Are you traveling to Southwest China and looking for the best things to do in Yunnan province (云南省), which is the highlight of the region? Well then, in this blog, I will take you on a fairytale adventure around Yunnan and share the top Yunnan attractions to add to your itinerary.
I spent over a week exploring the length and breadth of Yunnan in a fast paced Yunnan itinerary with Eastogo travel. Sometimes I prefer to DIY my travels but I am so glad I chose this agency for my Yunnan trip as I was able to see much more in the little time I had. They curated the best itinerary covering natural attractions, villages and popular spots – in the least amount of time.
We covered all the top attractions of Yunnan like – Jade Dragon Snow Mountain, Tiger Leaping Gorge, Lijiang, Shangri La, Dali etc, plus got a sneak peak into the minority tribes and their culture.
19 Top Things to do in Yunnan in 1 Week (云南)
If you are looking for a list of the best Yunnan things to do for your upcoming trip, you can cherry pick the attractions you like the most from this list.
With so many amazing places to visit in Yunnan, it was hard for us to leave any single spot. However, in order to explore more, we had to keep the momentum going. Every little village and town stole our hearts and every single day we had to bid adieu to a gorgeous location, promising to come back for more.
I have organized the best things to do region-wise to make it easier for you to pick the Yunnan tourist attractions you like the most and add them to your Yunnan itinerary.
Best Things to do in Dali, Yunnan (大理 )
Dali is the only Bai Autonomous Prefecture in China for the Bai ethnic minority. Home to over 80% of Bai population of China, Dali comes across as a cute little destination to add to your Yunnan itinerary.
Dali was love at first sight for me. As soon as we reached Kunming, checked into our cozy hotel and walked around town a bit – I was already in awe. Just one evening of walking around the ancient town, made me want to stay there for weeks.
Walk around Dali Old Town at Night and Watch Live Acts
Dali is THE place for China’s young artists. The Old Town (大理古城) is over flowing with singers, dancers and various independent acts.
From fortune tellers to tea sellers, painters and Mahjong players – the streets of Dali Old Town (especially at night) are vibrant and bustling with innumerable activities to try.
There is so much visual stimulation and you can find yourself walking around for hours before settling in on a drinking hole. With live dance performances and singing, we found the bar “Department of Infatuation” to be quite interesting.
Get Clicked at Erhai Lake 洱海 (Longkan Pier)
Erhai Lake is an Instagram-worthy alpine fault lake in Dali, Yunnan. Perfect spot for a long walk or bike ride along the lake, trying out traditional costumes and taking tons of photos.
Cute ducks and geese flock the banks making it even more picturesque and adding to the gorgeous landscape.
It does come off as a tourist trap with hoards of tourists clicking photos everywhere, but its worth adding to your Dali itinerary just for the stupendous views.
Try Local Food at Zizhu Garden
This cute little restaurant had dishes galore to try out. We tried Shredded perch (手撕鲈鱼), Water-spin flower (水性杨花), Cold rice noodles (凉拌米线), Stir-fried pea sprouts (清炒豌豆苗), Boletus with Yunnan ham (牛肝菌炒火腿) and much more.
I love how we used to dine at comfy round tables with spinning table tops – easy to share and eat a plenty!
Tie and Dye at Dali Blu Workshop
This was one of the best things to do in Dali for me, personally. I always enjoy DIY and creating things with my hands, so a tie and dye workshop taught by local Bai tribeswomen was right up my alley.
We used authentic foods, leaves and plant-based Indigo dye to create our masterpieces.
The tie-dye process was quite simple and fun. After carefully sowing or drawing the outline of your main object on cloth, you need to fold and tie the ends based on the end look you want. Then press this “Voodoo Doll-looking thing” into Indigo waters for few minutes before taking it out, washing and “beating” the cloth.
After few minutes of soaking and dyeing your masterpiece is ready. I was “aiming” to make a tie dye cat but it turned out to be half a dog (a Shih Tzu at that).
