Lijiang

The Naxi built Dayan without walls, on canals fed by the Black Dragon Pool, and its lanes of grey tile and timber are a World Heritage site that now holds mostly bars and souvenir shops. See it early in the morning, when the water runs clear and the shutters are still closed, then base yourself somewhere calmer.

Shuhe, four kilometres north, is a smaller version with room to breathe. Baisha, further up the plain, is still a village, with Ming murals in its temple and the mountain filling the end of every street.

You are at 2,400 metres, so take the first day slowly. Jade Dragon Snow Mountain needs a booking; Tiger Leaping Gorge, two hours north, is the best walk in the province and worth an overnight.

Sanyi (LJG) airport is 30 kilometres south with flights from Kunming, Chengdu and the big cities; the shuttle takes about 40 minutes. Trains from Kunming take about three hours and from Dali under two, arriving at Lijiang station south of town, a short taxi from any of the old towns.

Naxi cooking is hearty mountain food: Lijiang baba flatbreads, chickpea jelly cold or fried, Naxi grilled fish, yak hotpot and cured pork ribs in winter. Breakfast at the morning market in Zhongyi is the honest version. Shuhe and Baisha have farmhouse restaurants with vegetables from the field behind.