China Travel

Founded in 960 AD before Yunnan province was even part of China, Yuxi has sometimes been called "one of the fastest growing small cities in China." Yuxi is "small", which is a rare adjective used to describe any city in China, the population is mainly composed of ethinic minorities which give the place a unique cultural flavor. Although little known to foreign travellers, Yuxi is nice, scenic surprise with rolling hills, the lake and lush nature. One little fun fact is that the composer of China's National Anthem, Nie Er, came from Yuxi. Smokers will be happy to know that Yuxi is the home of the Hongta cigarette company, named in honor of the Red Pagoda that is perched on a hill overlooking the city. During the Cultural Revolution the color of the pagoda was changed from white to red. The area is ideal for growing quality tobacco due to the 2,300 hours of s... more »

"Twelve thousand rice fields" is the literal meaning of Xishuangbanna, an area covering nearly 20,000 square kilometers of paddy fields, hills, woods and tropical rain forest.  Its natural—and cultivated—beauty is its draw, along with its remote location in southern Yunnan Province, nestled against the borders with Burma (Myanmar) and Laos. Home to smoky pu'er tea, a number of minority ethnic groups, numerous festivals and some of China's most striking wildlife, including elephants, peacocks, monkeys, tigers and leopards (though you're exceedingly unlikely to glimpse a rare jungle cat in their natural habitat).   In many ways, Xishuangbanna has much more in common with Southeast Asian neighbors Thailand, Laos and Burma than with Han-dominated China, and in recent years has seen a strong upsurge in tourism ... more »

Wenshanzhou refers to the district encompassing Wenshan city and the surrounding Zhuang and Miao Autonomous Prefecture. The area is in one of Yunnan province's more remote areas, bordering Vietnam to the south and Guangxi province to the east. China's economic miracle has mostly passed this area by, as a result, the tourism industry is undeveloped and getting here can be tricky as roads are not well maintained. The karst scenery and lakes around Wenshan are quite nice and relatively unspoiled, but cannot be said to be as awe-inspiring as those near Xishuangbanna. The area's main appeal is its ethnic diversity, it's home to eleven different minority groups, Miao, Yao, Yi and Zhuang, to name a few. With such a diversity of cultures, Wenshan and surrounding townships often brim with good cheer as red-cheeked locals celebrate their unique festivals. more »

Like the tiger and like another rather famous gorge or three in China, Yunnan's famed Tiger Leaping Gorge's days appear to be numbered—at least if you want to see it in something close to its natural state. Plans are afoot to dam the Jinsha River (as the Yangzi is known through this stretch), whose rushing waters have carved out this 17-kilometer long wonder over millenia. So, if you're set on seeing the world's deepest canyon before it's harmoniously developed into a tourist-friendly hydroelectric reservoir project, make like the legendary tiger and leap at the chance. (We should note that there is a lot of resistance to the dam project, for obvious reasons, and that its completion is not yet absolutely certain). Located at the junction of the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau and Yunnan-Guizhou Plateau, the gorge is tucked neatly between the Yulong Snow Mountains and... more »

Originally called Zhongdian, Shangri-La was renamed in 2001 in a effort to boost tourism. A gateway for travelers into Tibet, the cobblestone-lined old town offers a charming look into local life, which is as close as you can get to experiencing Tibet without actually being there. A mere four-hour drive from Lijiang and six from Dali, Shangri-La is an excellent hub, conveniently located near attractions like the Songzanlin Monastery, Tiger Leaping Gorge, Pudacuo National Park, Napa Lake, Xiagei Hot Springs and Haba Village.  Despite the rustic, mountain-town atmosphere, Shangri-La has a number of cafes, bars and hotels that cater to foreign visitors, offering mixtures of local and Western food and simple or extravagant amenities. more »