Why is Luzhijiang River So Special?

Luzhijiang River(绿汁江) is located in the Luzhi town(绿汁镇), the southwest of Yimen County, Yunnan Province, 40 kilometers from the county seat, 120 kilometers from Kunming, adjacent to Chuxiong(楚雄) and Lufeng(禄丰). Luzhijiang River belongs to Honghe river water system and first grade tributary of Yuanjiang River, originated from the north of Jiulong Mountain(九龙山), Qinfeng Town(勤丰镇), Lufeng County(禄丰县), Chuxiong Prefecture, flowing from north to south through Lufeng(禄丰), Shuangbai(双柏), Yimen(易门), Eshan(峨山), Xinping(新平) into Yuanjiang(元江). The runoff area is 8600 square kilometers, the river length is 294 kilometers, and the natural fall is 1651 meters. The theoretical storage of water resources in the river basin is 330.7 MW. After Luzhijiang River joins Lishejiang River(礼社江)  in Shutang Town(水塘镇) of Yuxi, it is called Yuanjiang river(元江).

About Luzhijiang River Basin

The source of Luzhijiang River(绿汁江) is called “Yangxiqing(洋溪箐)”, originated from the north foot of Jiulong mountain(九龙山) in the Yangxichong village(洋溪冲村), Qinfeng Town(勤丰镇), Lufeng County(禄丰县), Chuxiong Prefecture. The Luzhijiang River Basin is located in the Central Yunnan Plateau with an area of 8613.4 square kilometers. Drainage basin is northeast high southwest low, middle and lower mountains and hills are widespread. The main types of geomorphology are tectonic erosion and structural corrosion. The relatively large basins in Luzhijiang River are Luoci(罗茨), Lufeng(禄丰), Shuangbai(双柏) and Yimen basin(易门坝子).

The Luzhijiang River Basin belongs to the subtropical plateau monsoon climate, with small annual temperature difference, large diurnal temperature difference and indistinct seasons. The average annual precipitation is 660.5-915.4 mm. The average annual runoff is 1.547 billion cubic meters.

The tributaries of the Luzhijiang River with a catchment area of more than 100 square kilometers include the Huixi River(汇西河), the Nanhe River(南河), the Baizigou River(稗子沟河), the Shezi River(舍资河), the Laoer River(老耳河), the Jieshi River(洁石河), the Shadian River(沙甸河), the Chuanjie River(川街河), the Gushui River(股水河), the Datian River(大田河), the Pahe River(扒河), the Taci River(他此河), the Yishi River(衣施河), and the Hekou River(河口河), the Pingdi River(平地河) and the Ketian River(克田河).

Features of Luzhijiang River

1. Some parts of the Luzhijiang River are turbulent, and some are spacious and open. In the rapids, floating down on the bamboo raft and kayak makes you excited; At the soothing place, the water is shallow, clear and ethereal, walking along the river makes you feel like being in the landscape painting scroll.

2. On both sides of the River, some places are lined with cliffs, strange peaks and different stones, just like an ancient mural; while some places with peaks and turns are suddenly open and clear, the mountains and rivers are bright, and the scenery is beautiful. In winter, there are cloud seas, like fairyland. Luzhijiang River is magnificent, with features of grand, strange, dangerous, beautiful, quiet, ancient, quite like the three Gorges.

3. Along the river, there are ethnic minorities such as Yi and Hani ethnic group, whose folk style is simple and unique. The “tiger palm dance” and “left foot dance” of Yi minority, “Duige(singing in antiphonal style) Meeting” of Hani minority and other ethnic customs maintain the original essence of ancient ethnic culture.

4. It has the advantages of developing tourism, drifting, rock climbing and other tourism projects. It’s a place to return to nature and challenge yourself. At the same time, vegetable forest fruit industry in Luzhi Town begins to take shape, can combine Luzhijiang river scenic spot comprehensive development of sightseeing agriculture tour and the industry tour, like agriculture horticulture flower visit, the industry metallurgical process visit, the mine hole exploration, etc. Luzhijiang River Scenic spot with distinctive features and rich content, is an ideal place for tourism, leisure and investment.

Best Time to Visit

You can visit Luzhijiang River at all seasons, but try to avoid the rainy days, in case the nature disasters occurs.

How to Get There

Long-distance bus is the main means of transportation to Yimen County(易门县). There are non-stop buses from Kunming to Yimen County. When you are there in Yimen County, anther 1 hour is needed to Luzhi Town(绿汁镇).

Kunming Northwest Bus Station-Yimen Bus Terminal

Departure Time: 7:00-18:30

Ticket Price: 27 CNY

Distance: About 101 kilometers

Consume Time: About 1.5 hours

Accommodation Around Luzhijiang River in Yuxi

For accommodation, you can find a place to stay in Yimen County.

1. Yimen Hotel易门大酒店

Address: No.218, Upper Section of Lvhe Road, Yimen County, Yuxi玉溪市易门县履和路上段218号

Tel: 0877-4864555

Starting Price: 236 CNY

2. Tengyue Business Hotel易门腾越商务酒店

Address: Nearby Yimen Bus Terminal, Yimen County, Yuxi玉溪市易门县靠近汽车客运站

Tel: 0877-4977888

Starting Price: 145 CNY

3. Tianhao Budget Hotel天浩快捷酒店

Address: No.168, Xinglong Street, Yimen County, Yuxi玉溪市易门县兴隆街168号

Tel: 0877-4969123

Starting Price: 96 CNY

Useful Travel Tips

1. Respect the customs of ethnic minorities and avoid disturbing the lives of local people.

2. From June to October is the rainy season and the road conditions could be dangerous.

3. Because of the great temperature difference, you should bring coats to keep warm and prevent a cold, especially in spring and winter.

Yunnan Province is a huge and colourful province that borders Guangxi, Guizhou, Sichuan and Tibet. Due to varied terrain and enough sunshine & rainfall, Yunnan boasts half of China’s plants and animal species. The richest province for birds in China with over 770 species recorded including nearly 40 of the Chinese endemics and many species with ranges restricted to Yunnan, northern Myanmar and northeastern India. The best season for birds in Yunnan is during the northern winter, especially from December to January, when migratory birds come from further north. Late April to early May are the best seasons for many forest species. Due to the wide range of altitude, winter weather conditions vary widely from cold and wet, including snow, to hot and sunny. Are you curious about birding but don’t know how to get involved? This page has several Tips for bird watching that will help get you started.

Tip 1: Get Some Binoculars

Nothing can ruin the excitement of a birding trip than seeing birds BUT not being able to observe their interesting behavior, see their beautiful plumage or identify the species. Look for binoculars that are waterproof, focus easily, and have at least 8x magnification and a 30 to 42mm front lens (which dictates the light gathering capability). So when you see “8×32” or “10×42,” those will work well. There are some fantastic birding binoculars available with a price tag under $300 (i.e., Nikon Monarch 5) and even as low as $125 (Celestron Nature DX). You can borrow or buy a pair.

Tip 2: Get a Bird Guide

Look through the bird guide before you go out for the first time. Read some fantastic bird watching books, magazines and publications available. Some of the more popular bird guides are Sibley, National Geographic and Peterson. Or you can read and follow some birding blogs. Downloading an app on your smart photo is also helpful. iBird is a good start, which will give you a chance to learn your birds with their many fun features. Don’t try to memorize all the birds, just learn about bird families such as swallows, raptors, warblers, etc.

Tip 3: Keep Your Eye on the Bird

When you find a bird, do not immediately try to identify it by turning over the pages of the field guide. Every moment of watching time is precious. Keep your eyes fixed on the bird and study it – absorbing details of its markings, movements, songs, feeding habits and size. You may want to take notes or quickly sketch out what caught your attention. But don’t pay too much attention to your notes, try to maximize the time you have the bird in view, because this is the time you study it, you don’t know how long it will last before the bird disappears, out of sight. 

