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In July 2021, I spent half a month visiting Kunming, Dali, Lijiang, Shangri-La and Xishuangbanna in Yunnan with my parents.

The overall pace of the trip was very comfortable, and I had visited all the representative attractions. After half a month of preparation, I booked all day trips and hotel tickets online, and there were almost no pitfalls on this trip.

Affected by yq, even during the summer vacation tourist season, there are fewer people at various attractions, and the experience is very good. The price of the inn and the meal in the ancient city are all very cost-effective. The entire itinerary (transportation, accommodation, tourism products, chartered cars and taxis, and buying specialty fruits and all inclusive) is about 7800 yuan per person.

Travel is semi-free. If you need it, you will sign up for a small shopping group, and you will also find a chartered car during this period. The itinerary was not stressful and casual, but I experienced almost everything worth seeing and doing.

Yunnan has beautiful scenery and beauty, and I will definitely go again in the future.

(The Xishuangbanna Passenger Railway has not yet been opened to traffic in July 2021, so all trips to and from Xishuangbanna are by plane. At present, the railway has been opened to traffic, making it more economical and convenient to travel to Xishuangbanna)

Day 1: Tianjin-Kunming

There were no direct flights to Kunming from my hometown, so I arrived in Tianjin early. Departing from Tianjin in the morning and arriving at Kunming Airport is 1:30 p.m. Then he took a taxi to the hotel he had booked in the city, which was around three o'clock in the afternoon.

(Many hotels and inns in Yunnan have triple rooms, which is convenient for family travelers. The hotel I booked in Kunming is a triple room and has two bedrooms. It has independent space and can take care of each other with my family. The price is also very good.)

Near evening, I took a taxi to Dianchi Lake. You can feed pigeons here and take photos in the sky mirror (charge 10 yuan/person). Yunnan has too many beautiful scenery, but Dianchi Lake is somewhat inferior in comparison.

Day 2: Shilin-Jiuxiang

The next day, I signed up for a one-day trip and signed it up online in advance. Stone Forest is very famous and a must-visit attraction. But if I only play Shilin, the return time will be earlier, so I chose Shilin + Jiuxiang. Facts have proved to be very worthwhile. The underground river in Jiuxiang is very shocking (the photos cannot be taken). The river water is majestic and I feel very small. The karst cave is also worth a visit. It is completely different in style from the Yinzi Rock I saw in Guilin before. The karst cave here is very large. The Lion Hall is more than 10,000 square meters and the top is a complete plate. You can also play in Jiuxiang. A short rafting is a narrow waterway between canyons. With a master sailing boat, you can concentrate on enjoying the beautiful scenery and taking photos. Return to the city around 6:00 p.m.

For Qiaoxiang Garden Crossing the Bridge Rice Noodles at night, it is recommended to order the cheapest and classic one. It tastes good!

(Every time I travel with my parents, I like to sign up for local one-day tours for pure fun and no shopping, as well as two-day tours for a slightly longer journey. It is worry-free and cost-effective, but you must carefully read the reviews and choose tourism products, and don't try to get cheap shopping groups.)

Day 3: Kunming-Dali Xizhou Ancient Town

After breakfast, take the high-speed train to Dali.

After you come out of the train station, you can see the tourist direct train stop. You can sit directly to the ancient city of Dali, which is very convenient. Tourism transportation in the whole of Dali is very good. There are tourist direct trains between Dali city stations, Dali attractions, and even Lijiang. The online "Dali Tourism Service" can check the direct train time and buy tickets. However, in the ancient city of Dali, you need to watch the bus stop (there is more than one) and reserve time in advance to avoid making mistakes.

It is about 10 minutes 'walk from the getting off point in Dali Ancient City to the inn booked in advance, located at the south gate of the ancient city. Accommodation is recommended to live in the South Gate, which is very convenient for eating, transportation and playing. After a short rest, I took an online taxi to Xizhou Ancient Town in the afternoon.

I have been to many ancient towns, large and small, in China. What is unique and worth seeing in Xizhou is the wheat fields. It is green and open. My mother likes it here very much. There is a path in the middle of the wheat field that you can walk in. Standing in the field and taking photos is very interesting. The play time is about two hours.

When you return to the ancient city, you will also call an online taxi. Stroll around the ancient city, then have dinner outside the south gate, and return to the inn to rest.

