Day 3 - From Dali to Lijiang 从大理到丽江

Day 3 Morning – From Dali to Lijiang

If you wish to get to Lijiang faster and do not mind to take a small bus, then you may consider to buy bus ticket from bus ticket selling counter at Dali Old Town. You may find two travel agencies nearby guest houses at Renmin Lu road where you can buy bus tickets.

Bus ticket selling outlet at Renmin Lu Road of Dali Old Town

大理古城人民路有的是长巴售票店

Another bus ticket selling outlet at Renmin Lu Road of Dali Old Town

另一间长巴售票店于大理古城人民路

Since every day there is a huge number of tourists travel from Dali to Lijiang, there is plenty of public transport travels the route.

The frequency of a bus travels from Dali to Lijiang is about half an hour during day time. The bus fare is about RMB45 and the journey is about 3.5 hours. The latest bus is at 6.30pm or 7pm.

Yet, I paid RMB75 to the travel agency at Renmin Lu for the convenience of boarding the bus (which was comparatively small) on the street in front of Er Hai Meng gate of Dali old town 洱海门.

Old Beijing Noodle Store 老北京面馆

I went to Old Beijing Noodle Store to feed myself before leaving for Lijiang. The noodles there are delicious. Perhaps the cold weather made my appetite become extremely good when the noodles came with hot soup.

The store sells noodles, rice, soup and dumpling

店面有卖面条，米饭，汤及饺子

Rice Noodles 米线

I waited for the bus to Lijiang in front of Er Hai Meng gate of Dali Old Town

我在大理古城洱海门前面等候到丽江的车.

Day 3 Afternoon – In Lijiang

Sceneries along the way to Lijiang is lovely. I enjoyed the nice views and could not help

expecting more lovely views in Lijiang.

Finally I arrived in Lijiang after 3.5 hours journey. How to describe Lijiang? If Paris is to be analogous to an lovely western beauty, then perhaps Lijiang could be analogous to a charming Asian beauty.

South Gate Car Park of Lijiang Old Town 丽江古城南门停车场

Tourist Information Center at South Gate Car Park of Lijiang Old Town

游客寻问处 - 于丽江古城南门停车场

The entrance of South Gate of Lijiang Old Town

古城南门进口处

The bus stopped at a bus station about 10 minutes driving distance from Lijiang Old Town

丽江古城(大研古镇).

You need to make a decision where to stay at Lijiang Old Town 丽江古城(大研古镇). Basically there are 3 strategic locations as below.

1) Nearby Gu Cheng Square/SiFangJie 四方街

Yet, you might not wish to stay at close proximity to the crowd and noisy spots. The guest houses nearby or within 300-meter radius of Gu Cheng Square are strategic in location but usually they are not so quiet.

2) Nearby Red Sun Square/HongTaiYang GuangChang bus stop 红太阳广场车站 (it is a place to take public transport)

The place is convenient for you to get out of old town and to take bus or taxi to other

places. Nearby Red Sun Square/HongTaiYang GuangChang bus stop 红太阳广场车站 is the place where you can easily take a private van to Jade Dragon Snow Hill and other tourist spots. 大水车附近的红太阳广场乘公交车7路去玉龙雪山. E.g., You may take a bus from there to South gate of Lijiang Old Town 古城南门 easily. There is a shopping mall called JingFang Shopping Mall金方超市 just a few steps away from HongTaiYang GuangChang bus stop. HongTaiYang GuangChang is within short walking distance to SiFangJie where the crowds are.

3) Nearby South Gate Car Park of Lijiang Old Town 古城南门停车场

The place is convenient for you to get out of old town to take bus or taxi to other places.

Also, there are many food stores located just outside of the south gate. You may

take a bus from there to HongTaiYang GuangChang bus stop (where you can transfer to other public transport) easily. There are shopping malls nearby the south gate.