Lijiang, one of beautiful cities in Yunnan. It's located in the upper reaches of the Yangzte River, is a spectacular land of blue sky, white clouds, beautiful scenery and a fascinating cultural patchwork of ethnic minority groups. Here are 8 reasons why you should visit Lijiang. 

#1 Lijiang Old Town

Let’s get the obvious one out of the way first. Lijiang Old Town is a tourist’s ideal, a picture postcard combination of cobbled streets, traditional wooden buildings and sleepy canals fed fresh water from Yuquan Spring at Black Dragon Lake.

#2 Black Dragon Lake

A jewel set beneath Elephant Hill, Black Dragon Lake is the heart of Lijiang. One of the most beautiful scenic spots in Lijiang. The extensive lake covers more 430000 square feets and is home to a number of ancient buildings including a five-arch bridge and an adjacent pagoda.

#3 Mu’s Palace

Palace was the centre of politics, power and wealth in the Naxi kingdom. Covering some eight acres, the palace and its courtyards bear a strong resemblance to Beijing’s Forbidden City, albeit in miniature. Home to many wonderful buildings which contain sutras, paintings and famous calligraphy works. 

#4 Shuhe

If you’re searching for a more authentic, less touristy version of Lijiang Old Town, head to Shuhe. Located within forests 4km northwest of Lijiang, the town is nestled against the beautiful backdrop of Jade Dragon Snow Mountain.

#5 Jade Dragon Snow Mountain

Jade Dragon Snow Mountain is the most southerly snowcapped mountain in the Northern Hemisphere. It is famous for its variant and beautiful natural scenes, and is considered a sacred mountain among the local Naxi ethnic people. It is also a popular hiking destination.

#6 Dongba Valley

Dongba Valley is a cultural theme park located at the Yulong Snow Mountain. This area has beautiful scenery and features five courtyards which respectively display the characteristics of Naxi, Lisu, Pumi, Yi, Naxi and Mosuo ethnic minority people. This is a good place to discover the unique customs of some of Yunnan’s ethnic

#7 Lugu Lake

Lugu is nestled in the roots of the Himalayas than span the borders of Yunnan and Sichuan provinces. It’s a fair trek from Lijiang, though, some 200km away and 2690m above sea level. Flowers bloom around the glittering lake with its forested slopes, beaches and islands all set against a backdrop of the Mountains.

#8 Impression Lijiang Show

This outdoor show is another production by Zhang Yimou who had directed Impression of Liu Sanjie in Guilin. Combining 500 actors, 100 horses, a 360-degree open-air theatre stage at 10, 170 feet above sea level with Jade Dragon Snow Mountain in the back, the only word that comes to describe the music, choreography and magnificent outdoor setting is "incomparable". All the actors of the Impression Lijiang Show are not professional actors. They are from 10 different ethnic groups. They are all local farmers from the 16 nearby villages. They bring people a spiritual shock with their pristine voice, hot sweater and the authentic dances with the heaven and earth. The Impression Lijiang Show is played at Blue Moon Valley Theater, Ganhaizi of Jade Dragon Snow Mountain, Yulong County, Lijiang. 

#9 Direct flight from Kuala Lumpur

Lucky Air fly direct to Lijiang from Kuala Lumpur with return ticket as low as MYR 677 all inclusive taxes and fuel surcharge, nett price.