Bruce Lee
Baishuitai or Baishui Tableland, also named the White Water Terraces, is known as one of the most attractive destinations in mysterious Shangri-La and is an ancient Chinese landform with a history of 200,000 to 300,000 years. The main attraction in the area is a large, white mineral deposit in the form of terraced pools, formed by calcium-rich water emanating from springs at the top of the formation. It is described as the largest feature of its type in China.
Covering an area of three square kilometers (about 741 acres), Baishuitai is located in the foothills of the Haba Snow Mountains, 101 kilometers (about 62 miles) southeast of the Shangri-la County. The specific location is Baidi Village, Sanbei Town, Shangri-La City, Yunnan.
Legend has it that the first saint of the Dongba Religion was attracted by the fascinating scenery of this place on his way back from studying Buddhist sutras at Tibet. So he settled down to preach Buddhism and the White Water Terraces became known as the Holy Land of the Dongba Religion.
Another says that in order to make local Naxi people learn to cultivated land, two Gods made the pieces of terraces for them and there is a saying of “Terraced Fields Left by Immortals”.
As early as Tang and Song dynasties, Baishuitai has already become a famous tourist resort in western Yunnan. In the north of the origin source stands a rock, on which a poem created by Mugao, a Naxi magistrate of Ming dynasty is inscribed.
Baishuitai is called “Shi Bu Zhi” in Naxi language which means growing flower. It is the birthplace of the Dongba culture of the Naxi Minority Group. The terraces are associated with the founder of the local Dongba religion, and are credited with teaching the local Naxi minority people how to adapt the region’s hillsides for agriculture. As such they are an important local pilgrimage site, and there are several shrines in and around the terraces. Each year, on the eighth day of the second lunar month, the Naxi people will gather here to celebrate their traditional festival by singing and dancing all day and night.
By Coach
At Shangrila Bus Station, there are two buses running to Baishuitai(Sanba Township) in four hours individually in the morning and afternoon and there will be more shifts during holidays and Sundays. Tourists can get off at Baidi Village.
From Hutiaoxia Town, there is also one bus running to Baishuitai at 14:00 pm and arrive at Walnut Garden at 14:25 pm. The Tiger Leaping Gorge hikers can take the bus to Baishuitai.
By Car-rental
Renting a car to Baishuitai in Shangrila is also available. Yunnan Exploration Travel can provide this service for you.
The main attraction in the area is a large, white mineral deposit 140m long and up to 160m wide in the form of terraced pools, formed by calcium-rich water emanating from springs at the top of the formation. It is described as the largest feature of its type in China. Spring water gushes down the crystal terrace like a white waterfall from the mountains summit, while the ever thickening sodium carbonate creates the impression of a marble sculpture, which makes a startling contrast to the green mountain. It were formed over thousands of years, just like terraced fields, layer upon layer, thus the name of Bai Shui Terraces.
From February to April and from September to November is the best time to visit White Water Terrace. Each year, on the eighth day of the second lunar month, the Naxi people will gather here to celebrate their traditional festival by singing and dancing all day and night. The scenery of the White Water Terrace is beautiful in spring, summer and autumn. Although the water quantity is not large in winter, it is glittering and translucent in the morning when the sun shines. While the summer is the rainy season with bad road condition, with debris flow and rockfall, so be caution.
The town near the entrance has several guesthouses which can provide accommodation and meals. You could also consider staying in the county seat or Hutiaoxia Town.
The Tiger Leaping Gorge is one of the deepest gorges with spectacular sceneries on the planet such as Jade Dragon Snow Mountain to the west and Haba Snow Mountain to the east.
Haba Snow Mountain in Shangri-la, Diqing
Haba Snow Mountain is a mountain rising above the northwest side of Tiger Leaping Gorge in Yunnan, China. It rises opposite the higher Jade Dragon Snow Mountain, and towers 3,500 metres above the upper reaches of the Yangtze River(Jinsha River). The summit of the mountain is a popular destination for amateur mountaineers and its lowest slopes are crossed by the popular Tiger Leaping Gorge trail. Its massif is considered the southernmost extent of the expansive Shaluli Mountains, themselves a component range of the Hengduan Mountains.
