[2025 Xiangyun Attraction] Travel Guide for Bell Tower and Drum Tower (Updated Jul)

#chinatravel #offthebeatentrack #hiddenchina While Dali remains one of Yunnan’s hottest travel spots, its surrounding smaller counties offer a quieter, more authentic charm — and Xiangyun County is one of them. 🏯 Xiangyun Drum Tower Nestled in the heart of Xiangyun Ancient Town, this reconstructed Qing Dynasty-era Drum Tower is perhaps the most beautiful of its kind in Yunnan. ✨ Best time to visit: Around 7 PM, when the setting sun meets the dramatic cloudscape, creating a postcard-perfect moment that truly lives up to the name “Xiangyun” (which literally means auspicious clouds ☁️). 📸 The tower’s blue structure, combined with glazed tile roofing, stands proudly at the crossroads of the town. Surrounding it: original old streets, historic houses, and local life buzzing, but with very few tourists — making it a great place for peaceful exploration. 🧭 How to get there: • Just 57 km from Dali • Search “Xiangyun Drum Tower” on navigation apps • 🚗 Self-drive or 🚄 take a bullet train — both are convenient! ⚠️ When passing through the tower’s intersection, watch for traffic from all directions. 🕒 Recommended visit duration: About 1–1.5 hours. It’s the perfect stop for a short stroll, cultural immersion, and sunset photography. Escape the crowds, soak in authentic local vibes, and discover Yunnan’s underrated ancient gems like this one! #travel #trip #china #staycation #thingstodo #myitinerary

👍🏻Recommended reason: I highly recommend visiting Xiangyun and Binchuan Zhou City! Especially the ancient city Bell and Drum Tower in Xiangyun, which was rebuilt in the late Qing Dynasty. At around 7 pm, the sun sets in the west, and the clouds are dyed with brilliant colors, reflecting on the Bell and Drum Tower. It is really beautiful, and I feel that this scenery is worthy of the name "Xiangyun". Next to the Drum Tower are streets and old houses full of a sense of age, as well as bustling locals. There are not too many tourists, and the place is full of life. 🗺Attraction introduction: 🏯Xiangyun Bell and Drum Tower is built at the intersection of the center of Xiangyun Ancient City. The blue building with a colorful glazed tile roof is very beautiful. It is a landmark building in this area, carrying the local history and culture. Standing in front of it, you can almost touch the traces of time. 🚗Attraction transportation: It is 57 km from Dali City, and you can easily reach it by car or high-speed train. If you go to the Bell Tower from the airport, you can also take Metro Line 14 and transfer to Line 2, which takes about 1 hour and 10 minutes and costs 8 yuan. From the Bell Tower to the Drum Tower, you can walk through the underpass, which takes 5 minutes. 🗺Travel route: You can reach it smoothly by navigating to "Xiangyun Bell and Drum Tower". The ancient city centered on the Bell and Drum Tower is very suitable for strolling. Spend more than an hour slowly feeling the tranquility and beauty here. You can also go to the Bell Tower Sunrise Viewing Platform (open at 7:30 in Kaiyuan Mall) to watch the sunrise. Don't miss the morning bell ceremony at the Drum Tower at 8 am. This limited edition is more shocking than the regular performance. 🍱Food recommendation: Be sure to try the local specialties, such as rice noodles, which are smooth in texture, with delicious soup and rich condiments, and are very satisfying; there are also cold chicken rice noodles, which are sour and spicy, with tender chicken and chewy rice noodles, full of local flavor. 💰Cost: The ticket is a joint ticket of 65 yuan, including 30 yuan for the Bell Tower and 35 yuan for the Drum Tower. 📌Other tips: When passing through the Bell and Drum Tower, be sure to pay attention to vehicles in all directions, safety first. During the tour, don't forget to bring your camera. With such beautiful scenery, you can take a blockbuster photo with a snap.

Yunnan is undoubtedly a great choice for a warm winter getaway. If you want to experience the beauty of Dali but want to avoid the crowds and high prices, we recommend Xiangyun, a reverse destination near Dali. Here, you can enjoy the warm sunshine and delicious local food. This is also the first place to be called "Yunnan". The colorful clouds and Xiangyun are the epitome of Dali's beauty. Main Attractions 1. Xiangyun Bell and Drum Tower Located in the center of Xiangyun Ancient Town, the tower was first built during the Hongwu period of the Ming Dynasty. It is the center of the four streets in the east, south, west, and north. The entire bell and drum tower is exquisite and heavy, with bright colors. The four streets connected to the bell and drum tower are built in the style of Ming and Qing architecture. 2. Zhenyang Gate Xiangyun was once an important stop on the Ancient Tea Horse Road in Yunnan. Zhenyang Gate is located at the east end of the ancient town. It is very grand and is a testament to the history and culture of the area. Outside the gate, there are two small temples, Cangsheng Pavilion and Dongyue Palace, with flying eaves and upturned corners, which are typical of traditional Bai architecture. 3. Shuimu Mountain Scenic Area A 30-minute drive from Xiangyun County, this is an outdoor pilgrimage site composed of Maitreya Hall, Shuimu Temple Mahavira Hall, Puxian Temple, Relic Pagoda Forest, and Baohua Temple. It still retains a thousand-year-old ancient camellia tree from the Tang Dynasty. 4. Yunnan Yi Ancient Town Yunnan Yi, the southwestern fortress of the ancient Silk Road, is about 20 km from Xiangyun County. We recommend renting a car or driving yourself. The area is largely undeveloped, and you will rarely see outsiders, let alone internet-famous shops and cafes. This highlights the simplicity and purity of Yunnan Yi, making it a great reverse travel destination. Useful Information 🚄Transportation: From Kunming, it takes about 1 hour and 45 minutes by high-speed rail to reach Xiangyun. After leaving the station, you can ride a shared bike to explore the area or take a taxi to the Bell and Drum Tower. The county is small, so you can find food, entertainment, and accommodation nearby. 🎫Tickets: All attractions in the ancient town are free. 🍕Food: While exploring, you can try local snacks and handicrafts, such as fried potatoes, roasted rice cakes, handmade tofu, milk tea, and roasted beef jerky. The Bell and Drum Tower is quaint during the day and brightly lit at night. Locals like to take a walk there in the evening, enjoying the slow pace of life in the small town.