Daju (China)

Unless you have a rented car, the only way to reach this mountain village is by bus. There are lines that serve Lijiang, Shitoucheng and Mingyin.

From Daju, you can basically reach all the main attractions in the region, including the breathtakingly steep Tiger Leaping Gorge. The colors of the gorge change with the season, always contrasting with the golden tone of Yangtze River. There are also some wonderful viewpoints in Daju, namely on the Yulong ("Jade Dragon") and Haba mountains.

In Daju's little cobbled streets, amidst persimmon and palm trees and other tropical vegetation, time seems to have stood still. You'll find several places offering accommodation in the town, including some very old inns, but there no large tourist hotels.