Top 15 Things to Do in Lijiang 2023

Take a stroll at Dayan Old Town (or Lijang Old Town) is the no.1 must-do for anyone traveling to Lijiang. Listed as a proud UNESCO World Cultural Heritage site, Lijiang Old Town is the icon to get close to local history and ethnic culture, with more than 800 years’ long history since late Song Dynasty. Enjoy your leisure walk in this ancient maze to admire those particular old wooden house clusters linking one by one, with chanting stream floating by the stone paved paths. With merchants keeping their shops selling local specials and other interesting items, the history is well extended in vitality by the harmonious combination with local people’s modern life. During your stroll, do not miss the top iconic sites, including Mu’s Palace that is a large-scaled palace group, Sifang Street that is very jubilant as the heart of the whole old town with ethnic people’s dance gathering, Wangu Tower that is the symbolic landmark to overlook Lijiang Old Town with the background of Jade Dragon Snow Mountain, etc. Learn more about Lijiang Old Town >>

Jade Dragon Snow Mountain is the holy mountain for local Naxi ethnic minority people, regarded as the embodiment of the god “Sanduo”, protecting locals for centuries. This amazing snow mountain is the southernmost snow mountain in the northern hemisphere, and the 13 peaks together just form the shape like a jade dragon. Though you can appreciate Jade Dragon Snow Mountain from your window in the old town from afar, taking the cableway up to closer embrace the natural sceneries is more memorable. There you will not only take a really fresh breath at the alpine emerald meows above 3000 meters high, please your eyes with the emerald waterscape at Blue Moon Valley loved by Joseph Rock, but also have a close look at the real ice glacier, and also catch the closest appearance of the holy snow mountain. Learn more about Jade Dragon Snow Mountain >>

Tiger Leaping Gorge is one of the most famous gorges in the world for its precipitous terrain. Taking a hike at the core part including the upper, middle and lower sections is really exciting with Haba Snow Mountain and Jade Dragon Snow Mountain standing on both sides, which clamp Jinsha River running roaring with flying water blooms. The Upper Tiger Leaping is commonly planned by tourists with the view of rural cultivating fields and the landmark of the leaping tiger statue. The Middle Tiger Leaping is the essence of the route with narrower river and rapid flow, where you will hear the more powerful roar and more charming landscape. While the way at Lower Tiger Leaping is flatter and village sceneries can be seen for relaxation. Learn more about Tiger Leaping Gorge >>

As part of Old Towns in Lijiang listed as the UNESCO World Heritage, Shuhe Old Town is another favored ancient town in Lijiang. Boasting the quieter atmosphere throughout the wooden-structured town, with pleasant countryside view embracing, Shuhe Old Town is quite ideal for relaxation without anything thinking in your mind. Every things going in a slower pace and the nice surrounding snow mountain and landscapes will easily help you enjoy releasing.

Baisha Mural Painting is one of the most important cultural gems of Lijiang. Arrange some hours to appreciate Baisha mural paintings during your Lijiang trip, which will make your go really meaningful. No matter those religious paintings of Buddhism, Taoism, etc. or those life scenes’ paintings about hunting, rural villages, cultivating, etc., or other ethnic featured works are all excellent with high skills kept from Ming and Qing dynasties, which is more than 500 years old and is a vital part of the world cultural heritage listed by UNESCO. Baisha Village (Baisha Old Town) is the best place to admire those outstanding mural paintings.

Naxi ethnic minority is a mysterious group in Lijiang with the world only living pictograph system. Visit Dongba Culture Museum to have a personal look of those graphic characters on books and buildings, living tools and religious musical instruments, paintings, and more in the traditional Naxi styled quadrangle courtyard to seek the mysterious and interesting culture of Naxi group in Lijiang.

Black Dragon Pool or called Yuquan Park is a popular part of Lijiang Old Town. This large scenic park with some peculiar pagodas and pavilions with flying eaves and stone bridge and some lovely ponds is great for some leisure and fresh walk. More importantly, the best sightseeing position there enables you to take the famous photo of the Jade Dragon Snow Mountain with the traditional styled building together. Learn more about Black Dragon Pool >>

Impression Lijiang, an outdoor performance taking place in a natural theatre at 3200 meters above sea level, uses Jade Dragon Snow Mountain as the background and showing the local folk customs, the form of song and dance drama.

