After sharing my foodie journey in Lijiang in the last post, it will be nice to share some of the other things to do in Lijiang. This place is so beautiful and peaceful, every corner looks like it came out of an Instagram photo. We had a great time walking around, soaking in the sights, and trying out fun activities as a family. Here are 6 things to do in Lijiang that made our trip extra memorable.
Things To Do In Lijiang
Lijiang Old Town
Lijiang Old Town has been around for more than 800 years and was once an important stop along the ancient Tea Horse Road. It’s home to the Naxi people, an ethnic minority group with their own unique culture and language. What’s really special about this town is how well it’s been preserved, like stone bridges, flowing canals, and beautiful old houses. It became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1997, and you can really feel the history as you walk through the streets. It’s like stepping into a different world, but still very lively and full of charm.
Although the streets looked a little complicated to us at first, we always somehow managed to find our way back to our minsu. Remember to download Baidu Maps if you going Lijiang. Along the way, we pick up some souvenirs, grab a quick snack, and snap some photos because every corner felt like an Instagram-worthy spot!
Here are some of the street food and snacks we tried at Lijiang Old Town. On our first night, we had grilled durian and cartoon-shaped ice cream. I found both just okay, not something you must try. Naxi rice cakes were everywhere along the streets and in the night market. Unfortunately, we didn’t get to try them because we always saw them at night, either when we were on our way to dinner or already too full after eating. Two other ice cream shops, Mixue and 5 Snowman (五个雪人), became my hubby’s and kids’ favourite ice cream spots!
Some instagrammable spots for you! Both day and night are equally amazing no matter you want to take photo or video.
You can watch the video and have a look at how Lijiang Old Town is like!
Photoshoot In Lijiang Old Town
When we confirmed our trip to Lijiang, the first thing I did was start researching on XHS (aka Rednote) for a photo studio where we could dress up in ethnic costumes as a family and take nice photos. My kids were so excited about it, maybe not my boy, haha. Maybe it’s just a guy thing.
After enquiring with a few studios, I decided on one that was about a 12-minute walk from our breakfast place. Most of the studio rates are more or less the same, though there are some cheaper options. The best way is to look through their photo taking style and see if it matches the vibe you’re going for. Most importantly, check the variety of clothes they offer.
The reason I chose this studio was because, after chatting with so many, I found their customer service to be really good. They were polite and patient when answering my questions. If you’re not able to communicate in Chinese over WhatsApp, I suggest shortlisting a few studios first or simply visiting the ones near your minsu. Talk to them, ask questions, and look through their photography styles and clothing selection. Don’t rush the process, even though it’s not super expensive, it’s still worth getting nice photos taken as a keepsake.
Most of the studios don’t show family packages, Most of their packages are for individuals or couples. So for my family of 6, I chose the couple package (RMB520) and multiplied it by 3. If you want to do the shoot at the foot of the mountain or on a rooftop, there will be extra charges. I initially booked the foot of the mountain shoot, but we decided to cancel it on the second day of our trip because the wind was way too strong. Winter wind in Lijiang is no joke, adults might be able to tahan (take it), but we didn’t want to risk the kids falling sick halfway through our trip. So do take the weather into consideration, especially if you’re planning to visit in December.
When we arrived, the staff took out an iPad and let us go through the outfits to choose what we wanted to wear. After choosing, they let us try them on to see if we were satisfied. If not, we could choose again because once the makeup is done, you can’t change your outfit.
The makeup is quite thick, so be prepared. You can let them know if it doesn’t suit you, but honestly, even though it’s heavy, the photos turn out so nice that there’s basically no need for editing at all.
They had a few makeup artists to help us get ready, and once we were done, we split into 3 groups of 2. This helped speed up the photo-taking process, especially during winter. It worked out well because my two older kids can understand and speak Chinese, so each of them paired up with a younger sibling. This arrangement actually gave us more time to take individual shots too. Once everyone was done, we gathered to take a few group photos together. The whole process took about 4 hours for our family.
Just taken randomly after my shoot while waiting for the kids to come back. No editing at all! Can see that it’s really very good. By the way, the staff have to bribe her dog so the dog can take a photo with me. haha.
By the time the kids come back, our photos are ready for selection! After we choose the photos, they will sent us the photos via wechat, so we just need to download will do! It’s digital copy, no printing.
Jade Snow Mountain & Blue Moon Lake
If you’re in Lijiang, you definitely have to visit Jade Snow Mountain (玉龙雪山) and Blue Moon Lake (蓝月谷). I tried reading up on the booking process, but it was too complicated, tickets are released at specific times, so you basically have to “camp” for them, and collection requires your passport on the day itself. Since we also needed to hire a tour bus up the mountain, I decided to just book a tour package for all 12 of us, which cost around $1915 in total. The package includes round-trip transfers by tour bus, a tour guide, entrance to Jade Snow Mountain and Blue Moon Lake, and tickets to the Impression of Lijiang show. [Can use my code “QiqiKlook” for additional discount].
I chose a Chinese speaking tour guide, but you can opt for an English speaking one if you prefer. The guide will explain everything in detail and share information about the mountain before the tour starts, as they won’t be able to accompany you inside the cable car or during the mountain tour itself.