Day 4: Cangshan-Shuanglang Ancient Town

I got up early in the morning and took a taxi to the morning market in North Gate to buy breakfast and blueberries. The blueberries here are very cheap, fresh and delicious, and are picked and sold by nearby villagers. The morning market is basically full of local people, selling vegetables, fruits and flowers. The early morning air in the ancient city is fresh, so you can come and take a walk and experience it when you have time.

After breakfast, visit Cangshan Scenic Area. Transportation is by taking the above-mentioned through train. There are cableway tickets for Cangshan sold online, which include round-trip travel direct tickets. There will be a stop halfway through the through train, where you can voluntarily rent down jackets (it was 30 yuan each at that time, much cheaper than the top of the mountain. The outside of the down jacket is waterproof, similar to a raincoat) and oxygen cylinders, completely voluntary. It is recommended to rent clothes here because the weather on the mountain and at the foot of the mountain is different. On the day I traveled, the weather at the foot of the mountain was very sunny, but there was always a strong fog on the top of the mountain, and there was a heavy rain, which was extremely cold. (It was also because of the fog that I saw almost nothing on the mountain. This is a pity for this trip.) Or you can wear thick clothes/assault jackets to the top of the mountain to check the weather and rent clothes, but you must wear comfortable shoes. There are many steps to climb on Cangshan.

There are a total of three cableways to go to Cangshan. The longest and best scenery is the Ximatan cableway, which can reach the top of Cangshan Mountain. Of course, the price is also the most expensive. If my physical condition permits, I choose this one. However, this cableway will be closed when the wind is strong on the mountain. When it is closed, it can only go down and not up the mountain. Therefore, you must watch the weather before booking online before traveling.

Although Ximatan is not visible in the fog on the mountain, when the cable car walks below the clouds, you can see the panoramic view of the ancient city of Dali and the Erhai Lake, which is very beautiful!

I took a taxi to the inn in Shuanglang Ancient Town at around 3 o'clock in the afternoon. It was a room with a sea view booked in advance. The room's location was very good. It had a large balcony with floor-to-ceiling windows. There was a spacious balcony outside. You could enjoy the lake view on the deck chairs on the balcony. The view was wide. Under the balcony is the Erhai Lake. My parents liked this room very much. They were a little tired after a few days of travel and just happened to rest in this comfortable environment. Enjoy the slow hours of your journey.

There are many such inns in Shuanglang. I recommend staying in Shuanglang if you want to experience the Erhai Lake.

Day 5: Tour of Erhai Lake (chartered car)-Lijiang

Because I have already visited Xizhou and Dali, today's trip to Erhai starts from Shuanglang Ancient Town, takes the Haidong Line, and ends at Dali Railway Station.

Since this trip was a trip with my parents, I didn't choose to charter a car and drive myself, nor did I consider riding (I probably wouldn't consider riding or electric vehicle sightseeing when I go there in the future. Yunnan's ultraviolet rays are very strong and it's easy to get sunburned. Be sure to protect yourself when traveling in Yunnan). The chartering master also contacted the Internet in advance. The price was 450 a day, and the departure time and route were negotiated one day in advance. The chartering master is not only responsible for driving, but also a part-time photographer on this trip. Although he does not reach the professional level, he is still higher than most ordinary people, and all the photos he takes are also sent to us. Moreover, the master is a local and knows every photo and check-in attraction here. This was a day I thought the trip was very worthwhile. The trip was very slow and stopped. The main purpose was to help my family take some beautiful photos as souvenirs.

We set off at 10:30 in the morning and arrived at Dali Railway Station after 5:00 in the evening. My parents took the high-speed train to Lijiang, but I temporarily took the high-speed train back to Kunming for something.

Day 6: Lugu Lake

I also booked the inn in Lijiang in advance, negotiated with the boss, and asked him to arrange a car to go to Lijiang Railway Station to pick up my parents to the inn. The inn is located near Zhongyi Market, making it easy to enter and exit the ancient city. It is also easy to explain to the tour guide where to pick up people by taking up local day trips. Moreover, there is a night market at Zhongyi Market at night with a lot of food. We come here almost every night in Lijiang. There are also many fruit shops that sell fresh and cheap fruits.

