Lijiang has become a popular holiday destination in the last few decades. Both Chinese travellers and overseas tourists have found Lijiang fascinating. Lijiang features on the UNESCO's World Cultural Heritage list and is thus a protected city. It owes this distinction to its rich cultural and historical heritage. The Old Town and the New Town together make up Lijiang, and there are any number of Lijiang Hotel and other accommodation options in both location. However, visitors always head for the Old Town which has held the status of a World Heritage Site since 1988.
In February 1996, an earthquake measuring 7.2 on the Richter scale hit this area. After that major renovation activities were undertaken, removing traces of modernity and restoring authenticity. With domestic tourism on the rise, tour groups are now a common sight in the Old Town. The narrow winding alleys, the functioning canals, Chinese architecture that dates back to over 100 years and the splendour of nature in the area is a combination so charming that visitors are bound to come in droves booking onto the wide variety of Lijiang tours and activities as word gets around.
Ethnic minorities are the chief inhabitants of the Old Town of Lijiang. Their rich cultural heritage is a great crowd puller and you will find many tours in Lijiang that take you the experience the wonder of there traditional lifestyles. Many of these include an overnight stay in a local village and while your accommodation may not be as glamourous as some of the hotels in Lijiang towns centre, the experience will stay with you for a lifetime.
Lijiang is wonderfully located in the centre of the Lijiang Autonomous County of the Naxi Ethnic Minority in Yunnan Province. Lijiang sits proudly on a plateau 2,400 metres (7,874 feet) above sea level. The Lion Mountain covered with trees lies to the west, the Elephant and Golden Row Mountains stand guard in the north, while vast fertile fields seem to roll endlessly in the southeast. Crystal clear water runs through the Old Town making it look like a big jade ink slab and hence the alias, Town of Big Ink Slab (Dayanzhen).
Lijiang Old Town is built in such a way that it maximises the lie of the land be they mountains or rivers. This has prompted a lot of research on old Chinese architectural skills. Multiracial inhabitants, a rich history and scenic location make Lijiang a very special town that offers many exciting things to see & do. Use our interactive map of Lijiang to find the exact location of some of the amazing Lijiang highlights and there proximity to your Lijiang hotel.
While Naxis are the dominant local ethnic minority in Lijiang, there are quite a few Yi and Bai people living here too. The matriarchal society of the ethnic minorities is a very interesting subject for tourists, both Chinese and foreign. Property inheritance is matrilineal and the men move into the wives' homes once marriages are solemnised.
Dali, which is nearby, has an equally complex and maybe richer cultural and historical heritage. Yet more tourists visit Lijiang than Dali. The situation used to be different in the past. Before the 12th century Dali was the capital city and held a place of pride as the 13th largest city in the world. Lijiang was just a minor town in those days. The Mongol invasion during the 12th century changed Dali's status.
It is advisable to avoid visiting Lijiang during summer, i.e. June - August. It rains in Lijiang during this time, though it does not seem to deter the crowds. It is easier to find a hotel in Lijiang during May-October and the weather is also comfortable during those months.
You can make Lijiang your base for visiting the rest of Yunnan. Shangri-La, Zhongdian or Deqin in the north can easily be approached from Lijiang. Another interesting trip that awaits you is a visit to Tiger Leaping Gorge, which is one of the greatest natural treasures in China. Lijiang is used to plenty of domestic tourists so most locals do not speak English. You need to equip yourself with basic Chinese speaking skills to get along in Lijiang.
The southernmost glacier in the Northern Hemisphere - the Jade Dragon Snow Mountain, locally known as the Yulong Mountain, is one of the great Lijiang tour hightlights. There are 13 peaks here with Shanzidou at 5,600 metres (18,360 feet) staking claim as the tallest one. The Jade Dragon Snow Mountain is spread over a 35 kilometre (22 miles) stretch and it straddles a width of 20 kilometres (13 miles). Take in the view of the mountain from your Lijiang hotel in the Old Town, which is 15 kilometres (nine miles) to the south, the snow-covered mountains laced with fog seem to suggest a jade dragon resting in the clouds. It is this illusion that got the mountain the name Jade Dragon Snow Mountain.
