Our three-person 9-day, 8-night self-guided tour of Yunnan

Number of days：9 days
Time: August
Average cost: 5,000 yuan
With whom：parents and children
Updated: 2022.08.31

Due to the pandemic for several years, I haven't taken my kids on a long summer vacation. My trip to Beijing, originally scheduled for August 2021, was canceled before departure. I started planning before summer vacation in 2022, intending to leave as soon as July began. Unexpectedly, Shenzhen experienced a surge in new cases that same month. Thankfully, we didn't book flights or hotels beforehand, nor did we tell my kids where we were going; I'd be disappointed otherwise. By the beginning of August, when the virus was cleared, the urge to travel was strong again. I discussed the itinerary with my dad over the weekend and decided to make it a priority. After looking through several travel guides and revising them several times, I finally decided, considering my time availability and transportation availability, to focus on Dali and Lijiang. I checked the itinerary, booked accommodation, and set off.

August 13th, all the way by high-speed rail! Shenzhen North - Kunming South - Dali High-Speed Railway Station. We left at 7:00 AM and arrived at Dali Station at 7:00 PM. It was a long day's journey, but thankfully I'd packed two Three Kingdoms comic books and two Xia Mas magazines for the kids. We cooked instant noodles, ate snacks, and read, each keeping himself company. Arriving in Dali, the sky was still clear and bright, relieving any worries about the rainy season. We found a guesthouse near the ancient city of Dali, with a small courtyard of flowers, two cats, and a small dog. The owner was very warm and attentive. The courtyard wasn't large, but at the foot of Cangshan Mountain, the terrace offered a perfect spot for lounging in a rocking chair, watching the stars in the breeze, and hanging out to dry clothes. Unwilling to relocate with our luggage, we booked a three-night stay. After settling our luggage, we headed to the owner's recommendation: Lao Yu Jia Baizu Slate BBQ, a popular and delicious place. Dali Bai Autonomous Prefecture Dali Bai Autonomous Prefecture Dali Bai Autonomous Prefecture Dali Bai Autonomous Prefecture Dali Bai Autonomous Prefecture August 14th, Cangshan Mountain. We woke up a little after 8 a.m., had breakfast and some snacks, and then walked all the way to the cable car station on Cangshan Mountain. The weather was exceptionally good, with the temperature on the mountain dropping 3-4 degrees Celsius, a pleasant breeze. The observation deck halfway up offered a panoramic view of Dali Ancient City. My father, the one who'd dug a hole in my heart, had only bought tickets for the cable car up the mountain, planning to hike the 11.8-kilometer descent the other way. Sure enough, the perpetrators of the trickery were back at it again. After 5 kilometers, my son and I were exhausted and decided to take the cable car down the mountain. However, it departed from the mountaintop, not the halfway point where we were. After a quick rest and some encouragement, we were ready to continue. Suddenly, my son's father spotted a small trail that he suggested we could take down the mountain. We were worried the trail would be cut off, which would make us even more lost. But we also wanted to get down quickly, so we trusted him again and the three of us set off on our off-road descent through the jungle. We stepped on the thick pine needles, scanning for signs of human footfall. Even an empty mineral water bottle in a ditch became a clue to our descent. My husband led the way, and I periodically checked my phone signal to ensure I could call for help if we got lost. Despite our own inner trepidation, we had to give my son confidence. The sight of ugly mushrooms, horse manure, and a graveyard along the way all served as reasons for his father's deduction that we could make it out of the mountain. The mossy terrain was slippery, and all three of us landed on our butts to varying degrees. Our laughter echoed through the vast jungle, with my father, the heaviest, falling the hardest. It was past 2 p.m. when we finally got down the mountain, and even taxis refused to come, so we ended up walking back to our guesthouse under the scorching sun. Too exhausted to speak, my husband rushed off to pack lunch, and we each lay down for the rest of the afternoon. We reached 30,000 steps in the morning, a record for me, but this experience surpassed even horseback riding as the most memorable and interesting part of my son's summer vacation essay. Perhaps this is the meaning of travel.

Cangshan Mountain

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August 15th, Erhai Lake Tour. After a long trip to Cangshan, we decided to rent a car to tour Erhai Lake. My husband looked around and said, "Let's go with that Beetle you've always wanted." I was naturally delighted. We checked out several rental companies and finally booked a pink, retro-styled modified model. As soon as we got on the road, the straight-laced, old-fashioned Mr. Liao couldn't help but say, "This is your first time driving such a flashy car! It says 'Tourists are coming' right here on your head..." My son also teased me, "Mom, this car was chosen just for you. If Dad and I had chosen it, it definitely wouldn't have been pink." Luckily, when we drove along Erhai Lake, we saw cars like this everywhere. We ended up jokingly saying that this was the only car that suited us; all the others wouldn't have fit. Hahahaha

The internet-famous S Bay is beautiful, but it's also crowded. Taking photos requires angles and technique. I was very dissatisfied with my son's style of taking photos that only people in the picture could be seen. Finally, Mr. Liao got so angry that he dragged a photographer to me on the spot and told me to find a professional photographer. We were almost on time to get to Xizhou Ancient Town, so I had to give up on the professional photographer. After buying a ticket to Xizhou Ancient Town, I took a tour bus and visited the old house of the local tycoon with a guide. We also had some popular snacks in town, including Xizhou baba, bean flour, shrimp cakes, and flower popsicles. The ancient town isn't actually that big, and we didn't stay long despite the scheduled meeting time. The wind-blown wheat fields didn't quite live up to the hype, so we took a quick look and left. This was the only small attraction with a guided tour, and our child complained about not wanting to follow the guide, feeling uncomfortable listening to the commentary through headphones.

