As part of this year's China trip, we visited Lijiang in Yunnan. We flew from BJ to Kunming to Lijiang. No problems with the flight. We then took the airport bus into town. Can't remember the cost of the bus but RMB 20-40 per person sounds about right. We walked from the bus depot to our hotel in the old town. Despite my partner's excellent sense of direction, we had great trouble finding our hotel. No one was able to help us find it...make sure you have the name and address in Chinese as this will help. although not the case with our hotel, we noticed that many guesthouses only have names in chinese characters out front.

Our hotel was the Sanhe. We were very pleased with it. It has 50 rooms and is in a traditional building with two courtyards. We had a deluxe room (not a suite) for 400 RMB/night including breakfast). we almost went for the suite at 880 RMB per night and we were very glad that we didn't as the room was quite large. they book over the internet which i don't believe many of the other very attractive hotels/guesthouses in the old town do (at least not in english). there are many great hotels and guesthouses in the old town. there should be absolutely no reason for a tourist to "settle" for one of the cement block hotels outside of old town...although the areas outside of the old town are not unpleasant.

The old town makes a fantastic first impression. beauty is everywhere. i would rank the "wow factor" up there with venice. Wandering the streets is great. the weather was perfect...nice clear skys and no pollution. the old town beauty extends for a very large area. at first, we thought that the beautiful streets were just in a very limited area set up for tourists. this is not the case as a good walk around town will show you.

it should be said that the old town is almost too perfect. after the massive earthquake, the town was rebuilt meaning that it is often difficult to tell which buildings are new and which are old. i did not much care. the craftsmanship of all buildings, the hard rock paving on the streets, etc (new or old) is amazing. i don't think it is an accident that there are not beggars, addicts or touts in the old town. there is a feeling that the old town is somewhat staged. on the positive side, one can relax more...a perfect antidote after spending time in china's big cities.

the traditional naxi outfits that the women wear seem a little staged at first view, however, even a quick trip out to the countryside will show you that "real" people (farmers, etc) actually do wear these outfits. Of course, i'm referring to the outfits of the shopkeepers in lijiang rather than the sometimes very lavish outfits of some of the singers/waitresses in the restaurants.

The town is very touristy. However, i would say that during our time there, it was probably more than 99% asian tourists. we saw very few westerners. three people (working in the tourist industry) complained to us that there were too many tourists in the town. before the earthquake in the 90's, lijiang didn't even have an airport...therefore, very few tourists and the town was virtually unknown. after the earthquake, lijiang was handed UNESCO status (well deserved) and the tourism boom began. as you walk down the streets, almost all buildings are shops, apparently, before the earthquake, most were homes.

I say all of this to give a realistic view of lijiang. it is a very lovely place. i am always put off by places that feel too "staged" but i still loved lijiang and would return despite having already seen it.

During our time in Lijiang, we booked a car to take us to the first bend of the yangze and tiger leaping gorge. the cost was 200 RMB for the day including tolls but not admission to the gorge (approx 40 RMB). there are many tolls in china so always make sure tolls are included in any fixed price car deal. there was a stop at the stone drum where we heard some naxi music...just a short diversion. not planned but the admission was only 2RMB per person. still, unplanned stops that cause me to pay annoy me on principle.

there were no kickback tourist market stops but the lunch stop that the driver selected was overpriced for being in the middle of nowhere and there was no doubt an "arrangement" between the driver and restaurant. no disaster as we were charged 70 RMB (£5) for lunch for 3 (simple food). i had the feeling that this could have easily been 200 RMB or more if we looked richer. the lesson...always ask the price first or make it clear to the driver that you will pick the restaurant and order from a menu. lunch was very good and we were taken to the kitchen to point out what foods we wanted cooked. chickens were being slaughtered out front and this place had a local feel...despite being no doubt a popular tourist stop (we were the only westerners there). another tip if you are going on a long car excursion is to ask what kind of car before you book. some of the cars can be uncomfortable and less safe than a proper, modern car.

