Live Your Best Lives
At the edge of the Virgo Supercluster, on the Orion spiral arm, the light of a star casts its rays onto the azure planet beneath its galaxy. As the planet rotates, golden light illuminates the planet's prominent peaks from east to west. Jade Dragon Snow Mountain, one of the lowest latitudes and highest peaks in the Northern Hemisphere, gradually lights up against the backdrop of the blue sky. A long-awaited view appears before my eyes.
I've long dreamed of visiting the South China Sea. Ten years ago, I bought a Yunnan travel guide, but never made the trip. This summer, I finally fulfilled that long-held wish. Packing my summer clothes and not much to pack, the whole family headed out, from Changsha, a scorching 38 degrees Celsius, to Yunnan, a cool 28 degrees Celsius, by high-speed rail.
Day 1: Changsha to Kunming (high-speed rail, subway). We arrived late, so we had a late-night snack.
Day 2: Visit Kunming, including Cuihu Park, Yunnan Army Military Academy, Dianchi Lake, Golden Horse and Jade Rooster Archway, and Kunming Old Street. Evening train to Baoshan.
Day 3: Baoshan to Tengchong (rideshare), Heshun Ancient Town, the National Martyrs' Memorial Hall, Rehai Hot Pot, and Huangguajing Hot Springs.
Day 4: Tengchong Volcano, Tengchong to Baoshan (chartered car), Baoshan to Lijiang (high-speed train, taxi).
Day 5: Lijiang Old Town, car rental, Tiger Leaping Gorge, and Shuhe Ancient Town.
Day 6: Jade Dragon Snow Mountain, Lijiang to Dali (high-speed train, bus), and a night tour of Dali Old Town.
Day 7: Dali Old Town, Dali to Kunming (high-speed train), and a late-night snack at Kunming University Town.
Day 8: Kunming to Changsha (high-speed rail).
Kunming is truly a tourist destination. The beautiful promotional images in the subway made me want to visit. I hadn't planned any specific attractions in Kunming, but the subway recommended Cuihu Lake. I stayed at a hotel across from the South Asian Style City. It was already past 11 PM when we arrived. The staff told me there was a bustling night market on Fujing Road. Sure enough, while it wasn't crowded, it was still lively. I had some Zhaotong meat skewers, which were cheap, generous, and delicious. I woke up early for breakfast at the entrance of Cuihu Park, enjoying the internet-famous steamed buns. Afterwards, I ventured into the park. It's lotus season now, and the lotus leaves are endlessly green, the blossoms a striking crimson. Cuihu Park is truly unique. After exiting the west gate of Cuihu Park, you will find the Yunnan Army Military Academy. Line up to enter and see the place where so many famous generals were born. After visiting the Military Academy, I found a small shop for a bowl of rice noodles and then took the subway back to the hotel to rest. The subway is a convenient means of transportation in Kunming, and there are also electric motorcycles, which greatly relieve the fatigue of walking and save money. In the afternoon, I arrived at Haigeng Park and strolled along the shores of Dianchi Lake, enjoying the breeze under the shade of the trees and watching the blue sky and white clouds reflected in the lake. It was a relaxing and leisurely time. I saw many people wearing garlands in their hair, saying they bought them at the Dounan Flower Market.
After sitting for a while by the Dianchi Lake, we rode our motorcycles and headed straight for the Golden Horse and Jade Rooster Archways. Under the blue sky, white clouds and the bright sun, the two archways shone brightly and were very dazzling. In the archway next to it, there were all kinds of food and entertainment at very cheap prices. We were attracted by the aroma and tried another flavor of rice noodles and some freshly baked flower cakes.
Heading north from the Golden Horse and Jade Rooster Archway, and walking a few hundred meters across the street, you will reach Kunming Old Street. Here you will find a pedestrian street, a snack street, a commercial plaza, and old streets. The variety of things here is dazzling. I only regret that my stomach is too small to take in so many delicious foods, and that I have too little time to visit so many beautiful sights.
Towards evening, we left Kunming Old Street and took a sleeper berth on the K train from the train station (the old train station, not the high-speed rail south station), heading from Kunming to Baoshan.
The train arrived at Baoshan Station at 5:00 AM. There are no trains from Baoshan to Tengchong, so the only options are buses or taxis. Buses don't run until 8:00 AM. We were lucky to have booked a ride in advance, which cost 200 yuan for the bus and 80 yuan for the highway fee. We weren't so lucky on the way back, and ended up spending over 130 yuan more.
