7-Day Yunnan Itinerary: Lijiang, Dali & Kunming (with Shanghai Stopover)

Lijiang, Dali, Kunming & Shanghai route

Lijiang (2 nights) → Dali (2 nights) → Kunming (1 night) → Shanghai Pudong (1 night stopover). Connected by modern High-Speed Rail across the Yunnan Plateau and transcontinental flight to Shanghai.

7-day Yunnan itinerary at a glance

Days 1–5 cover Yunnan's ancient capitals and alpine scenery; days 6–7 cover the transit via Shanghai Pudong back to Penang.

1. Day 1: Arrival in Lijiang, Ancient Towns & First Street Food
2. Day 2: Jade Dragon Snow Mountain: Glacier Park & Spruce Meadow
3. Day 3: High-Speed Rail to Dali, Chongsheng Three Pagodas & Erhai Cycling
4. Day 4: Dali Ancient Town & Authentic Bai Snacks
5. Day 5: High-Speed Rail to Kunming & Crossing-the-Bridge Rice Noodles
6. Day 6: Kunming to Shanghai, Maglev Train & The Bund
7. Day 7: Crab Roe Noodles at Yuxingji & Return to Penang

1. 第 1 天 · 2024-10-31

   Arrival in Lijiang, Ancient Towns & First Street Food

   Transited through Xiamen overnight, landed at Lijiang Sanyi Airport at 12:55. Checked into Xiangshangju Light Luxury Garden Hotel near Zhongyi. Explored Baisha Ancient Town, Shuhe Ancient Town, and Lijiang Old Town, tasting sticky rice cakes, beef skewers, and fresh oysters.

   当日打卡站点与路线4展开打卡明细

   1. 1
      Baisha Ancient Town (白沙古镇)

      Baisha, Lijiang观光景点

      Traditional Naxi village atmosphere with views of Jade Dragon Snow Mountain. Sampled purple, green, and white sticky rice cakes.

   2. 2
      Shuhe Ancient Town (束河古镇)

      Shuhe, Lijiang观光景点

      Historic Tea Horse Road market town with quiet stone bridges and streams. Sampled Shuhe beef skewers.

   3. 3
      Lijiang Ancient Town & Zhongyi Market (丽江古城 / 忠义市场)

      Old Town, Lijiang观光景点

      UNESCO World Heritage cobblestone town. Night walk around Zhongyi market, oyster snack, and noodle dinner.

   4. 4
      Tea Horse Road Caravan Statues (茶马古道马帮雕塑)

      Old Town, Lijiang历史文化

      Historic bronze memorial sculptures commemorating the ancient Tibetan-Yunnan tea caravan traders who passed through Lijiang.

2. 第 2 天 · 2024-11-01

   Jade Dragon Snow Mountain: Glacier Park & Spruce Meadow

   Early morning start for Jade Dragon Snow Mountain. Reached the Tourist Center by Didi, paid mountain conservation entry fee, ascended Glacier Park ropeway to 4,506m, explored Spruce Meadow (Yunshanping), enjoyed yak meat skewers, and returned to Lijiang Old Town North Gate for dinner.

   当日打卡站点与路线4展开打卡明细

   1. 1
      Jade Dragon Snow Mountain Entry (玉龙雪山进山费)

      Yulong, Lijiang自然风光

      Mountain conservation fee RMB 200 for 2 (RMB 100 / MYR 63 per person).

   2. 2
      Glacier Park (4,680m Summit) (玉龙雪山冰川公园 (4680米))

      Yulong, Lijiang自然风光

      Ascended to 4,506m observation platform via Glacier Park Cableway. Recorded ticket cost MYR 88.23 per person (MYR 176.46 / 2).

   3. 3
      Spruce Meadow (Yunshanping) (云杉坪)

      Yulong, Lijiang自然风光

      Scenic alpine meadow surrounded by virgin spruce forest with views of the snow peaks. MYR 25.21 per person (MYR 50.41 / 2).

   4. 4
      Blue Moon Valley (蓝月谷)

      Yulong, Lijiang自然风光

      Terraced crystal-clear turquoise lakes and tiered waterfalls fed by melting snow from Jade Dragon Snow Mountain.

3. 第 3 天 · 2024-11-02

   High-Speed Rail to Dali, Chongsheng Three Pagodas & Erhai Cycling

   Breakfast steamed buns in Lijiang, then boarded High-Speed Rail to Dali (08:55–11:18, Coach 1). Transferred to Caicun by Erhai lake, checked into Dali Haiyun Garden Inn. Visited Chongsheng Three Pagodas, rented bicycles to ride along Erhai, and dined on authentic Bai papaya sour and spicy fish.