I didn't go to Lugu Lake, I didn't have personal experience of the attractions, and there are no pictures here. My parents went on a one-day tour group that I had booked online in advance. There were not many people in the group and it was said that the scenery was also very good.

Day 7: Ancient City of Lijiang

There are no travel plans arranged on this day. I just stroll around the ancient city of Lijiang and walk around casually. When I am tired, I go back to the inn to rest. When I am hungry, I find a restaurant with a good environment and try local specialties. Lijiang's life is very comfortable.

Days 8-9: Two-day Shangri-La Tour

The first stop is Tiger Leaping Gorge.

I have been to Hukou Waterfall before, but when I came to Tiger Leaping Gorge, I felt that it was even more shocking and had a different style. Here, you need to climb many steps to reach the Tiger Leaping Gorge Observation Deck. If you don't want to climb, you can buy a ticket and take the elevator at your own expense.

The second stop is Pudacuo National Forest Park.

National Forest Park, you see forests and lakes. You can travel by boat or on foot. Most people choose to walk, but there should be different scenery by boat. You can see little squirrels next to the boardwalk. They are very cute.

The third stop is the evening toast banquet, which is actually a small hot pot. There is enough meat here, but there are not many types of vegetables, only potatoes and cabbage. After all, the plateau area. Some people may not be used to eating, but the main reason is to experience the local customs and the lively atmosphere.

Bonfire parties will be held outdoors when the weather is good. It rained on the day we came and there were only indoor activities.

Shangri-La stayed in a loft suite, a courtyard-style hotel with Tibetan characteristics, and I was very impressed. I was very comfortable and satisfied with the stay.

You can bring your own anti-altitude drugs in advance when you go to Shangri-La. You usually drink them before going to bed at night. After all, Shangri-La is a plateau.

There are no major attractions on the second day of the two-day tour. In the morning, we go for horse riding and pay for our own expenses. Almost all tour groups on the Internet will have this. It is best not to bring a bag on a horse; try not to wear a skirt, as the horse will be scared; if you are afraid, someone will lead you. The horses in Yunnan are ponies, which are different from those riding in Inner Mongolia before. Go to the tour guide's home for lunch and you can eat butter tea, highland barley, yak dried meat, etc. The taste is really good. You can buy saffron, notoginseng and other medicinal materials here without forced consumption. Return to Lijiang in the afternoon.

Compared with Lijiang, Dali, I personally feel that Shangri-La is slightly less playable. If the travel time is limited, you can arrange to experience it later. There is enough time to arrange it. After all, Shangri-La is also very famous, so there will be no regrets to take a look.

Day 10: Jade Dragon Snow Mountain-Blue Moon Valley-Impression of Lijiang

I signed up for a five-person group on the Yulong Snow Mountain online, and I can choose to leave early or late. We set off early and were the first to take the cableway up the mountain. There were not many people on the mountain, but we couldn't see snow in late July, only glaciers.

Yulong Snow Mountain requires many steps to climb. Walk slowly and take more oxygen. We were very lucky. The weather was good when we went up the mountain and we saw the glacier. When we went down the mountain, tourists who had set off late came up the mountain. However, it was foggy on the mountain and the visibility was very low, making it difficult to see the glacier. The weather on the top of the mountain is unpredictable. Traveling to Yunnan requires some luck. Yulong Snow Mountain is also my favorite attraction with my father and I.

After taking the cableway down the snowy mountain, following the crowd, we took a bus to the Blue Moon Valley. I visited Jiuzhaigou with my parents a few years ago. Lanyue Valley is a bit similar to Jiuzhaigou. The water is blue-green.

The performances here in Lijiang include "Impression of Lijiang" and "Eternal Love in Lijiang". I used to watch such local performances every time I traveled, but I was not deeply impressed in the end. After doing some homework online, I chose "Impression of Lijiang" this time.

"Impression of Lijiang" is the only open-air live performance held during the day. When the weather is clear, you can see the Jade Dragon Snow Mountain behind the stage, forming a natural background. Those participating in the performance were not professional actors, but were all villagers from nearby villages and came from all ethnic groups, so the feeling presented was very original. There are no lights or dance beauty, only blue skies and snowy mountains. Only the people living in this land tell the history, life and stories here in their oldest, traditional and simple forms. I enjoyed this performance very much and the personal impact on me was very big.

