The Sunday market tip is spot on, but if you are there on a Saturday instead, head to the small antiques arcade on Taiping Street instead. It is just around the corner from the old town gate and a few vendors set up there every weekend, mostly selling old coins and porcelain shards. I picked up a small Qing dynasty teacup for 30 CNY and the seller threw in a brief story about where it came from.

For the Mount Baoshan hike, I would add that the trail can get muddy after rain, so check the weather the night before. The view from the top is best in the late afternoon when the light softens over the valley, but you need to start by 3pm to make it back before dusk. There is a small pavilion at the summit where I have sat and watched paragliders launching from the ridge on calm days.

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if you're into photography the baoshan museum has this one room with a massive bronze drum from the dian kingdom that catches the light perfectly around 11am. the guards are used to people taking their time there so you can set up a tripod without getting shooed away. also the museum cafe sells surprisingly good suanmeitang for 5 cny, way better than the bottled stuff at convenience stores

for getting around i'd skip the bikes if you're planning to hit both the reservoir and the hike in one day. the bus to beimiao is fine but the return trip can be a gamble with timing so i usually just flag a taxi from the main road near the reservoir entrance. drivers know the spot and it's like 25 cny back to town, cheaper than waiting 40 minutes for the next bus

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honestly the crossing-the-bridge noodles at Old Street Noodle House are solid but if you want the real deal go to the small stall on Renmin Road near the bus station around lunchtime. the lady there has been making them for like 30 years and her pickled vegetable topping is way spicier and more tangy than the tourist spots. costs 12 CNY and the bowl is huge, just be ready for a wait cos locals line up for it

also worth adding that the Beimiao Reservoir is pretty quiet on weekday mornings but on weekends families show up around 10am with speakers and barbecue grills so it gets loud fast. go at dawn if you want that turquoise water reflection without the noise

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solid guide, the didi tip is already covered but one thing i'll add is the bus to banshan from the east station, it's like 3 yuan and drops u right at the old town gate, way cheaper than a taxi and honestly not that confusing once u figure out the route numbers. also, if u're there on a sunday, check out the morning market near the north gate of the old town, it's mostly locals selling fresh veg and herbs, but there's this one dai woman who makes a killer papaya salad with dried shrimp, costs like 8 yuan and she'll throw in extra chili if u ask. for the museum, i'd actually say go on a rainy day, it's a good backup when the weather's crap, and the exhibits on the tea horse road are more interesting than the main hall, spent like 2 hours in there without noticing. one thing nobody mentioned: the public toilets near the railway station are actually clean and free, which is rare, so if u're waiting for a train and need to go, don't pay for the private ones across the street. also, the golden week thing is real, i booked my guesthouse two weeks out and still almost missed out, so if u're coming in october, start looking now.

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honestly the guide is pretty accurate, but i'd push back on the vienna hotel pick. it's fine, but the real gem is the little family-run place called hehua lodge on qingnian road, like 200 a night and the owner will draw u a map of the old town's hidden alleys that aren't in any guidebook. also, don't bother with the museum on day one, it's small and u can do it in an hour before lunch, save the morning for banshan when the light hits the cobblestones, it's way more atmospheric. for the cable car, yeah it's touristy but the walk down from the top station is actually the best part, takes about 40 mins and u pass these little terraced fields where farmers still grow rice the old way, i stopped and chatted with an old dai lady who gave me sugarcane straight from the stalk. oh and the coffee at yunlu is good but if u want the real deal, head to the small roastery behind the central square, they do a single-origin small-grain that's like 12 yuan and way less sweet than the tourist version. one thing the guide missed: the night buses from baoshan to ruili are surprisingly comfy and cheap, about 60 yuan, if u're planning to head further west.

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yo this guide is solid, the sim card tip is spot on, i grabbed one at the airport too and it saved me. one thing i'd add is download the didi app before u land, the english version works fine and it's way easier than haggling with taxi drivers, especially late night. also, if u're into hiking, skip the cable car at gaoligong and ask around for the hidden trail near the baihua ridge, it takes like 2 hours but the view of the nu river bend is unreal, no tourists up there. and for food, the rice noodle stalls on renmin road are good but the real move is the night market near the old bus station, get the grilled tofu skewers with that weird fermented bean sauce, it's like 5 yuan and beats any restaurant. also, bring cash for the rural markets, i tried using alipay at a little stall by longwangtang and the auntie just shook her head at me lol.

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