[Authentic Xichang Travel Log] A Local's Route

Last weekend, I impulsively bought a high-speed train ticket to Xichang, originally just wanting to escape for a couple of days. Unexpectedly, this small city felt as comfortable as visiting a friend's home. As a Chengdu native who travels to western Sichuan every year, this was the first time I discovered such a perfect place for slow travel within the province. I've compiled this guide full of local flavor, and even my local friends say, "You're good at finding places!" 🌿 Two-Day Itinerary (Tried and Tested) DAY 1: Clash of Ancient City and Lake ▫️ Start with a bowl of beef offal noodles when you arrive at the high-speed train station. I recommend the time-honored "Zeng Ji" on Mingdian Street. Watch the owner blanch the mint leaves, which are especially refreshing when mixed with pickled mustard tuber. After eating, stroll along Nan Street to Jianchang Ancient City. On the way, you'll pass old stalls selling buckwheat cakes, wrapped in banana leaves for CNY 2 each. ▫️ Start climbing the ancient city wall around 3pm. A local auntie taught me to pose at the third beacon tower, which frames the archway and distant mountains behind you. Don't rush to leave after descending the city wall. Wander into the alleys and you'll find bamboo trays drying sausages and Bai grandmothers making insoles. ▫️ At 4:30pm, take bus 106 to Jinlin Beach. The bus passes through large reed marshes, so remember to sit on the right side by the window. After getting off, don't follow the crowds on the main road. There's a pine needle-covered forest path on the left, which is a shortcut to the beach that takes only ten minutes. Arrive at the westernmost part of the beach at 5pm. There's a crooked tree that makes an excellent backdrop, and the entire lake glows at sunset. DAY 2: Slow Time by Qionghai Lake ▫️ At 6am, wrap yourself in a blanket and rush to Diaoyutai. The boardwalk in the morning mist looks like it's floating in the air. Suddenly, with a "whoosh," a dozen red-billed gulls flutter across the water. At 9am, go to the back door of Qionghai Hotel to feed the seagulls. A little boy in a Yi vest taught me to break the biscuits and toss them high. ▫️ At 11am, stroll to Moonlit Town. At the corner of the old teahouse, you can roast glutinous rice cakes around a stove for CNY 5. The owner's grandfather will use fire tongs to turn them over, sprinkling them with peanut crumbs when both sides are puffed up. In the afternoon, take Yi ethnic photos in Dashiban Village. The photographer brings a small wooden ladder—apparently, you need to stand on it to photograph the pigeons on the roof. 🏡 Tried and Tested Tips ▫️ When renting an electric bike, it's recommended to choose a shop in the old city. Wear a thick sweater in the morning and evening, and change to a light jacket at noon. After the lights are turned on in Jianchang Ancient City at 7pm, the lantern in Yaofang Alley is the most photogenic. If you meet the night watchman, he'll tell you that it's an ancestral copper gong. ▫️ For barbecue, navigate to "No. 125 Jiankang Road." Must-try items are the crispy small intestine and burst-in-your-mouth tofu. While sitting on a low bamboo stool and munching on skewers, a Yi brother at the next table will offer you homemade prickly pear wine. 🚴♀️ Transportation Tips ▫️ When taking a taxi from the high-speed train station, set the location to the South Exit. The 106 bus on the Ring Lake Line can take you to the main attractions. When going to Jinlin Beach from the ancient city, it's recommended to get off at Walnut Village in advance. It's more interesting to spend 10 minutes walking through the cedar forest than taking the direct route. What touched me most about this trip was the atmosphere of life here: the cold noodle stall lady reminded me to secure my backpack, and the bus driver would wait an extra 10 seconds for people chasing the bus. The homestay owner was right: "We in Xichang just want to make people lazy."