One thing left to do now: sleep!
Visiting Lijiang Old Town
- Old Town preservation ticket costs 80 yuan - required for Black Dragon Pool access
- Take bus 26 from the train station to Old Town - taxis often refuse to use meters for short trips
- Lijiang is home to the Naxi people, a historically matriarchal ethnic group
- Try local street food: Lijiang baba (flatbread), fried tofu, walnut cakes, and spicy dried yak meat
- Black Dragon Pool offers stunning views of Jade Snow Mountain - visit in clear weather
- Shuhe Ancient Town is less touristy than Lijiang - take a bus there for a more authentic experience
- Use Dianping app (Chinese Yelp) to find the best local restaurants
Note:
Pin These Moments
🏔️ Jade Snow Mountain
The stunning Black Dragon Pool perfectly reflects the massive Jade Snow Mountain backdrop
🏘️ Ancient Lijiang
Wandering the maze-like cobbled streets of Lijiang Old Town, home to the Naxi people
🍵 Shuhe Ancient Town
Exploring the quieter Shuhe, a well-preserved town along the ancient tea trade route
Have you visited Lijiang Old Town or Shuhe Ancient Town? Did you try the spicy yak meat or Lijiang baba? What was your impression of the Black Dragon Pool? Share your Lijiang experiences!