Pudacuo National Park in Shangri-la, Diqing
Being one of the most bio-diverse regions in China’s Yunnan Province, Pudacuo National Park is the first national park in Chinese mainland which was announced on June 25, 2007. With its crystal-clear lakes, undulating mountains and gurgling streams, Pudacuo National Park is definitely a wonderful natural wonderland. Among China’s 2,500 nature reserves, Pudacuo is the only one meets the standards for national parks established by The World Conservation Union. In addition to its rare vegetation and mammal species, the stunning natural beauty of landscape is unmissable for visitors as well.
► To protect the calcification spectacle, please do not tread on them.
► Tiger leaping gorge (lower section) is on the way from Baishuitai to Shangrila, you can visit by the way.
►Every eighth day of the lunar calendar is the best time to visit Baishuitai for the sacrificial activity.
5 Days Haba Snow Mountain Climbing Adventure (Camping at 4800M) with Tiger Leaping Gorge Tour
7 Days Lijiang and Shangrila Paradise Tour with Tiger Leaping Gorge Hiking Adventure
10 Days Shangri-La Hiking Tour with Tiger Leaping Gorge and Niru Alpine Pasture
14 Days Yunnan Cycling Tour from Shangrila to Lijiang and Dali
Kawagarbo is the high point in a range of high peaks that are generally referred to by Tibetans also as Kawagarpo. Kawagarbo is one of the most sacred peaks in the Tibetan world and is often referred to as Nyainqenkawagarbo to show its sacredness. It is widely recognized as the most beautiful snow mountain in the world, and is honored as the “god of snow mountain”.
It is located on the border between Deqin County, Yunnan, and the counties of Zogang and Zayv of the Tibet Autonomous Region. It rises about 20 kilometres (12 mi) west of Shengping (升平镇), the seat of Deqin County, which lies on China National Highway 214. What is now Deqin County has been part of Yunnan since the 1720s, when the current border with Tibet was established by the early Qing Dynasty.
A mapping error by the Chinese army during the 1950s transcribed the name for a lower range of mountains to the north on a much larger area that also included Kawagarbo. The name of this lower range in Tibetan is Menri, but is most widely known by its Chinese transliteration, Meili Xue Shan or Meili Snow Mountain. This is the name most widely applied to the range by Chinese and Western sources. The Meili range is a small massif of the much more extensive Hengduan Shan, the major north-south trending complex of mountains lying along the eastern edge of the Tibetan Plateau in eastern Tibet, northwestern Yunnan, western Sichuan, and far northern Myanmar. The Meili Xue Shan forms part of the divide between the Salween (Nujiang) and Mekong (Lancangjiang) rivers.
Kawagarbo is one of the most sacred mountains for Tibetan Buddhism as the spiritual home of a warrior god of the same name. It is visited by 20,000 pilgrims each year from throughout the Tibetan world; many pilgrims circumambulate the peak, an arduous 240 km (150 mi) trek Although it is important throughout Tibetan Buddhism, it is the local Tibetans that are the day-to-day guardians and stewards of Kawagarbo, both the deity and the mountain.
The ancestral religion of the Kawagarpo area, as in much of Tibet, was Bön, a shamanistic tradition based on the concept of a world pervaded by good and evil spirits. Bön encompassed numerous deities and spirits which are still recognized today, and are often connected with specific geographical localities and natural features; the major mountain peaks in the Hengduan Mountains are thus all identified with specific deities. Kawagarbo is one of these. Since its introduction, Tibetan Buddhism has been the dominant religion of the Kawagarbo area, with followers of Gelugpa doctrine being the most common.
Tibetans believe the warrior god will leave them if human sets foot on the peak of Kawakarpo, making the ground unholy. Disasters will follow as they lose god’s protection. Tibetans have also established a centuries-old sacred geography around the peak, maintained by religious leaders from local monasteries in negotiation with local villages. This sacred natural site preserves the natural resources and ecological health of the range.
