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.
Cycling the Nujiang: Bingzhongluo and the Tibet border
Posted byThere is a person on the main street in Bingzhongluo who rents out a jeep and two motorcycles. But you'd have to talk to him well ahead because they're often rented out. We also talked about some people in a repair shop about renting out the vehicles that were repaired, but didn't have a lot of luck with that. Maybe if you give a better impression.
You should also probably know that riding in Bingzhongluo may require above average driving/riding skills. You often have to ford fast streaming rivers, cross vehicles on ridiculously narrow roads and mount steep and badly paved mountain trails.
Fog shuts down Kunming airport, strands thousands
Posted byWhy is fog really a problem with landing/taking off? I have flown many times with dense fogs and usually I think the instruments do their thing... I believe something else is at play.
Kunming addresses taxi shift change troubles
Posted byRide a bicycle. Really. I don't know why you would waste time and money on those unreliable suckers.
Getting Away: Hongtudi Scenic Area
Posted byHaha there's a bridge over the River Kuai :D
Interview: punk band Hell Yeah
Posted byStill don't know what it is though. I'm guessing a massage parlour? But then with a sleazy edge?