In total, we spent 15 days in Yunnan. It all began at Tiger Leaping Gorge and ended with the rice terraces of Yuanyang. In this article, we’ll share our itinerary, offer our tips, and provide a glimpse into the region’s tourism. Come along for a tour of Yunnan province with us, won’t you? Spoiler alert: don’t come to China during the country’s national holiday!
We took this trip to Yunnan in 2013, but the article was completely revised and updated in June 2025. If you see any price changes or have additional information that might be relevant, please feel free to leave us a comment!
3 days at Tiger Leaping Gorge from Shangri-La
If there’s one trek you absolutely can’t miss in Yunnan, this is it! To whet your appetite, Tiger Leaping Gorge offers:
- 24 km of hiking;
- Guesthouses for sleeping and eating along the trail;
- Dizzying cliffs;
- Incredible mountain landscapes;
- An impressive canyon;
- Doable in 1, 2, or 3 days.
During our backpacking trip to China, we mainly planned our journey using the Lonely Planet China guide. For visiting this country, the guide was really useful and we can only recommend it! It’s also available in Kindle version for enthusiasts!
3 days visiting Shaxi
In guidebooks, Shaxi (Shaxizhen) is described as a small village, mainly inhabited by ethnic minorities, and also as a center for exchanges between farmers. A former historic crossroads on the tea and horse route between Tibet and southwestern China, this authentic place has incredible charm and is still sheltered from tourist flows. That’s the theory anyway. In practice, what’s it really like?
Introduction
To tell you the truth, we weren’t disappointed by Shaxi at all, nor by the surrounding region. However, we did notice that the area has changed quite a bit in the 2 years between when the guide was written and our visit! This little village gave us the impression of being right on the launching pad of tourism. Indeed, in the early 2000s, the WMF (World Monument Fund) placed Shaxi on the list of the world’s 100 most endangered sites. As a result, the village received subsidies to preserve this heritage.
This means there weren’t yet hundreds of tourists, but the infrastructure is already there, and it’s developing rapidly. On the main street, inns, small cafés, and souvenir shops follow one after another without yet giving the impression of running at full capacity. In the parallel alleys, the old village houses are pretty much all under construction, and new inns are popping up like mushrooms! The village nevertheless retains incredible charm, and the possibilities for walks in neighboring villages make this place a must-see in the region.
But for how much longer? That’s the big question… After research, it seems that Shaxi has kept its beautiful soul all these years. We’re keeping our fingers crossed that it stays this way for the next 20 years!
What to do in Shaxi?
There’s plenty to do in Shaxi, but this stay is an opportunity to take your time, stroll around, rest, and soak up the peaceful atmosphere… Tip: plan at least 1 day in Shaxi, especially on Friday! We’ll explain why a little further down ;).
Stroll through the old town
With its cobblestone streets and ancient buildings, Shaxi’s old town will surely charm you! Don’t miss the 700-year-old ancient theater, the Xingjiao Buddhist temple (both located on Sideng Square, the central square), or the Yujin Bridge. And above all, get lost in the surrounding streets or along the river!
Wander through Friday’s market
The Friday market is an institution in Shaxi! Ethnic minorities (Bai and Yi) come down to sell products, a way of maintaining the historical tradition of this commercial crossroads.
Visit Shibaoshan Temple
Introduction
In Shaxi, we met a super nice Cantonese couple, Will and Kate. (We’ll let you guess the reference for their English names! ;)) One evening, we went out to eat with them, and during the meal, they suggested we accompany them to discover Shibaoshan, a village carved into the cliffs. Although it’s briefly mentioned in the Lonely Planet, it hadn’t really caught our attention. But the desire to spend a day with our new friends and discover a highlight of Chinese tourism that isn’t described as such in our guide intrigued us!
We can safely say we weren’t disappointed! Shibaoshan is probably the most beautiful collection of temples we’ve encountered in Asia to date! The beauty of these houses nestled in the cliffs left us with a magnificent memory!
Practical information
It was quite amusing to spend a day with Chinese people and do visits their way. Usually, we prefer to discover a site on foot by getting voluntarily lost. Generally, we don’t have a fixed plan, even less a schedule, and we systematically end up walking for hours! In Chinese version, this becomes amazing organization! Will had organized a minibus for the four of us and even managed to find 3 other Chinese people who wanted to tour with us to reduce costs. He literally spent 2 hours in Shaxi’s streets asking every passerby if they wanted to join us!
