what to eat

Jidou liangfen is a traditional dish in the Yunnan cuisine of China, made from chickpeas. It is gelatinous in texture and greenish-gray in color, and served in blocks, either cold, fried, or boiled. The dish is particularly popular among the Naxi people, in the region of Lijiang.

The Lijiang Baba is one of the local special snacks. It can be classified into two categories of sweet and salty, catering to different tastes. The strongly aromatized pastry features a golden color and a crispy flavor. It is the most popular food in Lijiang.

what to buy

Burned wood carvings - One of the popular local specialties. Quality varies greatly by the individual artist, and prices vary by shops. Some shops do custom etchings of your face (near photo-realism) with Lijiang in the background. Expect to have your picture taken, then come back in a few hours.

Naxi bracelets and necklaces carved with ancient Dongba hieroglyphs seem popular with tourists. Individually designed T-shirts can be created as locals have the capacity to paint on the Dongba hieroglyphics required. Knitted shawls of the Naxi Group have been popular with female travelers for quite some time. All of these things can be easily found in Quick Guide Old Town at a reasonable price.

Other popular souvenirs include the Bunong and Jixiang Bells and Naxi murals. Bunong Bells draw their inspiration from the bells of the horse caravans that once traveled the Tea-horse Ancient Road. Local handcrafts show the romantic horse caravan culture from years ago. The Jixiang Bell, known as the lucky bell, was a sacrificial utensil of the Naxi Group. The Naxi Mural is praised as the gem of Naxi culture reflecting the kind and intelligent aspect of Naxi people. A piece of Naxi mural, with its elaborate pictures and use of pastel colors provides a wonderful decorationt to family and friends

what to see in the evening

Naxi Concert Hall. 8PM-10PM. Enjoy the traditional Naxi music Culture Show performed by the Naxi Orchestra, which includes some 70-90 year old men. The music itself is a combination of traditional Chinese music dating back to the Tang dynasty and local instruments and flavours. The music is well performed, however be prepared for long explanations of its musical history in Mandarin between each piece and the sometimes self-serving comments of Xuan Ke the Director. While the Naxi Ancient Music group of Lijiang is famous and well promoted, there are other excellent classical Chinese music groups playing in Lijiang's parks (for ￥10) or at weddings or house-warmings all over Yunnan. ￥ 120-160.

Impression Lijiang. A cultural show demonstrating the traditions and lifestyles of the Naxi, Yi and Bai peoples of the area. The show takes place inside Jade Dragon Snow Mountain Park at 3500m in an outdoor theater specifically designed to showcase the mountain which is used as a backdrop. The production itself was designed by Zhang Yimou (director of Hero, House of Flying Daggers), Fan Yue and Wang Chaoge, a cast of over 500 people, and a number of horses. However, the show does not have a plot and is directed towards tourists. Tickets cost 190 yuan and can be bought from the ticket booth in the Old Town (make a right at the water wheels and walk down the main street, the booth will be on your left). The ticket price does not include transportation to and from the theater (approx 1 hour drive) or the entrance fee for the park (80 yuan). There is also an Old Town Preservation fee that the park tries to charge as well, however, this can be avoided by claiming to have already paid at you hotel (and showing your hotel key). Bus 7 will take you to the theater for ￥10 and can be caught across from the Mao Zedong statue, but be sure to find out what time the last bus leaves the park.  edit

weather

High elevation, uneven land from south to north and complex mountains of this region gives Lijiang multifarious climates. It has three different climatic zones, ranging from subtropical in the southeast, to warm temperatures in the center, and cold temperatures in the northwest. In addition, the characteristics of vertical climate in some highlands can also be seen in Lijiang. For example, Jade Dragon Mountain with its higher altitude, has five different climatic zones, from warm temperate to alpine.

Lijiang has a clear annual distinction between the wet and dry seasons. The wet season spans May to October, with plenty of rainfall. From November to April belongs to the dry season. Additionally, because of its high average elevation, Lijiang has abundant sunshine all year round, favored with fresh air and charming natural scenery. Of course, don't forget to protect yourself from the strong radiation from the sun.

Without too much change from spring to winter, the weather of Lijiang allows visitors to get there at any time. However, considering the fairly wide variation in day-and-night temperature in spring and winter, summer and autumn are the most favorable seasons for coming here. Except for summer, when T-shirts and trousers are enough, it's advisable to take some warm clothes in the other three seasons