Nine Days and Nine Nights in Yunnan: A Healing Journey, Neither Flashy nor Gaudy

Destination: Ninglang Yi Autonomous County, Lijiang, Lugu Lake, Dali
Travel Dates: April 20 – April 28, 2018 (9 days)
Cost per Person: Approximately 4,000 RMB (including souvenirs)
Travel Companions: Friends

Introduction: Travel as a Form of Healing

People often say that time is the best medicine, but in my heart, travel holds the same power to soothe the soul. When you step onto unfamiliar land and wander among mountains, rivers, and lakes, the worries and anxieties buried deep within seem to be blown away by the wind and melted by the sun. Travel is no longer a hurried glance at sights or a superficial pass-through—it becomes a deep conversation with yourself.

Since I started working, I've made it a point to squeeze out both time and budget each year for at least one long trip. This was my third time setting foot in Yunnan, but this time, because I was traveling with my childhood best friend and another close friend, my excitement was especially high. Yunnan is like an old friend you never tire of—every time we meet, it brings new surprises.

Itinerary Overview: The Route for Nine Days and Nine Nights

DAY 1: First Impressions of Lijiang – The Gentle Hours of Shuhe Ancient Town

Why I Always Choose Shuhe

Lijiang has three ancient towns: Dayan Ancient Town (the well-known Lijiang Old Town), Shuhe Ancient Town, and Baisha Ancient Town. Dayan is bustling and heavily commercialized—for someone like me who dislikes noise, it's far from an ideal place to stay. Baisha, on the other hand, retains the most original ancient town character, but it's small and better suited for a bike ride to explore.

Shuhe Ancient Town is my "home base" every time I visit Lijiang. The guesthouse I stayed at is called Shuhe Yuan Inn, and the owner is a local Naxi person—warm and genuine. In a popular tourist destination, the biggest fear is being ripped off, but this owner made me feel at ease. Shuhe is much quieter than Dayan. While it has some commercialization, only a few quiet bars are open at night. After dinner, you can pop in to listen to some music—pure relaxation.

The "Routine" Visit to Dayan Ancient Town

Since my childhood friend was visiting Lijiang for the first time, I still took her for a walk around Dayan Ancient Town. From Shuhe, we took Bus No. 5 to Qixing Street and walked about ten minutes to the Big Waterwheel. Lijiang's buses cost only 1 RMB—convenient and cheap.

Inside Dayan, there's a postcard shop called Three Lives with Letters (三生有信). It offers a wide variety of beautifully designed postcards, and you can even write a letter to your future self and have it stored there. It's located at the Sifang Street intersection. The streets were covered with falling petals, and flowers were everywhere, adding a touch of romance to this ancient city.

Highly Recommended: A Hidden Gem Restaurant in Shuhe

After being burned a few times in Dayan, I finally found a restaurant in Shuhe with incredible value—Hongyuan Restaurant (红缘餐厅). The place is small, with a stall at the entrance selling fried tofu and Naxi baba (a traditional flatbread). The three of us ate until we were stuffed, and it only cost about 50 RMB per person. I especially recommend the Lapai Pipa Bone Hotpot (腊排骨火锅, cured pork rib hotpot) and Jasmine Flower Scrambled Eggs (茉莉花炒蛋)—generous portions and delicious. These are lessons I learned through "blood and tears."

Tips: For Those Prone to Altitude Sickness

I'm probably prone to altitude sickness. Even after visiting Tibet, my head still throbbed when I arrived in Lijiang. Add to that the temperature swings, and my tonsils got inflamed. My advice for those with altitude sensitivity: reduce aerobic exercise before coming to avoid increasing lung capacity. In April, Lijiang has big temperature differences between day and night—bring a thick coat. Getting a cold on the plateau is the last thing you want.

DAY 2: Yuhu Village – Quiet Time at the Foot of the Snow Mountain

About ten kilometers north of Lijiang's old town, at the southern foot of Jade Dragon Snow Mountain, lies a village called Wuluken, which means "village at the foot of the snow mountain." This is Yuhu Village. In 1922, American explorer Joseph Rock, working for National Geographic and Harvard University's Arnold Arboretum, entered Yunnan and stayed at the foot of Jade Dragon Snow Mountain for 27 years—most of that time in Yuhu Village.