So we had this famous minibus that took us from one end of the mountain to the other, limiting the physical effort needed to reach a hilltop each time! Will even managed to convince our driver to organize a little scheme at the entrance. There were 7 of us, but we only had to pay for 6 tickets. Once at the entrance, our driver simply explained that one of the poor little foreigners had lost their ticket. Our mission? Look nice and naive! So we put on Puss in Boots’ pout from Shrek and it naturally went off without a hitch!
Otherwise, for something simpler, you’ll easily find taxis or minibuses in the village or at the exit. Entry to Shibaoshan costs 20 yuan per person.
Discover neighboring villages by bike
The Shaxi valley is full of typical villages. Leave Shaxi on foot or rent a bike for the day for total immersion in the Yunnan countryside!
How to get to Shaxi
This is where it gets complicated! There’s no direct transport to get to Shaxi except by taxi… To avoid breaking your budget, the ideal is to take 2 buses: 1 to Jianchuan (the largest nearby city) and another to Shaxi. Tip: don’t hesitate to ask your hotel to organize transport to Shaxi!
From Shangri-La, Lijiang, or Dali, you’ll find buses that go several times a day to Jianchuan. Count approximately 4 hours, 1 hour, and 3 hours respectively, and a ticket between 20 and 60 yuan per person.
To go from Jianchuan to Shaxi, you’ll find plenty of minibuses that make the journey from the bus station. The trip takes about 50 minutes for 15 yuan.
Where to stay?
Due to Shaxi’s growing interest, you’ll find good addresses around the central square. Some establishments have been set up in old houses and offer incredible rooms, in harmony with the charm and authenticity of the journey. Bonus: prices aren’t excessive! Among these hotels, we’d recommend Dali Shaxi Qing Jing Courtyard, Shaxi Ancient Town Shiran Mountain Homestay, and Shaxi Upstay. These 3 hotels are very well located and ultra-welcoming with their perfect blend of old and modern! In short, we can only recommend them for feeling the village’s soul.
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How our Shaxi stay was cut short despite ourselves
Alright, for the road and to put some balm on the hearts of those who work and hate their boss, we’re going to tell you how we were real fools during our stay. After Sichuan and Tiger Gorge, it had been more than 2 weeks since we’d encountered an ATM that accepted foreign cards. But here’s the thing, to get to Shaxi from Shangri-La, we didn’t want to go through Lijiang just to withdraw money. Especially since our hostel manager assured us we could find an ATM in Shaxi! Naivety, when you hold us…
ATM, where are you?
In short, we arrived in Shaxi all smiles and hearts full, with a few yuan in our pockets. Of course, in Shaxi, no ATM! Well, actually, there is one, but the poor thing probably hadn’t often encountered Visa or Mastercard cards. Needless to say, it was impossible to exchange the dollars we had with us! Only the National Bank of China accepts foreign currency exchange.
Note: according to Maps, there would now be several ATMs in Shaxi… Don’t hesitate to tell us if they work now!
But not discouraged for two cents, we listened to the advice of the dear banker. She explained that in Jianchuan, the neighboring city, there was a “very big bank”
Heading to Jianchuan, the BIG city
Ah, there we go! So it was with a smile that we went on an excursion to this famous city using our last yuan for the bus ticket! There, we indeed found the big bank, a magnificent modern building with lots of Visa, Mastercard, and Maestro stickers on all the windows. JACKPOT!!!
Yeah, well no… False advertising, I tell you, friends! The ATMs scrupulously spat out ALL our cards with a 401 error message. After an hour in line, we reached the counter and showed our cards to a poor little lady who seemed to discover a foreign card for the first time.
She could simply tell us: “No, no working.” When we showed her that our card designs were the same as those on their damn advertising stickers, we could see on her face that it was the first time she understood what these stickers could mean!
Short on money and patience, we almost begged them to accept exchanging a few dollars. Without success! She told us to go to Lijiang! Grrrrrrrrrrr… But when we opened our wallet in front of her to count, we realized we simply didn’t have enough money to get there. In short, taking pity, she gave us 100 yuan, about 12 euros. Great moment of solitude but also gratitude, we concede!
3 days in Lijiang
Golden Week in China
The week we hit the road from Shaxi was the first week of October, just after the national holiday in China. We thought a little stay in the countryside away from tourist agitation would do us the greatest good! For those who might not know yet, these 7 days are marked in China by national holidays. Imagine that 1.4 billion Chinese (or almost) are on vacation! Needless to say, there are people EVERYWHERE! Trains and buses are packed and tickets are sold in no time. Hotels and small hostels are booked weeks in advance. And in tourist places, room prices are generally tripled compared to the rest of the year!