the park at the top of the hill in old town (with the chinese pavillion at the top) charges RMB 15 for admission but annoyingly charge 40 RMB as a general tourist tax in addition to the regular ticket. the woman at the ticket booth produced a statement in english describing how every tourist needs to pay this fee to contribute the maintenance of the town. she also showed the special *official looking* ticket that you receive after paying it. despite strong protest, she would not waive this fee. we saw several tourists who decided not to visit the park due to this fee. after first turning away, we finally decided to pay the fee (foolishly) thinking that it would also be required to get into black dragon pool anyway (it is not). you are issued a ticket after paying this fee. for a total of 55 RMB, this park is not really worth it.

Food/Drink
Lijiang apparently has a strong tourist bureau that oversees pricing on menus...meaning that it seams that menus must be submitted to authorities and people must be charged these "official" published menu prices. some menus carried the "official" designation on their jacket and others did not so perhaps this is a voluntary thing. this does not mean that there is no overcharging but it is less than anywhere else i have experienced in china.

food was very good everywhere we went and i don't have any specific recommendations. along the main canal, there are several restaurant/bars where the quality is lower and prices higher than the restaurants outside of this small area. due to a high volume of chinese tourists, i don't think that there are very many bad restaurants in lijiang.

On saturday night, chinese tourists were drinking and singing with restaurant staff. they were singing loudly between restaurants, attempting to out do one another with volume. the atmosphere was very jovial and it was a great spectacle to see. this was only in one small area so easy to get away from if you get annoyed after a while.

shops
there is less bargaining in lijiang as there is an attempt (similar to restaurant pricing) to standardise prices. there are government looking price tags on the walls next to items in many cases and many shops have "no bargaining" signs. you may still try to get a discount though especially if you buy multiple items and we did manage some discounts where "no bargaining" was stated. anyway, unlike many other cities, stated prices are not unreasonable.

Black dragon pool park is well worth a visit (although not cheap at 80 RMB per person). we saw the naxi orchestra practicing in the afternoon in the park(their show in town is a big tourist attraction as naxi music is legendary). the rehearsal was just like a concert and occurs daily (i believe). well worth seeing in the park if you don't want to take the time to see them in the evening or pay the admission for the "real" concert.

it would be easy to spend a week, two or more in lijiang. there is a lot to do in this area and it is relaxing.

i think we paid 80 RMB (inc toll) for the taxi back to the airport.

Thanks for the excellent, very informative report, walkinaround.

Some people have recommended the Grand Lijiang hotel, which is apparently just on the edge of the old town. Did you happen to notice this place, and did it seem like one of the "cement-block" places (great way to describe them!) that you mentioned? Also, any drawbacks to the Sanhe, especially for Westerners accustomed to nice, but not necessarily Western-style, accommodations?

rizzuto,
the main reason that i made the comment about staying within the old town itself is that it is sometimes not apparent that there are so many lovely small hotels and guesthouses within the old town. if you look on the internet, most hotels mentioned are the large hotels outside of the old town. likewise, i believe that most tours use hotels outside the old town.

in many parts of china, a western tourist not wanting to "rough it" would do best to avoid small hotels and certainly guesthouse type places. this is NOT the case in lijiang.

as for sanhe, the differences between it and a good western hotel were very minor and had no issue with any of them:

1. padlock on the room's door. there was a safe in the room and i had no concerns about safety at all. all people entering the hotel go directly by the 24 hour front desk. i only mention the lock as it might surprise someone who is not used to seeing this in a good hotel.

2. i'm not certain, but the hotel may turn off hot water during the day. i had plenty of hot water during for a morning shower (whether early or late morning) and a nighttime face wash so this was not at all an issue. i did notice that the sink water ran cold during the day during the one time that i tried it...maybe i just didn't let it run long enough.