Oh well, in the end we all had a great time and got to take our masterpieces back home – what better souvenirs to bring back from Dali?
Walk around Xizhou Ancient Town
Xizhou is one of the forerunners in Bai tribe architecture and one of the main settlements for the tribe. Stroll the cobbled streets and the infinite souvenir and tea shops here.
At one point, I wanted to buy everything. Thankfully, my “Alipay” app was not working in China and my bags were filled to the brim, so I was pretty much unable to overshop and had to make do with buying small trinklets.
Go with empty bags and full wallets to enjoy the shopping culture of Dali here.
Munch Local Snacks in the Farmer’s Market in Xizhou
Get fresh produce, unique fruits and snacks galore at the Xizhou’s famous farmers market.
We saw tons of fresh seafood, weird-looking foods and fruits and plenty of local snack stalls.
We tried the famous flower buns and some other kinds of “unidentified” snacks whilst wandering around the massive market.
Sip Coffee in a Cute Cafe while Watching the Sunset
After checking into our cute homestay in Shaxi village, we went chasing the sunset from a cafe atop the mountain. The gorgeous cafe was so green and instagram worthy from every angle – plus stunning valley views to boast of.
Stroll around Shaxi Ancient Village (沙溪)
Looking for a charming, slow paced village in Yunnan to fall in love with? Shaxi is the answer.
From being a caravan stop in the golden days, to a gorgeous little quaint town, Shaxi is best explored on foot and dining with locals.
Best Things to do in Lijiang, Yunnan (丽江)
Lijiang is surely one of the top places to visit in Yunnan and is on most travelers bucket list. After spending a few quaint days in Lijiang, I could easily see why.
Explore Yuhu Village in the Foothills of Jade Mountain
Yuhu was one of the prettiest villages in Yunnan, for me. The cute cobblestoned paths, adorable cafes, smiling and welcoming locals, Naxi culture and traditions seeped in every nook and corner – It was an absolute delight exploring this one.
Another one of those gems where I could have easily spent a week just exploring the cutest cafes with the best mountain backdrops.
Even got a chance to record a short DJ set in the coffee shop of our hotel “Snow Mountain Isle Aroma Hotel” – which turned out to be one of our favorite hotels on the trip. It surely helped tip the odds in their favor with the 7 cute cats they had, heated beds and massive bathtubs.
Visit a Traditional Naxi House
Visiting an authentic local Naxi house in the Yuhu village was another highlight of my Yunnan trip.
The kind owners showed us how to make tofu, taught us how they live and hunt, showcased their home and welcomes us with drinks and snacks.
They even made us wear the traditional Naxi outfits and we all enjoyed a little traditional dance too.
The day ended with a spectacular sunset from the rooftop of their beautiful home, followed by warm soup in a cozy cafe next door. Just what the doctor ordered.
Take Photos at Baisha Village with Mountain Backdrops
Walking around the cute Baisha Village is one of the top things to do in Lijiang. With the Jade Mountain standing tall in the backdrop, it makes for excellent photo opportunities.
Cute cafes and souvenir shops kept us entertained on our walk, and the stunning murals were the highlight of Baisha.
Sunrise at the Golden Peak
When we were asked if we want to wake up for sunrise at 630am in the freezing cold, we were all skeptical, to say the least.
However, we braved the cold and stepped out to catch the sun kissing the Jade mountain with its warm organge glow in wee hours of the morning. It was TOTALLY worh getting out of my heated bed for!
Visit the Jade Dragon Snow Mountain
Okay so this is one of those tourist traps in Yunnan province which you also must visit.
You should probably stay away if you don’t enjoy being in crowded spots but it is also so glorious that it should be a part of every Yunnan itinerary. Luckily, we were traveling in off season so we got shorter queues (it still took us almost 2 hours in queues, cable cars and buses to get to the “top”).
