Lijiang Ancient City

🚕 Getting There -  45 minutes from the airport and 15 minutes from the railway station by car, the ancient town tourist area has multiple entrances to make access convenient. Due to COV-19 measures, visitors have to scan their 身份证 at the gate -- foreigners on the other hand will have to register in addition to showing their travel code. The amount of hassle they give you depends on who is working the gate that day. 🎡 Attractions - There's no shortage of things to do, eat and see -- in fact, the Town feels much more vibrant than typical tourist experiences elsewhere in China. Every alleyway is a gorgeous view, there's a good and diverse array of restaurants and coffee shops, and some great Yunnan-specific souvenirs in addition to obligatory Peppa Pig tchotchkes. 🏨 Hotels - You'd do well to stay in Ancient Town itself. Why stay at a Hilton or other chain when there are dozens of gorgeous converted traditional wooden courtyard homes competing for your patronage? These Inns are cozy, intimate and the Innkeepers pull out a ton of stops to stay relevant. We stayed at the Anyin Private Courtyard Inn and loved its close proximity to the entrance gate as well as the beautiful exteriors of the hotel itself (the resident Alaskan malamute was a big plus too!) 🍜 Food & Restaurants - You've got your pick of tons of Yunnan and Naxi snacks, and a good variety of coffee shops, plus the usual Chinese fare. If you're real desperate for Western food, there's even a McDonalds and Starbucks - the only ones for miles. 🛍 Shopping - Yunnan poncho? Yak's milk candy? Embroidered slippers? Leather goods? 300 year old bells? A Pikachu ukulele? Lijiang's got it all. I was actually impressed that the shopping was more region-specific and higher quality than the likes of some other tourist traps and the prices are fair, too. There's also several pharmacies and convenience stores, which meant we could stock up on sunblock and beers within a few steps of our hotel. #travelguide#summervacationtravel#historicculture#summervacation#urbanexplorer