3. hard beds. chinese love firm beds. international western hotels usually have western standard softness. i was very comfortable with the firm mattress...non-issue for me.

4. toilet paper not flushable in the toilet. common in many asian hotels but certainly not western international places in asia. you get used to it.

the room was recently renovated and quite nice. the bathroom shower was all glass...nice and modern and there was a nice stylish raised bowl sink. the staff is very professional, friendly, and speak good english. the courtyards are lovely. i recommend this place without hesitation but i believe there are many great places like this in the old town so i'm not saying it is best...i don't know. we met a few other people who also really liked their hotels/guesthouses.

i think that i do remember that hotel outside old town but i'm not sure. most tourists go to lijiang for the charm of the old town and with all of the great looking hotels right in old town, i think you would really regret staying in a modern place outside of this area-even if it is close to old town. lijiang does not cater to budget travelers like many other places (yangshou for example). the mostly chinese tourists have money and demand a high standard. the few western tourists that i saw were not backpacker types. i believe that the standard of accomodations available in lijiang is very high and whilst it may be a bit more work to book into a small old town hotel, i think it is well worth the effort.

Wow was this helpful. We're making our arrangements through a Chinese travel agent for a trip into Yunnan (Kunming, Dali and Lijiang). We're in our late 60's and not quite as eager to risk take as when we were young. I think we mostly get quotes booking us into the Grand or Guanfang.

We're also wondering if we should ask that our dinners be included in the package or whether we should try this on our own. Any opinions?

Deba...
i would strongly recommend against the inclusion of dinners. for example, in lijiang, if you stay at one of the large cement hotels outside of old town, your included meal will presumably be there instead of one of the very many lovely restaurants in old town. do you want to eat in a tired hotel banquet hall restaurant or overlooking a beautful canal with lit candles floating by and chinese lanterns all around?

since two people have mentioned the Grand Lijiang, i looked it up. this place IS one of those cement hotels outside of old town. from the picture online, i do remember seeing it and it is NOT in old town, despite the description that it "overlooks old town".

this is hard to explain but old town is somewhat distinct and separate from the rest of the city...staying "near" old town is like staying "near" manhattan. ok, certainly an exaggeration but i think it helps make the point. old town does not allow car traffic at all and is paved with ancient stones. all of these cement hotels are on busy streets best described as highways. it's like being in another world.

also, chasing western comforts in western looking hotels with glossy marble lobbies shown in the pictures is often a dubious pursuit in china (especially outside of the major cities). what looks modern, bright luxurious and clean in the pics is often poorly maintained and disappointing in person. i don't think the grand is up to the standard that it might appear to be. in other words, you are giving up a lot but not getting what you expect in return.

most of the hotels that i saw in old town looked lovingly cared for and were in beautiful buildings. almost all of the big hotels outside of the old town looked very tired and were on very busy streets. there is nothing risky about staying in old town as this is where the best hotels are. the bigger hotels on the outside do have a much better internet presence and relationships with travel agents...that's why most people only hear of them. they also attract the tour groups due to the ease of getting a bus to them. but other than that, they are losers IMO.

Thanks for a very informative TR, did you spend any time in Kunming?

Fantastic report! I'm so glad we're planning to include Lijiang in our itinerary for next May. I so often decide my itinerary based on pictures of a place, and Lijiang caught my attention early on in my research. It sounds like I have chosen a winner. Will definitely check out the Sanhe. Did you arrange your driver through your hotel or an agency in town? I'm debating between going to Tiger Leaping Gorge as you did, or to Jade Dragon Mountain to ride up the cable car and hike to the (yak?) meadow. Did you talk to anyone who did the latter? Thanks, Karen

I don't know if it exists, but I'd love to find some type of compromise: a hotel in the old city that is not a generic, character-less cement-block place, but one where I could take a hot shower at 11am and have heat in the room if it's cold outside. (I'll also readily admit that these amenties were 100% optional when I was in my 20s or 30s or even 40s.)

