Shaxi is located between DALI and Lijiang both are very charming places to be for many of us !its only about 3 hours by public van from lijiang to shaxi ,there are only 3 regular bus leave fro lijiang to jianchua <where is the head center part for goverment >they are 5 yuan cheaper, more comfortable for big people but dead slow .
I prefer to take the blue van from lijiang on the main street where it goes to lashihai .you will see lots of vans park on the road side ,thats the outdoor van station for short distance or long distance local tralver .the drivers are very helpful and cost 25 yuan one way to go in 2 hours . sometimes are good to chat with women drivers too during the ride . they are very lovely ? then they would drop you off at the town bus station then you will see doze of blue vans are parked out side of ticket office , its 10 yuan to go from here all the way to the entrance of the Shaxi old town , it takes less than a hour.
Enjoy your public road trip ,roll in and out with locals .