THE ANCIENT TOWN of Lijiang is as remarkable for what it's not, as for what it is.
The narrow stone streets aren't dirty, the water in the canals that run beside them isn't littered, and the air isn't grey with pollution. There are no high-rise apartment blocks covered in shower tiles, no cars, no neon billboards and no buses. There's even a ban on rock'n'roll.
And this unique town on the doorstep of the Himalayas hasn't been destroyed, either by the earthquakes that have rocked its foundations for centuries or the more recent flood of domestic tourists.
The last earthquake to hit Lijiang arrived on the evening of February 3, 1996. It measured seven on the Richter scale, killed more than 300 people in the region, injured thousands and destroyed many of Lijiang's buildings - but, paradoxically, helped ensure the preservation of the ancient town.
The traditional wood and mud brick buildings survived the earthquake better than their modern counterparts. Mainland authorities decided the ancient town should be repaired in the old style, with the damaged modern buildings demolished. The UN listed Lijiang as a world heritage site the next year, and development has since been restricted to Lijiang's neighbouring 'new city'.
Instead of flying via Kunming, Hong Kong travellers should soon be able to travel directly to Lijiang, after a government agreement, reached in September, that will allow the route to open as soon as customs and immigration facilities can be installed at the town's airport.