Tips 4: Listen for Calls and Song

Listening out for birds is easy, but it’s also easy to forget. The odds are, if you don’t pay attention, you won’t remember the song and you’ll miss out on one of the best bird identification tools there is. The good news is that you can listen to birds and watch them — it’s easy to do both. Pay attention to bill’s movements as you hear the call, just to make sure you associate the right call with the bird you’re trying to identify.

Tips 5: Estimate General Size and Shape

Bird profiles, that is, their approximate size and shape, usually give you a lot of clues when you put it into the right bird family. So, start by evaluating the bird’s overall appearance. How big is the bird? It is easiest to estimate the size of birds than any known species. For example, is the bird you observed the size of a sparrow? Robin? A pigeon? A crow? Turkey? From the point of view of contour, try to understand its overall body shape. Did it walk freely upright, or was it unstable and clumsy on land?

Tips 6: Make Note of Facial Markings and Bill Characteristics

After determining its general size and shape, you can begin to pay attention to details. Let’s start at the head. Look for distinctive stripes and patches of color, including coronal stripes, eyeliner, nape color, eyeliner, or circles.Does it have a black hood on its head?Did its feathers form a crown on its head?Also pay attention to the color and shape of the beak.How far is the beak from the bird’s head?Is it straight or curved, tapered or flat?

Tips 7: Look for Wing Bars and Tail Shape

Next look for details about the bird’s body, wings and tail. When a bird is still or flying, pay attention to the stripes, patches, and markings on its wings. What color is its back and abdomen? How long is its tail relative to the bird’s body? How does it catch its tail? Is its tail bifurcated, square or round?

Tips 8: Observe Leg Color and Length

Now study the legs of the birds. Does this bird have long or short legs? What colour are its legs? If you can catch a glimpse of its feet, try to determine if they are webbed or have claws. Some birds even have a different arrangement of toes than others, and if you’re lucky enough to get a closer look, see how many of their toes are forward or backward.

Tips 9: Study Movement and Flight Patterns

Watch the way a bird walks, how it grabs its tail, or how it jumps from branch to branch. If it flies away, observe its flight pattern. Does it dive up and down in a gentle arc with each flap of its wings, or does it glide slowly and steadily? 

Tips 10: Determine Feeding Habits

If you can, try to determine what the bird is eating or how it is eating. Does it stick to tree trunks and dig holes in bark for insects? Or it will forage on your lawn, tilting its head to watch for insects scurrying from blade to blade. Can its beak swing in the water near the pond?

Tips 11: Describe Habitat, Region, and Climate

Note the bird’s habitat. You can do this even if the bird flies away, so save this step for last. Did you find this bird in the marsh or in the forest? Do you live in a city or on a farm? Each bird has a typical habitat area, and when you observe a bird, writing down the area you are in narrates the likelihood that you will try to identify the bird. In addition, the migration and species composition of birds in an area varies with the seasons, so make a note of the time of year (or the specific date you observe birds).

Tips 12: Record Your Observations

After observing the bird, write down your observations for future reference. Writing down anything you notice, from tagging to behavior, can help you later when you sit down with a field guide to identify the species. Also, note the location, the date, the time of day.

Keep Reading:

Travel Tips to Better Birding in Yunnan
Travel Tips for Birding Travelers in Yunnan
Top Places to Enjoy Wild Birds as Your Yunnan Birding Tour in Winter

Yunnan, the richest province for birds in China with over 770 species recorded including nearly 40 of the Chinese endemics and many species with ranges restricted to Yunnan, northern Myanmar and northeastern India. The best season for birds in Yunnan is during the northern winter, especially from December to January, when migratory birds come from further north. Late April to early May are the best seasons for many forest species. Top Places to enjoy wild birds are Kunming, Nianhu(Qujing), Huize(Zhaotong), Gaoligong mountains, Xishuangbanna, etc. For giving you a better birding experience in Yunnan, here we collect some practical advice to find, identify and photograph wild birds.

Practical Advice for Better Birding in Yunnan

Tip 1: Do your homework and study the local birds. Read our field guide to understand the range of local species so we can better understand what we’ll see outside. 

Tip 2: Ignore plumage when looking at raptors from hawkwatch sites. Focus on shape and flight style from a distance instead.

Tip 3: Concentrate on a bird’s size, body shape, bill shape and length, leg length and wing shape. After focusing on those traits, you can create a mental picture of each bird.

Tip 4: Take time to look at every aspect of the bird. When you find a bird, do not immediately try to identify it by turning over the pages of the field guide. Plenty of time to read after the bird leaves.

Tip 5: Bring a field notebook, which helps you to be a more effective birder. You may want to take notes or quickly sketch out what caught your attention.

Tip 6: Know the functions and limitations of your equipment. When using binoculars, practice finding a bird, knowing how to locate it.

Tip 7: Look with your binoculars while birding at hawkwatches. You can see the different flight styles of birds.

Tip 8: Have children practice using a spotting scope by looking at cars or stop signs. You can ask what it says and see if they can really see through the scope.

Tip 9: Learn how birds are related to their habitats. A lot of birds are very specific to certain kinds of habitats.

Tip 10: When you’re traveling by airplane, putting your binocular in one or two woolen watch caps to protect it from shock and moisture.

Tip 11: Consider all weather possibilities, and dress in layers before going out in the field.

Tip 12: While you’re out, just sit for a while and let the birds and nature come to you.

Tip 13: study your camera manual, know every button on your camera, and practice using the camera in your yard. Know the camera’s light meter and know how it reacts to shadows, dark birds, light birds.

Keep Reading:

Yunnan Bird Watching Tips for Beginners
Travel Tips for Birding Travelers in Yunnan
Top Places to Enjoy Wild Birds as Your Yunnan Birding Tour in Winter

Due to varied terrain and enough sunshine & rainfall, Yunnan boasts half of China’s plants and animal species. Since the weather in most areas of Yunnan is mild in winter, thousands of various birds migrate to Yunnan, mainly from Sibiria during the winter. Of course, apart from winter, you can pay a visit to Yunnan to watch the birds and take nice pictures in other seasons. For giving you a better birding experience in Yunnan, here we introduce you some useful travel tips.

1. Top Birding Places in Yunnan

Baihualing

Baihualing Scenic Spot is the first bird watching camp developed in Gaoligongshan Mountain. Because of well-protected natural environment, the number of birds species recorded accounts for 43.3% of the total recorded bird species in Yunnan Province, among which 5 species belong to the national first-class protection species and 33 species of national second-class protection species. It is known as “the Golden Triangle of China bird watching Zone” and “the five-star holy land” in bird photographers’ hearts.

Best Season to Visit: Every October to next May

Xishuangbanna

Xishuangbanna is reputed as a fauna kingdom, which is true to name. It is the best place in Yunnan to plan a Birding Tour. According to statistics of scientific research, there are more than 450 kinds of birds living in the forest of Xishuangbanna. Jungle is the best home of these lovely cherubs, they are smart, naughty, cute and shy, so, it won’t be easy to see them even you have already heard they twittering around you.

Best Season to Visit: Every October to next April

Nianhu Lake

Located 260 km from Kunming, Nianhu Lake stands at Huize County of northeast Yunnan. It was approved as a nature reserve for the black-necked cranes in 1994, and from November to March these cute angels migrate to spend winter here. Early in the morning you can watch the sunrise of Nianhu and a flock of birds flying when the sun comes from the lake and paved with red and dyed golden, black-necked cranes fly up to the sky. In the late afternoon, enjoy the sunset of the lake and the return of the black-necked cranes, in the loneliness of intoxicating beauty, you can get a kind of longing of wide and boundless.