It rained heavily in the second half of the performance that day, but the actors were very dedicated, dressed in traditional costumes (it should be very heavy when wet), and performed seriously until the end. It is recommended that all people who go to the show take a free raincoat when entering the venue. The weather in Yunnan is unpredictable. It is not allowed to hold umbrellas when it rains during the show. The raincoat can avoid getting wet and avoid leaving halfway.

Day 11: Lijiang-Xishuangbanna

I rest in the morning, take a taxi to the airport after lunch, and fly to Xishuangbanna.

When staying at the inn, it is located in Gaozhuang West Shuangjing, very close to the Xingguang Night Market, just a few minutes 'walk. The environment is also good and relatively quiet.

(Xishuangbanna has a tropical climate, with many vegetation and insects. I also saw many geckos in Xishuangbanna. As a northerner, I have never seen them before, but I am a little scared.)

Day 12: Manting Park

In Dali and Lijiang in July, long-sleeved jackets and trousers are worn in the morning and evening, but when you arrive in Xishuangbanna, it is a typical tropical climate, and northerners have difficulty adapting to it. The weather was very sultry, so I took a taxi to Manting Park. After walking in Manting Park for a while, I had to stop and rest for a while. Manting Park has strong ethnic characteristics and was once the imperial garden of Dai kings.

Manting Park is also a representative attraction in the urban area. Buildings, plants, temples, and even elephant performances can all be seen here. After entering from the gate of Manting Park, there is a small door that leads to the General Buddhist Temple. After visiting, you can return to Manting Park to continue playing with your previous ticket. The online ride-hailing driver who picked us up said that if he didn't have beliefs and just wanted to experience it, he wouldn't have to go to the Buddhist Temple if he had been to the General Buddha Temple.

The Xingguang Night Market is very lively, with food, toys, souvenirs, etc. There are also many people who sell Dai clothes, so pay attention to bargaining. When you come to the night market, it is recommended to focus on experience and not simply listen to roadside tourism photos. If you want to take pictures, you can do your homework online in advance, choose reliable stores and photographers, or look at their clothing and guest films in various stores (you can see everywhere on the roadside), compare and choose before taking pictures.

Shunda Pagoda is also located here at the night market. Every night in Banna, I come here to shop and take a walk. It is very comfortable.

Day 13: Wild Elephant Valley, Xishuangbanna Primeval Forest Park

On this day, I signed up for a one-day pure play group, and most of the people traveling with me were parents and children. Elephants, lizards, and butterflies can be seen on admission. There was a small incident here. After I came out of the Butterfly Museum, a butterfly leaned on my hat and flew away more than half an hour later. It was also a small surprise during the trip. To see wild elephants walking on the plank road, you can also take a cable car. No one in the whole group took the cable car. It felt very comfortable to walk in the woods. Just turn back at any time when you are tired. There is a family in the group who takes children to herd elephants in the rainforest. They can take elephant mothers and baby elephants for a close walk in the rainforest. Those who are interested can also learn about this project.

We were unlucky not to see the wild elephants, but only watched the wild elephant performance in the scenic area. The weather was hot and there was no appetite, so I didn't choose to have group meals for lunch. I voluntarily ordered meals while watching the performance. The price was not expensive and the taste was good.

Xishuangbanna looks at elephants and peacocks. Flying peacocks is a signature event in the primeval forest park here. It's the first time I've seen so many peacocks in my life, and it's also the first time I've seen peacocks fly. There are also small water-splashing activities in the forest park. We didn't participate. We just stood by and looked, but we still felt happy and enthusiastic.

After the group broke up, I and my mother went to the travel photography studio that had been selected online in advance. In fact, the photo taking positions and postures were all streamlined and ended quickly. However, the results were good in the end. All the negatives were sent to be refined and kept as souvenirs.

Day 14: Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences

I am not very interested in plants, but since I am here, I always have to visit the Tropical Botanical Garden.

The environment in the Botanical Garden is very good, with all kinds of novel tree species, but now the one who is most impressed by Wang Lian is the only one who can bear the weight of a person, and children or lighter women can sit on it and take photos. There are also many children in the group on this day. It is said that they can also take children to visit the Botanical Garden at night, which is a different experience.

Day 15: Return journey, Xishuangbanna-Beijing

Fly back to Beijing at noon.