Approach Lijiang

Nestled in a high mountain valley, Lijiang's charming Old Town has long been a center of Naxi culture and in recent years has become a major tourist attraction. Declared a UN World Heritage site after a 1996 earthquake and developed in the years since with tourism in mind, Lijiang, once a remote backpacker getaway, now attracts some three million tourists a year.

Of course, the tourism boom has changed the city and it's now common to find traditional wooden Naxi houses converted into shops run by Han Chinese who cater to the needs of tour groups. This has changed Lijiang's character, replacing much of its authentic (if occasionally dilapidated) charm with the convenience and relative luxury that the tourism industry requires, but it is still possible to find areas of the Old Town free of the theme-park feel that dominates elsewhere.

The New City, whose flimsy modern buildings fared worse in the earthquake than the old city's Naxi wood and stone houses, is not worth too much time, though hotels tend to be cheaper than in the Old City. Beyond Lijiang, the beautiful countryside beckons. Not far from the city you'll find the famous Tiger Leaping Gorge, monasteries, Naxi villages and Jade Dragon Snow Mountain. Lijiang is also an excellent spot for a few days of relaxation before or after treks in Tibet or eastern Yunnan.