Back from Suffering in Lijiang - Here's My Honest Take

OMG fam! Before going to Lijiang I imagined "sunshine warming my heart", but came back with "exhaustion weighing me down"😂 Here's my sincere survival guide - read this before booking! 🌚 Those overhyped traps I fell into for you: - Romantic encounters in old town? Don't be naive! Bar "hype crews" will lure you to drink - 88 yuan for a "Wind Flower Snow Moon" beer that'll leave your wallet crying😭 - Instagrammable photo shoots? The 199 yuan package seems cheap until you pay extra 50 for costumes, 30 for fake lashes... Final retouched photos cost more than my daily meals! All shots look like "assembly-line Naxi princesses" - Yak jerky? The "100 yuan for 3 bags" deal in town turned out to be pork as primary ingredient... Masterclass scam right there ✅ Actually useful survival tips: - Where to stay? Skip crowded Dayan Old Town! Shaxi Ancient Town is quieter and cheaper - got a courtyard homestay for 150/night where the owner served us homemade rushan cheese😋 - Transport? Never take those "rickshaws" in town! They'll charge 50 yuan for 300m. Better rent an e-bike - 20 yuan gets you around all day🛵 - Food? Avoid main streets! Found "Granny's Cured Ribs" in an alley - 120 yuan fed 4 people to bursting, with free refills on plum juice - Must-pack: - Sunscreen! UV rays will turn you "plateau red" - Comfy shoes! 20,000 steps daily is no joke - Cash! Some shops have terrible signal for mobile payments 🌟 Truly worthwhile experiences: - Dawn at Black Dragon Pool Park - locals' exercise spot with free reflection shots of Jade Dragon Snow Mountain (10x prettier than paid viewpoints) - Sunset at Qingxi Reservoir - sit on the grass watching mountain hues change, meet auntie selling roasted potatoes (5 yuan for huge bag) - Find an old teahouse - sip "snow tea" with flower cakes while listening to owners' stories of old Lijiang. This is the real slow life~ Final truth: Lijiang isn't unfun - it's just covered in commercial dust. Skip the influencer traps to find its genuine warmth❤️