Boutique Hotels in China

Hotels seem to be the main concern of clients going to China. Some people ask for quaint Chinese traditional Boutique Hotels. Expectations can vary. Although there are few, more and more of these boutique hotels are becoming available depending on the area. Prices vary widely from inexpensive to over $500 per night. The one here is one I stayed at in a quiet area of LiJiang. Called the Bloosom Hotel (they have two)One has been built new and the other one shown here that I stayed in was remodeled from an old traditional guest house. Cost during November was $125 per night.  One thing you need to know is that many do not have heat for the colder seasons. They supply an electric heating pad under the mattress pad.

I requested an electric space heater and I think because I am a tour operator they filled my request. Modern bath facilities are normal however do not always expect them in remote areas.  Great facilities with a common t.v. lounge, library and open air court yard, and email available. Breakfasts were basic but very good. For more information on hotels, contact me anytime. interlak@eskimo.com   Click on the photos for full screen viewing

Mosuo Weaving in LiJiang

When in China you can find many unique products to bring home. One of them shown here are the wrap around scarves made by the Mosuo women of Lugu Lake.
These special patterns are woven as you see by the woman and either made in many shops or brought into the tourist town of LiJiang which is north of Kunming. LiJiang at 6000 feet above sea level is one of my favorite Old Towns to spend a few days of relaxing and shopping especially during the hot summer months. The Old Town area of LiJiang has many local shops where you can see products being made by hand such as leather ware, art, jewelry, hand made paper, clothing and many other products. If your tour does not include LiJiang we would be glad to do an extension  tour for you to include this area and others of interest to you. Our 25 years of experience and travel in China to the far corners of the country is our long suit in doing specialty tours to your interests and needs. Click on the photos for full screen views.

Visiting the Countryside in China

Probably one of the most interesting times I have had in China have been visiting with the locals in remote areas. I call those areas the Real China.
Rural life in China is very quiet, restful and at the same time a great learning experience not only of Life in China but the people of China. With over 57 different nationalities, each has their own language, customs and dress. Outside of LiJiang in the Naxi and Yi villages one can see not only how they live but their way of making a living from day to day. It is common to ask to visit a home or chat with the locals at a local cafe at lunch time or just over a cup of tea. Having a good local guide like Ms. Li that I have used in LiJiang and who is a Naxi lady, makes it much easier to converse and to experience the culture of the local people. When taking a tour to China be sure to spend at least one day at leisure relaxing in the countryside. Each trip I plan for myself, I spend at least 3 days with the local people in whatever area I am working.

Encountering the Chinese - A Must Read!

Before going to China your reading materials should include this book brought up to date in 2010. "Encountering the Chinese" is the best book I have found in helping to understand the differences in our cultures and how to deal with those differences in social, business, political and educational atmospheres. As a tour operator I try to keep copies on hand for clients who desire more information on this ever changing culture. For anyone going to China to teach, this is a Must Read Book. For anyone who will be working with Chinese people directly or part of a delegation, again this is a must read. For those who are just interested in the social aspects of Chinese culture it is an eye opener of what you can expect. Large coastal cities in the past 15 years have been exposed to western people much more than inland cities and countryside people. If you can not find a copy, I try to keep 50 copies on hand and will send them out at $25 post paid as long as I have stock. Tours to China is my business but the Chinese culture continues to intrigue me for the past 25 years that I have been traveling throughout China with over 50 trips.
Interlake China Tours, Inc. P.O. Box 33652 Seattle, WA. 98133

Where to Visit the Great Wall

There are several places in which to visit the Great Wall near Beijing. Badaling section is where the large group tours go to because there is a freeway out to it and is the closest section to Beijing. It is also the most crowded with usually 60 to 70 buses in the parking lot. Simatai section is where the avid hikers go to hike from Jinshanling to Simatai sections but is a bit difficult and not for strolling on the wall. Going from Huanghua to Zhuangdaokou Guar is a 3 hour loop is quite wild with lots of unrepaired sections. My choice for a nice hike or walk on the Wall is the Mutianyu section shown here. Usually no buses and has a cable car to take you up onto the Wall. The view here is to the left once you are on the Wall and if you go about 100 yards out, you will probably be alone since few people hike out that far. It is fairly level until you get to a section that is quite steep

where the Wall has been left as it was found. Tours to China is my business and the Great Wall is one of those MUST SEE sights to be included in all tours.

Temples and Churches in China

Like churches in Europe there are many temples of all kinds in China. One of the best ones I like is the Lama Temple in Beijing. It is close to the central part of the city and extremely interesting with a 5 story tall Buddha carved from one Tree Trunk and the temple built over it. It is an active temple with many monks and prayer time is interesting usually in the late afternoon. It was so important that Chou EnLi had it protected during the Cultural Revolution so it is kept in tact. Yes, there are churches in China as well and worth a visit too. On Wangfujing street there is a church with services in the early morning and many other churches and Cathedrals throughout the country with interesting history behind each one. The Jewish section of Shanghai and Ohel Moishe Synagogue are often visited and tours can be conducdted in English or Hebrew. For more information contact us at

interlak@eskimo.com Tours to China for over 20 years.

Ms. Li, A Naxi Guide in Beautiful LiJiang

Now and then I find a special local guide that I like to use not only for myself but for my clients who really want to get into the culture. Ms. Li is such a guide in LiJiang city north of Kunming in the mountains. Her and I went out to the remote Naxi and Yi people's villages this past November. Li is a Naxi minority person who was born in one of the villages that we visited. No western tourists were there and all was around a beautiful lake some distance from LiJiang. Li speaks very good English, chinese and of course the Naxi and Yi languages. We visited several homes, a farm where a vet was giving the animals their shots, and a wonderful new Monastery where we saw the artists painting fantastic scenes on the walls. For lunch we ate at a local restaurant where Li cooked a nice hot pot lunch herself on a Naxi traditional Hot Pot stove. I like clients to be able to have experiences like this and Li has been a great provider of same. For great Tours To China, I plan customized tours to your interests

and needs and have all over China and Tibet for the past 25 years.