How to Enjoy Your First Trip to Lijiang: This Guide Has Everything You Need

Must-See Preparation Checklist Before Departure🧳 ✅ Documents: ID card📄, student ID (half-price tickets for attractions are a great deal!), a small amount of cash (some old town shops may only accept cash) ✅ Outfit Guide: Big temperature difference between day and night in Lijiang in May🌞→🌙, wear shirts and light dresses👗 during the day, add a jacket🧥 in the morning and evening; bring warm clothes for Jade Dragon Snow Mountain (or borrow when renting oxygen tanks); a pair of non-slip shoes👟, the stone roads in the old town are comfortable on the feet ✅ Other Essentials: Sunscreen🧴 (UV rays are very strong!), sunglasses🕶️, sun hat👒, moisturizing skincare products (dry climate!), power bank🔋, stomach medicine💊 (to handle Naxi cuisine) Transportation Guide🚗 ✈️ External Transport: • Fly to Lijiang Sanyi Airport✈️, airport shuttle bus costs 20 yuan to the old town (50 minutes), taxi about 100 yuan • High-speed train to Lijiang Station🚄, bus line 18 goes directly to the old town, taxi around 30 yuan 🚌 Local Transport: • Walk or take a rickshaw🛺 inside the old town, motor vehicles are prohibited • For Jade Dragon Snow Mountain, it is recommended to book a formal one-day tour (including tickets + transportation + oxygen tank) • Taxi starting fare is 8 yuan🚕, about 30 yuan to Shuhe Ancient Town Perfect 4 Days 3 Nights Itinerary✨ Day 1: First Encounter with the Gentle Time of Lijiang Old Town🏮 📍 Lijiang Old Town (Dayan Ancient Town): Free! Stroll around Sifang Street and the Big Waterwheel, early morning is less crowded for beautiful empty shots 📍 Mu Residence: Ticket 40 yuan, known as the "Forbidden City of Lijiang"⛩️, climb Wangu Tower for a panoramic view of the old town 📍 Zhongyi Market: Visit in the evening! Buy freshly cut fruits🍉, flower cakes, try Naxi barbecue and chicken bean jelly 📍 Old Town Night Scene: Walk on the stone roads when lanterns light up, listen to folk songs on Bar Street🎵, don’t miss the popular oil-paper umbrella street Day 2: Journey to the Romance of Snow Mountain and Blue Moon Valley🏔️ 📍 Jade Dragon Snow Mountain: Ticket + cable car combo over 200 yuan, take the cable car to the 4680-meter viewing platform, remember to take altitude sickness medicine in advance 📍 Blue Moon Valley: The "Little Jiuzhaigou" at the foot of the snow mountain💧, the lake water is blue-green, rent ethnic costumes for great photos 📍 "Impression Lijiang" Show: Stunning live performance (180 yuan/person), experience Naxi culture Day 3: Slow Life in Shuhe Ancient Town🌿 📍 Shuhe Ancient Town: Quieter than Dayan! Visit Qinglong Bridge, Sifang Listening Square, sit by the river to drink coffee and sunbathe 📍 Qinglong Pond: See the snow mountain reflected on the lake in the early morning, feed the black-headed gulls🕊️ (still a few in May) 📍 Tea Horse Road Horse Riding: Choose a reputable stable, experience a 1-hour ride (about 150 yuan), feel the horse caravan culture Day 4: The Pastoral Poetry of Lashi Lake🌊 📍 Lashi Lake Wetland Park: Row a boat on the lake (80 yuan/person), see the reed marshes and migratory birds (still present in May) 📍 Naxi Home Visit: Learn Dongba paper making, taste the Naxi Eight Bowls🥢, listen to elders tell Dongba script stories 📍 Before Departure: Buy yak jerky and flower cakes as souvenirs, the specialty shops at the south gate of the old town offer good value Lijiang on the Palate🍜 🍲 Must-Try Classics: • Smoked Pork Rib Hotpot: Recommended "Apo Smoked Pork Ribs," ribs are fragrant but not greasy, paired with water spinach is super fresh • Free-Range Chicken Rice Noodles: Have a bowl for breakfast, rich chicken broth, adding local pickled chili is amazing • Steamed Pot Chicken: Chicken so tender it falls off the bone, broth is sweet and fresh, "Fuguo Grand Hotel" makes authentic dishes 🍘 Specialty Snacks: • Flower Cake: Freshly baked rose filling is the most fragrant, "Jiahua Bakery" offers mail order • Chicken Bean Jelly: Sour, spicy, and refreshing, street stalls sell for 5 yuan/portion • Grilled Milk Fan: Rich milky flavor, sprinkled with sugar tastes like milk candy Photo Tips📸 1️⃣ Old Town: Take empty shots of the big waterwheel early in the morning, shoot backlit silhouettes at Qinglong Bridge at dusk 2️⃣ Blue Moon Valley: Wear light-colored clothes by the lake, use the snow mountain as background, use the native camera app when sunlight is good 3️⃣ Shuhe Ancient Town: Sit on the stone steps of Qinglong Bridge, capture flowing water and ancient buildings in one frame Avoid Pitfalls Tips⚠️ ❌ Don’t trust roadside "5 yuan tours to Lashi Lake," all have hidden costs! ❌ Be cautious of "soliciting" bars in the old town, choose bars with clear pricing ❌ Buy silver and jade at reputable stores, don’t believe in "local prices" ❌ Buy oxygen tanks for Jade Dragon Snow Mountain in advance (30 yuan/can), the scenic area sells for 60 yuan Hidden Surprises🎁 1️⃣ Wenhai: A niche alpine meadow, wildflowers everywhere in May, horseback riding to see the lake is very pleasant 2️⃣ Yuhu Village: Ancient Naxi village, close-up views of the snow mountain, drink freshly milked yak milk 3️⃣ Listen to a Naxi Ancient Music Concert: 60 yuan/person, experience the shock of thousand-year-old music