The journey up to Jade Snow Mountain isn’t easy, which is why I highly recommend getting a tour package especially if you’re travelling with young kids, elderly family members, or if there’s a language barrier. At every station, you’ll need to queue in the correct lane and have your passport and tickets ready to enter. We were lucky to have a tour guide who helped us navigate and handle all the complicated procedures.
At the first stop, we had to get off our tour bus and transfer to the Snow Mountain tour bus, which would take us up to the cable car station. We queued for about 15-20 minutes at this stop.
Once we reached the cable car station, I highly recommend going to the toilet first! The entire queuing process from getting on the cable car to reaching the mountain takes about 30-45 minutes. The cable car ride was very nice, and we felt okay. On and off, we would take a puff of oxygen. But as we got higher, XH and Xiaomei started to feel sleepy, one of the common side effects of high altitude.
Once we reached, we only stayed there for 5 mins, because the wind is too strong which makes the cold unbearable, plus the high attitude makes me and my 2 young ones uncomfortable. So we just take a group photo to shows that we been here before and we faster took the cable car down.
If you ask me whether it’s worth it, definitely yes, even though we only stayed at the top for 5 minutes. Just the experience and the view from the cable car alone make it worth the trip. I would definitely visit again if I have the chance, better prepared next time!
Tips:
1. Buy oxygen tank from Old Town Lijiang (check out below)
2. Winter Windbreaker
3. Heatpad
Once we reached the foot of the mountain, my hubby quickly went to buy some food and drinks. This really helped us feel better, especially the kids. As for me, I had to take Panadol to survive the night and bought some red date tea at Old Town Lijiang. It really helps if you’re still feeling unwell.
Watch my video on how to survive Jade Dragon Snow Mountain!
After resting, we went to Blue Moon Lake. Blue Moon Lake is a stunning, crystal-clear lake located at the foot of Jade Snow Mountain. The water is so blue and beautiful, it almost looks unreal! It’s a peaceful spot where you can enjoy the amazing mountain views and take lots of pretty photos.
It was really very beautiful. The whole tour took about half a day, but if you love scenery and want to stay longer, you’ll need to let the tour guide know in advance. We couldn’t stay too long because we had to catch the Impression of Lijiang show.
Impression Of Lijiang
We were glad to catch the last show of Impression of Lijiang for the year. The show was truly amazing. It’s held outdoors, so make sure to apply plenty of sunblock because the sun will be directly shining on your face. With the beautiful Jade Snow Mountain as the backdrop, the performance featured local ethnic groups, music, and dancing that brought Lijiang’s culture to life.
There were a total of six acts. I cried during one of them, the act where the couple eloped to seek eternal happiness. The story, music, singing, and their farewell to their loved ones were so touching. Death is not the way to find happiness, but during their era, cultural beliefs made them think it was the best choice.
Our tour package we bought above, includes this show!
Club Med Lijiang
If you have kids, I recommend you to bok Club Med Lijiang. You can read my other Club Med experience. I will follow up a blog post on this, so look out for my social announcement.
Baisha Town
This was one of the activities we did at Club Med Lijiang. They provided a free tour for us. For this activity, you need to pre-book in advance because there are limited slots. I feel this is worth mentioning because even if you’re not planning to stay at Club Med, you can still visit Baisha Town for a tour!
Baisha Town is a peaceful and charming ancient village near Lijiang. It’s less crowded than other tourist spots, which makes it perfect for a relaxing tour and sight-seeing. You’ll find beautiful old architecture, local crafts, beautiful cafes and a glimpse into the traditional Naxi culture. You can find a few photoshoot studio here too.
There are a lot of nice food in Baishan Town, but we are still full from all the Club Med free flow food so we didn’t try any. But we bought some snacks back! This is really good, crunchy and not sweet.
Convenience Store in Old Town Lijiang
After checking in, while walking to our dinner place, we passed by a convenience store. You can stock up on oxygen tanks if you’re heading for the Jade Snow Mountain tour. My friend also bought gloves, which were pretty cheap! You can also buy snacks and drinks here too.
Where To Stay In Lijiang
After our transit adventures, we reached Lijiang airport. It’s a small airport, so the luggange claim and exit process were pretty quick. I arranged the airport transfer directly with our minsu owner and pay the driver directly. He helped us arrange the transport for 12 people, 1 family per car – for RMB 80 each.
I booked a mingsu right inside Lijiang Old Town from Booking.com and We booked a total of four rooms for 4 days and 3 nights, with a total cost of about S$930. The rooms do not come with a meal option, but they do provide toiletries! All communication are done via Wechat, so remember to download before going.
Our Room – Family Double Room
This room is at 2nd floor, it comes with 1 double bed and 1 sofa bed. The sofa bed was just nice for my two younger ones (age 6 and 5) to sleep together. There’s also a small table, and even though the room isn’t very big, it was still spacious enough for us to open up one large luggage. Beside the bed, there’s also a sofa, so we used it to put our bags and clothes for the next day.
Double Room With Toilet
This is the room where my girls’ slept in – 1 double bed. Their room is at level 1 which is just below us.
Overall the rooms is okay. The hosts are a friendly and helpful couple who truly try their best to ensure we are comfortable. Especially when I requested extra towels, pillows, or toiletries, they were very accommodating. The beds are comfortable, and the rooms come with a heater. The only issue is that the room is a little small, and the water heater temperature is somewhat inconsistent. Otherwise, the location which is right inside Old Town Lijiang and the hospitality of the hosts make the stay very comfortable.