Travel Guides & Tips in this video
Jasminia Gough travels from Lijiang Old Town to Shaxi Ancient Town by bus, then continues toward Dali Old Town by carpool. The trip includes a walk through Shaxi's old market and Qing-dynasty theater, a look at a budget-friendly hotel, and a spinach-and-mushroom tart at Pete's Kitchen, a French bakery. Rain gives way to sunshine, followed by a thunderstorm. Along the route, she compares Lijiang's wood-and-pine character with Dali's stone and marble, meets fellow travelers and discusses practical transport details, including the bus terminal, bathroom timing and DiDi-style payment. She also reflects on finding local places through Xiaohongshu and on the value of early photography before the streets get busy. The carpool takes about an hour and a half, and the day ends with coffee at Mission Coffee & Bar in Dali. She also chats with locals along the way and values the chance to make memories with people she meets.
Next travel video:
More about the current video:(Published on 2025-07-02)
From Lijiang to Shaxi by bus
Jasminia Gough sets out from Lijiang Old Town for Shaxi and then Dali. She first has to find the bus terminal and check the timetable. The bus ride to Shaxi takes more than an hour, and there may be no convenient bathroom stop, so using the facilities before departure matters. She carries the last four digits of the driver's phone number for payment through the DD app. From the town entrance she walks to a budget-friendly hotel and shows the room and its view.
Shaxi's old market and Qing-dynasty theater offer a glimpse of the town's past as a marketplace along old trade routes. Jasminia meets other travelers, including a photographer who helps her capture the visit. Rain is part of the season, but sunshine appears later; a thunderstorm rolls through at night. The weather shifts become part of an unplanned day in town rather than a reason to rush through it.
Bakery food, town character and the ride to Dali
At Pete's Kitchen, a French bakery in Shaxi, Jasminia tries a spinach-and-mushroom tart. The filling includes Yunnan mushrooms and avocado, a combination she enjoys while exploring the food options in a smaller town. She also uses Xiaohongshu, known as Little Red Book, to find distinctive places. The trip encourages a slower pace and time to notice local details.
Jasminia compares the buildings in Lijiang and Dali: Lijiang is characterized by wood and pine, while Dali has more stone and marble. She notes how the surrounding landscape and trees shape the feel of each old town. For photography, early morning can mean quieter streets and fewer people in the frame. Later, she arranges a carpool toward Dali. It costs more than the bus but is more direct; the drive takes about an hour and a half. After arriving in Dali, she has coffee at Mission Coffee & Bar and reflects on the straightforward Lijiang–Shaxi–Dali route, the transport choices, the lodging and the food along the way.
Before leaving Lijiang, Jasminia makes a brief stop for tea eggs and coffee, then checks the bus departure details. The ride to Shaxi lasts more than an hour, and she notes that a bathroom stop is not guaranteed. In town, she walks from the entrance to her hotel before visiting the market and theater. These practical details sit alongside her account of the old town, the bakery and the changing weather. After the thunderstorm, she arranges the carpool toward Dali, where she ends the day at Mission Coffee & Bar.
FAQs (From the traveler's perspective)
- Q: How did Jasminia travel from Lijiang to Shaxi?
- A: She took a bus from Lijiang Old Town to Shaxi, then arranged a carpool onward to Dali Old Town. The carpool was more direct but cost more than the bus.
- Q: What should travelers prepare before the bus ride?
- A: Jasminia recommends using the bathroom before departure because the bus may not stop for long. She also carries the last four digits of the driver's phone number for DD app payment.
- Q: What did Jasminia visit and eat in Shaxi?
- A: She walked through the old market and Qing-dynasty theater, stayed at a budget-friendly hotel and tried a spinach-and-mushroom tart at Pete's Kitchen, a French bakery.
