Tips & Stories

Yunnan in September is a lovely season for holiday and touring. Lijiang is one of the most popular destinations in this season.

From September until the end of October, the rainy season will be gone and the air is getting cool and fresh in Lijiang, which makes a perfect time of visiting.

Things to prepare before travelling to Lijiang

The average temperature during September in Lijiang is from 12 degrees up to 21 degrees. However, it is still important to use sun protection even it is not hot in September. Because the ultraviolet ray is quite intensive on the Yunnan-Guizhou Plateau, it is always necessary to protect your skin from sunburn.

Though the rainy season is going to end in September, it is still important to prepare some gear such as an umbrella, raincoat, rain boots and other clothes that can keep you warm when it is raining. Due to the special geographical condition of Lijiang, it often gets chilly when raining. Long-sleeve shirts and trousers are suitable wearings for this season.

Aside from the above, if you used to living in flatlands and had no experience with living in high altitude areas, it would be better to get ready for the Altitude Sickness/High altitude reaction as well. The average altitude of Lijiang is about 2400 meters. The highest peak of Lijiang is the Jade Dragon snow-capped mountain, 5596 meters. When you arrive in Lijiang, please pay close attention to your cardiopulmonary system and your breath. If you’re having short breath, headache, dizziness, nausea or any other abnormal feelings, you should take a break and go to see a doctor when necessary.

What to see in Lijiang

Two ancient towns of Lijiang

There are two ancient towns in Lijiang for you to enjoy the chilling time, Dayan ancient town and Shuhe ancient town. Wandering on the old streets, breathing the fresh air and accompanied by beautiful minority group’s melodies, all of your tension will be eased and you will have a proper stretch both physically and mentally.

Dayan ancient town is the connecting spot, a very important joint station on the Ancient Tea and Horse Road, which connects with Tibet and Nepal. So when visiting Dayan town, you will experience a mixture of diverse cultures from the Han group, Naxi group, Tibet group, and foreign cultural content from South-eastern Asian countries.

Lashihai Lake

Lashihai Lake is also an important station on the Ancient Tea and Horse Road. It is a beautiful lake that embeds mountains and hills. Naxi group call it “Lashi”, meaning it is a fertile wetland.

You can totally chill out at the lake. Riding a horse on the ancient road, taking a walk along the lakeshore, boating, fishing and bathing in the warm sunshine will relax you down.

When touring Lashihai Lake, you must try the locally raised chicken. A chicken hotpot here is the best comfort food you would have.

Blue Moon Valley

Blue Moon Valley is embedded at the foot of the Jade Dragon Snow-capped Mountain. If you have bad altitude sickness or you cannot hiking on the mountain for other reasons, you may have a compromise and spend some relaxing time in this valley.

You can appreciate the pretty view of the mountain and also the amazing view of the lake districts. There are four major lakes in the Blue Moon Valley, Yuye Lake, Jingtan Lake, Lanyue Lake and Tingtao Lake. All of these lakes are with poetic scenery and far away from the hustle and bustle of the urban area.

Jade Dragon Snow-capped Mountain

As one of the most famous spots of Lijiang, Jade Dragon Snow-capped Mountain is the holy mountain for local Naxi people. There is snow covering the top of the mountain throughout the whole year round but from November till the next March, you will see the most breathtaking view of the mountain.

When visiting the mountain, you can take the cable to get to the top if you don’t have enough time or energy to walk up there.

Tiger Leaping Gorge

The best way to appreciate the magnificent view of Tiger Leaping Gorge is by hiking along the whole gorge. The Tiger Leaping Gorge is divided into three segments, the Upper Gorge, the Middle Gorge and the Bottom Gorge. The Middle Gorge owns the best view but if you have no hiking experience, it could be dangerous. So it would be better to have a local guide when you try your first hiking here.

People always get amazed when they first see the Tiger Leaping Gorge, the waves and water splashes on the cliff rock, the roaring of the Jinsha River are all impressive scenes that you would find unforgettable.

Local performance to watch

There are two major performances and shows that you may enjoy after touring at different attractions. Impression of Lijiang and Romantic Legend of Lijiang are both famous and fabulous shows to enjoy here.

Both of these two performances are demonstrating how the Naxi group’s daily life looks like, how their history and traditions developed and passed by generations.

What local dishes I should try in Lijiang

Chicken Pea Flour Jelly is one of the most famous street foods you can have in Lijiang. It is also a signature food in the Lijiang Ancient Town. The jelly will be divided into slices first and then mixing with coriander, chilli, garlic, soybean sauce, vinegar, and other species, etc. It tastes fresh on summer days. Some people prefer frying the jelly and have it with spicy sauce.

The Cured sparerib is another signature dish in Lijiang. The best way to have a Lijiang cured spareribs dish is having a hotpot. The fresh and delicious taste of the cured spareribs will be released in the soup when cooked in the hotpot. Cooked with other organic vegetables, this spareribs hotpot will not taste greasy or too thick.

Can I combine learning and touring together in Lijiang?

Of course, you can! Keats School, the best and biggest Chinese language school in China, offers various Chinese language learning programs, including the Chinese Study + Tour program. You can choose to tour on weekends or travel after complete your study. Keats School will help you make a touring plan and booking with transportation as well as accommodations.

Besides, Keats School has also set up many different locations in Yunnan. Most of the Keats locations across China are rich in natural pretty scenery and also wonderful destinations for touring. You can choose to study at different locations when learning with Keats School.

Lijiang, located at the junction of the Yunnan-Guizhou Plateau and the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau in northwestern Yunnan Province, has been a transit point for the southern Silk Road/the Old Tea-Horse Road since ancient times. The old town of Lijiang was built in the Southern Song Dynasty. It is a rare and well-preserved ancient city in China. It not only contains the essence of Naxi culture but also fully retains the historical features formed since Song and Yuan. This city has so many beautiful symbols and was approved to be included in the World Cultural Heritage List by UNESCO. It owns both of the features of a water-bound town and a mountain city. It is praised as “the Gusu on the plateau and the Venice in the East”.