Lijiang
Lijiang is an ancient place locked in time. The well-preserved Lijiang old town, dating back over 800 years ago, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. From the 12th century, Lijiang old town has been an important goods distribution center on the historical Tea and Horse Road. Lijiang is also home to multiple Chinese ethnic minorities including the Naxi, Bai and Tibetan people, contributing to the rich culture of Lijiang. The word ‘Li Jiang’ means ‘beautiful river’ and beautiful it is indeed.
Dubbed as the ‘Oriental Venice’, Lijiang sits on a web of ancient waterway canals and bridges. The picturesque canals, the willow trees billowing in the wind and the aesthetically pleasing red architecture create the poetic atmosphere of Lijiang. As well as old towns, Lijiang has spectacular natural sceneries, including majestic snowy mountains, highland glaciers, valley gorges and canyons.
Lijiang is a marvelous demonstration of harmony between man and nature. For centuries, Lijiang people have nestled amongst the extreme mountain ranges that reach 5000kms, strategically using canals to direct water from natural sources into their homes, positioning their habitats on areas of mountains and plains that protect against the elements and extensively planting willow trees to shield crops from the wind and keep the banks from collapsing during floods.
Ancient towns locked in time
The urban morphology, landscape and architectural design of the Ming and Qing dynasties (the last dynasties of imperial China) are so well preserved that you find yourself traveling back in time while walking along the maze of old cobblestones in Lijiang. The uniform, geometrical, two-storeyed, tile-roofed, wooden-beamed houses line up the contours of the hilly streets. But housed under such historical buildings are bustling, vibrant shops - a treasures trove of modern products, street food, local arts and crafts, hidden courtyards, tea houses and restaurants. You can spend hours getting lost amongst it all. There are lots of strange and wonderful juxtapositions - where else can you find townsmen riding slow donkey carts in front of specialty coffee shops with Italian machines, or instagrammable photography studios operating under encaustic Qing-dynasty rooftops!
Which old towns to visit?
The 3 old towns in Lijiang (Lijiang, Shuhe and Baisha) are quite different to each other and I would recommend visiting all of them. Two days is plenty of time to see them all.
Lijiang old town (also known as “Dayan” old town), being the UNESCO Heritage Site, is unsurprisingly the most touristy town, with colourful and vibrant streets and a lot happening.
Shuhe is a smaller and more tranquil town, so it is a better option if you prefer to avoid the crowds.
Baisha is a very local and rustic village and the quietest, where you can easily observe the traditional lifestyles and customs of the Naxi community. Baisha also has murals and paintings dating from the early 13th century that feature cultural and historical motifs.
Lijiang and Shuhe are the best options for seeing the most impressive canals and the iconic architecture, whereas Baisha is the best for observing authentic, local culture.
I highly recommend borrowing a bike from your hotel to ride to Baisha, especially in the late afternoon. However, I would not recommend biking to Lijiang or Shuhe because once you get to those towns (by car) you’d want to walk around and the busy streets make having a bike very inconvenient, whereas once you get to Baisha you can continue to ride your bike around as the town is not busy and the streets can easily accommodate bike riders.
We had a beautifully memorable bike ride to Baisha, seeing the snow mountains along the way and observing the traditional cultures and customs in the village. My husband and I both speak Chinese and the lovely locals happily chatted to us about their ways of life. Even if you don’t speak Chinese, you can easily get by in Lijiang old town as there are English signs. As a whole, if you are an international tourist travelling in China, you will find that Chinese people are very friendly and more than happy to help you out with their limited or fluent English or translation apps.
After riding through the rustic Baisha town and soaking in the hundreds of years of history, we had the wonderful surprise of finding a specialty coffee place with a Melbourne owner (my husband, being half-Australian and a big coffee-snob, was beside himself!), which couldn’t be a more perfect expression of the ancient in harmony with the hipster modern.
“The Oriental Venice”
Lijiang is dubbed the ‘Oriental Venice’, as the old town is dissected by arteries of canals that have brought water from the springs in the mountains to the townspeople for centuries. The canals and bridges frame Lijiang, playing an important role in its urban design but also demonstrating the ingenuity of human use of land.
Moon Embracing Pavilion
Lijiang's Moon Embracing Pavilion is an architectural gem. This elegantly designed structure, perched above the flowing waters of the Heilongtan Park, offers a captivating vantage point to behold the city's scenic beauty. Its name is evocative of the romantic atmosphere it creates, especially in the evening when the moonlight bathes the surroundings in a soft, ethereal glow. The pavilion's intricate wooden lattice work, upturned eaves and tiered design pay homage to traditional Naxi architecture, seamlessly blending with the ancient town's historic ambiance.
The Jade Dragon Snow Mountain
The Jade Dragon Snow Mountain soars to 5,500 meters (18,000 ft). You can take a cable car or hike to the peak of the massif, or take the less adventurous route and enjoy the scenery from the ground level at the Blue Moon Valley (pictured below).
Hanfu - traditional Chinese silk robes
A word on the silk robes I am wearing in the photos of this blog post - they are called “Han Fu”, which is traditional Chinese clothing worn by Chinese people centuries ago and their intricate styles, patterns and motifs represent various elements of Chinese culture, religion and history.
Banyan Tree Hotel
We had the pleasure of staying at the lovely Banyan Tree hotel, which I highly recommend. The Banyan Tree Lijiang is a luxury highland resort with an exquisitely calm atmosphere. The hotel sits on canals of water to pay homage to Lijiang’s aesthetics and the charming villas are styled with Naxi architectural elements, so that the hotel grounds feel and look like a mini Lijiang. The hotel is located 2,400 meters above sea-level and boasts stunning views of the Jade Dragon Snow Mountain.
The hotel has a tranquil, dreamy vibe - with willow trees billowing in the wind and adorable geese swimming through. The food at the hotel was delicious, with authentic local Yunnan cuisine as well as classic Chinese dishes. The service was exceptional, with high quality, international standards whilst not missing the warm, personal touch. The hotel is complete with a spa, fitness center, kids club, wedding and event capabilities, library, tennis and bicycle facilities. The hotel also offers guided treks and tours to complete your Lijiang adventures.