1987: The first attempt on Kawakarpo was made in 1987 by a party from the Joetsu Alpine Club of Japan.
1990–91: In the winter of 1990–91 a group from the Academic Alpine Club of Kyoto University attempted the peak in conjunction with a Chinese group. Their activity caused heavy protests from the local Tibetan community due to the mountain’s cultural and religious significance. On 3 January 1991, a nighttime avalanche killed all seventeen members of the expedition, in one of the most deadly mountaineering accidents in history. The Kyoto club returned in 1996 to make another unsuccessful attempt.
1988, 1989, 1992, and 1993: American expeditions, led by Nicholas Clinch, visited the range in 1988, 1989, 1992, and 1993, attempting other major peaks, but were unsuccessful.
2001: In 2001, local government passed laws banning all future climbing attempts on cultural and religious grounds. As of 2010, none of the significant peaks of the range have been successfully climbed.
►By plane: Fly directly to Shangri-la city (Zhongdian), and then take a local bus to Feilai Temple in Deqin County, which is the best jumping off point to view Kawa Karpo Peak of Meili Snow Mountain.
►By scheduled bus: There are regular bus routes to Feilai Temple from a number of nearby destinations: Kunming, Dali, Lijiang (albeit, via Shangri-la), and Shangri-la itself.
►By charter bus: One of the easiest ways to get to Feilai Temple is to take a charter bus. A number of even easier ways to get to Feilai Temple is to hire a minibus, a car, or a cross-country jeep – they are available everywhere.
To take the full view of Kawakbo, there are two good locations: Feilaisi observation deck and Thirteen Pagodas Welcoming Guests.
Yubeng Village in Deqin County, Shangrila
Yubeng is a secluded small Tibetan village tucked away at the foot of Meili Snow Mountain in Deqin county, the northwestern corner of Yunnan Province. It is only accessible by foot or horse/mule. But the trip, however arduous, is worth it. Yubeng is divided into an upper and a lower section. Both parts offer fabulous views of the Mei Li Snow Mountains. Lower Yubeng is smaller, quieter and closer to the lakes and waterfalls that you will likely visit during your stay.
Feilaisi Monastery, Deqin
Feilai temple, the best place to watch goden peaks of Meili mountain at sunrise. So if u plan to watch sunrise, it’s absolutely a good idea to live at Feilai temple the night before. But actually it is unusual to see the goden peaks. The peaks of the mountains are often surrounded with clouds due to the high altitude they are. And this makes more interestings for Meili. There’s a kind of saying that, if any Japanese appears in this area then people can’t see the golden peaks that day. This is because Japanese are not welcomed by Tibetan people. Yes, they hate Japan and Japanese, just like people in notheast of China.
Lancang-Mekong River Grand Canyon
It is called the Lancang River after it reaches Changdu. The river runs south until it leaves China at the Nanla Bayout of Yunnan Province and therefrom changes its name from the Lancang River to the Mekong River. The river finally empties into the Pacific Ocean in the south of Ho Chi Minh City of Vietnam.
► It is difficult to see the mountain in its entirety during summer and autumn, due to heavy cloud cover or mists.
► The ultraviolet rays are strong and you may need to bring something anti-sunburn.
► Please keep in mind that in the mountains, do not yell or shout, that would offend the God of the Mountains. Tibetans there is always very quiet and respectful. Believe it or not, at least we do as the Romans do or show the courtesy.
Pu’er University
Traffic in Nujiang is not very convenient, without train and plane. Here are some transfer modes for you to plan an easier travel. There are several ways to go to Nujiang: 1. Kunming bus to Nujiang (Liuku or Gongshan); 2. Kunming-Baoshan-Liuku (Kunming-Baoshan by air); 3. Kunming-Dali-Liuku (Kunming-Dali by air).