The highway from Baoshan to Tengchong was foggy and rainy. Visibility was very low when we passed Gaoligong Mountain, and the winding road made it difficult to drive too fast. On the way back, we saw a car being handled in an accident. The driver said that fog is common, making accidents more likely. We crossed the Tengchong Bridge, with its large span and deep canyon. The view was spectacular, and there was also a parking area and observation deck.
After more than two hours of driving on the highway, we arrived in Tengchong, settled our luggage, and found a small restaurant for breakfast. We found that the prices in Tengchong were really low. The number one internet-famous breakfast restaurant cost only 12 yuan for three people. On the day we left Tengchong, we found a small restaurant opposite the Hanting Hotel where we were staying for lunch. The dish of stir-fried pork belly with porcini mushrooms was so delicious that it made our mouths water. It was the most delicious thing we had on this trip. It was far better than the mushroom hotpot, but it was less than 100 yuan. I have never found such a delicious taste since then.
Set off for Heshun Ancient Town. We relied almost entirely on taxis for transportation in Tengchong, which was very convenient. Tengchong is in the world, and Heshun is in the world. Occasionally, it drizzled, and I walked on the bluestone slabs of the ancient town with an umbrella, looking at the flowing water under the small bridges, the lotus in the rice fields, the flying egrets, and the ancestral halls in the ancient alleys. There was a unique and gentle feeling that was refreshing to the heart. Here, people and nature live in harmony. At the door of a small shop, the owner was carrying a bucket and feeding a egret with a bandaged leg. A cat was meowing greedily beside him, and occasionally passing tourists asked a few questions with concern.
On the way back to the city from Heshun Ancient Town, we visited the National Martyrs' Memorial Hall. The heroic deeds of the Expeditionary Force and the Yunnan Army during the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression are heartbreaking. After leaving the National Memorial Hall, we took a taxi to Atami Big Hot Pot, the magical Atami Hot Springs, Pearl Spring, Big Hot Pot, etc. After the visit, we walked through the winding mountain road and found the Huangguajing Hot Spring hidden in the mountains. We soaked in the natural sulfur hot spring for an hour. Although it was summer and it was a bit hot after soaking for a long time, the weather was cool and there were not many people. After soaking in the hot spring, all the fatigue was gone, and we took advantage of the sunset to go down the mountain.
Atami
The next morning, I took a taxi to the volcano scenic area and climbed to the crater. The view was unobstructed, and the 600 steps weren't too high, so I could climb in half an hour. A hot air balloon ride is also a great way to take in the scenery; it takes only five minutes. There's a volcano museum at the exit, a must-see for those with children; it's a perfect blend of educational and fun. Because time was limited, I didn't go to Heiyu River, another scenic spot. The driver told me it was closed, so it was a worthwhile trip. After lunch in the city, I took a taxi back to Baoshan to wait for the evening train to Lijiang. 
The third stop: Lijiang
The train arrived in Lijiang at 11pm. I was shocked as soon as I arrived. I waited for a full hour before I got a taxi. During this time, I couldn't get an online taxi. It was said that there were too many tourists and they were completely overwhelmed. Judging from the situation here and in the scenic spots behind, Lijiang's measures to deal with the large number of tourists are not very good, and many scenic spots have problems. I stayed near the waterwheel in Lijiang Old Town this morning and hiked around the old town. I entered through the West Gate and exited through the South Gate. I rented a car at the South Gate and headed towards Tiger Leaping Gorge. After over an hour's drive, we were stuck near the gorge due to traffic jams. The traffic was so heavy, I had to wait for the cars ahead to clear. I waited an hour before reaching the parking lot. I'd purchased tickets for the Qingyun Ladder and both the ascent and descent on China-TravelNote in advance. The ascent tickets were worth it, but if I tried to buy them again on the way back, they'd cost double. Tiger Leaping Gorge lived up to its reputation; the scenery was breathtakingly spectacular. The Jinsha River, influenced by the gorge's terrain, transforms from a tranquil flow into a turbulent surge, the water roaring like a tiger. Leaning on the railing near the water was truly inspiring.
