The White Water Terraces (Baishui Tableland) is located in the foothills of the Haba Snow Mountains, 101 kilometers (about 62 miles) southeast of the Shangri-la County. It is known as one of the most attractive destinations in mysterious Shangri-La and is an ancient Chinese landform with a history of 200,000 to 300,000 years.

The variegated landform of the tableland is a continual deposition of calcium carbonate that is contained in the spring water. Every year, the surface of the land is covered by the deposition and finally transformed into the terraced structure you see today. Today, the White Water Terraces cover an area of three square kilometers (about 741 acres).

The spring water runs down along the slope of the mountain, leaving an impression of a large white jade carving among the green mountain. The tableland lies layer by layer giving the appearance of a terraced field, so the local people call it 'a field left by fairies'. To the left of the tableland, there is a pool and a moon-shaped platform that is said to be the dresser of the fairies. During the autumn, the mountains around the White Water Terraces will be covered by various bright-colored flowers and leaves. Amid the mountains, the White Water Terraces will form a spectacular white contrast.

stream up the karst terraces
Emerald upper reaches of the stream
Besides being a beautifully scenic spot, the White Water Terraces is also the birthplace of Dongba culture of the Naxi Minority Group. According to legend, the first saint of the Dongba Religion was attracted by the fascinating scenery of this place on his way back from Tibet. He then stopped to missionize here. Later, the White Water Terraces became known as the Holy Land of the Dongba Religion. When the second saint of the Dongba Religion came here, he created the Dongba pictograph. Each year, on the eighth day of the second lunar month, the Naxi people will gather here to celebrate their traditional festival by singing and dancing all day and night.

Admission Fee:  CNY 30
Recommended
Time for a Visit:  Two hours

For some one who is tired of the singing and dancing “minority” girls at the commercialized tour villages, Baoba is the ideal place to see the real life form of rural Chinese.  The local people here looked as if still lived in the 1980’s as for its housing, street, and their life pace. The food and accommodations (but up to standard) are cheap. Babao is not a popular tourist attraction yet. You still can touch its intact pristinity.

Babao is located southeast in Yunnan province, 400km away from Kunming with a High way link. A tour to there often combined with 2 other places, Puzhe Hei (water land) and Baimei (an isolated village accessed through cave and river), and it could also combined with the  Luoping rape flower tour in spring.

Shi gu town locates in the north-west of Of Lijiang city,   at the point of the first bend of Yangtze river.  because of it's unique location between Tibet and Dali kingdom.  the town became a Strategically important point for the millitary.  handreds years ago, there was a war between Tobo kingdom(former name for Tibet) and Naxi kingdom, Naxi kindom won the war, in order to remember the great victory, Naxi military carved a  a White marble and a  drum-like monument  in the town, hence the name.

Khubilai Khan and his soldiers crossed the river and conqured the Southern Dali kingdom in AD 1253, so was the chairman mao and the red army,  in April of 1936, the second route of red army crossed the river from shigu  town and went to the north, began the famous long march from here!   there is a monument of the long march at the town, which is worth a visit and from where you can have a bird view of the town.  you can see other historical site such as the iron chain bridge, first bend of Yangtze river.. etc.

If you like to see a countryside market when you are traveling in Lijiang,  shigu town will never disapoint you!   There is a market day at shigu town  on every 3th, 6th,9th;  13th, 16th,19th and 23th,26th,29th  every month.  Don't miss the market day if you are interested to see the authentic life of Naxi people!

The Golden Tibetan monastery is 4.5km from Lijiang old town, located on the top of Snack hill. it is known as the only one Golden Monastery in Tibetan region. you can get there by Bus No.15 from lijiang city. 

When you are learning about Tibetan region in the monastery,   you also have chance to visit Naxi village nearby.

Itinerary:
Day1:
08:00 pick up from your hotel;
08:30 Transfer to Qiaotou Town;
10:30 Start the Tiger Leaping Gorge trekking tour from Qiatou Elementary School;
12:30 Lunch at Naxi Family Hostel（纳西雅阁）;
13:30 Trek to 28-Bend Trail;
15:30 Trek to Tea Horse Hostel;
17:30 Arrive in Tea Horse Hostel;
18:00 Dinner by your own.

Day2:Tea Horse Hostel-Middle Tiger Leaping Gorge-Lijiang
08:30 Trek to Halfway Hostel in Bendiwan Village;
09:30 Trek to Tina's Hostel in the middle part of Tiger Leaping Gorge;
12:00 Lunch at Tina's Hostel（中峡客栈）;
13:00 Trek down to the Middle Rapids of Tiger Leaping Gorge;
14:30 Trek to Walnut Grove Garden(Hetaoyuan);
16:00 Transfer to visit the upper part of Tiger Leaping Gorge;
17:00 Transfer back to Lijiang City;