having biked the area extensively and always on the lookout for traffic free areas, I can recommend the following:
Diqin (I assume you mean Shangri-la): head out east on the East Ring road, over Baishuitai, Haba and the east end of the Tiger Leaping Gorge. Go to the west end. Do the trek back to the east. Hop in a ferry or take the new bridge over to Daju. Get transport or hike or ride towards Lijiang on this old road. It has a couple inevitable touristy spots, though. From Lijiang, if you are walking, there's a beautiful hike over Shigu (at the first bend of the Yangtze) on an old horse trail towards Jianchuan. If you can't hike, you're stuck to a fairly tourist-laden road to Jianchuan.
At Jianchuan head out to Shaxi, do Shibaoshan etc. Continue down the valley over Yangbi, or head out to Yunlong if that's not too far out of your way, go into Dali. From Dali take the old road over Chuxiong to Kunming.
Of course, if you can meander more, I suggest you approach Kunming from the north.
Zen and the Chinese art of motorcycle driving
Posted byI intentionally crashed my e-bike into the side of a car that pulled up without looking onto the bike lane. Then I showered him with expletives. Also slapped the hood of a few cars on Xuefu lu that were in the bike lane and trying to get past the little bus stop. It may not help but it feels so sweet.
Some day I want to be brave enough like that foreigner in Beijing who just stopped his bike in front of a car in the bike lane and forced the driver to reverse out.
Zen and the Chinese art of motorcycle driving
Posted byso much for your Zen, Colin :)
车让摩托让单车让行人 - then all will be good
Zen and the Chinese art of motorcycle driving
Posted bySlamming your hand on the hood is an effective method to deal with pricks in expensive cars. It makes them so furious but there's no way they can catch you as you slip away like an eel among the shoal of two-wheelers.
Kunming to Vietnam border by rail soon to be reality
Posted by10 RMB or about 30000 VND will also get you a ride on a scooter.
Kunming to Vietnam border by rail soon to be reality
Posted byNo there isn't. You'd have to cross the border by yourself and then you can get a bus to Sapa. There are many options from official buses to mianbaoche equivalents. The ride is about 30 km up a hill so I'm guessing anything between 30 min and 1 hr to get to Sa Pa.