Explore the off-the-beaten-path destination of Jianshui in Yunnan

Avoid the crowds | Explore the lesser-known gem of Jianshui in Yunnan|||🌄 Are you still struggling with where to go for fun? If you want to avoid the crowds and find a quiet place, don't just focus on Dali and Lijiang. Jianshui in Yunnan is a great choice. ·── 🏞 Attractions: 1️⃣ Jianshui Ancient Town. The ancient town boasts a long history and culture with a rich cultural heritage, including the Chaoyang Tower, Zhu Family Garden, Confucian Temple, Lin'an Government Office, and the Big Well. Chaoyang Tower is an ancient city wall that predates even the Tiananmen, and it has stood firm through many battles; Zhu Family Garden is a building from the Ming and Qing dynasties, and the Big Well offers a glimpse into the local lifestyle of Jianshui. 2️⃣ Jianshui Little Train. Whether to take it depends on personal preference. The train stations it stops at are very distinctive and worth visiting. There are also ways to enjoy the area without taking the little train, see the guide below👇 3️⃣ Tuanshan Folk Houses. Well-preserved traditional buildings and beautiful natural scenery, with winding flagstone paths flanked by quaint houses and shady courtyards, evoke a sense of peacefulness through the ages. 4️⃣ Ant Workshop. An art piece transformed from an abandoned brickyard, very photogenic, suitable for taking pictures. 5️⃣ Shuanglong Bridge. The 360-degree unobstructed Shuanglong Bridge, also known as the Seventeen-Arch Bridge, has withstood two hundred years of wind and rain and still retains its original appearance, making it a great spot to watch the sunset. 🍜 Cuisine: Jianshui tofu, grass sprout rice noodles, steam pot chicken, papaya water. 🏨 Accommodation options: You can stay inside or around the ancient town. Jianshui is not big, and taxi fares usually start at the base price. I stayed at the Qianyu Inn next to the ancient town, which is very convenient to get to the ancient town, and the landlady will call you home every night to eat grilled tofu. 🚗 Transportation ✈ Fly to Kunming, then take a high-speed train from Kunming to Jianshui. It's only a 2-hour drive from Kunming to Jianshui, and you can also drive or take a taxi. 👀 Travel TIPS: ✅ When you first arrive in Jianshui, you can spend a day wandering around the ancient town and the surrounding alleys. Jianshui is known as a 'living ancient town' not only because of the large number of well-preserved ancient buildings but more importantly, because the local lifestyle is well preserved, unlike some ancient towns that are left with nothing but a shell. ✅ The Ant Workshop is very photogenic, but be sure to choose a sunny day🌞 to go, otherwise, it's quite ordinary. Next to the Ant Workshop is the Wulong Lake Park, which can be visited together, and Jianshui's 'Little California' is located within this park. ✅ Ways to enjoy the area without taking the little train. If you don't want to take the little train but still want to visit each station, you can choose to take a taxi🚗 or a scooter🛵. Most people choose to visit Lin'an Station - Xianghui Bridge Station - Tuanshan Station, and then go to Shuanglong Bridge to watch the sunset🌅. I took a taxi to visit the three stations and Tuanshan Folk Houses first, then took the No. 19 tourist bus🚌 to Shuanglong Bridge to enjoy the sunset. It's very convenient to get a taxi around Shuanglong Bridge.