I am in the process in moving to Yunnan. Still trying to decide between Kunming and Lijiang. If you were given a choice, which place would you pick and why?

Thanks

Alex

What do you want to do in Yunnan? You might also want to consider Dali or Yuxi.

Most people like to vacation in Lijiang, Dali, Yuxi etc. If you live in paradise - where will you go for vacation? Kunming?

Why not Dali or Zhongdian/Shangri-la? Lijiang is a blasé Chinese city wrapped around a tourist zoo.

I think Dan the Man summed up Lijiang best.

as long as you don't live in the old town, I think Lijiang would be a great place to live. consider Shuhe or one of the numerous villages within Lijiang. of course, if you want convenience, import foods and night life or to live near a lot of other foreigners then Kunming would best suit.

The other thing to think about living in Lijiang is the cold. The insulation/windows in Lijiang usually aren't much better than those in Kunming, but it can be much colder in the winter.