Yunnan · China
Where to stay in Lijiang
Lijiang is a city in Yunnan, China, home to about 1,254,000 people.
- Best months
- April, May and October
- Nearest airport
- LJG23 km · Lijiang Sanyi International Airport
- Currency
- CNYrenminbi
- Time zone
- Asia/Shanghai
- Language
- Chinese, Putonghua, Standard Chinese
About
About Lijiang
Lijiang (Chinese: 丽江), formerly romanized as Likiang, is a prefecture-level city in the northwest of Yunnan Province, China. It has an area of 21,219 square kilometres (8,193 sq mi) and had a population of 1,253,878 at the 2020 census whom 288,787 lived in the built-up area (metro) made of Gucheng District.
Lijiang is the main center of the Naxi or Nakhi people, though it is by no means a Naxi-only town: at least half a dozen other ethnic groups are represented. The Naxi number under a million and are perhaps best known for their embroidery; they also have their own language with its own hieroglyphic-style writing system, and their own religion, clothing, art, architecture, music and dance. The Chinese government classifies the Mosuo (found mainly further north around Lugu Lake) as part of the Naxi group, but neither the Naxi nor the Mosuo accept this.
Wikipedia and Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
Things to do
What to see and do in Lijiang
See
- Old Town of Lijiang
- Mu Palace
- Black Dragon Pool
- Dongba Cultural Museum
- Shuhe Old Town
- Old Tea Horse Road Museum
- Jade Dragon Snow Mountain
- Dongba Valley
- Baisha Ancient Town
- Baisha Murals
- Baisha Naxi Embroidery Institute
- Lashihai Lake Wetland Park
Do
- Naxi Concert Hall
- Float styrofoam boats
- Biking
- Walk the canal path
- Visit Naxi villages
- Impression Lijiang
- Dry Sea Meadow
- Cloud Fir Meadow
- Yak Meadow
- Go hiking to local Naxi villages
Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
Where to stay
Which part of Lijiang to stay in
Lijiang has plenty of hotels to fit all budgets and styles. It is sometimes difficult to find specific addresses in the old town; the best option, especially in low season, is to walk around town and check out prices and rooms to see which suits you best, as there are many different options to choose from. In the winter, ensure that there is a heated mattress pad or heating in the room as the nights are quite chilly. There are hundreds of beautiful and clean Chinese hotels not listed below. To find them it's best to ask around, or stand in the train station bus drop-off stop (East of the water-wheels central square) with a big backpack and look lost.
Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
Where to stay
Hotels in Lijiang
20 hotels within 25 km of the centre, as recorded in Wikidata. Each name links to its encyclopedia article where there is one.
| Hotel | Opened | From centre |
|---|---|---|
| Baima Light Luxury Hostel | 1.8 km | |
| Banyan Tree Lijiang | 5.6 km | |
| Hampton by Hilton Lijiang Old Town | 0.9 km | |
| Heshu Hotel | 3.4 km | |
| Hotel Indigo Lijiang Ancient Town | 2.6 km | |
| Huayu'an Guesthouse (Lijiang Yishu) | 5.4 km | |
| InterContinental Lijiang Ancient Town Resort | 2.6 km | |
| Jinmao Hotel Lijiang, the Unbound Collection by Hyatt The Unbound Collection by Hyatt | 4.3 km | |
| Lijiang Family and Hostel Inn | 5.2 km | |
| Lijiang Muxi Inn | 5.2 km | |
| Lijiang Old Town Anyi Inn | 2.6 km | |
| Lux* Lijiang | 2.4 km | |
| Manty House (Lijiang) | 1.7 km | |
| Mingyuan Resort Hotel | 4.8 km | |
| Pullman Lijiang Resort & Spa | 4.2 km | |
| Share Year Hotel | 2.0 km | |
| Shiliushang Inn | 2.2 km | |
| Wutong Inn | 2.8 km | |
| Xinsu Snow Mountain Qingcheng Panoramic Holiday Club | 1.8 km | |
| Zhuyu Garden Courtyard Hotel | 3.0 km |
When to go
The best time to visit Lijiang
The most comfortable months for a city stay in Lijiang are April, May and October. June is the warmest month, with average highs of 23 °C; July is the wettest, with about 224 mm of rain.
