Lijiang 丽江
Naxi old town below Jade Dragon Snow Mountain
Good forNature, Culture
Suggested stay2–4 days
Best timeMarch–May and September–November
A Naxi-minority town whose old centre is a UNESCO World Heritage site, at about 2,400 m altitude. Visitors come for the canal-lined old town and nearby mountains. It is also the start point for Tiger Leaping Gorge.
Highlights
- Lijiang Old Town (Dayan) — busy; quieter early morning
- Shuhe and Baisha — smaller, calmer old villages nearby
- Jade Dragon Snow Mountain — cable car tickets limited; book ahead
- Black Dragon Pool, with mountain views
- Tiger Leaping Gorge hike, about 2 hours away
Food to try
- Naxi baba (layered flatbread)
- Yak meat hotpot
- Jidou liangfen (chickpea jelly)
- Lijiang preserved pork ribs hotpot
Getting there
Lijiang Sanyi International Airport (LJG). About 3–3.5 hours by high-speed train from Kunming; about 1.5–2 hours from Dali.
Train times are typical; check current timetables on 12306 or Trip.com.
When to go
Best: March–May and September–November. Avoid or plan for: Rainy season roughly June–August; Golden Week crowds in the old town; cold winter nights.
Good to know
- The old town is at about 2,400 m; the Jade Dragon glacier cable car goes above 4,500 m. Altitude sickness is possible; ascend slowly and avoid heavy exertion on day one.
- Bring layers: days are sunny and warm, nights are cold most of the year.
Visa notes
- Visa-free entry: citizens of 79 countries can visit China for up to 30 days or more without a visa. Check your passport →
- 240-hour transit: Lijiang is inside the area you may visit on China's 240-hour visa-free transit (for 57 nationalities, flying on to a third country).