Best Season to Visit: Every November to next March

Dashanbao Nature Reserve

Dashanbao Nature Reserve is one of the most popular destination for Yunnan Birding Tours. Covering a total area of 19,200 hectares, the Reserve is a plateau marshland. There are more than 1,300 black-necked cranes wintering in Dashanbao Reserve which has become the largest winter habitat of black-necked cranes and is regarded as one of the “Hometowns of Black-necked Cranes in China”. The reserve  has been designated as a Ramsar site since 2004.

Best Season to Visit: Every October to next March

Please read more information about Winter Birding Places in Yunnan.

2. Best Time for Birdwatching

The best time to watch the birds is 6am–8am, 2pm—4pm. In the early morning migratory birds waking, gathering and flying to search food. In the late afternoon, you can see the return of the birds. If forest birds, the best time are also morning and nightfall.

3. Birding Distance

Keep enough space with the wild birds. The best is not to enter the water. Not contact with birds faeces and excreta. This is the first important point for bird watching .

4. Birding Dressing

When outside watching, the best is not to dress brightly, and not to speak loudly. Bring enough clothes if cold and bring rain gear if necessary.

5. Birding Equipment

8—10 times binoculars telescope are essential equipment for bird watching. The magnification of a single telescope is between 20 and 60 times. It is mainly used for observing wild birds (such as wild geese and ducks in the water) with a long distance and a relatively fixed position, but it needs to be used with a tripod, which is complicated to operate. Of course, if you want to capture a great moment with your camera, be sure to bring a telephoto lens of at least 200mm.

6. Special Tips

Birds are not afraid of automobile. We watch birds in the cars that could be more close to them than walking, which also don’t disturb their daily life. The car window is the right holder when filming birds.

The news was updated on August 27, 2018. 

When most get off work in the evening, the Kunming International Flower Auction and Trading Center is filled with flower carts, merchants and service staffs.

Within 4 or 5 seconds, the running barometer on the auction clock will come to stop and a batch of flowers will find a certain owner.

“To seize the Dounan flowers during auction, you have to be fast or it will be taken by others,” said a flower merchant surnamed Zhang. 

Native to east China’s Jiangsu Province, Zhang works for a flower company in Kunming, and he added that Yunnan flowers’ quality make them popular worldwide.

The trading center hosts around 25,000 flower suppliers and 3,100 buyers. More than 500 flower varieties s are traded at the auction center, including rose, gerbera and hydrangea.

Every day, around 3.5 million flowers are usually sold, with the daily trading peak reaching 7 million.

Dounan flowers are exported to more than 50 countries and regions, such as Thailand, Japan, Singapore, Russia and Australia, said Zhang Li, general manager of Kunming International Flower Auction and Trading Center.

In particular, the recent years have seen an increasing demand for fresh-cut flowers in South and Southeast Asian countries. Now, 20 to 30 percent of Dounan flowers are export to these countries.

Hello, I am Amy Du (杜存美 / Du Cunmei), an excellent English-speaking tour guide in Lijiang working for Yunnan Exploration at Yaso Trip(亚索旅业).

Personal Information

• Name: Amy Du
• Gender: Female
• Nationality: Bai
• Height: 165cm
• Weight: 55kg
• Blood Type: B
• Marital Status: Married
• Health Condition: Excellent
• Date of Birth: 06/10/1981
• Place of Birth: Lijiang, Yunnan

Education

• Graduation Time: July 2005
• Education Background: Bachelor’s Degree in Tourism in English from Yunnan Normal University

Professional Experience

• Tourism Career: Since September 2005, working as an English tour guide for Yunnan Exploration and Trans Asia Discovery
• VIP Groups: Experienced in handling VIP groups
• UN China Study Programme: Served as guide and interpreter for UN China Study Programme Conferences

Self-Assessment

• Friendly, informative, and honest
• Provides very good service and patiently cares for clients
• High organizing ability and strong willingness to learn and work hard
• Modest and honest in dealings with leadership and colleagues
• Demonstrates good stability, loyalty, and patience in client relationships
• Very familiar with ethnic cultures and local cuisine, energetic, adaptable, cooperative, and honest to others.

Self Assessment
Friendly. Informative.Honest. Very good service and cared Clients Patiently. High Organizing ability. Have strong ability to learn and willing to work hard. Modestly and Honestly to get along with leadership and colleagues.
Have good working stability and loyalty.Patiently to look after the old clients,and very familiar with culture of ethnic groups and local delicious food. AEnegetic, adaptable and able gril, is cooperative and honest to others,very experienced tour guide.

Chinese Name:建水县双龙桥
English Name: Double Dragons Bridge in Jianshui County, Honghe
Honghe Double Dragons Bridge in Jianshui County travel guide introduces the main attractions, entrance tickets booking, The best time to visit, How to Get there, the highlights, facts, history, photos, weather, accommodation, visiting routes, travel tips, tour maps of Double Dragons Bridge in Honghe(建水县双龙桥).

The news was updated on January 28, 2019. 

Dianchi Lake, the biggest lake in Yunnan province, achieved its best water quality in at least three decades last year thanks to the local government’s pollution control and ecological restoration efforts.

In the picture, two workers clear garbage from Dianchi Lake in Kunming, Yunnan province, in October. The lake’s water quality last year was the best in at least three decades.

Covering about 310 square kilometers in Kunming, the provincial capital, Dianchi Lake used to be one of the most polluted in the country because of the rapid local urbanization and industrialization process in the 1980s, according to Wu Zhaoyang, deputy director of the lake administration.

Wu said the city began its environmental monitoring of the lake in 1988. At that time, it didn’t even reach the lowest Grade V standard in China’s five-tier water quality assessment system.

The water of the lake has seen continuous improvement. After upgrading to Grade V in 2016, it further improved to Grade IV last year.

The improvement was measured after a series of steps were taken by local authorities. The governments of Kunming and Yunnan both published guidelines for the protection of the lake. The city government has one vice-mayor overseeing the governance of Dianchi Lake after a special government body was established in 2002 to manage it.

In addition to a drainage pipeline network that stretches 5,722 kilometers, another pipeline network of 96 km – which helps prevent waste water from entering the lake – has been built in the main urban area of Kunming and areas surrounding the lake, the administration said.

Many measures have also been taken in rural areas surrounding the lake and in rivers that feed it. Farms with 6.8 million animals (livestock and poultry) have been closed, and domestic wastewater from 885 villages that once had no sewage treatment facilities is now collected and treated, the administration said.

It added that local governments built 1,300 km of pipelines to help collect sewage along 116 rivers that feed the lake. And tailored pollution control plans were drafted for the 35 most important rivers, it said.

The administration warns, however, that lake pollution remains grim.

“The great damage to the water ecosystem resulted in an almost complete loss of biodiversity. With shallow water and limited self-purification capacity, it takes an extended period for the lake to get rid of its polluted water,” it said, adding that a shortage of water resources also adds to the difficulties.

Huang Yuhong, chief engineer of the Dianchi Ecological Research Institute, said improvement of the lake water is a result of long-term efforts by both the provincial and city governments since 1985. The growing drainage pipeline network and the diversion of water from other basins are among the factors that have helped, Huang said.

She added that long-term plans are needed to clean up the lake.

“The ecosystem remains fragile and urgently needs restoration, which is a key part in the lake’s treatment,” Huang said. “But it takes a long time to reap the benefits.”

China experienced marked improvement in its surface water quality last year.