This was my second visit to Yuhu Village. The first time, last year, the weather didn't cooperate—wind and rain—so I never made it to the lake and had to leave disappointed. This year, I was once again captivated by this simple, tranquil little village.

The houses here are all built from stone, and every courtyard entrance is bursting with flowers. We wandered, taking photos—a courtyard gate, a narrow alley—each spot could keep us busy for ages. Unfortunately, by 5 p.m., the rain started again, and we still didn't reach the lake. But that's okay—every trip needs a little regret, so there's always a reason to come back.

DAY 3: Lijiang → Lugu Lake – Finally Seeing the Lake of My Dreams

Lugu Lake—in the Naxi Mosuo language, "Lu" means mountain valley, and "Gu" means inside, so it's "the lake inside the mountain valley." It lies on the border between Yanyuan County in Sichuan and Ninglang County in Yunnan. It's the highest-altitude lake in Yunnan and the third deepest freshwater lake in China. The area is home mainly to the Mosuo, Yi, and Pumi peoples.

Through our guesthouse owner, we arranged a shared van (7 seats) from Shuhe Ancient Town, round trip for 120 RMB per person. The driver was funny and even explained the sights along the way, stopping at scenic spots for photos.

This was my third trip to Yunnan, and I finally made it to Lugu Lake. The moment the entire lake unfolded before my eyes, I was truly stunned. Words can't describe it—it was so beautiful it felt unreal. My first instinct was to whip out my phone and snap away, but no photo could capture the awe it inspired. It's a quiet, gentle beauty—neither flashy nor gaudy.

Accommodation Recommendation: Lake Light Town Hotel (湖光倾城酒店)

We stayed at the Lake Light Town Hotel in Langfang. A lake-view king room was only 400 RMB per night—incredible value. Below the balcony was a courtyard, and there were photo spots by the lake with a stunning perspective. The hotel next door was even more beautiful, but the cheapest king room there was around 1,000 RMB—and it was fully booked. By comparison, Lake Light Town felt very affordable.

Tip: There are lots of mosquitoes by the lake—bring insect repellent. I came prepared, but being a mosquito magnet, I still ended up covered in bites.

DAY 4: Lugu Lake Circumnavigation – A Laid-Back Approach Brings Surprises

At 1:30 p.m., the hotel owner arranged a private car for the lake tour—300 RMB total, no time limit. We took a relaxed approach and completed the full loop in under three hours, stopping only at the Walking Marriage Bridge (走婚桥). The bridge was crowded, but the scenery was fantastic. The Grass Sea (草海) was still dry due to the season, so we just passed by. We skipped the pig trough boats and the "Dear Inn" (亲爱的客栈) filming location because of the crowds.

Accommodation Experience: Crazy Bird Youth Hostel (疯鸟青年旅舍)

After the loop, we stayed at the Crazy Bird Youth Hostel in Daluoshui. A female dorm (4 beds) was 42 RMB per person—clean, spacious, and well-equipped. However, the staff were somewhat indifferent, which was a bit of a letdown. The lakeside road in Daluoshui was under construction (reportedly for two months), so lake-view rooms there are not worth considering for now.

DAY 5: Lige Island – Small but Perfect for Photos

From Daluoshui, a private car to Lige Island costs 80 RMB one way, or 20 RMB per person for a shared ride—about 10 kilometers. Lige Island is indeed beautiful, great for photos and a leisurely stroll. But the island is small, with few guesthouses and high prices. My advice: come here to play and take photos, but there's no need to stay overnight.

Another Great Value Guesthouse: Lugu Manor (泸沽庄园)

Today we moved to Lugu Manor, also run by the owner of Lake Light Town Hotel. A spacious standard room was a friendly 200 RMB per night, with amenities comparable to a four-star hotel. The window looked out over countryside scenery, with mountains in the distance—refreshing and uplifting.

