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.
Getting Away: Sapa
Posted byCan we not mix up "hiking" and "trekking" please? Backpacker speak makes me sick.
Trekking > to travel or migrate, especially slowly or with difficulty
Hiking > to walk or march a great distance, especially through rural areas, for pleasure, exercise, military training, or the like.
Kunming to Laos by bike: Part I
Posted byHey Kasey
Thanks! I found the route by looking at the map and my Google Maps application.
S
City cracks down on illegal vendors
Posted byThey are sure taking away a lot of the charm of living in Chinese cities. Are all night-time noodle stands illegal? What do those people normally make their living off? Yet I agree that the street vending has become a bit mad and if they want traffic to one day flow smoothly in this city, then these things must be taken off the streets.
I hope the chengguan this time kept their manners.
Kunming institute decodes yak DNA
Posted byNow do a machine that can make Yak cheese without the stench of Yak pats.
Jinsha dam controversy heats up
Posted byDam good article