According to the Ministry of Ecology and Environment, monitoring at 1,940 sites found that 71 percent of the water was at or above Grade III – a year-on-year improvement of 3.1 percentage points. Bodies of water listed below Grade V, the poorest quality, dropped by 1.6 percentage points to 6.7 percent.

Dianchi Lake still has mild pollution and eutrophication. Total phosphorus and chemical oxygen demand are still major problems, the ministry said.

The news was updated on January 28, 2019. 

Boasting rich ecological resources like nature reserves, scenic spots, forest parks, national geological parks and wetland parks, Yunnan has been making efforts to build itself into the most beautiful province in China. Bearing in mind the philosophy of “lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets”, Yunnan people have embarked on a road of eco tourism development.

Located in the lakeside area of Erhai, Shuanglang is regarded as one of the most beautiful towns in west Yunnan’s Dali for its amazing natural and cultural landscapes. Every year, thousands of tourists visit the town, bringing a quick increase to the number of guesthouses. Now, there are about 600 guesthouses in the town.

However, the coming of tourists not only spurs economic growth in Shuanglang, but also gives impacts on the ecological environment. In recent years, the disordered tourism-related service industry began to pose treats to the environment. In early 2017, Erhai Lake even faced eutrophication risk.

Since then, a campaign has been launched to protect the lake.

“In two years, Shuanglang people have made great achievement in the environmental protection. We have built sewage interception facilities, regulated the hotel and catering market, returned wetlands to the lake and controlled the agricultural diffused pollution,” said Shi Guodong, deputy director of Shuanglang Old Town scenic area management committee.

Measures are also taken to end the extensive development of tourism and improve tourism infrastructure. These efforts are all made to offer better tourists’ experience through eco protection.

In Dali, a saying goes that: Dali thrives as the Erhai Lake gets cleaner. Since early 2017, the water quality of Erhai Lake is becoming better. In 2018, the quality had been maintained at Grade II for seven months. And Shuanglang has become more amazing and popular among tourists.

Puzhehei National Wetland Park is situated in Qiubei County, southeast Yunnan. Up to now, Qiubei has invested 280 million yuan to the ecological development of Puzhehei. Xianrendong is a small beautiful village with 196 households in the park. Now, most villagers are involved in tourism. They said that only better environment can draw more tourists to Xianrendong.

They are longing for better life in the future as the ecological environment is being improved.

Ecological protection also adds vitality to the development of the Colorful Yunnan • Ancient Dian Kingdom Culture Tourism Town which is located beside the Dianchi Lake in Kunming, capital of Yunnan province. Its “ecology +culture +tourism” development mode is gaining popularity among tourists. In 2018, the number of visitors to the town increases from 2.4 million to 3 million.

Located in the south of China, winter weather in Yunnan is still relatively warm. In the south China, people never see much snow in their lives. As for skiing, although there are eight snow mountains in Yunnan, including Jiaozi Snow Mountain, Jade Dragon Snow Mountain, Haba Snow Mountain, Meili Snow Mountain, Bala Gezong Snow Mountain, Baima Snow Mountain, Tianbao Snow Mountain, and Shika Snow Mountain, few ski field are available in Yunnan. This is because ski resorts are demanding on the Yunnan’s environment. Some of the world’s best ski resorts are 1500-3000 kilometers above sea level, while the highest Alps is just 3000 kilometers above sea level on average. Most of the snow mountains in Yunnan are too high and steep in elevation, especially the strong wind, partial snow and changeable weather, most of them are not suitable for the construction of snow fields. However, Yunnan’s snow mountains are always popular with tourists. And now there are several ski fields in Yunnan, and tourists can enjoy the thrill and happiness of skiing in Yunnan.

Skiing at Jade Dragon Snow Mountain

About Jade Dragon Snow Mountain Ski Field

Lijiang Jade Dragon Snow Mountain ski resort in Yunnan is located at the eastern foot of Yulong Snow Mountain. It is only 20 kilometers from the Lijiang Ancient Town, which has been rated as “World Cultural Heritage” by the United Nations, and is the warmest natural alpine ski resort near the equator of the earth. As soon as you enter Lijiang, you can see its silvery sparkling shadow at first glance.

Features

Take the snow mountain cableway directly to the Shanzidou, the main peak of Yulong snow mountain, out of the exit then you will see an open natural ski resort. The ski resort is 4500 meters-4700 meters above the sea level, and is covered by snow all the year round. It is 1000 meters long from east to west, 600 meters wide from south to north, and the snow quality is good, suitable for the four seasons skiing. Warm climates and 8 months of snow period each year (November to June of the following year) are top of the China or even the world.

The projects launched at Yulong Snow Mountain Ski Resort include alpine skiing, beginner skiing(with ski coaches), snowmobile, snow rubber ring, sleighs and other snow entertainments.

Ticket

120 yuan per person(80 yuan per person of snow mountain ticket, 40 yuan per person of maintenance fee of ancient town, charge when entering snow mountain scenic spot), including Ganhaizi, Baishui River, Spruce Meadow and other scenic spots in the scenic area.

The Surrounding Scenery

Jade Dragon Snow Mountain Ski Field and Millennium glaciers as companion, enjoying its surrounding scenery while playing with snow is the key. Yulong Snow Mountain in Winter may be called the true snow mountain, at this time, the “Jade Dragon” is snow-capped, spectacular but elegant. In the ski field, the most attractive is the surrounding invincible scenery. The sky above is ethereal and clean; Looking far into the distance, there are Ganhaizi, Baishui River, spruce meadow and Yak meadow below the mountain; It is a fancy enjoyment to see the cloud at the ski field.

How to Get There

You should take a High-speed train or flight to Lijiang first. Upon arrival in Lijiang, you can take the tourist bus to Jade dragon snow mountain, or No.7 bus from Hongtaiyang Square can also get there. When you are there at Jade Dragon Snow Mountain, you can take the cableway to the Ski Field at the altitude of 4500 meters.

Read More: 
Lijiang Transportation
Lijiang Sanyi Airport
Lijiang Railway Station

Best Time to Visit

Jade Dragon Snow Mountain is regarded by the Naxi people as sacred mountain. You can ski at Jade Dragon Snow Mountain all the year round, and taking the enclosed cable car, you can reach the ski field at the altitude of 4506 meters above sea level. Here, there are up to 8 months of snow period each year, usually from November to March of the following year is the best skiing season.

Dining

In addition to providing tourists with the best sceneries, food in Lijiang may also meet your expectations. Among the famous dishes in Lijiang, you are suggested to try the black goat hot pot, because black goat is one of the most common foods for the local people. Cured pork chop is also popular, and it is usually seen when eating hot pot. There are all kinds of fish dishes in Lijiang, maybe you can try the salmon fish, which may not be the same as you have eaten before. There is basically no restaurant at the Jade Dragon Snow Mountain scenic area, so bring yourself some drinks and snacks. Before you go to Jade Dragon Snow Mountain, it is recommended to bring some high-energy snacks such as beef jerky, chocolate, candy and so on, in case you can replenish your fitness at any time.

Accommodation

You can stay at Adange Hotel, Yunnan Aviation Sightseeing Hotel or Lijiang Guanfang Hotel, which has a better conditions. Besides, Jade Dragon Snow Mountain is only 25 kilometers from Lijiang Ancient Town. There are more accommodation options inside Lijiang Ancient Town from private inns to antique star hotels. If you prefer a quiet environment, you can stay at the hostels inside Shuhe ancient town.

Travel Tips

You can rent down clothes or oxygen bags at Yulong Snow Mountain(However, most visitors do not need a oxygen bag, please decide according to your actual situation). There is a drug called Rhodiola at the infirmary on Jade Dragon Snow Mountain, specialized in the treatment of high altitude reactions.