DAY 6: Saying Goodbye to Lugu Lake, Heading to Dali

I dragged myself out of bed at 5:30 a.m. to watch the sunrise at the lake's circular pier. But the fog was too thick—we waited nearly an hour and saw nothing. No matter—every trip needs a little regret, so there's always a reason to return.

Food Recommendations

• Langfang Farmhouse Cuisine (蒗放农家菜): Owned by the Lake Light Town Hotel host's family. Fresh, natural ingredients, generous portions, and affordable—about 30 RMB per person.
• Crave Mouth Restaurant (馋嘴馆): In Daluoshui, recommended by the Lugu Manor front desk. Their grilled lake fish and Mosuo roasted meat were both delicious—also around 30 RMB per person.

In the afternoon, we took a two-hour train to Dali. Since a friend runs a guesthouse in the old town, we didn't have to worry about a thing—he guided us on food, accommodation, and everything else.

DAY 7: Erhai Lake – The Contrast Between Vastness and Tranquility

My friend's guesthouse is called Ruta Youth Hostel (如他青年旅舍), at No. 4 Xinmin Road, Dali City. They have two cats—Wukong and Diudiu—which meant endless cat cuddles for this cat lover.

Erhai Lake and Lugu Lake feel completely different. Lugu Lake is tranquil; Erhai is vast. After seeing Lugu, the contrast with Erhai was quite stark. But staying at the youth hostel, I met people from all over the country. Eating together, enjoying the scenery, and sharing dreams—that's an atmosphere no star-rated hotel can offer.

DAY 8: Shaxi Ancient Town – A Hidden Treasure

Shaxi Ancient Town is located in southwestern Jianchuan, Yunnan. It's about a two-hour drive from Dali, and the road is a bit bumpy. The town has preserved its most original architectural features: ancient temples, an ancient stage, old shops, horse inns, red sandstone streets, and century-old trees. This is my favorite Yunnan ancient town so far—it hasn't been discovered by many people yet, and it feels like I've stumbled upon a treasure.

To avoid rushing, we stayed overnight in Shaxi. A friend recommended the Mo Shang (陌上) youth hostel—clean, quiet, and the owner even brews his own beer. Impressive.

Must-Eat Restaurant: Tea Horse Road Restaurant (茶马古道餐厅)

The food here was so good we basically fought over it. Recommendations: - Lemongrass Grilled Pork Ribs (香茅草烤排骨) - Lemon Ghost Chicken (柠檬鬼鸡, a tangy, spicy chicken salad) - Cold Tree Bark and Tree Flower Salad (凉拌树皮树花, a local wild vegetable dish) - Red Bean with Bitter Greens (红豆苦菜) - Pepper-Salt Mushrooms (椒盐菌菇)

Every dish is a specialty you can't find elsewhere.

DAY 9: Farewell to Yunnan

On the last night, we took a train to Kunming to catch our flight. As we left Dali, the weather turned and it started raining. I felt incredibly lucky—the entire trip had been sunny, and it only rained when we left.

At Kunming Airport, we watched the sunrise. It was the perfect ending to the trip.

Final Thoughts: On the Meaning of Travel

Nine days and nine nights in Yunnan confirmed something for me: travel isn't about ticking off sights—it's about rediscovering yourself in an unfamiliar place. I'm grateful to everyone who helped us along the way—the owner of Shuhe Yuan Inn in Lijiang, our friend Zihao in Dali, and the strangers we met at youth hostels.

Yunnan—neither flashy nor gaudy—is breathtakingly beautiful. Until next time. Take care.

Practical Tips Summary: - If you're prone to altitude sickness, reduce aerobic exercise beforehand and bring cold medicine - Lijiang has big temperature swings in April—bring a thick jacket - Mosquitoes are plentiful at Lugu Lake—pack insect repellent - Shuhe Ancient Town offers great value; Dayan is better for a stroll - Shaxi Ancient Town is uncrowded and beautiful—go before it gets popular - Youth hostels have a great atmosphere, perfect for those who enjoy meeting new people