Lugu Lake in the Off-Season is Truly Ideal

Finally visited Lugu Lake in April. During the off-season, the lake seems to be in slow motion - no crowded tourists, no commercial hustle, just water, sunshine, gentle breeze, and a slower version of yourself. Here's my two-day, one-night itinerary - save it for your trip! 【🗺️Route】 Lijiang ➡️ Lugu Lake 🚗 About 4 hours by car via Lining Highway. One side features steep cliffs while the other overlooks the magnificent Jinsha River. There are multiple viewing platforms along the way. You can stop for lunch in Ninglang County. ⚠️ Stay focused while driving, watch for falling rocks, and slow down before curves. 🌿Day 1: Leisurely Lake Tour · Immersive Oxygen Therapy 🔵 Upon arrival at Lugu Lake, entrance fee is 70 yuan/person. There's a must-visit viewing platform near the entrance where you can see the panoramic view of the lake. 🔵 Half of Lugu Lake belongs to Yunnan, half to Sichuan. The Yunnan section is more developed. 🔵 Lake tour route: From accommodation ➡️ Yunnan Lovers Beach ➡️ Lige Viewing Platform ➡️ Gemu Goddess Mountain (we skipped this as it requires cable car or hiking to the summit) ➡️ Luyuan Cliff ➡️ Dazu ➡️ Sichuan Lovers Beach ➡️ Goddess Bay ➡️ Grass Sea, Walking Marriage Bridge ➡️ back to accommodation (takes less than 4 hours to complete) ☀️Day 2: Ride a Pig Trough Boat into the "Underwater Wonderland" 🚣 The pig trough boat, named for its long trough-like shape, is the Mosuo people's unique transportation. Small circuit costs 70 yuan/person, large circuit 100 yuan/person. 🚣 Rowing toward the center of the lake, the 12-meter clear water reflects the blue sky, underwater meadows sway like green silk with the boat's movement. As your fingertips touch the cool water, time slows to a poem. 🚣 Seasonal romance: December-February morning mist covers the lake, November-early April seagull interaction, June-September encounter with water flowers. 【🌙Accommodation】 The lake road connects numerous treasure villages with so many choices it's dazzling. Staying in a lake-view room is essential. 1️⃣ Daluoshui Village Perfect for lazy travelers, well-developed with concentrated dining and shopping. After dinner, stroll by the lake watching pig trough boats glide by - even the evening breeze feels therapeutic. During seagull season, the lakeside is filled with seagulls. 2️⃣ Pulo Village, Luangfang Village, Lüjiawan Village Less crowded but beautiful luxury hideaways, with famous options like Shanhaishi, Qieman, and Qiushan. 3️⃣ Sanjia Village A hidden gem with great value, close to Daluoshui Village. 🏠 We stayed at Baiyunjinsu Lake View Hotel in Sanjia Village, booking a starry lake-view king room. We could enjoy lake and mountain views from our room and see stars at night - great value at 600+ yuan. 【🍽️Dining】 ✅ Restaurants are mainly concentrated in Daluoshui Village, with KFC, Little Sheep Hot Pot, and various local specialties. ✅ We ate at "Eating Time," a modern Mosuo private kitchen featured in the variety show "A Road of Flowers." Li Xiaoran recommended their 2-3 person set meal, which didn't disappoint.