Skiing in Huize County

Yunnan Dahaicao Mountain International Ski Resort is located at Dahaicao Mountain Scenic area in Huize County. The construction began in mid-2017. At present, the first phase of construction has been completed, with a scale of 190,000 square meters. It is one of the largest outdoor ski resorts in southwest China. During the snow season from 2018 to 2019, for the first time, the ski resorts are open to 3 primary ski track, 1 intermediate snow track and 2 advanced snow track. In addition, an alpine cable car, 4 magic carpet and more than 10,000 square meters of entertainment park, which can meet the needs of tourists of all ages. The snow season of the ski resort can be as long as 100 days to 120 days, and it is one of the international ski resorts with long operating hours in the south of China.

During the snow season from 2018 to 2019, two-hour ski tickets will be 120 yuan per person at ordinary time and 180 yuan per person on weekends and holidays. The fees will include admission tickets of Dahaicao Mountain Scenic area and basic ski equipment. In addition, ski tickets buying online or from other channels may have a certain discount.

It is believed that in the near future, the ski field facilities will be more perfect, and more ski tracks will be open to public.

Transportation

The distance between Kunming and Huize is about 198 kilometers, while 42 kilometers from the county seat of Huize County to Dahaicao Mountain. The whole journey is about 4-5 hours. There are direct long-distance buses from Kunming to Huize County. Upon arrival at Huize Bus terminal, you can take the chartered bus to Dahaicao Mountain.

Self-driving Route: Kunming-KunQu(Kunming-Qujing) Expressway-Songdai Expressway-Huize County-Dahaicao Mountain

Skiing At Jiaozi Snow Mountain

Jiaozi Snow Mountain is located at the junction of Luquan County, Xundian County and Dongchuan District, and is a national nature reserve. On February 2, 2018, Jiaozi Snow Mountain International Ski Field opened a primary snow track for trial operation. In the future, if you go to Jiaozi Snow Mountain in Winter, you can not only enjoy the rime and have a snowballs fight, but also experience the joy of skiing. The total area of the international ski resort at Jiaozi Snow Mountain in Yunnan Province is more than 150,000 square meters. Construction began in September 2017. At present, the first phase of the project has been completed, with an area of more than 40, 000 square meters, mainly consisting of primary and intermediate snow tracks, which can satisfy a single day 6000 person-time reception volume.

Address: Wumeng Township, Luquan County, Kunming昆明市禄劝县乌蒙乡
Opening Hours in the Daytime: 8:30-18:00
Specialized Opening Hours in the Evening: 19:00-22:00
Annual Opening Time: 110 days(Early Dec. – Middle March)
Ski Hotline: 0871-62727888
Price: Mon-Fri: 198 yuan/135 minutes/per person, 498 yuan/all day/per person; Weekends and Holidays: 238 yuan/135 minutes/per person, 568 yuan/all day/per person; In the evening(except for Chiese legal holidays): 168 yuan/135 minutes/per person (The fee includes ski shoes and skis, not clothing rental and coach fee)

Transportation

The Jiaozi Snow Mountain International Ski Field in Yunnan is located at Jiaozi Snow Mountain Scenic spot, with the altitude of 3150 meters above sea level. It is a large-scale outdoor ski resort with the lowest latitude in China at present. Departing from Kunming, you can take the Jiaozi snow mountain tourism line, the whole journey takes about 3.5 hours.

Skiing in Shangri-La

Shangri-La ski resort is located in Hala Village, Nixi Township, Shangri-la, Diqing, with a total area of about 40 square kilometers. After the completion of Shangri-La ski resort, there are 12 primary, middle and advanced ski tracks with the total area of 1.18 million square meters, and 10 passenger cableways.

Shangri-La ski Field is located in Jiantang Town, Shangri-La, Diqing. The unique alpine environment makes the snow here excellent, the snow period of up to half a year and the ski track surrounded by the green trees. The snow-capped mountains in the far distance make you feel in the wonderland.

Shangri-La ski field restaurant, consisting of luxurious and elegant Chinese, Western food hall, and Tibetan dining rooms with different styles, can accommodate more than 300 people to eat at the same time, and can meet the different levels of personalized dining needs.

The housekeeping Department of Shangri-La ski field is equipped with grand suite(luxury and comfortable), small suite(Family-style), standard room(economic and leisure). You are provided clean and pure drinking water, 24-hour hot and cold water supply, advanced security, fire control system and free internet. The high-quality services make guests appreciate the warmth of home and make sure that guests can stay comfortably and conveniently.

The scenic spots featured by Buddhist temples, folk custom and tropical rain forest in Xishuangbanna scatter in many places. The prefecture is nicknamed Aerial Garden for its luxuriant and multi – layered primitive woods and tropical rain forests, which are teeming with animals and plants. Tourists can not only feel strong ethnic flavor but also appreciate beautiful tropical scenery here. Xishuangbanna is the home of China’s famous Pu’er tea. The oldest tea tree in Menghai is 700 years old. The six most major Chinese Pu’er tea fields are all located in Xishuangbanna. Xishuangbanna is also the home of the Dai people, it shares a boundary of 966 kilometers with Burma and Laos in the east, south and west. It is an important channel for China to enter the indo-china peninsula by land.

Choose a Gateway City

Choose a gateway city in China to take a flight to Xishuangbanna. Kunming, Dali and Lijiang are usually the most popular gateway cities to start a Yunnan tour among tourists. Moreover, you can also start your tour from Beijing, Shanghai, Xi’an, Chengdu and other cities to appreciate more about China’s charm. However, for a Xishuangbanna tour, most tourists usually go to Jinghong, the provincial capital of Xishuangbanna, directly and start a journey. Jinghong is another popular gateway city to start a Yunnan tour due to the convenient transportation and unique scenery.

Make the Travel Duration Sure

Visit Xishuangbanna in One Day

If you only spend one day in Xishuangbanna, you can have a number of tour packages to choose from. But in this case, it is recommended to visit the highlights of Xishuangbanna including XishuangBanna Tropical Botanical Garden, Ganlanba(Olive Plain) and Wild Elephant Valley. Xishuangbanna has different characteristics in four directions, therefore, you can enjoy the view of tropical botanical garden and Ganlanba in the east Xishuagbanna; Explore Damenglong White Pagoda and Dai Ethnic Village in the south Xishuangbanna; Pay a visit to Jingzhen Octagonal Pavilion and the village of Aini people in the west Xishuangbanna; Or meet wild elephant in the tropical rainforest and experience the village of Jinuo People in the north Xishuangbanna. You can also spend the day hiking the famous Nannuo Tea Mountain and exploring the Ethnic Village of Aini People; Or cruise along the Mekong river to enjoy the beauty of Lancang-Mekong River and tropical forest.

1 Day East XishuangBanna Tour to Menglun Tropical Botanical Garden and Dai Minority Garden
1 Day South XishuangBanna Tour to Damenglong White Pagoda and Dai Ethnic Villages
1 Day West XishuangBanna Tour to Ethnic Villages and Jingzhen Octagonal Pavilion
1 Day North XishuangBanna Tour to Wild Elephant Valley and Jinuo Ethnic Village
1 Day XishuangBanna Nannuo Tea Mountain and Aini Ethnic Village Hiking Tour
1 Day Mekong River Speedboat Cruise Tour from Xishuangbanna to Chiang Saen

Visit Xishuangbanna in 2-3 Days

For visiting Xishuangbanna in Yunnan, 2-3 days may be enough to visit the must-see attractions in Xishuangbanna.