I do notice that www.sinohotel.com does list some interesting-looking places in the old city (including the Sanhe!).

rizzuto...to be fair to sanhe, i'm not sure about their hot water situation. and there is heat (at least in the deluxe room). the heat is fully controlled in the room (unlike even many western hotels). there is also an electric blanket on the bed.

sanhe is listed as a 3 star and i was very pleased...obviously these things are relative but i can only say that i'm not a rough traveller (despite all my talk about costs). sanhe was better in terms of just about everything as compared to, for example, a marriott resort that i recently stayed in in Thailand or the 4 star "luxury" place in which i stayed in yangshou.

i checked the website that you referenced and there seem to be a few 4 star choices directly within the old town. since sanhe is a 3 star and very good quality in my opinion, then i think that you will be very safe with a 4 star choice in the old town (assuming that it also gets good reviews). 4* should take care of any concerns about heat, hot water, plumbing, etc. ALL hotels directly within old town are in small, traditional chinese buildings (old or rebuilt after the quake). i don't think you should have a problem getting what you want.

BTW, one of the reviews of the grand said that it had no heat (maybe true or not but the point is that the reviewer was cold during the whole stay). so there is no guarantee of this even at a "modern" block hotel.

Karen, I took the cable car/hiked up to the meadow and enjoyed it immensely. The air was quite thin and so we took our time. I have chronic asthma and was glad I took my inhaler. I have also loved the residual effect of being able to say I hiked the Himalayas.

Anyone going to Lijiang should try to get to the locals market, which I have pitched here before. My only way to tell you where it is: Take a cab to the Shiner Hotel and walk across the busy street. We went early in the day (7am) and bought wonderful food for breakfast from the street vendors and great baked goods. The whole thing was a wonderful experience. It was spring and alot of people were selling ducklings and chicks. The butcher tent was interesting.

Thouroughly agree with walkinaround that old town is the place to stay. I did not have that opportunity but when I return to Lijiang (as soon as I possibly can) that is where I will stay.

Did you use any CITS or CYTS agency service from the US? It sounds as though you made your own arrangements. The trip sounds great!

We decided on a travel agent and itinerary and are about to book. She has us staying at the Grand Hotel because I have arthritis in my knees and she doesn't think we could walk into town with our suitcases. Has anyone any experience at the Grand Hotel?

Walkinaround ... do you have the website address for Sanhe hotel (you mentioned that they do have a website).

I usually try to book directly through the hotel rather than through sites like Sino Hotel; just my preference. Thanks

Hi walkinaround,

This city sounds like a gem and has been recommended to me too by other experienced travelers...you wrote a great report, thank you for sharing!

Now another question to you and others who have been there, is there another Sanhe-like hotel in the old town? I much prefer places with a traditional ambience/lovely courtyards, as you described, rather than a newer hotel that could be found in just about any city in the world...I ask because when you mentioned the hard mattress, that would be a problem for me. After having slept on one at the Angkor Village Resort in Siem Reap (Cambodia), I have vowed, never again.

Terry

ttt...can anyone respond to my questions that I wrote out in 7/06, please? Still interested in your reply! Perhaps to those travelers who have recently returned from Lijiang? Please share your experiences as well as give feedback as to where you stayed. Thank you.

topping...

We have stayed at The Grand twice in Lijiang. I like it very much - it is on the edge of the town over looking the water wheel which is something that most people go to look at/are shown. you can ask for a room overlooking the wheel which is in a sense the entrance to the old town. There are many other newer (very large) hotels further out from the Centre - I think the grand is in a great location. We have looked at the Naxi style old accomodation, but prefer this ourselves. These are nice rooms, with no surprises & no shocks. Breakfast is fine & you are straight into the "old town" and can easily walk in the town/to the theatres etc. I think the Grand is Thai owned.

saving