It was a long bus journey of 8 hours up the 285km winding mountain road to reach Lugu Lake.
Day 13 (11.04.2013) Xichang (西昌) to Lugu Lake (泸沽湖) 285km "The Kingdom of Women"
The train arrived Xichang at 6.30am and we took 3 taxis to the bus station to buy our ticket for Lugu Lake departing at 8.40am. It was a long bus journey of 8 hours up the winding mountain road to reach Lugu Lake at the height of 2,690m. Had dinner in our Wind’s guesthouse and went to bed early. The night temperature was cold at 3c.
Sleeping: Wind’s Guesthouse (湖畔宾馆) in "Caohai" water area of Lugu Lake
The bus ride covers 285km journey in 8 hours and goes up and down 2 mountains and curves along the Golden River to reach Lugu Lake at the height of 2,690m.
The bus was moving slowly along a tight dirt road during a construction area and the landslide repair along the Golden River to reach Lugu Lake at the height of 2,690m.
A pagoda at Lugu Lake at the height of 2,690m.
Guesthouse in "Caohai" water area of Lugu Lake.
Sleeping here at Wind’s Guesthouse (湖畔宾馆) in "Caohai" water area of Lugu Lake.
Sleeping here at Wind’s Guesthouse (湖畔宾馆) in "Caohai" water area of Lugu Lake.
Wind’s Guesthouse (湖畔宾馆) in "Caohai" water area of Lugu Lake is a wooden structured, built in the Mousuo style with a large courtyard, has 27 rooms and 2 wooden viewing terraces with flowers.
Sleeping here at Wind’s Guesthouse (湖畔宾馆) in "Caohai" water area of Lugu Lake.
Sleeping here at Wind’s Guesthouse (湖畔宾馆) in "Caohai" water area of Lugu Lake.
This is the Caohai Wet Land - Lugu Lake is made up of "Lianghai" and "Caohai" water area.
With an area of 49sq.km. Caohai wet land is a national key plateau wet land under protection by the state council.
These boats are for hire and one can use it to row into the wilderness of the Caohai Wet Land area.
Caohai is a 10sq.km. lake area covered with thick reeds in the east of Lugu Lake. Mosuo girls paddle their boats through the reeds with melodious Mosuo songs.
Caohai is a 10sq.km. lake area covered with thick reeds in the east of Lugu Lake.
Lugu lake has 5 islands, 3 peninsulas and a sea-wall islet. Boating is a good way of exploring the lake. Local boats are made from thick logs and are known as zhucaochuan 'pig trough boats'.
These boats are for hire and one can use it to row into the wilderness of the Caohai Wet Land area.
Had dinner in our Wind’s guesthouse and went to bed early. The night temperature was cold at 3c.
Had dinner in our Wind’s guesthouse and went to bed early. The night temperature was cold at 3c.
Day 14 (12.04.2013) cycling around Lugu Lake
After breakfast at a nearby restaurant, we rented bicycles (Y15 each) from our guesthouse and cycled around Lugu lake. We stopped in all the scenic spots to take photographs. The night temperature was cold at 4c.
Sleeping: Wind’s Guesthouse (湖畔宾馆) in "Caohai" water area of Lugu Lake
Map of Lugu Lake.
The morning walk along the road to a nearby restaurant for breakfast at Lugu Lake.
The morning walk along the road to a nearby restaurant for breakfast at Lugu Lake.
Four lovely geese in front of Wind’s Guesthouse (湖畔宾馆) in "Caohai" water area of Lugu Lake.
Lovely flowers grown in front of Wind’s Guesthouse (湖畔宾馆) in "Caohai" water area of Lugu Lake.
Another view of the "Caohai" water area of Lugu Lake.
The tourist boats for hire at the jetty in front of Wind’s Guesthouse (湖畔宾馆) Lugu Lake.
Lugu Lake is the native place of "The Females' Kingdom" composed of the Mosuo people, a branch of the Naxi nationality who still live in a matriarchal society that is where women rule.
Lee Kam Boon getting some warm with the Mosuo people of Lugu Lake.
After breakfast, we rented bicycles (Y15 each) from our guesthouse and cycled around Lugu lake.
Ching Neng Bin rented a bicycle (Y15 each) from our guesthouse and cycled around Lugu Lake.
We stopped in all the Lugu Lake scenic spots to take photographs.
Our first stop was this 300m Zouhun Bridge "Walking Marriage Bridge" in Lugu Lake.
Our first stop was this 300m Zouhun Bridge "Walking Marriage Bridge" in Lugu Lake.
Walking Marriage Bridge connecting 2 banks of Lugu Lake is the place where Mosuo people date each other.
Walking Marriage Bridge connecting 2 banks of Lugu Lake is the place where Mosuo people date each other.
Tourist putting on the Mosuo dress for photo shoot in Lugu Lake.
The panoramic view of the Caohai Wet Land in Lugu Lake.