What You Can Choose for 2-3 Days Xishuangbanna Tour

• Enjoy the view of Menglun Tropical Botanical Garden and overnight in the garden-get very close to the nature.
• Enjoy hiking through ancient tea mountain – Nannuo Yiwu and Jinuo Mountain, as well as appreciate ancient tea trees, tea plantations and tea culture.
• Visit local markets and ethnic villages of Dai, Lahu, Ake, Muslim Dai, Aini People and Jinuo People to explore the daily lives of natives.
• Meet White Stupa and Jingzhen Octagonal Pavilion to explore the local Buddhist culture.
• Appreciate Mekong and all kinds of plantations of local villagers along the way.
• Enjoy relax cycling to local ethnic villages.

2 Days Xishuangbanna Cycling Tour along the Mekong River
2 Days West XishuangBanna Tour with Damenglong White Pagodas and Ethnic Villages
2 Days Xishuangbanna Ethnic Villages Hiking Tour from Bada to Zhanglang
3 Days XishuangBanna Tea Culture Tour to Yiwu and Nannuo Tea Mountains
3 Days XishuangBanna Hiking Tour to Yao Ethnic Village and The Air Corridor

Visit Xishuangbanna in 4-6 Days

Adding 2-3 days for the Xishuangbanna tour, you will get more options. You will have more chances to experience local culture in the ethnic villages, get to more places in Yunnan or have more leisure time.

What to Do for 4-6 Days Xishuangbanna Tour

• Visit the main attractions of Xishuangbanna – XishuangBanna Menglun Tropical Botanical Garden, Ganlanba(Olive Plain), Wild Elephant Valley, Damenglong White Pagoda, Nannuo Tea Mountain and Mekong river, etc.
• Hike through the ancient tea mountains like Yiwu Tea Mountain and Nannuo Tea Mountain, to know tea culture and experience tea-packing, tea-making in tea workshops.
• Step into Ethnic Villages of Aini, Jinuo, Dai, Bulang and Lahu to feel ethnic minority culture and mysterious atmosphere.
• Enjoy hiking through enchanting tropical rainforest along with Mekong River to feel the wonder of nature.
• Enjoy your leisure time in ethnic museums and local markets to experience the daily life of natives.
• Take part in the celebration of Water-splashing Festival in Jinghong.
• Take a visit of White Pagoda in Damenglong to appreciate local Buddhist culture.
• Experience the beautiful and magic tropical forest through boat and air-corridor.
• Fully appreciate Pu’er tea culture and ethnic custom.
• Combine your Xishuangbanna tour with Pu’er.

4 Days Puer Tea Culture Tour with Jingmai Tea Mountains and Traditional Ethnic Villages
4 Days XishuangBanna Hiking Tour to Ganlanba Basin and Mekong River
4 Days Best XishuangBanna Tropical Forest and Ethnic Minorities Discovery
6 Days XishuangBanna Damenglong Ethnic Villages Hiking Tour
6 Days XishuangBanna Tea Culture and Ethnic Villages Hiking Tour from Bada to Xiding
6 Days Puer and Xishuangbanna Tea Culture Tour
6 Days XishuangBanna Tropical Forest and Jingmai Ancient Tea Mountain Hiking Tour

Visit Xishuangbanna in More Days

If you are planning a tour to Xishuangbanna for more than 7 days, several itineraries are recommended.

Kunming-Jinghong-Dali–Lijiang-Shangrila(Departure from Shangri-la), during the tour, you will:

• Visit the highlights of Kunming, Dali, Lijiang and Shangri-La.
• Have the summer experience in Xishuangbanna.
• Step into ethnic villages to meet colorful and mysterious ethnic cultures.
• Hiking along the Tiger Leaping Gorge to feel the grotesque and raging rapids of the magnificent gorge.
• Discover the ethnic culture of Yi, Dai, Bai, Naxi and Tibetan.
• Visit the famous attractions of Yunnan: Stone Forest, Dali Old Town, Three Pagodas, Erhai Lake, Lijiang Old Town, Jade Dragon Snow Mountain, Tiger Leaping Gorge, Songzanlin Monastery, Pudacuo National Park, XishuangBanna Menglun Tropical Botanical Garden, Ganlanba(Olive Plain) and the like.

10 Days Yunnan Classic Tour With Xishuangbanna Tropical Forest

Xishuangbanna-Pu’er-Kunming, during the tour, you will:

• Explore enchanting tropical rain forest to feel the wonder of nature.
• Have an hiking tour and lose yourself into marvelous scenery.
• Step into ethnic village to feel ethnic minority’s culture and mysterious atmosphere.

7 Days Kunming, XishuangBanna and Puer Family Tour with Tropical Forest and Ethnic Culture Discovery

Kunming-Shilin–Jianshui–Yuanyang-Pu’er-Xishuangbanna, During the tour, you will:

• Visit the highlights of Kunming, Shilin, Jianshui, Yuanyang and Xishuangbanna.
• Photograph the breathtaking sunrise and sunset in Yuanyang Hani Rice Terraces.
• Walk and explore the natural stone masterpieces and intricate formations in the Stone Forest.
• Take a walk in Jianshui Ancient Town and experience the confucius culture in Jianshui Confucius Temple.
• Experience the beautiful and magic tropical forest through boat and air-corridor.
• Discover the ethnic culture of Yi, Hani and Dai.

8 Days South Yunnan Ethnic Minority Discovery and Tropical Forest Photograph Tour
10 Days South Yunnan Ethnic Minority and Tropical Rain-forest Photography Tour with China Border Culture

Other popular routes include the tea culture itineraries, such as Kunming-Dali-Lincang-Jinghong-Pu’er-Kunming and the like.

11 Days Southwest Yunnan Dianhong Black Tea and Puer Tea Culture Tour
12 Days XishuangBanna and Puer Tea Culture Tour with Qianjiazhai Ancient Tea

Read More: Xishuangbanna Tour

Make the Tour Theme Sure

Tea Culture Tour

A Yunnan tea culture tour usually involves Pu’er, Fengqing and Dali, except for Xishuangbanna. We have short tea culture tour, which tourists usually only need to spend 1-2 days. During the short tour, tourists normally have no time to visit other highlights of a place, but mainly tea factory, tea museum and tea plantation. For a longer tea culture tour, you will have more leisure time and get to more places. For example, besides Dali, Pu’er, Fengqing and Jinghong, Kunming and Lijiang may be included in the itinerary. In this way, you can visit the famous attractions of Kunming, Dali and Lijiang while experiencing the tea culture.

1. Xishuangbanna Tea Culture Tour

Nannuo Tea Mountain, Village of Aini People, Yiwu Tea Planting Area, Jinuo Mountain, Village of Jinuo People and other places are basically involved in the Xishuangbanna Tea culture Tour. Through visiting these places, you will know more about the Pu’er Tea, one of the famous tea in China, and experience the daily life of ethnic people as well as their tea culture better.

3 Days XishuangBanna Tea Culture Tour to Yiwu and Nannuo Tea Mountains

2. Pu’er-Xishuangbanna Tea Culture Tour

When it comes to Pu’er tea, there must be Pu’er and Xishuangbanna. Xishuangbanna is the home of China’s famous Pu’er tea, while Pu’er is well-known for its Pu’er Tea and has a long history of tea. We have pu’er-Xishuangbanna tea culture tour for at least 4 days. During a Tea Culture tour, except for the famous tea mountains in Xishuangbanna, Pu’er Tea Exhibition Garden and Jingmai Tea Mountain, on of the six great tea mountains in China, are really worth a visit.