   当日打卡站点与路线3展开打卡明细

   1. 1
      Chongsheng Three Pagodas (崇圣寺三塔)

      Dali寺院

      Iconic landmark of Dali dating to the Nanzhao and Dali kingdoms. Includes entry ticket and internal shuttle car: MYR 61.68 per person (MYR 123.35 / 2).

   2. 2
      Erhai Lake Cycling Experience (洱海骑行)

      Caicun / Erhai Ecological Corridor自然风光

      Bicycle rental along the Erhai ecological corridor: MYR 6.30 per person (MYR 12.60 / 2).

   3. 3
      Bai Ethnic Papaya Sour & Spicy Fish Dinner (白族木瓜酸辣鱼晚餐)

      Caicun / Dali特色美食

      Signature regional delicacy featuring fresh Erhai carp cooked in tart Dali wild papaya broth: MYR 24.04 per person (MYR 48.08 / 2).

4. 第 4 天 · 2024-11-03

   Dali Ancient Town & Authentic Bai Snacks

   Dedicated day exploring Dali Ancient Town. Wandered the historic streets, tasted signature grilled rushan (cheese fan) and freshly baked Xizhou baba, enjoyed fried noodles and luosifen for dinner, and returned to the quiet shores of Caicun.

   当日打卡站点与路线3展开打卡明细

   1. 1
      Dali Ancient Town (大理古城)

      Dali Ancient Town历史文化

      Ancient capital of the Nanzhao and Dali kingdoms, framed by Cangshan mountain and Erhai lake.

   2. 2
      Grilled Rushan (Milk Fan) (烤乳扇)

      Dali Ancient Town特色美食

      Traditional Bai snack made from cheese curd, grilled crisp over charcoal and brushed with sweet rose jam: MYR 3.15 per person (MYR 6.29 / 2).

   3. 3
      Xizhou Baba (喜洲粑粑)

      Dali Ancient Town特色美食

      Flaky, pan-crisped wheat cake with savory minced pork or sweet rose filling (2x): MYR 3.15 per person.

5. 第 5 天 · 2024-11-04

   High-Speed Rail to Kunming & Crossing-the-Bridge Rice Noodles

   Breakfast dim sum at Dali Station, then boarded High-Speed Rail across Yunnan to Kunming (08:40–10:57, Coach 2). Checked into Ibis Hotel Beijing Road, visited Jinma Biji Archway and Kunming Old Street, enjoyed handmade dumplings for lunch, and savored steaming Crossing-the-Bridge Rice Noodles (Guoqiao Mixian) for dinner.

   当日打卡站点与路线4展开打卡明细

   1. 1
      Crossing-the-Bridge Rice Noodles Dinner (云南过桥米线晚餐)

      Kunming City特色美食

      Kunming signature dish served in boiling broth with sliced chicken, quail eggs, and rice noodles: RMB 28 total (MYR 8.80 per person).

   2. 2
      Kunming Old Street & Duiyuelou (昆明老街 / 胜利堂对月楼)

      Kunming City历史文化

      Historic pedestrian quarter featuring traditional Qing dynasty architecture, teahouses, and the famous curved Duiyuelou flatiron facade.

   3. 3
      Jinma Biji Archway (Golden Horse and Jade Rooster) (金马碧鸡坊)

      Kunming City历史文化

      Historic 400-year-old twin wooden archway monuments standing at the heart of Kunming's downtown commercial center.

   4. 4
      Haigeng Garden (Dianchi Seagulls) (海埂花园)

      Kunming City自然风光

      Scenic lakeside park along Dianchi Lake where tens of thousands of black-headed gulls migrate from Siberia to spend every winter.

6. 第 6 天 · 2024-11-05

   Kunming to Shanghai, Maglev Train & The Bund

   Traditional Kunming douhua mixian for breakfast, transferred to Changshui Airport for afternoon flight to Shanghai Pudong (15:05–18:00). Boarded the 430 km/h Maglev train into the city, checked into Fushan Road hotel, indulged in Xiaoyang Shengjian crab roe buns, and strolled The Bund.

   当日打卡站点与路线2展开打卡明细

   1. 1
      Xiaoyang Shengjian (Crab Roe Pan-Fried Buns) (小杨生煎 (蟹黄生煎包 / 拌面))

      Shanghai特色美食

      Crispy bottom Shanghai soup dumplings bursting with hot broth and crab roe, paired with tossed scallion noodles: MYR 6.63 per person (MYR 13.25 / 2).

   2. 2
      The Bund Evening Walk (上海外滩夜景)

      The Bund, Shanghai观光景点

      Classic night stroll admiring the illuminated colonial architecture and Lujiazui futuristic skyline across the Huangpu River.

