Cycling Yunnan: Lijiang & Shuhe
I flew to Lijiang airport from Hanoi (via Shenzhen) with Shenzhen airlines. They accepted the bicycle as part of the standard checked luggage allowance, although I did have to quite strongly convince the staff at check in that no oversize luggage fee should be charged (by showing them the policy on their own website).
I decided to stay at a hotel close to the airport. The hotel owner kindly picked me up (I communicated with him via the Wechat app) and brought along an extra van for the bike box, and drove me the short distance back to the hotel.
Lijiang Airport - Shuhe
In the morning I assembled the bike and set out on a relatively short first ride towards Shuhe, where I would stay for six nights. Shuhe is a historic town on the northern edge of the larger Lijiang, and has a more tranquil reputation. It is also closer to the mountains, where I planned to do a circular ride and some hiking.
Countryside near Lijiang Airport
My first ride in China was better than expected. I followed a network of small roads heading north through rice fields and small villages, with very little traffic. I decided to by-pass Lijiang by taking a climb which was highly enjoyable, with no traffic and a very steady gradient of around 5%.
A very fun climb to bypass Lijiang's traffic
There was a short unpaved section of about 4km at the top of the climb, but it was not very technical or steep and easy to ride on my 38mm tyres. A long and winding descent took me down towards Shuhe.
The last 4.5km of the climb was unpaved, but was all rideable
Start of the descent towards Shuhe
Lijiang & Shuhe
I stayed for six nights in total in Shuhe, using it as a base to explore the surrounding area. During my stay I went several times into Lijiang where a I dida short hike through the Black Dragon National Park, visited the Mufu palace and generally wandered around the picturesque old town. I took a Didi into Lijiang and explored on foot as the old town is not really suitable for cycling.
The impressively constructed Mufu Palace in Lijiang
Lijiang is a reasonably big city, but is best known for its compact old town, which is a network of narrow streets lined with shops, bars and restaurants. Here you can buy as much tea, spices, flower cakes and novelty clothing as your heart desires.
I have read that many people have mixed feelings about Lijiang's old town. It is undoubtedly pretty and the fact that it is traffic free makes it enjoyable to stroll around. You can visit the impressive Mu Fu palace complex - the former residence of a local ruler - and can imagine what life would have been like hundreds of years ago... Or can you?
Lijiang had a slightly manufactured feel, but was still fun to explore
You see, one of the criticisms of Lijiang is that it is fake. The old city was eroded by time and then destroyed by an earthquake, and has been pretty much entirely rebuilt in recent years. Some critics say it is little more than a Disneyland interpretation of what a Chinese 'old city' is like. As a historian, I understand these complaints - it is not authentic.
However, part of me is less cynical about it all. This is China, not Europe. There isn't the same cultural value placed on old, mis-shapen buildings that evoke some great Roman or Medieval past. In China, to me it seems, there is greater appreciation for superior aesthetics, even if they are new and somewhat unfaithful replicas of the original. And, to that end, it is an enjoyable experience walking around the city - at least when I went in early January when the crowds were at a low level.
Hiking in Black Dragon Pool Park
The smaller town of Shuhe is supposed to be slightly more authentic. In particular, there are some very nice streets on the hillier western part of town. However, much of it also does have a slightly manufactured 'old town' feel - although, like I said, it is not unenjoyable.
Although I was kind of impressed by the towns, the real beauty and attraction of the area, to me, lies in the scenery. Lijiang is nestled on the far eastern edge of the Himalayas, with the Jade Dragon Snow Mountain peak towering above the city, at an elevation of nearly 6,000m!
The 'Ancient' Tea Horse Road in Shuhe
In the city itself, I also did a shorter hike from the Black Dragon Pool, which provided some nice views looking down on the city. This was just an appetizer for two spectacular longer hikes that I would do in the following days.
On a side note, one thing that really surprised me, particularly in Lijiang, was how quiet the town is. Perhaps it was because I had flown from Hanoi (probably one of the loudest cities in the world!), but I think more so because a large majority of the cars on the road were electric, as were pretty much all motorbikes. It was a sightly strange and very relaxing experience to walk alongside a busy six-lane main road through the city and only hear the gentle hum of tyres on the road.
Yunnan Crossing the Bridge Noodles
One final remark about Lijiang and Shuhe is that the food is exceptional. Highlights included Yunnan Crossing Bridge Noodles and Wild Mushroom Hotpot. For fans of spicy food, there are also a lot of Sichuan restaurants here, where you can savour the delicious Sichuan chillis and numbing peppercorns. I'm sure it was priced at tourist rates in the old towns, but it still was cheap by European standards. And delicious!
Wenhai Lake
I only did one circular ride during my six days in Shuhe - I was too busy exploring the towns and doing a couple of hikes. It was a very pleasant ride up to Wenhai lake to the north of Shuhe.
Yulong Mountain from Wenhai Lake
The lake is at around 3,000m altitude, so it was a considerable climb. Fortunately, I had spent time in the previous couple of months living in Mexico City, so was pretty well adjusted to the high altitude and didn't notice any real affect on my riding.
The climb begins from the small historic town of Baisha (which is also on the Tea Horse Road), and was a fun and quiet route with moderate gradients.
A circular cobbles road runs around Wenhai Lake at 3,000m elevation
The highlight is the plateau where the lake sits. A cobbled road circles the lake, so you can ride all around it, enjoying impressive views of the Jade Dragon Snow Mountain, which would be my next stop...
Next - Jade Dragon Snow Mountain (Yulong)
Previous - Yunnan Tour Overview
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