Kunming is 581 kilometers from Liuku, the capital of Nujiang Prefecture. There is a direct sleeper bus and a high speed train available, which takes about 13 hours. Kunming Xiyuan Bus Station(昆明西苑汽车客运站) operates three bus shifts a day, starting at 9: 00 (high speed bus with air conditioner), 18: 00 and 19: 00; Kunming Nanyao Bus Station (昆明南窑汽车站) has one bus shift every day, departing at 16: 30. Kunming West Bus Station (昆明西站) has a daily departure at 18: 00. Nujiang Grand Canyon Hotel (Fengning Community) in Kunming also provides a high-speed bus shift at 8: 00 every day. The bus fare is 105 yuan for common bus shift and 110 yuan for high-speed bus shift, while the price during Spring Festival can be increased to about 160 yuan.
Kunming Xiyuan Passenger Station has a direct sleeper bus to Gongshan County at 18: 00 every day, covering 827 kilometers and taking about 18 hours. The normal fare is 144 yuan.
There are daily buses to Liuku from Xiaguan city of Dali. It takes 8 hours and the fare is 35 yuan.
There are daily flights from Kunming to Baoshan and the ticket price is about 440 yuan. Baoshan is 120km from Liuku, which is about 4 hours away. Tourist can take plane to Baoshan then get to Liuku by bus.
There are two major long-distance bus stations in Nujiang, providing long-distance buses to Kunming, Dali, Tengchong, Ruili and Baoshan, as well as regulat buses to regional counties and town such as Bingzhongluo Town, Gongshan County and Lanping County.
Departure | Destination | Mileage (km) | Departure Time | Fare(CNY) |
---|---|---|---|---|
Liuku | Gongshan | 248km | 11:10,12:00,13:00,6:20,7:00,7:50,9:00,9:50,10:30 | 65.00 |
Liuku | Xiaguang (Dali) | 241km | 6:20,7:00,7:40,8:20,9:00,9:40,10:20,11:0,11:40,12:20,13:0,13:40,14:20 | 67.00 |
Liuku | Tengchong | 217km | 6:20,7:10,8:00,10:00,12:00 | 60.00 |
Liuku | Yunlong | 177km | 8:30 | 44.00 |
Liuku | Bingzhongluo | 300km | 8:30 | 74.00 |
Liuku | Lanping | 357km | 12:20,13:00,6:20,7:20,8:20,9:20,10:20,11:20 | 66.00 |
Liuku | Fugong | 134km | 14:30,15:30,16:30,7:30,8:40,9:30,10:50,11:40,12:30,13:40, | 40 |
Liuku | Shanyang | 150km | 13:40 | 40.00 |
Liuku | Baoshan | 157km | 13:40,14:30,15:30,7:30,8:30,9:30,10:20,11:10,12:00,12:50, | 38.00 |
Liuku | Ruili | 355km | 7:20 | 91.00 |
Departure | Destination | Mileage (km) | Departure Time | Fare(CNY) |
---|---|---|---|---|
Fugong | Liuku | 134km | 13:30,14:30,15:30,7:00,7:50,8:30,9:10,10:00,11:50,12:30 | 36.00 |
Fugong | Xiaguang (Dali) | 375km | 17:30 | 110.00 |
Fugong | Kunming West | 715km | 16:30,17:00 | 219.00 |
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Qingkou is a typical Hani Village, which consists of 150 families and has a population of 800 of Hani people. Yuanyang Hani Rice Terraces and sea of clouds have their own distinctive features. The 190,000 mu amazing Hani Rice Terraces left by Hani ethnic minorities is called “sculpture in the earth” and “the Wonders of the World”,”elegant demeanor of China” as well. The terraces peacefully lay on the mountains, which forms a set of poetic picturesque picture scroll of nature beauty.
It maintains an integrated ecosystem among the forest, water system, villages and terraced field. Having been properly exploiting and comprehensively using the natural resources for hundreds of years, it is regarded as a model village in promoting the agricultural development. It not only protects its ecological balance but also promotes its development and civilization. There is also a museum established to display the history and culture of Hani people.
Hani people would celebrate some traditional festivals, like Hani New Year, Kuzhazha Festival, etc.