We had planned to buy a ferry ticket to Jinsuo Island from Shuanglang Ancient Town, but the 24-hour nucleic acid test was required, so we had to give up. A sunshower hit around 3:00 PM, so we simply ordered afternoon tea and enjoyed the view while we waited for our child's father to attend to some business.

Jinsuo Island

The sun isn't as scorching after 5 a.m., so you can put the top down and drive along the coastal route. You can always pull over and pose for photos when you see beautiful scenery, haha. In Santorini and Little Putuo, we just pulled over and took a few photos before leaving. Driving while watching the sunset is even better than taking photos. Actually, I'm not worried about my dad's photography skills anymore...

Santorini

August 16th, high-speed rail from Dali to Lijiang. We booked accommodations just outside of Lijiang Old Town. Online travel guides suggested the route would be too tiring to lug a suitcase. Upon arrival, we realized our decision was a wise one: cars weren't allowed into the Old Town, making it difficult to navigate with our suitcases. B&Bs in Lijiang have unique decor styles. The suite we booked was spacious, and our dog, Xiaomi, was a real delight. We booked two nights apart and left a suitcase there when we went to Yuhu Village, making it convenient for travel.

Lijiang Old Town is larger than Dali Old Town, and the commercial area is cleaner and tidier. Flowers and plants line the streets, and the various jewelry stores are quite exquisite. It's quiet and cozy, with a bourgeois feel. The matsutake mushroom and chicken hotpot at the restaurant my dad found online was excellent. We sat on the second floor, listening to soft music and watching the sunset.

Lijiang Ancient Town

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The Mu Mansion has the feeling of a costume romance drama, and it is a good place to see the whole picture of Lijiang Ancient Town.

Mufu Palace

August 17th-19th, Yuhu Village, more than 40 minutes by taxi from Lijiang Ancient Town. Even in August, it's hard to see snow on Jade Dragon Snow Mountain. Given the long lines, we didn't plan to climb the mountain and instead stayed two nights in the nearest village at the foot of the mountain. My daughter came for the horseback riding, and I for the tranquility. Our hotel had two large floor-to-ceiling windows with a direct view of Jade Dragon Snow Mountain. As soon as we settled in, we couldn't wait to arrange a horseback ride. My daughter spotted a white horse upstairs. We rode to Longnu Lake, where a local boy, a skilled horseman, led the way. We later learned he was the grandson of the woman who led the horse. The next day, we even asked him to take us mushroom hunting. Although it rained, it was still a novel experience. The local children all had a healthy tan and were rather shy and reserved, though they would negotiate with me about the price of the guide. My daughter dreamed of galloping across the battlefield like the Three Kingdoms characters, riding a Ferghana horse. She told me she'd be riding again the next day and wanted to trot around on her own. But after the boy explained how he'd fallen hard on his first solo horseback ride, she finally gave up on the idea.

The village is full of stone houses, and every household keeps horses. Perhaps we were one of the few people staying for several nights, as the neighborhood grandparents quickly recognized us. At meet-and-greet events, they greeted us and recommended restaurants for us to eat. The elderly were very welcoming and lovely. The village was quiet after 8:00 a.m., with only the trickling of water. The elderly said it was meltwater from the snow-capped mountains, the source. My child, who rarely falls asleep after 9:00 p.m., said it felt like being back home, haha.

There are two highly rated restaurants in the village, each with its own unique flavors and excellent food. The villas are exquisite and elegant. One has a welcoming and cheerful owner, while the other doesn't have a menu; reservations are required, and you order by looking at the ingredients. The snow mountain fish and tofu soup was exceptional, and even my fish-loving child got a fish bone stuck in his throat for the first time. This meant rushing back to Lijiang People's Hospital the next morning for a laryngoscopic needle extraction, but that didn't dampen our spirits. On the first day, my child, obsessed with picking up cigarette packets by Longnu Lake, stepped in a ditch and stared at me with his shoes stained with black mud. Seeing his sorrowful face, I couldn't help but laugh. So pitiful! He didn't even have time to take a photo with a white horse. Back in the village, I found a small supermarket and bought him a pair of rubber shoes, the kind worn by local children. His father said he'd run so fast in those shoes as a kid, and he happily tried them on. Truly, every incident on a trip, good or bad, can become a small episode and a memory.

We spent half a day exploring Baisha Ancient Town, a relatively pristine old village. We went there for our nucleic acid test, so after a quick stroll and some food, we didn't stay long.

August 20th, high-speed rail from Lijiang to Kunming. Compared to the previous few days, epidemic prevention requirements have become increasingly stringent, requiring 24-hour entry to tourist attractions. After arriving in Kunming, we took a taxi to the wetland park to explore Dianchi Lake, but upon disembarking, we were told it was temporarily closed. We then went to the nearby Dounan Flower Market, which completely revolutionized my understanding of flowers. Mr. Liao, for once, offered to send us flowers.

I can feel that Kunming is a very livable city. The people here are very talkative. The Didi driver was very enthusiastic in introducing Kunming's flowers and attractions. The restaurant owner was very considerate and asked me not to over-order. The dishes in the set menu could be replaced with other dishes I wanted. Maybe the city people are more gentle because of the suitable climate.

This trip, I was in charge of choosing accommodations and attractions, while my husband took care of restaurants and the specific routes. We chose food and accommodation that satisfied us. The three of us worked well together and got along well. We didn't rush to see attractions or feel rushed. The round-trip high-speed rail fare stayed within our budget of 15,000 yuan, which was a great value overall. Back to work and back to school, we'll each work hard! The world is big, and we look forward to our next trip! ~~