It was already evening when we returned to the city. We drove to Shuhe Ancient Town, where we enjoyed a mushroom hot pot and barbecue. Shuhe Ancient Town is less crowded than Lijiang Ancient Town and is similar in concept to Lijiang, both being modern, imitating ancient commercial towns. We booked a hotel at the foot of Jade Dragon Snow Mountain. Initially, we thought it was expensive, but it was well worth it. We got our mountain entry permit in the city, paid for it with a 100-yuan toll card, and arrived at the hotel. The weather in Tengchong was bad, and our first day in Lijiang was also a bit overcast. We didn't have high expectations, but we were pleasantly surprised to see the sun shining brightly over the mountain at sunrise. We could enjoy the view from our hotel room, balcony, or even bed, without having to endure the cold. The hotel's restaurant also faces the snow-capped mountains, with beautiful views both indoors and outdoors. The hotel also has many photo spots, making it a beautiful place.
I was about to give up on climbing the Snow Mountain because everyone online was saying it was impossible to get cable car tickets without a group. I was surprised to find I was able to snag one at 8:00 PM. Entering your travel information in advance is crucial. The ease with which I snagged a ticket for the 8:30-9:00 AM session made me wonder if the online rumors were deliberately spread by the tour group. The hotel was very close to the visitor center. Upon arriving, I noticed the line for the Snow Mountain Cable Car wasn't too long, suggesting it's likely that only a few people managed to get tickets. Since I was already there, I persevered and reached the summit. Although there was no snow, the weather was perfect. Under the blue sky and white clouds, the expansive views were truly delightful. I clocked in at 4,680. If you are traveling independently like us, there is a pit to avoid. It is recommended not to find the aunt who rents down jackets on the roadside. We rented 3 pieces of clothing. The price was not expensive, 20 each, and the deposit was 100. Unfortunately, when we got down the mountain, we were told that the clothes would be delivered to the city. It took us an extra hour to return the clothes on the way back. Malicious speculation, if we had not rented a car and had to take a taxi there, we would have given up the round-trip fare and time, and the profit would have been considerable.
After lunch at the hotel, I went to the tourist center in the afternoon. I wanted to go to Blue Moon Valley. With such good weather, people said that Blue Moon Valley would be very beautiful. When I arrived at the tourist center, I found that the corridor-style queue was very long, and only one car came after waiting for half an hour. I calculated the time and found that I had to stand for at least more than 2 hours, so I decided to give up. I felt a little regretful at the time, but then I saw other people's bad reviews online. It was a 10-minute drive, more than two hours to wait there, and more than an hour to wait back. It was crowded and disorderly. The feeling was very bad, but I couldn't help but feel a little fortunate. It may be that there are too many tourists pouring into Lijiang during the summer vacation. Everyone went to a few classic attractions to check in, which caused the scenic area to be overwhelmed. However, the response measures of Lijiang City and the scenic area that I have seen are really poor, and the bad reviews are not unfair.
There are many other attractions in the entire scenic area that you can visit, such as Yak Ping, Impression Lijiang (a large open-air outdoor performance), and even on the way out of the scenic area and back, there are many places to stop and enjoy the scenery.
Fourth Stop: Dali
After returning the car in Lijiang, we caught the 18:00 bullet train and arrived in Dali at 20:30. Dali was also crowded and it was difficult to get a ride-hailing car, but we caught the last No. 4 bus at 21:00. The carriage was packed. After nearly an hour, we arrived at our homestay near the south gate of Dali Ancient Town. After settling in, we went out for a midnight snack and had the internet-famous grilled milk fan and grilled tofu.
I asked people who have been to Dali before about the difference between Dali Ancient Town and Lijiang, and the answer was: Lijiang is a town, and Dali is a city. As expected, Dali Ancient Town is incredibly crowded at night. Even after midnight, there were still a ton of tourists. Almost all shops were open, creating a beautiful nightscape perfect for photos. The streets were filled with young women dressed in Hanfu (Chinese traditional costumes). Of course, Dali is also crowded during the day; only in the early morning, when the sun isn't scorching, do the streets of the ancient town feel a bit quieter. Near the ancient town, you can also visit the Three Pagodas of Chongsheng Temple and Cangshan Mountain. If you have more time, you can explore Erhai Lake, with its many popular check-in spots, a favorite among young people. We just stopped at Erhai Park, across from Dali Railway Station, to take in the sea and take photos.
A few days flew by, and I returned from Dali to Kunming, staying at a hotel near Kunming South Station, next to University Town. I revisited the kebabs and waited for the train back to Changsha, savoring the small Zhaotong meat skewers, delicious porcini mushrooms, and grilled milk scallops. From the cool spring of Yunnan, I returned to the scorching heat of Hunan. All in all, there were both regrets and surprises. When I have time, I'll go back to the colorful south of Yunnan and visit some of the sights I haven't seen yet.
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