Directed by the famous Chinese director Yimou Zhang, the show is divided into six parts, composing of "Tea Horse Road And Caravan", "Snow-capped Mountains Of The Wine", "Immeasurably Vast", "Playing Jump Group Song", "Drum Dance Worship Heaven", and "Blessing Ceremony". More than 500 locals of 10 ethnic groups, and about 100 horses, aim to provide an insight into the lives of the region’s ethnic groups.

Lugu Lake is popular for the beautiful diamond-like lake, besides, the Mosuo people and their unique marriage culture are very attractive. Today, the Mosuo people still live in a matriarchal society. Men stay in the women's home as mates called “Axia” and the intimate relationship lasts as long as they like for there is no marriage safety belt. Children are brought up by women, and use the surname of their mothers. Families are composed of the members of the matrilineal kin. Women operate production and management, and hold the principal position in the society, forming a modern day “woman's kingdom”. Extend from Lijiang to discover the special culture around the charming getaway. Learn more about Lugu Lake >>

At the foot of Shigu Town west from Lijiang City, Yangtze River makes a giant turn of a “V” shape and then flow toward the northeast, which is the famous view of First Bend of Yangtze River. Visitors usually drop by to see the scenery there on their way from Lijiang to Shangri-La, where to admire the wide river running fast but looking peaceful with the surrounding lush countryside landscape with grassland, villages, willows, mountains, and more to treat eyes well.

What to go deep into local Naxi people’s daily life? Go to Zhongyi Market! This market is the core of life for local people in Lijiang Old Town, where you can see lots of local ethnic minority people dressing in their traditional Naxi costumes buying fruits, vegetables, daily necessities, etc. and chatting in Naxi language. Besides look at their life scenes, you can hang to find some local special snacks to treat your curious tongue.

Imagine playing golf in a snow mountain! That is rightly accessible and popular in Lijiang. Lijiang Jade Dragon Snow Mountain Golf Course located at Ganhaizi of Jade Dragon Snow Mountain is designed by the world famous golf course designer - Neil Haworth. With 3,100 meters above sea level, it is the only snow mountain golf course in whole north hemisphere and is praised as one of the top best courses at high altitude in the world. Every swing in the green alpine grassland surrounded by pure white snow peaks is superb for visual and spiritual enjoyment. Besides, the traditional buildings at the foot of the mountain give you a quite particular playing experience during your holiday!

When walking on the ancient street of Lijiang Old Town, you will undoubtedly hear the amazing Naxi Ancient Music, the traditional Naxi classical music that is regarded as a “living fossil of Chinese music”.

According to research, this ancient music originated in the 14th century. It originally included three parts, 'Baisha Fine Music' (Baisha Xiyue), 'Dongjing Music' (Dongjing Yinyue), and 'Huangjing Music' (Huangjing Yinyue), however, the last one has long been lost in the river of time. Played on venerable Chinese musical instruments such as flute, shawm, Chinese lute, plectrum, and zither, the special music has the power to cleanse the heart and relax the mind. The performances of the "Naxi Concert Hall" (every night) have attracted a lot of audiences from around the world.

In Lijiang Ancient Town, a large number of bars which are decorated in different styles will be another highlight in Lijiang. No matter what you like, there is one for you. Different from noisy bars in modern cities, these bars have an atmosphere of tranquil and tender, which can be found only in beautiful places like Lijiang. Listening to soft music in the hazy light, tasting plateful wine, murmuring with your girlfriend and appreciating the night scene of Lijiang, you will find an eternal peace and beauty in your heart.

In Lijiang, it is a great enjoyment to do the horse riding adventure. You could ride a horse leisurely around Lashihai Lake or Wenhai Lake. The most popular route is the Horse Tea Trail. This is the classic path which tourists could take. The steep, weathered path still is luring with the dense forest, lake and waterfalls, serene temple as well as the local Naxi farming life in the little village. The groups of horse riders, tinkle of horse bells and the wild singing of the horse man may give you an illusion of the ancient traders' horsing journey.