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Our group of 19 in Dali Ancient City
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Travelling is a wonderful pastime. We get to appreciate beautiful sights and fascinating cultures and even form cordial friendships. Recently, in October 2025, my husband and I had a
memorable 9-day adventure that took us through some of China’s most scenic
and culturally rich destinations in North Yunnan, namely, Dali, Lijiang, Shangri-La
and Balagezong. While enjoying the enchanting surroundings, something magical happened: we formed strong friendships.
We joined an organized tour agency
for the holiday. Our group of 19 travellers, ranging in age from 35 to 83, hailed
from Selangor, Malacca, Penang, and Melbourne (Australia). It was a cheerful mix of seasoned travellers:
12 ladies and seven guys. Under the capable
guidance of tour leader Soo and local guide Tsui, we explored the wonders of Yunnan
with enthusiasm and camaraderie.
Initially, from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, we flew in to Kunming, the “Eternal
Spring City”.
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| Our group at Kunming Airport |
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| An appetising dinner |
On arrival in Kunming, we were met by Tsui, tour leader, He welcomed us with an appetising dinner. After dinner, we travelled to Anning where we checked in to Hot Spring Hotel. Some of us had a dip in a public Hot Spring while others relaxed in their individual Hot Spring in their hotel rooms.
On Day 2, we travelled about 4 hours to Dali, stopping at a smaller town for lunch.
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| Lunch place |
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Lunch
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DALI
Dali (1900m) was a charming Ancient City surrounded by the Changshan Mountains, and a sparkling Erhai Lake. The air felt crisp and fresh as we strolled through the old town with its cobbled streets and ethnic Bai architecture.
I loved the relaxed pace of life there - little shops selling tie-dye products, authentic silverware and lots of appealing souvenirs. Tie-dyeing is a traditional folk craft where intricate patterns are created by binding and dyeing cotton cloth. Bai tie-dyeing was added to China's national intangible cultural heritage list in 2006.
The Bai are known for their exceptional wood carving, which adorns many of their traditional homes.
Below are some enchanting sights as we walked along the cobbled streets of Wu Hua Lou, situated in the heart of Dali Ancient City:
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| Tie-dye clothes |
On Day 3, we visited the Panxi Village. Tucked away in the countryside of Dai, it is a hidden gem that offers a harmonious blend of natural beauty and rural charm. At the heart of this scenic village is the iconic S Curve - a breathtaking stretch of road. We had coffee or fruit juice at the Cafe there.
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4 ladies in action
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| The iconic S-curve road |
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Taking a break, with coffee and fruit juice
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Heqing County in Dali is famous for its history of Bai silverware craftsmanship, which dates back to the Nanzhao period. We visited a rich man's picturesque mansion, where a woman demonstrated how to test for authentic silver. This was followed by an enticing silver jewellery shopping at the shops inside the mansion.
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| Lovely intricate designed buildings |
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| A woman showing us "authentic silver" |
After that, we had an interesting Bai cultural heritage experience: “a three - course tea” song and dance performance. The tea tasted first bitter, second sweet and third a lingering aftertaste. I relished the third aftertaste-fragrant flavour.
The"3 Course tea" symbolises different stages of life: the bitter represents life's struggles, the sweet symbolises warmth and family, and the lingering after-taste reflects life's journey.
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| Preparing the 3 course tea |
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Preparing the 3 course tea
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| A Bai bride and groom |
After the tea-tasting experience, we went off for a simple lunch.
With well-fed tummies, we took a ride in an open van to "Librairie Avant-Garde". This is a renovated cultural hub in Weishan, Dali. It is a multifunctional space that includes a bookstore, an exhibition hall, a small theatre, and a coffee shop, all housed within the historic Chongzheng Academy, a Ming Dynasty site.
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A long ride in a van, through farmland
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| The cosy coffee shop |
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| In front of the bookstore of Librairie Avant-Garde |
Video of bookstore - full of books and souvenirs
Shaxi
Shaxi Ancient Town has a long history and profound cultural heritage. Our tour guide delighted us with some good news. We each were allowed 2 free shots at 3 locations - riding on a horse, at the filming location of the TV drama "Meet Yourself" and in front of a wall with the word "Shaxi" in Chinese.
We were mesmerised
by Shaxi Ancient Town, where the local residents were mainly Bai people. We had fun riding on horses
and were brought back in time along the
Ancient Tea Horse Road.
Dinner was as usual satisfying, with lots of meat and vegetables.
At night, some of us walked along the little stalls to pick out souvenirs. I was surprised that most of the stalls were unattended. We just chose what we wanted, then pay with our ewallet on to the QR code. Some cute and delicate items for sale are shown below:
LIJIANG On day 4, we travelled to Lijiang. Lijiang (2,416m), a UNESCO World Heritage site. Its famous well-preserved Old Town and winding canals, tastefully arranged flowers of different hues, mainly chrysanthemums, greeted us warmly. The sound of rushing canals followed us wherever we walked, and every lane led to a hidden square or a wooden bridge.