4 Days Puer Tea Culture Tour with Jingmai Tea Mountains and Traditional Ethnic Villages
6 Days Puer and Xishuangbanna Tea Culture Tour
11 Days XishuangBanna and Puer Ancient Tea Culture Tour with Yiwu Mountain Tea Plantation
12 Days XishuangBanna and Puer Tea Culture Tour with Qianjiazhai Ancient Tea

Hiking Tour

Xishuangbanna Hiking Tour mainly refers to Ethnic Village Hiking Tour and Tea Mountain Hiking Tour.

1. Ethnic Village Hiking tour

Step into local ethnic villages like Aini Village, Bulang Village, Jinuo Village, Dai Village, etc., to experience their daily lives and minority cultures, as well as see the rustic and idyllic landscape. In the meantime, you can also explore the tea culture in the ethnic villages.

2 Days Xishuangbanna Ethnic Villages Hiking Tour from Bada to Zhanglang
3 Days XishuangBanna Hiking Tour to Yao Ethnic Village and The Air Corridor
6 Days XishuangBanna Damenglong Ethnic Villages Hiking Tour
6 Days XishuangBanna Tea Culture and Ethnic Villages Hiking Tour from Bada to Xiding

2. Tea Mountain Hiking Tour

If you’re a lover of tea and have a passion for outdoor travel, if you would like to explore the source of Tea & Horse Roads, as well as experience Xishuangbanna Pu’er tea culture and folk customs, tea mountain hiking tour in Xishuangbanna can be a good choice. And the ancient six major tea mountains must be the sites you can not miss. Ethnic villages of Dai, Hani, Yi, Jinuo and Yao are scattered in the mountains. Every ethnic group has its own tea custom. Actually, tea mountain hiking tour is basically combined with ethnic village hiking tour.

1 Day XishuangBanna Nannuo Tea Mountain and Aini Ethnic Village Hiking Tour
6 Days XishuangBanna Yiwu Mountain Tea Culture Hiking Tour
6 Days XishuangBanna Tea Mountain Hiking Tour to Bada, Zhanglang, Xiding and Nannuo Tea Mountain
6 Days XishuangBanna Tropical Forest and Jingmai Ancient Tea Mountain Hiking Tour

Other Hiking Route:
4 Days XishuangBanna Hiking Tour to Ganlanba Basin and Mekong River

Festival Celebration Tour

When you travel to Xishuangbanna, if you are lucky enough, you will have the opportunity to experience the Water splashing Festival of Dai Minority. The Water splashing Festival is scheduled to be held on April 13-15 in the solar calendar. But water splashing festival celebrated in Jinghong could last longer, about 7 days(April 12-18). The Water splashing Festival is Dai’s biggest activity, people splash each other meaning best wishes at that day. If you can get to Xishuangbanna during water splashing festival, join the local people and enjoy the water fight. That will be an exciting experience.

6 Days XishuangBanna Water Splashing Festival Celebration Tour

Ethnic Minority Discovery Tour

There are more than 13 ethnic groups living in Xishuangbanna, such as Dai, Hani, Jinuo, Bulang, Lahu and Yao. All have colorful customs and rich historical traditions. Pu ‘er, connected with Xishuangbanna, is also home to many ethnic minorities. And they have one thing in common – Pu’er tea. Therefore, generally, Pu’er tour and Xishuagbanna tour are usually combined with each other.

5 Days XishuangBanna and Pu’er Ethnic Market Discovery Tour
6 Days XishuangBanna and Pu’er Ethnic Culture Tour with Tea Culture and Ethnic Villages Discovery

Tropical Forest Tour

Xishuangbanna is one of the few places where travelers can enjoy the comfort of nature, and the best place to have a tropical forest tour in Yunnan. It holds China’s fauna and floral species, and is known as natural “kingdom of plants” and “kingdom of animals“. Usually, except for typical typical forest attractions like XishuangBanna Tropical Botanical Garden, Xishuangbanna Primeval Forest Park, tourists will also explore the minority villages and discover the folk customs of local people during the tour.

4 Days Best XishuangBanna Tropical Forest and Ethnic Minorities Discovery
7 Days Kunming, XishuangBanna and Puer Family Tour with Tropical Forest and Ethnic Culture Discovery

Birding Tour

Xishuangbanna is reputed as a fauna kingdom, which is true to name. It is one of the best places in Yunnan to plan a Birding Tour. According to statistics of scientific research, there are more than 450 kinds of birds living in the forest of Xishuangbanna. Jungle is the best home of these lovely cherubs, they are smart, naughty, cute and shy, so, it won’t be easy to see them even you have already heard they twittering around you. We are are going to take you to places where local zoological specialists highly recommended, and we truly believe that you will enjoy your time with these lovely creatures. During this trip, you will not merely watch the various kinds of birds, but also get closer to tropical rainforest and feel the wonder of the nature.

6 Days XishuangBanna and Puer Tropical Forest Birding Tour

Cycling Tour

Besides hiking, there is another way to take you through rainforest, explore the tea culture and experience minority culture, that is cycling. Our 2 days cycling tour will bring you to cycle along the Mekong River and through local ethnic villages to fully appreciate the natural sceneries of tropical rainforest and diverse ethnic cultures of local people. While our 7 days cycling tour will bring you to step into ethnic villages and explore ethnic people’s life and culture; explore mysterious Tropical Forest and enchanted in the charm of nature; And visit tea plantations and have nice chats with tea growers to know more about tea.

2 Days Xishuangbanna Cycling Tour along the Mekong River
7 Days XishuangBanna Tropical Forest Cycling Tour with Ethnic Minorities and Ancient Tea Culture
7 Days XishuangBanna Cycling Tour with Ethnic Minorite Discovery and Ancient Tea Culture Experience

Porsche Self-Driving Tour

Our Porsche Self-Driving Tour is divided into Yunnan Porsche Self-Driving Tour and China-Thailand Porsche Self-Driving Tour. Yunnan Porsche Self-Driving Tour will bring you to experience the most highlights of Jianshui, Yuanyang, Pu’er and Xishuangbanna, including Jianshui Old Town, Yuanyang Rice Terraces, China Puer Tea Exhibition Garden, Xishuangbanna Tropical Rainforest and Dai Minority Garden. China-Thailand Porsche Self-Driving Tour from Jinghong to Chiang Mai(or Chiang Mai to Jinghong) will bring you to experience the most highlights of Xishuangbanna, Chiang Rai and Chiang Mai, involving WangTianShu Scenic Spot, Golden Triangle and the Ran-Tong Save & Rescue Elephant Center, etc.

5 Days South Yunnan Porsche Self-Driving Tour from Kunming to XishuangBanna
7 Days China-Thailand Porsche Self-driving Tour from Jinghong to Chiang Mai
7 Days Thailand- China Porsche Self-driving Tour from Chiang Mai to Jinghong

Golf Tour

Xishuangbanna Wild Elephant Golf Club is surrounded on three sides by forests, and acres of tea accompanied by one side. The clubhouse, with an area of 3,000 square meters, shows fully Dai characteristics and a combination of traditional folk and modernization. It owns a U-shaped layout of the stadium and the middle of the courtyard was connected with the forest, which makes people feel the forest is an extension of the courtyard. In Wild Elephant Golf Club, you can experience the most natural and healthy environment, see the changing shapes of fairways and greens, compete with rivals and fully enjoy the leisure time of playing golf.

4 Days XishuangBanna Wild Elephant Golf and Sightseeing Tour

There are a number of tour packages including Xishuangbanna, we can’t list all of them at a time. Read more about Xishuangbanna tour, contact us YunnanExploration by Email: contact@YunnanExploration.com or Telephone: +86-871-63511469. Our attentive consultants will arrange the tour packages you choose or customize a tour according to your need.