Its a good thing to tick off your Yunnan bucketlist but overall I was underwelmed by this attraction.
Paint with Minerals
As you all know how much I enjoy being creative. Any workshops like allow insights into the local culture and nurture my creativity are a big plus for me during travels.
In this workshop, we learnt how murals were painted with pure minerals (no chemical colors) back in the day. We even got to paint our own little mural and take it back home as a souvenir. Another ingenious souvenir idea for safe guarding my Yunnan memories.
Short Trek to Tiger Leaping Gorge
If you are seeking things to do near Lijiang, then visit the popular Tiger Leaping Gorge (虎跳峡 or Hǔtiào Xiá). We did this en route to Shangri La which is a scenic 2 hour drive from this spot.
Once inside, you walk along the Jinsha river to gawk at the enormous rapids whilst proceeding to the Tiger Leaping Gorge Scenic Viewing Platform.
The unique name of this gorge crops from an urban legend of a hunter who was chasing a Tiger. The Tiger leapt across the massive rapids at its narrowest point, escaping death by the hunter.
Surely one of the best things to do in Yunnan China.
Best Things to do in Shangri La (香格里拉)
Shangri La was one of the highlights of our Yunnan places to visit list. So, regardless of the high altitude (and my fear of altitude sickness), I was thrilled to visit this charming Tibetan land.
Walk around Dukezong Ancient Town 独克宗古城
This Tibetan-style mountain town is an absolute delight to walk around. Dukezong means moonlight and sunlight in the Tibetan language.
The town itself is cute, with Guishan hill adorning the backdrop and cultural delights at every corner. From live music to bustling cafes, photo opportunities and traditional dances, there is something for everyone here.
Try Yak Meat
Shangri-La is THE place to try Yak meat if you haven’t already. We had a tasty dish of Yak meat mixed with veggies plus some other usual soups and sides. This turned out to be one of my favorite meals in Yunnan.
Stay with a view of Han Temple/ Guishan Hill
We lucked out when we checked into our beautiful hotel “Half a Lamp Oxygen-Supplied Guesthouse” in Shangri-La and were told we got a free upgrade. The room was magnificent with a view of the valley and the temple. It looked magical at night and as always, we wished we had more time to explore Shangri-La properly.
Visit the Great Tibetan Flag Wheel
Imagine thousands of Tibetan flags fluttering in the wind? This spiritual atmosphere is a must-add to your Shangri-La to do list. Just walk around in circles and enjoy the calm these fluttering prayer flags bring. Perfect place to make a wish and who knows it might come true.
Should you DIY your Yunnan itinerary or go through an agent?
Usually, I am a firm believer in DIY tours, especially since I like to be flexible with my schedule and travel at a slow pace. However, after traveling with Eastogo, I can confirm that there is no better way to explore China than with these guys.
Having your itinerary, hotels, food, and destinations preplanned with a comfortable car and an English-speaking guide (in a country where you cannot get by without Google Translate otherwise), was a massive boon.
I am already planning my upcoming trips to China with Eastogo as I was so impressed by their service.
Contact them to custom-curate a Yunnan itinerary that’s right up your alley.
With so many things to do in Yunnan and around it, there is no dearth of options for a first time traveler to the province. You can cherry pick the items you like the most or curate your own custom itinerary with experts over at Eastogo Travel.
This alongside regular visits to Indian jungles in search of the Royal Bengal Tiger, fueled her zest for adventure, nature and wildlife.
Now she is a renowned travel blogger, outreach expert and has worked with over 500 travel brands in the last 15 years.
So happy we got to share such an unforgettable trip together. Can’t wait to explore more hidden gem destinations with you someday. I also hope we can meet more travel lovers through your sharing.
Wish you all the best!We miss you so much here in China!
Thanks guys, I will have fond memories from this trip forever. Cannot wait to explore more of China’s bird life/ wildlife/ nature and outdoors with you guys.