Another view of the Caohai Wet Land in Lugu Lake.
Lee Kam Boon and Ching Neng Bin trying our the row boat in Lugu Lake.
The boatman taking a nap on his boat in Lugu Lake.
We met a Chinese cyclist on the bridge in Lugu Lake.
The hawkers along the path to the bridge in Lugu Lake.
We had very good corn pancake for lunch here in Lugu Lake.
A Ta home land in Lugu Lake.
The very old Lama Temple beside the bridge in Lugu Lake.
The Mosuo ladies walking around in Zuosuo Town in Lugu Lake.
Mosuo lady in traditional dress smoking pipe in Zuosuo Town in Lugu Lake.
The Mosuo lady have been isolated in the valley and retain more ancient traditions and customs than the other people around them in Lugu Lake.
Conventional marriage is an unknown phenomenon. A Musuo woman can invite a man to the home and he will leave for his own home at dawn. Men have no material responsibility towards their children but care for the children of their sisters. A woman may change partners and it is not looked upon as promiscuity but many relationships last a lifetime.
The wide road to Mukua town and at the back is the Holy Gemu Mountain or Lion Mountain in Lugu Lake.
The Lugu lake water flows eastwards to the Yalong River and finally into the surging Jingshajiang River.
The Lugu lake Lover's Beach is seen on the right side.
The Lugu lake Lover's Beach water front viewpoint.
That is the beautiful small Dazui Island - in total there are five islands in Lugu Lake.
A pagoda at Dazui Town water front area in Lugu Lake.
We are standing at Dazui Town water front area in Lugu Lake.
Another view of Dazui Island in Lugu Lake.
One can take the row boat to the small Dazui Island in Lugu Lake.
The is the small Dazui Town in Lugu Lake.
Taking some photos with the local who were barbecuing some chickens in Dazui Town at Lugu Lake.
Taking some photos with the local who were barbecuing some chickens in Dazui Town at Lugu Lake.
Domestic pigs roaming all over in Dazui Town at Lugu Lake.
Farmers collecting fire wood around Dazui Town at Lugu Lake.
These are beautiful apple flowers seen in the apple farms along the road at Lugu Lake.
These are pine tree fruits along the road at Lugu Lake.
We continued to cycle eastward around Lugu lake.
We continued to cycle eastward around Lugu lake.
We continued to cycle eastward around Lugu lake.
We continued to cycle westward around Lugu lake.
A bird-eye view of Lige Island in Lugu lake as we cycled up the hill.
A close up view of Lige Island in Lugu lake as we cycled up the hill.
Lugu Lake boasts extremely crystal clear water.
Lugu Lake boasts extremely crystal clear water.
We cycled west to this Luo'Ao bay in Lugu Lake at the end of the road from our guesthouse.
Panoramic view of Luo'Ao bay in Lugu Lake at the end of the road from our guesthouse.
Panoramic view of Luo'Ao bay in Lugu Lake at the end of the road from our guesthouse.
Another view of Luo'Ao bay in Lugu Lake as we cycled up the hill.
After a few hours we were rewarded with a bird's eye view of the entire Luo'Ao bay in Lugu Lake area as we wandered up into the forested hills.
That is the Liwubi Island view in Lugu Lake as we cycled up the hill.
Ching Neng Bin cycled up the hillside at Lugu Lake.
Ching Neng Bin and Bernard Lee cycled up the hillside at Lugu Lake.
An atmosphere of incredible serenity as we cycled up the mountain looking down at the pavilion in Lugu Lake.
Bernard Lee and Ching Neng Bin taking a break at the pavilion in Lugu Lake.
Fabulous scene on the lake water with great reflection of an arrow on the Lugu Lake water.
A view of the Liwubi Island in Lugu Lake.
A closed up view of the Liwubi Island in Lugu Lake.
/// Backpacking Adventure to ShangriLa China the Last Frontier 30 March to 23 April 2013 (25 days)
| Total | Grand | Per Pax | |||
| Day | RMB | RMB | RMB |
| 13 | a. | 3 taxi - Xichang train stn to Luguhu bus stn 30 x 3 | 90.00 | 9.00 | |
| b. | Bus - Xichang to Luguhu + insurance 82 x 10 | 820.00 | 82.00 | ||
| c. | B'fast (opposite Luguhu bus stn) | 44.00 | 4.40 | ||
| d. | Bread | 12.00 | 1.20 | ||
| e. | Entrance fee - Luguhu (3 x 40)+(7 x 80) | 680.00 | 68.00 | ||
| f. | Room- Wind's GH of Luguhu | 416.00 | 41.60 | ||
| g. | dinner | 162.00 | 16.20 | ||
| 2,224.00 | 222.40 | ||||
| 14 | a. | Room- Wind's GH of Luguhu | 416.00 | 41.60 | |
| b. | B'fast | 90.00 | 9.00 | ||
| c. | Dinner | 260.00 | 26.00 | ||
| 766.00 | 76.60 |