Know the Travel Tips

Best Time to Visit Xishuangbanna

Xishuangbanna is a place where has no winter, the lowest temperature is 16 degrees in January, so it is available for tour all the year round. However, the best time to visit Xishuangbanna is during the dry season (from November to April), when the weather is agreeable and the temperature is mild. If you would like to taste the rich tropical fruit here, traveling during the period from June to September is a good choice.

The Water-Splashing Festival, the most important festival for the Dai People to celebrate New Year, is usually celebrated in the middle of April.

Try to avoid the peak holidays due to crowded Chinese tourists such as Chinese Spring Festival (usually in late Jan or early Feb.), International Labor Day (May 01 to 03) and National Day (Oct 01-07). Spring Festival and the National Day golden week are the most crowded time for travelling. Read More: Xishuangbanna Climate

Dining and Shopping in Xishuangbanna

Dai cuisine is famous in Yunnan, especially glutinous rice, bake meats and Blang’s cuisine. Besides, there are also Pu’er tea, coffee, tropical fruits and so on.

Read More:
Xishuangbanna Shopping
Xishuangbanna Dining

Where to Stay in Xishuangbanna

As a hot tourist city, Xishuangbanna is ready to offer you various Xishuangbanna Accommodation with well-appointed rooms and superior service. You can stay at the hotels like Empark Grand Hotel Xishuangbanna, Crowne Plaza Resort Xishuangbanna Parkview, InterContinental Xishuangbanna Resort and Rainforest Paradise Xishuangbanna, etc. Read More: Xishuangbanna Accommodation

How to Get in Xishuangbanna

Two ways to Xishuangbanna: airplane and long-distance bus.

1. By Flight

Xishuangbanna Gasa International Airport, 5 kilometers from the downtown, is currently the second largest airport in Yunnan. At present, there are domestic flights to Kunming, Dali, Lijiang, Shanghai, Tianjin, Chongqing, etc., and international flights to Bangkok.

Read More:
Dali-Xishaungbanna Flights
Kunming-Xishuangbanna Flights
Xishuangbanna – Lijiang Flights

2. Long-distance Bus

As the fully complement of the expressway between Kunming and Jinghong, it needs 9 hours at most traveling between the two cities. There are over 20 buses traveling to Jinghong from Kunming Long-distance Bus Station. Ticket ranges in price from RMB 150 to RMB 200.

Read More:
XishuangBanna Transportation
Kunming-XishuangBanna Transportation

Main Festival

When you travel to Xishuangbanna, if you are lucky enough, you will have the opportunity to experience the Water splashing Festival of Dai Minority. The Water splashing Festival is scheduled to be held on April 13-15 in the solar calendar. The Water splashing Festival is Dai’s biggest activity. They splash each other meaning best wishes. If you can get to Xishuangbanna during water splashing festival, join the local people and enjoy the water fight. That will be an exciting experience.

Things to Do in Xishuangbanna

One Tree Forest

One tree does not make a forest. But a nine hundred year old banyan in Daluo Town of Menghai County is exception. It covers an area of 120 square meters with over 30 stand roots. This 70-meter-high banyan is an attractive and marvelous forest in itself.

Manfeilong Buddhist Pagoda

Manfeilong Pagoda is located on top of the mountain in Manfeilong Village in Jinhong City of Xishuangbanna. The pagoda is a famous stupa group in Xishuanbanna. The pagoda, on a mountaintop, actually consists of 9 stupas, with the primary stupa in the center while the other 8 smaller stupas clustering to its base. The primary pagoda measures 16.29 meters and the 8 pagodas on the sides look like a group of children nestling around the mother.

Olive Dam/Ganlanba

Ganlanba Dai Minority Park(Chinese name: 橄榄坝傣族园) is located in the southeast direction of Jinghong. It is a dwelling place for Dai minority people cause they have lived there generations to generations. Thus, the dense Dai minority culture can be found here. Ganlanba can be a representative to experience both the minority culture and the tropical atmosphere. Because Ganlanba with the lowest altitude which is about 530 meters in Yunnan, it is the hottest place. The hot climate makes Ganlanba as a rich fruits production area. Ganlanba in Xishuangbanna culture means “the imperial gardening village”. Inside it, there are two large villages called Man Chun Man (means flowers village) and Man Ting (means fruits village) separately. No matter which village you choose to visit, you can appreciate the typical Myanmar temple and Dai bamboo house.

Xishuangbanna Menglun Tropical Botanical Garden

Xishuangbanna Tropical Plants Garden(Chinese name: 西双版纳热带植物园) was built in 1959, is the biggest and richest botanical garden in China nowadays. Since 1996, this garden combined with former Kunming Ecological Research Institute, formed an independent research institution attached to Chinese Academy of Science. With the time goes by, it becomes a comprehensive garden that combined research, preservation and education of tropical plants together. The main tasks of this garden are exploitation to the resources of tropical plants and bio-diversity conservation. A vast expanse of rainforest has been well preserved in this 900 hectares land. Hundreds of thousands tropical plants from home and abroad are planted separately in 35 specified gardens – Palm Garden, Banyan Tree Garden, Dracaena Draco Garden and Cycas Revoluta Garden, etc.

Wild Elephant Valley

Jinghong Wild Elephant Valley Forest Park (Chinese name: 野象谷公园) is a special theme park for Wild Asian Elephant sightseeing and observing and rainforest sightseeing. Wild Elephants Valley covers an area of 369 hectares by the Sancha River in Mengyang Town, and is situated 47 kilometers north of the city of Jinghong. With hills rolling gently at an altitude ranging between 747 and 1055 meters, the valley is covered by tropical rain forests, crisscrossed by rivers and streams, and teeming with such endangered species as Asian wild elephants, wild oxen, green peacocks and monkeys.

Prepare for Xishuangbanna Tour

What to Know 

1. Know some basic information about Xishuangbanna, Yunnan and China, which can help you understand the local culture well.

2. Learn some information about Dai ethnic minority in advance.

3. If you are interested, learn some basic Chinese words and phrases, which could help you communicate with the locals easily.

4. Respect the local customs of Dai and other minorities.

5. Do not touch the head of local monks.

What to Take

1. Xishuangbanna is a place where has no winter, the lowest temperature is 16 degrees in January, therefore, thick clothes is usually unnecessary. It is better to take T-shirt, short and slippers because it is too hot in Xishuangbanna. Besides, you should prepare a jacket in case the change of the weather, especially in winter.

2. Pay attention to sun protection. Due to the strong solar radiation in the daytime, sun cream, sun hat, sunglasses and other sunscreen products will be needed.

3. Do remember to take the umbrella and rain gear during the rainy season, especially from May to October.

4. Bring some medicines for emergency, like cold medication and medicines for a stomachache.

5. Don’t forget your Chinese visa and passport.

6. It is better to prepare some mosquito products since Xishuangbanna has a humid climate.

The news was updated on December, 11, 2018. 

Tofu, also known as bean curd, is very popular among Chinese and well-known around the world. Under the administration of Kunming, capital city of southwest China’s Yunnan province, Chenggong District has long enjoyed a reputation for making tofu in old-fashioned ways.

On December 8, a tofu-themed festival kicked off in Chengong. Today, let’s take a tour to the festival to “taste” the Tofu dishes. But be careful: you may be drooling over the “delicacies”!

Tofu can be stewed, steamed, fried or cooked in a number of ways. On the festival, you can try numerous mouth-watering tofu dishes: soft silken tofu, tofu pudding, soy milk, Asian dry tofu, you name it!

In addition to enjoying delicacies, Tofu museums, painting and photography exhibition were worth visiting if you wanted to better understand the local food history. Exquisite handicrafts, special snacks also made the festival attractive to visitors.

Since it was first held last year, the tofu festival has attracted a rising number of visitors to Chenggong and stimulated the development of local culture and tourism industry.