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| Flowers arranged creatively with words "Lijiang" in Chinese |
Video of alluring Lijiang
Fascinated by the ethnic Naxi culture, we participated in
various local activities: we played the drums to
exciting music, donned ethnic bridal costumes, learned pictographic Naxi language and
took home sweet mementos of our individual Dongba zodiac symbols.
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| Our group playing the drum |
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| A teacher explaining the Naxi language |
Fun with dressing up in Naxi bride and bridegroom costume:-
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| Having fun with Naxi bridal costumes |
On Day 5, the visit to Yulong Snow Mountain and the Impression Lijang by famous director Zhang Yimou was disappointing. The weather was cold and misty, thus the view of the mountain was not clear. It was hot and uncomfortable while viewing the Impression Lijang!
On Day 6, we visited Tiger Leaping Gorge (maximum depth 3,790m), one of the deepest and most spectacular river canyons in the world. We used the efficient 2-way elevator to descend to the impressive gorge.
With Jade Dragon Snow Mountain and Haba Snow Mountain on each side, we marvelled at the breath-taking and diverse landscapes there. The “roar of the Jinsha River”, a primary tributary of the upper Yangtze River, was loud and thunderous – mirroring the ferocity of the tigers situated above it. Legend says the name "Tiger Leaping Gorge" comes from a hunted tiger escaping by jumping across the river at the narrowest point (25 m) using the rock in the middle.
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| Sunlight caressing the mountain |
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| Wooden wings framing the wonderful view |
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| Note the 2 tigers behind me |
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Tourists at the lower platform -
for a better view of the Jinsha River |
Video: Hear the roar of the Jinsha River!
SHANGRI-LA
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| The herbal drink |
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Oxygen machine in hotel
for general use |
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| Oxygen canister |
Then came Shangri-La! But the altitude made everything feel
different — the air thinner, the light brighter, the sky
azure blue. The temperature dropped sharply, and the cold tested our endurance — many
of our members experienced altitude sickness (breathlessness, headaches,
nausea and fatigue). Perhaps we should have taken diamox tablets before we started on the trip.
Herbal drinks taken daily, a few days before and breathing
through oxygen canisters helped us overcome it. With such challenges, it was
wonderful to see everyone in the group being kind and considerate. We shared medicine,
ginger tea, and words of comfort. That spirit of caring for one another truly warmed
my heart.
Many members climbed up the 140 steps to view the Songzanlin
Monastery (Little Potala Palace), the largest Tibetan
Buddhist monastery in Yunnan. It was marvelous with its golden roofs shining against the
deep blue sky, but photos were not allowed to be taken inside.
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| Members in front of Songzanlinsi |
BALAGEZONG
The final destination on Day 7 was Shangri-La Grand Canyon Balagezong (5,545m), an awe-inspiring national park, at the junction of Yunnan, Sichuan and Tibet provinces. Towering cliffs, winding gorges, and crystal-clear rivers made it a fitting finale. We walked along the plank road to view the stunning spectacle. Standing there, looking at the vastness before me, I felt very small yet deeply grateful to witness such beauty.
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| Balagezong - weather was very cold |
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Balagezong landscape
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Marvelling at the Balagezong landscape -
while walking along the tourist-friendly plank walkway |
Many of my fellow travellers walked up to the top where they had a good view of the beautiful spectacle below via a clear glass platform. At the echo wall, they shouted at the top of their voices and got echos coming back! A few brave members took the cable chair lift down, getting a perfect view of the scenic area.
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| One member jubilantly posing on the clear glass flooring |
At the entrance of the Balagezong Grand Canyon Park is the Balagezong Bodhi tree. Also known as the Millennium Bodhi Tree, it is over 3000 years old and is considered a sacred site, with legend suggesting Buddha Sakyamuni once meditated beneath a similar tree. There was a rock formation that resembles the "hand of Buddha" near its roots.
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The Bodhi Tree
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| Semblance of "the hand of Buddha" |
KUNMING
On Day 8, from Shangri-La, we took a
high-speed train back to Kunming, where we had a great time strolling through Nanping
Pedestrian Street, taking memorable photos and shopping for gifts for family and friends.
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| The charming ladies |
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| The macho guys |
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| In front of the shop selling rose biscuits |
FOOD
Besides the remarkable scenery and
intriguing culture, food was fantastic – we had roast duck, barbecue meat, chicken
delight, a variety of mushrooms, intoxicating soups, scallops, oysters, fresh
fish, unique green vegetables and of course Yunnan’s famous “Crossing-the-bridge noodles”.
Some of the food photos are shown below:
With new friends - cool beer!
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"Crossing the bridge" noodles
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All ready to savour the famous
"Crossing the bridge" noodles |
 | Huge bowls of piping hot
"Crossing the bridge" noodles
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| Thanking our tour leader and tour guide |
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"All you can eat" Steamboat
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"All you can eat" Steamboat
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18.10.25
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| 19.10.25 |
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| 21.10.25 |
Throughout the trip, we had
laughter, exciting conversations, and amiable companionship. Even when the weather
turned too cold or when someone fell sick, we looked out for each other. Harmony
and mutual support bound us together - a rare and heartwarming bond among travellers
who only got to know each other during the trip.
North Yunnan had given me not just
stunning scenery, but also cordial friendship, care, and shared adventure.
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