7. 第 7 天 · 2024-11-06

   Crab Roe Noodles at Yuxingji & Return to Penang

   Luxurious breakfast of signature hairy crab roe noodles at historical Yuxingji, Starbucks coffee break, then Maglev to Pudong Airport for 17:10 flight landing home in Penang at 22:55.

   当日打卡站点与路线2展开打卡明细

   1. 1
      Yuxingji Crab Roe Tossed Noodles (裕兴记 蟹黄拌面)

      Shanghai特色美食

      Decadent Suzhou-style noodles completely smothered in rich golden hairy crab roe and meat: RMB 184 total (MYR 56.15 per person).

   2. 2
      Shanghai Starbucks Coffee Break (上海星巴克咖啡歇息)

      Shanghai特色美食

      Afternoon coffee break and relaxation before taking the Shanghai Maglev train back to Pudong International Airport.

Where we stayed

Here are the 4 hotels stayed at across Lijiang, Dali, Kunming, and Shanghai. Rates shown are the verified historical amounts paid for the trip.

1. Lijiang (丽江) · 2 nights

   Xiangshangju Light Luxury Garden Hotel (丽江向上居轻奢花园客栈)

   2024-10-31 – 2024-11-02

   Area: Zhongyi Market / South Ancient Town

   MYR 82.83 / person twin-share (Room total: MYR 165.66 for 2 nights)

   Check availability on Trip.com (opens in a new tab)
2. Dali (大理) · 2 nights

   Dali Haiyun Garden Inn (大理海韵花园客栈)

   2024-11-02 – 2024-11-04

   Area: Caicun (才村), Erhai Lake

   MYR 65.77 / person twin-share (Room total: MYR 131.54 for 2 nights)

   Check availability on Trip.com (opens in a new tab)
3. Kunming (昆明) · 1 night

   Ibis Hotel Kunming Beijing Road (宜必思酒店昆明北京路店)

   2024-11-04 – 2024-11-05

   Area: Beijing Road, Kunming Center

   MYR 58.52 / person twin-share (Room total: MYR 117.04 for 1 night)

   Check availability on Trip.com (opens in a new tab)
4. Shanghai (上海) · 1 night

   Shanghai Fushan Road Hotel (上海福山路酒店)

   2024-11-05 – 2024-11-06

   Area: Fushan Road, Pudong

   MYR 170.52 / person twin-share (Room total: MYR 341.04 for 1 night)

   Check availability on Trip.com (opens in a new tab)

Recorded trip costs from Malaysia

Recorded actual expenses from the 7-day trip, including return flights, 4 hotel bookings across 6 nights, high-speed rail, Shanghai Maglev, entry tickets, local Didi rides, and all meals. Amounts are listed per person based on twin-share.

Planned budget: MYR 3,000.00 per person · Actual spend: MYR 2,373.25 per person (Twin-share group total: MYR 4,746.51) · Surplus: MYR 626.75 per person. Historical recorded amounts from October–November 2024 travel records.

Key route planning tips

• Book Glacier Park tickets at 19:59 one day ahead. Cableway slots for Jade Dragon Snow Mountain Glacier Park (4,506m) are strictly quota-controlled. Reserve via the official WeChat mini-program (丽江旅游集团) the night before right when bookings open.
• Buy oxygen canisters in Lijiang Old Town beforehand. Oxygen bottles cost RMB 15–20 at convenience stores in Lijiang Ancient Town, compared to RMB 60+ when purchasing at the mountain tourist center or summit.
• Travel between cities with High-Speed Rail. Yunnan's modern rail link connects Lijiang to Dali in 2 hours 20 minutes, and Dali to Kunming in 2 hours 15 minutes. Train stations have dedicated luggage areas and dual-language signage.
• Stay in Caicun (才村) for the best Erhai experience. Choosing a boutique inn in Caicun provides direct, tranquil access to the car-free Erhai Lake Ecological Corridor for sunrise cycling without the crowds of Dali Ancient Town.
• Leverage transit stopovers. A layover in Shanghai on the return leg allows boarding the 430 km/h Maglev train into the city, an evening stroll along The Bund, and sampling classic crab roe soup dumplings before flying back to Malaysia.

Adapting this trip for your leave

Start with the total calendar days you can be away, including flight connections. Our 7 days away from Malaysia spanned Friday 31 October through Thursday 6 November 2024, using 5 annual leave days for a standard Monday–Friday schedule.

Check your state holiday calendar in the Malaysia leave planner to bridge public holidays like Deepavali, Federal Territory Day, or National Day for extended breaks.

Frequently asked questions