1. Hani New Year: Hani New Year is like the Spring Festival of Han. It takes place in the first Dragon Day of the 10th lunar month each year and lasts 5 to 6 days and even as long as 13 days. Every family would prepare chicken, pork to worship their ancestors and family members gather together to enjoy the union. In the last day of the New Year, a Long Table Banquet will be arranged and tables will be laid in the street which can extend to one kilometer long. Each family will serve the most sumptuous dishes to fill up a table and enjoy the banquet together.
2. Kuzhazha (苦扎扎节): Kuzhazha Festival takes place from lunar June 23 to 26 and every family makes sticky rice, sets the feast, makes fresh rice and worships the ancestor.
Walking around the village along the stone path, you can see the change of time as well as the local unchanged life on magnificent terrace fields. The earth-made houses on the both side of path are well ranked, whose housetop looks like a big mushroom. These houses are called mushroom houses, which are the traditional residences of Hani people. They are comprised of earth-made walls, bamboo or wood frameworks and straw housetops.
Qingkou Village is away from the south of Xinjie town with 6 kilometers. There are three routes to get Qingkou Village from Kunming. We provide you with detailed information.
Kunming South Passenger Station: departing for Yuanyang at 10:20/12:30/19:00 every day, CNY 139 per, lasting 5 to 6 hours. Then you can rent a car to reach Qingkou Hani Ethnic Village, CNY 5~10 yuan per.
Take a chartered car: CNY 300 a day to visit around Yuanyang Rice Terraces, and about CNY 100 to get to Qingkou Hani Ethnic Rice Terraces.
Take the regular bus from Kunming to Nansha county, then take the mini bus to Xinjie town(CNY 10 per, departing from 7:00~20:00). From Xinjie town to the entrance of the Yuanyang Hani Rice Terraces or from the entrance to each scenic spot, you can rent a car to go, CNY 5~10 per.
Kunming East Passenger Station: leaving for Jianshui or Gejiu and costing CNY 85 per and 3 or 4 hours and a half. And train from Kunming to Jianshui is also available. Then you can take a regular bus to Yuanyang, CNY 16-32 per.
• Duoyishu Rice Terraces: about 5 kilometers
• Bada Rice Terraces: about 2.5 kilometers
• Laohuzui Rice Terraces: about 4.8 kilometers
1. Accommodation: There are many hostels in Xinjie Town. If you arrange your accommodation in Xinjie Town, you should take a mini bus to arrive at each scenic area. Apart from Xinjie town, you can also stay at Duoyishu Rice Terraces Scenic Area and Shengcun Village where various hostels and inns are located. The hostels are decorated in Hani ethnic style and offer great chance to view the beautiful rice terraces through windows.
2. About Tickets: The day ticket is CNY 100 (including Duoyishu, Bada, Laohuzui Scenic Areas and Qingkou Folk village). The through ticket is CNY 180 (you can visit the above four scenic areas in ten days of validity). The annual ticket is CNY 360 (you can visit the above four scenic areas in one year of validity).
3. Weather: The temperature here varies greatly between day and night. Please pay attention to keep warm especially in early morning and at night.
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Bruce Lee...
Why is White Water Terrace (Baishuitai) So Special? Baishuitai or Baishui Tableland, also named the White Water Terraces, is known as one of the most attractive destinations in mysterious...
Why is Kawa Karpo Peak So Special? Kawagarbo is the high point in a range of high peaks that are generally referred to by Tibetans also as Kawagarpo. Kawagarbo is...
Traffic in Nujiang is not very convenient, without train and plane. Here are some transfer modes for you to plan an easier travel. There are several ways to go to...
About Qingkou Hani Ethnic Village Qingkou is a typical Hani Village, which consists of 150 families and has a population of 800 of Hani people. Yuanyang Hani Rice Terraces and...
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Address: Building 4, Yifuyuan, Hehong Road, Xishan District, Kunming, Yunnan, China
Wechat/QQ: 270384698
Office Call: 86-18812220370
Email: Trip@YasoTrip.com
Facebook Page:
https://www.facebook.com/YasoTrip
Tel/WhatsApp: +8618088243690
Trip@YasoTrip.com