We finally had the chance to get out of the city limits, and explore a bit of village life in China. We traveled in traditional sleeper bus style, and I’ve never been so thankful for my sleeping bag liner in all my life. I couldn’t even estimate when those blankets & pillows were last washed! But after 16 hours of harrowing mountain roads, we arrived at the beautiful Lugu Lake, on the border of Yunnan & Sichuan province. What a breathtaking view! This peaceful lakeside village is almost untouched by tourism, and it’s one of the most beautiful places I’ve seen in the world.
The Lugu Lake area offers many outdoor excursions for adventurous travelers, such a bike rides around the lake and a ski-lift style ride to the towering moutaintop. It can also be a spiritual retreat, as there are several Buddhist prayer stops around the lake.
All in all, our week in this breathtaking part of China has been a highlight of our travels through the country. Cities are awesome, but stepping out of the busyness really allow someone to experience the country in a new way. We tried new foods, and saw things we never would have seen if we had stayed inside the city limits. I loved this peaceful week.
An American Mom in Asia 