Comfortable means average daytime high between 18 °C and 29 °C and under 80 mm of rain in the month. Averages for 1991–2020 over the surrounding area, a grid square about 50 km across, so a coast or a nearby mountain can make the town itself warmer or cooler. Data: CRU TS v4.10, Climatic Research Unit, University of East Anglia (Open Database License).
Getting there
Getting to Lijiang: airports and arrival
The nearest airport with scheduled flights is Lijiang Sanyi International Airport (LJG), about 23 km from the city centre in a straight line; Ninglang Luguhu Airport (NLH, 91 km) and Diqing Shangri-La Airport (DIG, 115 km) are also within reach.
Getting in
Most guest houses in the traditional architectural style are in the old town. As taxis are not allowed to enter the old town, they have to stop at the gates. So either be prepared to carry your luggage a bit or call the hotel to send someone to carry your luggage on a cart.
Getting around
Walking is the only option in the old town, while taxis are often the easiest way around the rest of town, meter starts from ¥9 (as of Mar 2019). Make sure you have the exact location info or address for the cab driver. Some of them do not know a whole lot more than you do. Fracture alert: watch where you are walking. It is easy to trip on the cobblestones or fall into the canals from the walkways or bridges, many of which do not have handrails. The cobblestones can be very slippery when wet.
Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
LJG · Lijiang Sanyi International Airport
NLH · Ninglang Luguhu Airport
DIG · Diqing Shangri-La Airport
Local knowledge
Eating, drinking and staying safe in Lijiang
Eat
There are three primary types of restaurants in Lijiang: Naxi, Tibetan, and Sichuan. Some restaurants offer more than one type of food. Much Western food is also available, but more expensive. A bowl of noodle costs from ¥12-15 (slightly more pricier than Dali) (as of Jul 2019).
Drink
There are a couple of local drinks worthy of special mention. Lijiang Yinjiu and Sulima (both commonly available in Lijiang) are modern renditions of ancient beer types of the Naxi and Mosuo people and far more enjoyable than the typical bland Chinese lager. Yunnan is famous for tea, as well (though Pu'er, Yunnan's best-known tea town, is way down south on the road to Xishuangbanna) and every fourth shop is a tea shop specializing in the length and breadth of Chinese tea, the likes of which you will not find in your average Western Chinatown. See Chinese cuisine for details. Unlike the rest of China, Lijiang's cafés and restaurants shut down around 11PM.
Stay safe
The smaller streets in the old town are reported not to be safe at night. Do not walk alone. As the city lies at the foot of the Himalayas, you may be susceptible to altitude sickness, especially if you go visit the 4,000 m-high mountains in the area.
Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
Questions
Lijiang: questions travellers ask
When is the best time to visit Lijiang?
The most comfortable months for a city stay in Lijiang are April, May and October. June is the warmest month, with average highs of 23 °C; July is the wettest, with about 224 mm of rain.
Which airport is closest to Lijiang?
The nearest airport with scheduled flights is Lijiang Sanyi International Airport (LJG), about 23 km from the city centre in a straight line; Ninglang Luguhu Airport (NLH, 91 km) and Diqing Shangri-La Airport (DIG, 115 km) are also within reach.
What currency is used in Lijiang?
renminbi (CNY).
Nearby
Destinations near Lijiang
Sources: city facts from Wikidata and Wikipedia; airports from OurAirports; climate from CRU TS v4.10 (University of East Anglia Climatic Research Unit), 1991–2020 monthly means, 0.5° grid; places to stay, guest scores and amenities from each operator's own public pages. How this guide is made.