Section / what to see
Lijiang sights
Old towns, spring pools, courtyards, and the stops that earn a place in a short trip.
7 entries / reviewed for the 2026–27 season
In this section
07
entries in the ledger
Lijiang's sights are not equally worth a day. Dayan is the reason most people come; Black Dragon Pool is the classic view; Baisha and Yuhu are the villages that show another layer. These entries are ordered by what we would build a trip around, with transfer times and honest trade-offs stated.
Field desk / updated 14 Nov 2026
Lijiang Old Town (Dayan)
A UNESCO town of canals, courtyards, and tiled roofs that is busier than the postcards suggest. Here is how to read it.
Black Dragon Pool
The classic Lijiang photograph: a pavilion, a spring pool, and Jade Dragon Snow Mountain when the sky allows.
Mu Palace
The grandest surviving statement of Naxi political power, rebuilt after the earthquake and still a little misunderstood.
Lion Hill and Wangu Tower
A short climb to the best free-standing view of the old town's tiled roofs and, on a clear day, the snow mountain.
Shuhe Old Town
Eight kilometres northwest of Dayan, a smaller Tea Horse Road town with better sleep and fewer drum shops.
Baisha Old Town
A former Naxi capital with Ming murals, a sleepy main street, and the best half-day north of Lijiang.
Yuhu Village
A stone-walled Naxi village at the foot of Jade Dragon, known for an American botanist and its uncompromising ground.