We’d been warned, but we thought we’d definitely manage to find calmer spots… Yeah, right. In the end, we spent the week holed up in the hostel in Kunming. Anyway, Chinese national holiday week is no joke, believe us!
So it was thanks to the Agricultural Bank of China’s donation that we were able to reach Lijiang the next day. We’d been warned, Lijiang is an extremely touristy city, and during Golden Week, it’s even more extreme! To be honest, we expected agitation, but never to this extent! We hurried to withdraw money and, of course, it worked on the first try. Then we managed to get a last-minute night bus ticket to get to Kunming that same evening!
Our opinion
In total, we spent 7 hours in Lijiang and:
- We had our most expensive meal of the trip, though it was nothing special.
- We got scammed at the supermarket.
- We bought apples that cost us more than in Switzerland.
- We got photographed at least 100 times…Well, yes, two white folks with backpacks, that’s intriguing!
- We got pushed around more times than at Beijing’s Forbidden City…
In short, we saw Lijiang and we didn’t like it!
What to do in Lijiang?
Well, we admit this opinion is biased due to the period. Some loved this city, others call it Disneyland… Here are some visit ideas for a 3-day on-site visit to form your own opinion!
Stroll through the old town
Inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage list, Lijiang’s old town is the city’s main attraction! Yes, restaurants and hotels share the main arteries, but we recommend moving away from the ultra-touristy center to get lost in the alleys. Another tip: walk early! Chinese people tend to start their visits and guided tours late morning.
Go to Black Dragon Pool
We can say that Black Dragon Pool Park is Lijiang’s number 2 point of interest! The place is sublime with the view of the snowy Jade Dragon Mountain (Mount Yulong Xue Shan)! A hiking trail goes around the lake in 2.5 km, while more than 5 km crisscross the park. If you have time, go to the park’s highest point at 2660 m altitude! Note: entry is paid (50 yuan), but some park entrances aren’t monitored.
Enjoy the calm of Shuhe, Baisha, and Yuhu
These 3 villages are perfect for escaping Lijiang’s tourist crowds. Located respectively 5, 10, and 15 km north of the city, they’re easily accessible by bus, taxi, or bike! It’s an opportunity to be a little calmer and learn more about Naxi culture.
We’ll talk about it more below, but Shuhe is part of the Lijiang area inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage list. We can compare this small village to Shaxi, but it’s a bit more touristy due to the proximity of the big city, which is Lijiang. Let’s say if you want to escape urban fervor, you’ll find refuge in Shuhe without going too far or bothering with transportation.
The old town of Shuhe is a must to immerse yourself in the place’s tranquility. Walk around the canals, visit the ancient tea and horse road museum… In short, if you don’t plan to pass through Shaxi, stop at least for a day in this place!
Note: in the same vein but a little smaller than Shuhe, the villages of Baisha and Yuhu, with its stone houses, are also worth it if you’re looking for calm and authenticity.
Visit Jade Dragon Mountain
Culminating at 5590 m, Yulong Snow Mountain (Jade Dragon Snow Mountain) impresses with its height and beauty. To access the different viewpoints, several cable cars take visitors to 4506, 3650, and 3205 m. Finally, a trail starts from the highest point to reach 4680 m, in the Glacier Park!
Warning: Beware of acute mountain sickness! If you’ve just arrived in the area, there’s a good chance you’ll feel symptoms from the first 100 meters of ascent! To prevent this disorder, find all our advice on this page. Otherwise, they sell small oxygen canisters at the park’s visitor center.
To get there, take bus 101 from the bus station, or do a guided tour. Since tickets are sold 1 week in advance and apparently can only be bought on site, we’d advise taking the second option! Cable car tickets, transport, and guide are included in the price. Bonus: attend the Impression Lijiang show, an incredible dance and singing performance highlighting regional ethnicities, all with the snowy mountain as backdrop!
Marvel in Blue Moon Valley
At the foot of Jade Dragon Snow Mountain stretch several lakes with turquoise waters and terraced waterfalls. In short, the landscapes are magnificent and we can only recommend this excursion outside Lijiang. Blue Moon Valley entry costs 130 yuan, which is actually the entrance price to Jade Dragon Snow Mountain park.
