Old Town of Lijiang, UNESCO World Heritage Site in Yunnan Province, China

The Old Town of Lijiang, also called Dayan, sits at 2,400 meters in Yunnan. Its streets follow a water system of canals and single-arch stone bridges, as seen at the white bridge crossing the canal. Houses combine stone bases with timber upper floors, tiled roofs and dark wooden balconies with lattice windows; carved stone dragon heads project from the canal walls.

The town was founded in the 12th century and grew into a major trading hub along the Tea Horse Road connecting Tibet with southern Chinese provinces. This commercial importance shaped how the settlement developed and its present-day layout.

The Naxi people keep their heritage alive through practices visible throughout the town, such as their distinctive written script and traditional crafts that appear in daily work. You can see these skills practiced in shops and small studios scattered across the neighborhoods.

You can enter the town through several access points, with the main entrance near the Water Wheel providing the most direct route to the market area. Wear comfortable shoes for walking the narrow lanes, and visiting early in the day helps you avoid the largest crowds.

The Old Town's water comes from the Black Dragon Pool and is split among three main channels, with a rule that households near the source draw first and those downstream later. Stone steps and a carved dragon head on the canal wall mark where water enters the lanes.