Things to do in Northwest Yúnnán
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Old Market Sq
Old Market Sq is the focual point of Old Town. Once the haunt of Naxi traders, they've long since made way for tacky souvenir stalls. However, the view up the hill and the surrounding lanes are still extraordinary, just be prepared to share the experience with hundreds if not thousands of other people.
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Black Dragon Pool Park
On the northern edge of town is the Black Dragon Pool Park; its view of Yùlóng Xuěshān (Jade Dragon Snow Mountain) is the most obligatory photo shoot in southwestern China. The Dōngbā Research Institute is part of a renovated complex on the hillside here. You can see Naxi cultural artefacts and scrolls featuring a unique pictograph script.
Trails lead up Xiàng Shān (Elephant Hill) to a dilapidated gazebo and then across a spiny ridge past a communications centre and back down the other side, making a nice morning hike, but note the warning on.
The Museum of Naxi Dongba Culture is at the park's northern entrance and is a decent introduction to traditional Naxi lifest…
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Naxi Orchestra
One of the few things you can do in the evening in Lìjiāng is attend performances of this orchestra inside a beautiful building in the old town. Not only are all two dozen or so members Naxi, but they play a type of Taoist temple music (known as dòngjīng) that has been lost elsewhere in China. The pieces they perform are said to be faithful renditions of music from the Han, Song and Tang dynasties, and are played on original instruments. Local historian of note Xuan Ke often speaks for the group at performances.
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N's Kitchen
Clamber up the steep stairs for one of the best breakfasts in town, a monster burger and a cheery welcome. It's a good source of travel info too, as well as having mountain bikes for hire.
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Ganden Sumtseling Gompa
About an hour's walk north of town is this 300-year-old Tibetan monastery complex with around 600 monks. Extensive rebuilding (and a 150% jump in the ticket price in the last two years alone) has robbed the monastery of some of its charm, but it remains the most important in southwest China and is definitely worth the visit. Bus 3 runs here from anywhere along Changzheng Lu (Y1). You can sometimes avoid paying by coming after 5pm.
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Báimǎ Lóngtán
Báimǎ Lóngtán is a famous example of one of the pools that formed part of the web of arterylike canals that once brought the city's drinking water from Yuquan Spring (now called Black Dragon Pool Park). Where there are three pools, these were designated into pools for drinking, washing clothes and washing vegetables. Sadly, the days - not too long ago - when you would see locals washing their veggies in the streams after heading home from the market are a bit unthinkable now.
The town once had several water wheels, though the only one left now is Yulong Bridge Waterwheel, a reconstructed model at the north edge of the old town. The nearby monument celebrates Lìjiāng's…
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Mu Family Mansion
The former home of a Naxi chieftain, the Mu Family Mansion was heavily renovated (more like built from scratch) after the devasting earthquake that struck Lìjiāng in 1996. Mediocre captions do a poor job of introducing the Mu family but many travellers find the beautiful grounds reason enough to visit.
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Sakura Café
This unbelievably raucous place has gone from subdued and relaxed to utterly rè nào (hot and noisy, the way Chinese like it) in half a decade. It is actually one of several other 'Sakura Cafés' also found along this lane; perfectly located to draw in tourists, they absolutely swell with customers at night. You'll hardly hear yourself think at times, but the Korean bimbab set meal is still outrageously good.
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Looking at the Past Pavilion
The Looking at the Past Pavilion was raised for tourists at a cost of over one million yuán. It's famed for a unique design using dozens of four-storey pillars - unfortunately these were culled from northern Yúnnán old-growth forests. A path (with English signs) leads from Old Market Sq. It acts as a sentinel of sorts for the town. Sit on the slope in the early morning and watch the mist clearing as the old town comes to life.
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Artistic Space of the Sacred
Not your run-of-the-mill joint, this place - is it a bar, an inn? - is run by an artist, and it shows, from the lighting to the colour coordination. Best of all are the inspiring views from the tiered outdoor terraces. A Ming has a gallery full of paintings upstairs and will show you if you ask. He's also set up a four-bed dorm with a Buddhist shrine and a private room with one of the most romantic views in the city.
