The new highway from Dali to Lijiang is NOT open yet. Just some cars and trucks will get on because the small access roads have not been sealed off yet. They only use the new road for a few km. The new road still has months before completion.
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Dali to Lijiang New Road
Has anyone been from Dali to Lijiang recently? Any updates on the completion of the new road?
Yereth
(111 posts) •
Last time I checked the road opened and passes through Jianchuan.
Finally made it to Lijiang via the new road. Total time is 3 hours. It takes 1 hour from the Xia Guan Bus Station to the entrance of the highway at the top of Erhai lake near ShaPing. The bus will stop at Dali Old Town in front of the Asia Star Hotel to pick up passengers going to Lijiang. The bus only had 12 passengers when it started in Xia Guan. Most of the passengers came in from Dali Old Town.
I previously mentioned that there is an exit and toll gate in Shuang Lang. This has really increased the number of tourists visiting.
Now there is an exit in JianChuan so expect this Old Town to see many changes in the next few years. The best part of JianChuan was that it was virtually untouched by tourism. I suggest you go visit JianChuan as soon as possible before it changes too much. I already see a lot of construction in this area with a brand new Pagoda under construction.
1000 Lion Mountain is a great palce to visit. I am sure the 20 Yuan entrance tickets will increase soon.
HFCAMPO,
Is there an old town in Jianchuan? How about Shaxi? Is it like Jianchuan, untouched by tourism?
Jian Chuan Old Town is very nice. Reminds me a lot of Weishan Old Town in Dali. Shaxi is special because it is part of the Ancient Tea Horse Road. However, it is very small. Make sure you visit Shi Bao Shan when you are in Jian Chuan and do not miss the 1000 Lion Mountain.
The new highway to Li Jiang is awesome.
If you drive your own vehicle you can avoid Dali altogether.
On the main highway from Kunming to Dali you exit heading north on the east side of the lake, avoiding Dali and the west side of the lake altogether. Quickly and comfortably you arrive at the exit of Shuanglang, Er Yuan( where we fly paragliders) and then Jianchuan/ Shaxi.
@HighSky:
Jianchuan is rapidly building up for an anticipated tourist boom, but the Old Town is quite charming:
It is also a nice jumping off spot for some great hiking:
Shaxi is still lovely due to the efforts of some locals and foreigners who want to keep it as it has been:
And of course Shaxi is the gateway to some of Yunnan's most important archeological sites:
Happy travels.
Yea, even it is said that Shibaoshan is Yunnans most important archeological site. (Its beautiful nature there too, and certainly worth a visit.)
So what is know about that mountain anyway - not much. Although it just creates more mystery, its a pity that mountain is too much shrouded in this mysterious veil. If anyone has any particular knowledge on it, it would be interesting to hear.
Its Nanzhao tantric Buddhism indeed and important place during Dali Kingdom etc. But why? Why this mountain? And why would Persians have ventured there? Why did the Dali kings make their statues on that particular mountain? (Sorry I jump in with these questions).
Some theories: Its part of Buddhism cosmology (but why?). Its likely a Mount Meru - an axis of the world - but then again why. Maybe the strange geology there, that resembles a turtle is connected to a hindu geography: a turtle as a base of the world.
Caves etc are also part of the hinduism/buddhism traditions. And that a Buddhist hideout is located near an old trade route is also typical - a matter to get funding.
But too little is known on The Mysteries of Shibaoshan.
And maybe also since the Erhai Lake gets its water from that area and the Yangbi river too. Yangbi river flows into Mekong and Mekong is an old symbol of Ganges (Mae Gang - Mother Ganges) in Buddhist traditions.
Now to play this further, anyone seeking treasures may want to check around the river confluence of Yangbi and Mekong.