Featured Hotels Near Yuhe Section

Recommended stays include Lijiang Ancient Town Shangri-La Resort and Yunshang Naxi Courtyard, both offering authentic Naxi architecture blended with modern comfort. The Shangri-La features private courtyards with direct views of the Jade River, while Yunshang provides spacious family suites and a traditional courtyard with a children’s sandbox. Both offer free shuttle services to major attractions, and guests can enjoy guided walks along the riverbanks, where ancient bridges and stone pathways echo the city’s 800-year-old heritage. Many rooms feature hand-carved wooden beams and traditional Naxi murals, enhancing cultural immersion.

For families, facilities include baby cots, child-friendly menus, and interactive workshops like Naxi paper-cutting and pottery-making, ensuring memorable experiences for all ages.

The Yuhé Section is perfectly connected via free electric sightseeing shuttles that run every 15 minutes throughout the old town, linking key sites like Dali Gate, Mu Fu Mansion, and Black Dragon Pool Park within 15 minutes. For a more scenic route, walk the cobblestone paths flanking the river, which offer uninterrupted views of historic bridges, waterwheels, and teahouses—ideal for morning strolls or evening relaxation. Alternatively, rent an electric scooter (¥20/hour) from local guesthouses for flexible exploration of nearby villages such as Shuhe or Baisha. Use the Yunnan Travel Pass app to plan routes, book tickets, and access real-time transit updates, maximizing your journey efficiency.

At Yuhé Section, immerse yourself in intangible cultural heritage activities led by local artisans. Join a Dongba script workshop with a master Dongba scribe to learn how to write blessings in ancient pictographic characters. Attend a San Duo Festival reenactment, honoring the Naxi people’s reverence for nature spirits. Every evening, live performances of Bai Sha Fine Music—a UNESCO-recognized tradition—take place on the riverside bridge, featuring haunting melodies played on bamboo flutes and stringed instruments. For deeper connection, book a family-style Naxi dinner featuring dishes like chicken bean curd, fire-pit grilled fish, and pickled vegetables, followed by demonstrations of embroidery and indigo dyeing. These experiences, organized by Ancient Town Cultural Cooperatives, cost ¥50–150 and directly support local communities.

Evenings at Yuhé Section transform into a magical scene illuminated by hanging red lanterns and paper umbrella lights reflecting on the flowing water. Stroll from Sifang Street to South Gate between 6–9 PM to enjoy the serene ambiance and vibrant atmosphere. Enjoy a cup of Pu’er fruit tea at a riverside café or attend an open-air folk concert at Cloud Books, a literary lounge. During festivals, participate in the floating lantern ceremony, releasing handcrafted lotus lanterns into the river as symbolic wishes. Some guesthouses also offer private moonlit boat tours, gliding gently beneath ancient arches and capturing panoramic views of the glowing skyline—perfect for romantic getaways or quiet reflection. Book in advance via official platforms to secure spots during peak seasons.

For family travelers, Lijiang Ancient Town Shangri-La Resort and Yunshang Naxi Courtyard stand out. The Shangri-La offers interconnecting rooms, baby cots, non-slip bathroom mats, and a dedicated kids’ activity zone with daily craft sessions like pottery and paper cutting. Yunshang Naxi Courtyard, housed in a restored Naxi ancestral home, features a large garden, sandpit, and hands-on cultural lessons—including reading Dongba scriptures and observing traditional rice wine brewing. Both provide complimentary shuttle service to major entrances and serve breakfast with local specialties like Mi Guan Chang (rice sausage), Chicken Bean Curd, and sour-spicy soup. Their proximity to the Jade River (5-minute walk) ensures easy access to scenic trails and safe, relaxed environments for children.

Yuhé Section, originally known as 'Zhong He,' is one of Lijiang’s three main water systems, originating from the melting snows of Jade Dragon Mountain. Its defining feature is the 'one canal, multiple uses' principle: serving as a water supply, drainage system, and urban landscape element, creating the iconic 'river flowing through the city' design. The surrounding buildings reflect Ming Dynasty Naxi residential architecture, characterized by timber-framed structures, glazed tile roofs, whitewashed walls, and intricately carved windows. Notable landmarks include Wufeng Lou (a ceremonial hall for Dongba rituals) and Wan Gu Lou (a former merchant guildhouse). Today, the canal remains meticulously maintained—daily cleaning ensures clear, flowing water—proving the enduring legacy of ancient Chinese ecological wisdom and harmony between humans and nature.