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Lamu's House of Tibet
Lamu has been putting smiles and service before yuán for over a decade and, after a few relocations, she's finally nailed her spot in this casual pine-and-bamboo place on the north side of the old town. The upstairs is great for people-watching. It's a UN menu, but the Tibetan items are all you really need (though the Naxiburger rocks).
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Five Phoenix Hall
Five Phoenix Hall is a striking Ming dynasty, Naxi 20m-high edifice dating from 1601 but only moved to its current location in 1979. Its three roofs with eight eaves each are supposedly in the shape of phoenixes. It's located at the far side of the Black Dragon Pool near an art exhibition building and a pavilion with its own bridge across the water.
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Blue Papaya
One of the places many folks take the time to write about, this is among Lìjiāng's top casual-chic places. The Italian-centric food - heavy on pasta and fish - is excellent with many, many creative flourishes. The restaurant is also home to a 'cultural exchange academy', offering courses on cooking, massage, taichiand more.
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Petit Lìjiāng Bookcafé
Owners Mei and Olivier are great sources of travel information, and the food (a mix of classic Chinese and Western dishes) and atmosphere are fine (head upstairs for the best seats). The bookshop has a small but good collection of English- and French-language titles focusing on Yúnnán and elsewhere in China.
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Tiny Temple
Further south of Shangri-la, just outside of and overlooking the old town from an eyrie, is another tiny temple presided over by two exceedingly friendly monks. Walk south to the end of Changzheng Lu. Bear left, then an immediate right. Paths run up across gardens and along a hill, bypassing a pavilion.
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Museum of Naxi Dongba Culture
The Museum of Naxi Dongba Culture houses displays on Naxi dress and culture, Dōngbā script, Lìjiāng's old town and the dubious claim that the region is the 'real' Shangri-la. It is at the Black Drangon Pool Park's northern entrance, and is worth a visit if you have the time.
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Noah Café
It's been around for a spell now, but Noah's has consistently good food, mostly Western but with some Chinese dishes, and good service, as well as wi-fi for Y4 an hour. Its sister establishment N's Kitchen is equally reliable and has free wi-fi.
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Naku Café
Not many folks seem to wander into this casual eatery run by some very shy but very friendly staff. Local Naxi dishes outshine the foreign items: the Naxi claypot needs salt but is packed with tofu, potato, turnip, carrots, broccoli and cabbage.
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Xiàng Shān
Xiàng Shān is west of Old Town. You can follow one of the many rails that lead straight up to a dilapidated gazebo and then across a spiny ridge past a communications centre and back down the other side, making a nice morning hike.
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Prague Café
Heading off for the Tiger Leaping Gorge trek? You can't go wrong with the Naxi breakfast: fried goat cheese, ham and a potato pancake as big as your head will have you all set. Great staff, crowd and atmosphere.
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Cow Pub
The name itself warrants a poke-around in this place whose design scheme is dedicated to cowpokes, Tibetan or otherwise, or at least a life in Old Tibet. Subdued but welcoming, you'll find it in the old town.
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Mama Fu's
An original Lìjiāng culinary cornerstone from way back, alfresco dining here beside a tranquil stream provides one of the best people-watching opportunities in the old town. The Chinese dishes are very solid, especially the Naxi ones (try the chǎo hǎicài, a local vegetable speciality).
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Dongba Research Institute
The Dongba Research Institute is part of a renovated complex on the hillside north of Old Town. Here you can see Naxi cultural artefacts and scrolls featuring a unique pictograph script.
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Scripture Chamber
Hidden within the old town is the Scripture Chamber , formerly a memorial hall to the Red Army's Long March. Definitely not much to see here but its one room is worth a poke around.
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Well Bistro
Laid-back and friendly, this is an oasis in a busy part of the old town and a great place to relax after a day's walking. Western breakfasts, burgers, pasta and pizza (from Y30), as well as rice and noodle dishes, and great coffee and proper booze. There's a book exchange here too and wi-fi.
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