fountainhall
April 1st, 2015, 11:50
Since Air Asia now flies direct to Kunming in ChinaтАЩs Yunnan Province, some might be interested that there are several extremely interesting old towns worth visiting if you have a few days.
Kunming itself has a population of 4 million and is somewhat overwhelming. I didnтАЩt check out a couple of bars I had been told about, but I found jackтАЩd surprisingly active! From there I took a short flight to Dali (you can do it by bus in about 4 hours). This is very much the vegetable garden of China and extremely provincial outside the city. There is however, and interesting old town and the famous 3 Pagoda Park to visit.
Old Town Street
http://i1125.photobucket.com/albums/l597/fountainhall/Dali_Main_Street_lr.jpg (http://s1125.photobucket.com/user/fountainhall/media/Dali_Main_Street_lr.jpg.html)
3 Pagoda Park
http://i1125.photobucket.com/albums/l597/fountainhall/Dali_3_Pagodas_lr.jpg (http://s1125.photobucket.com/user/fountainhall/media/Dali_3_Pagodas_lr.jpg.html)
My main reason was to visit two other cities - Lijiang with its famous old town threaded with streams and Shangri-La which is about as close as you can get to Tibet without actually being there. Lijiang is one of China's most visited sites and now has UNESCO World Heritage status. Shangri-La is best known for the most impressive Buddhist monastery outside Tibet. Both are quite high in elevation - Lijiang is at 2,200 meters and Shangri-La at 3,400 meters. So you need to pace yourself.
Lijiang was not nearly as crowded as I expected тАУ perhaps because it was still relatively soon after the lunar New Year. It's tiny streets and passageways are quaint if sometimes a bit Disney-esque and it is dominated by the Jade Dragon Snow Mountain which was beautifully framed in the full length window in my hotel lobby. Some of the tall slim guys were drop dead gorgeous. IтАЩd occasionally get a nice smile, after which they turned their attentions back to their girlfriends!!
Lijiang
http://i1125.photobucket.com/albums/l597/fountainhall/Lijiang13_lr.jpg (http://s1125.photobucket.com/user/fountainhall/media/Lijiang13_lr.jpg.html)
http://i1125.photobucket.com/albums/l597/fountainhall/Lijiang3_lr.jpg (http://s1125.photobucket.com/user/fountainhall/media/Lijiang3_lr.jpg.html)
http://i1125.photobucket.com/albums/l597/fountainhall/Lijiang6_lr.jpg (http://s1125.photobucket.com/user/fountainhall/media/Lijiang6_lr.jpg.html)
http://i1125.photobucket.com/albums/l597/fountainhall/Lijiang11_lr.jpg (http://s1125.photobucket.com/user/fountainhall/media/Lijiang11_lr.jpg.html)
http://i1125.photobucket.com/albums/l597/fountainhall/Lijiang12_lr.jpg (http://s1125.photobucket.com/user/fountainhall/media/Lijiang12_lr.jpg.html)
http://i1125.photobucket.com/albums/l597/fountainhall/Lijiang5_lr.jpg (http://s1125.photobucket.com/user/fountainhall/media/Lijiang5_lr.jpg.html)
The 4-hour bus journey up to Shangri-La is a bit scary as you have to go over a couple of mountain passes. We got stuck for 30 minutes due to an accident further up the road. Shangri La city itself is boring, but I stayed in a lovely little 'retreat' several miles outside the city boundary and just behind the amazing Monastery. I could not take my eyes of the view even though I was huffing and puffing a bit in the rarified air.
Shangri_La Monastery
http://i1125.photobucket.com/albums/l597/fountainhall/ShangriLa1_lr_1.jpg (http://s1125.photobucket.com/user/fountainhall/media/ShangriLa1_lr_1.jpg.html)
http://i1125.photobucket.com/albums/l597/fountainhall/ShangriLa2_lr.jpg (http://s1125.photobucket.com/user/fountainhall/media/ShangriLa2_lr.jpg.html)
http://i1125.photobucket.com/albums/l597/fountainhall/ShangriLa4_lr.jpg (http://s1125.photobucket.com/user/fountainhall/media/ShangriLa4_lr.jpg.html)
Not really sights to see on a stop-over unless you are flying in or out of BKK via Hong Kong or Guangzhou as flights from there to Kunming are not expensive. You can also fly from Kunming to Lijiang and Shangri-La on China Eastern but you have to be prepared for the sudden increase in elevation. Bus is more convenient.