How to get to Lijiang
You’ll have no trouble finding a bus or train to Lijiang! To check schedules and prices, go to this site!
Where to stay
You’ll find plenty of establishments in the old town. We’d tend to recommend staying in Naxi-style rooms (the local culture).
4 Days in Yuanyang rice terraces
Last stop for us in Yunnan province, the Yuanyang rice terraces! Honestly, if you could only make one stop, this would probably be it! The panoramas are simply magnificent. It’s simple, we’ve never seen anything like it! We wrote a whole dossier on this magnificent stay ;).
UNESCO World Heritage: blessing or curse?
During our trip in China, we’ve already had the chance to visit a certain number of popular attractions. Some we really liked, while others sometimes left us with the impression of having been spoiled by tourism. One common point that exists between these different extremely developed tourist sites is that they have been classified as UNESCO World Heritage. Whether it’s Lijiang, Emeishan, the Great Wall of China, Xi’an’s terracotta army, or Beijing’s Temple of Heaven, all appear on this famous list.
What does UNESCO World Heritage mean? For those who might not know, the United Nations Organization offers a list grouping natural sites or cultural goods that have, according to a list of criteria, importance for humanity’s common heritage. Currently, this list includes 1248 properties, of which 60 are in China.
Current state of tourism in China
From what we’ve observed, in China, tourism is definitely a problem the state still struggles to control! Fortune and money are still relatively new concepts in this communist country. Having the means to go on vacation in one’s own country is something that’s increasingly spreading.
So now it’s millions of Chinese tourists who finally have the financial means to discover their own country. Let’s say the masses of tourists are simply not the same as ours. Sometimes, channeling these human tides and especially preserving landscapes is a mission that’s still a burning issue in China. From our observations, the problem exists in many places, but sites classified as UNESCO World Heritage are even more victims of their success!
The World Heritage label is a guarantee of quality, but also massive advertising for a region. So it’s logical that all 60 classified sites are among the country’s most visited sites!
The example of Lijiang
Lijiang is somewhat a textbook case of extreme tourism excesses. This old town, whose history goes back more than 800 years, has experienced record tourism development in recent years. Imagine: in 1994, the city welcomed 200,000 visitors per year. In 1997, the city was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage list. I’ll give it to you in a thousand, the number of visitors has exploded since! In 2006, there were 4.8 million tourists per year coming to discover the place. In 2012, there were more than 15 million!!! Tourism progression of more than 56% compared to 2011!
20 years ago, no accommodation was intended for tourism in Lijiang. Currently, more than 2000 hotels, guesthouses, and hostels share the juicy Chinese tourism market! Its rapid development, created by the UNESCO World Heritage label, is definitely a double-edged sword. On one hand, the tourist influx certainly brings income to locals, creates employment, and contributes to rapid city development in terms of hygiene, road connections, and technological and logistical infrastructure. But on the other hand, accepting mass tourism also means taking the risk of slowly destroying these landscapes, all these sublime regions that UNESCO wanted to protect to make them last for humanity…
The example of Yuanyang
Tails: changes are taking place
A few days ago, we went to the Yuanyang region, south of Kunming. These rice terraces with breathtaking views joined the list in 2013.
And during our visit, we could observe that change is underway…
Inns are popping up like mushrooms, souvenir merchants are replacing village dwellings, and paid wooden viewpoints are rising in the landscape… In short, the situation definitely launches the debate…
- Does UNESCO protection really guarantee landscape preservation?
- Won’t there be a point where villagers realize there’s much more money to be made selling postcards than taking care of rice fields?
- Are the rice fields doomed to be abandoned?
The People’s Republic of China, like many other countries in the world, requires a visa to enter the territory. To obtain this precious document, you need to prove several things: accommodation reservations, exit tickets from the country, etc. One of the essential points for obtaining the visa is also having travel insurance. If you don’t have one yet, feel free to check out our selection of the best travel insurance.
Since our visit, it seems the situation has stabilized! The rice fields are still there, as incredible as before. We wholeheartedly hope this continues this way.
And your opinion? Is UNESCO still a good sign for a region?
So there you have it, Yunnan is probably one of the richest Chinese provinces in terms of landscape and cultural variety. It’s a little paradise for admiring breathtaking viewpoints or hiking! We hope this 2-week itinerary will fill your eyes! For the end of our trip to China, we’re heading to the incredible Yuanyang rice terraces and visiting Guilin!
P.S.: To prepare your trip to China, we’ve prepared a complete travel guide with all the practical tips!
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