The proper way to experience Lijiang's Dragon Maiden Lake, click to see the guide 👉🏻

Beyond the popular tourist attractions, Lijiang boasts a plethora of hidden gems, one of which is the enchanting Longnu Lake, a place we've been consistently recommended of late. On this trip to Lijiang, we specifically allocated two days to stay in Yuhu Village, with the nearby Longnu Lake being a must-visit spot. Given our ample time, we visited Longnu Lake twice, once in the afternoon and once in the early morning. ❗️The experience varies significantly depending on the time of visit, which might explain the differing opinions. In this piece, I will share some tips for visiting Longnu Lake based on my personal experience. ❶ If circumstances permit, it's highly recommended to visit early, ideally between 7-9 am. During this time, Longnu Lake is incredibly serene, with hardly any tourists. Strolling quietly by the lake with a view of the snow-capped mountains, the tranquil air is only punctuated by the chirping of birds. ►A crucial point to note is that there's usually no strong wind in the morning, allowing for stunning reflections of the mountains on the calm lake surface, and making portrait photography less chaotic. ►If you can arrive even earlier, you can witness the sunrise over the Jade Dragon Snow Mountain, a sight to behold. ❷ The area around Longnu Lake is quite expansive. If you can't make it early, consider venturing deeper into the area. Most tourists and horse riders stick to the outer parts, so heading further in can offer a relatively peaceful environment. ❸ Besides the well-photographed main lake, there are also two smaller lakes adjacent to Longnu Lake, which are equally picturesque. Our morning stroll around Longnu Lake at 7 am was indeed one of the most memorable parts of our trip. The tranquility and vastness of the place, coupled with the snow-capped mountains and the lake, filled us with a profound sense of contentment, even when we were doing nothing. This is what travel should be about, not just a fleeting glance at the sights.