Kunming itself has a population of 4 million and is somewhat overwhelming. I didnтАЩt check out a couple of bars I had been told about, but I found jackтАЩd surprisingly active! From there I took a short flight to Dali (you can do it by bus in about 4 hours). This is very much the vegetable garden of China and extremely provincial outside the city. There is however, and interesting old town and the famous 3 Pagoda Park to visit.
Old Town Street
http://i1125.photobucket.com/albums/l597/fountainhall/Dali_Main_Street_lr.jpg (http://s1125.photobucket.com/user/fountainhall/media/Dali_Main_Street_lr.jpg.html)
3 Pagoda Park
http://i1125.photobucket.com/albums/l597/fountainhall/Dali_3_Pagodas_lr.jpg (http://s1125.photobucket.com/user/fountainhall/media/Dali_3_Pagodas_lr.jpg.html)
My main reason was to visit two other cities - Lijiang with its famous old town threaded with streams and Shangri-La which is about as close as you can get to Tibet without actually being there. Lijiang is one of China's most visited sites and now has UNESCO World Heritage status. Shangri-La is best known for the most impressive Buddhist monastery outside Tibet. Both are quite high in elevation - Lijiang is at 2,200 meters and Shangri-La at 3,400 meters. So you need to pace yourself.
Lijiang was not nearly as crowded as I expected тАУ perhaps because it was still relatively soon after the lunar New Year. It's tiny streets and passageways are quaint if sometimes a bit Disney-esque and it is dominated by the Jade Dragon Snow Mountain which was beautifully framed in the full length window in my hotel lobby. Some of the tall slim guys were drop dead gorgeous. IтАЩd occasionally get a nice smile, after which they turned their attentions back to their girlfriends!!
Lijiang
http://i1125.photobucket.com/albums/l597/fountainhall/Lijiang13_lr.jpg (http://s1125.photobucket.com/user/fountainhall/media/Lijiang13_lr.jpg.html)
http://i1125.photobucket.com/albums/l597/fountainhall/Lijiang3_lr.jpg (http://s1125.photobucket.com/user/fountainhall/media/Lijiang3_lr.jpg.html)
http://i1125.photobucket.com/albums/l597/fountainhall/Lijiang6_lr.jpg (http://s1125.photobucket.com/user/fountainhall/media/Lijiang6_lr.jpg.html)
http://i1125.photobucket.com/albums/l597/fountainhall/Lijiang11_lr.jpg (http://s1125.photobucket.com/user/fountainhall/media/Lijiang11_lr.jpg.html)
http://i1125.photobucket.com/albums/l597/fountainhall/Lijiang12_lr.jpg (http://s1125.photobucket.com/user/fountainhall/media/Lijiang12_lr.jpg.html)
http://i1125.photobucket.com/albums/l597/fountainhall/Lijiang5_lr.jpg (http://s1125.photobucket.com/user/fountainhall/media/Lijiang5_lr.jpg.html)
The 4-hour bus journey up to Shangri-La is a bit scary as you have to go over a couple of mountain passes. We got stuck for 30 minutes due to an accident further up the road. Shangri La city itself is boring, but I stayed in a lovely little 'retreat' several miles outside the city boundary and just behind the amazing Monastery. I could not take my eyes of the view even though I was huffing and puffing a bit in the rarified air.
Shangri_La Monastery
http://i1125.photobucket.com/albums/l597/fountainhall/ShangriLa1_lr_1.jpg (http://s1125.photobucket.com/user/fountainhall/media/ShangriLa1_lr_1.jpg.html)
http://i1125.photobucket.com/albums/l597/fountainhall/ShangriLa2_lr.jpg (http://s1125.photobucket.com/user/fountainhall/media/ShangriLa2_lr.jpg.html)
http://i1125.photobucket.com/albums/l597/fountainhall/ShangriLa4_lr.jpg (http://s1125.photobucket.com/user/fountainhall/media/ShangriLa4_lr.jpg.html)
Not really sights to see on a stop-over unless you are flying in or out of BKK via Hong Kong or Guangzhou as flights from there to Kunming are not expensive. You can also fly from Kunming to Lijiang and Shangri-La on China Eastern but you have to be prepared for the sudden increase in elevation. Bus is more convenient.