Lijiang Travel Answers

I am sorry I can't answer all your questions but here are my 2 cents : I haven't been to Dali but heard is not that much special, I liked Shangri-La, the old town feels much more authentic than Lijiang, which is truly beautiful but you can feel (and see with your own eyes) it is a very touristic destination. From Lijiang we took the bus to Shangri La. In Lijiang we stayed at some kind of B&B (Woodenman Inn I remember correctly) run by a Singaporean guy who directed us to a GREAT hotpot place and a nice expat restaurant not far from one of the biggest squares. In Shangri La we took a full day trekking (around 13 kms) and we were blown away by the scenery. It was not dry at all (June 2010). In Lijiang you will get lost a lot but you will get used to it. The food quality ranges dramatically from mediocre to excellent. Most places around the river are pretty but expensive and the food is mediocre. You can stick to eateries Lonely Planet suggest, but if you ask residents they will direct you to truly special places. Don't bother about renting a bicycle, Lijiang outskirts are awful, they are building gated communities between Shuhe/Baisha and Lijiang, and the new "Lijiang" looks like a Soviet Union town. The main park (can't remember the name) is worth a visit since the Jade Dragon snow mountain overlooks it. Shuhe and Baisha are decent little villages but don't expect much. The Snow Mt. trip and the horse riding look very good! Have fun!!! Hope this helps! Cheers, Giovanni

Thanks ! Do you have exact contact for BB Woodemann Inn you mentioed for Lijiang old town ? Kinldy share, On Dali -- yes may rethink if we go back to Lijiang - so only 1 day-trip HOw about Shaxi - have you heard ? Do you stay over in Shangrilla ? pse advise palce to stay overnite. Cheers:)

Hi, - Jade Dragon Snow Mountain is only worth it if the weather is nice, with clear sky and good visibility. - You don't have Tiger Leaping Gorge in our itinerary. We did that and liked it. It is more or less on the way to Shagri La, if you choose to go there. - We liked Old Dali very much, it's a very pretty town. - In Lijiang we stayed in Lion Hill Zen Garden Hotel, and were very satisfied. The location on the hill overlooking the Old Town is beautiful, and it's quiet at night, far enough from the noise of discos and karaoke bars in the center. Still, it's only a 5-7 min walk to the Old Town center. However, it's relatively expensive and we saw other nice hotels also on Lion Hill which were cheaper.

Hey there, The B&B in Lijiang was this one, the guy's name is Chris: tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Review... In Shangri La we stayed at Kevin's Trekker Inn tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Review... We were travelling low-budget and found both places on hostelworld.com , I believe Kevin's Trekker Inn was less than 10€ per night for a twin with bathroom.

thank you all. I keep getting this warning that Shangrilla is not a good place to visit in April because it's too dry ... is it ? How far off is it from Lijiang because our flight back is from Lijiang. Thank you Wasti

Hi, - I don't know about the weather in April, we went to Yunnan in October. - The journey from Lijiang to Shangri-La takes almost a full day. - Tiger Leaping Gorge is about 3 hours from Lijiang. - If you want more details about Zen Garden Lion Hill, I wrote a tip and uploaded some photos: Lijiang Hotel Tips by iblatt - I still think Dali is well worth visiting! Ilan

I don't exactly know what you mean with dry - it's by the Tibetan plateau, spring is going to be in full swing, it's not a matter of being the dry or wet season. There will be no snow, if that is what you mean. Again, I have been there last June and it was not dry at all. Travelling from Lijiang to Shangri La (by bus) will take no more than 4/5 hours, if you catch one of the a.m. buses you will be in Shangri La around 2-3 p.m.

hey,you'v finished your trip in Lijiang? Shaxi is worth spending a night there,it's a very old small town,full of histroy,and is about 4 hours drive from Lijiang,if you need a guide/driver mail me:wsajian@gmail.com or call me +8618608886023 Paulo from Lijiang China.