Section / hands-on
Experiences in Lijiang
Craft workshops, cooking, tea, horses, cycling, and dark skies: things to do rather than things to see.
8 entries / reviewed for the 2026–27 season
In this section
08
entries in the ledger
The best things to do in Lijiang are not all sights. Making a sheet of Dongba paper, cooking from the morning market, tasting Pu'er with someone who will argue about it, or riding a quiet lane at the foot of the mountain gives you a different grip on the place. Each entry states the real time, cost, and trade-offs.
Field desk / updated 14 Nov 2026
Make Dongba Paper in Lijiang
A hands-on hour with bark, water, and a wooden screen — the paper behind Dongba manuscripts.
Naxi Embroidery Workshops in Baisha
Needlework that records flowers, birds, and a household economy run by women.
A Naxi Cooking Class, Market First
Shop the morning market, then cook baba, cured pork, and greens in a courtyard kitchen.
Silverwork: Heqing, Xinhua, and the Old Town Shops
Yunnan's silver tradition is alive, but the tourist-shop version is not the whole story.
Drink Pu'er with Someone Who Knows It
A guided tasting is the fastest way into Yunnan's tea, and the fastest way past the souvenir cakes.
Ride the Tea Horse Road at Lashi Lake
A short ride through fields and lakeshore, with the old caravan route underfoot.
Cycle the Baisha–Shuhe–Yuhu Loop
A half-day on quiet lanes and farm roads, with the mountain as the fixed point.
Stargazing in the Lijiang Basin
High, dry, and far enough from city light: where to watch the mountain disappear and the sky open.