Travel Tips of Self-driving Tour to Menglian County, Puer
Why Here?
Unique Dai palace culture
The last Dai ancient town remain in China
Menglian Grand Golden Tower
Menglian Divine Fish Festival
Self- driving Map
Menglian Dai, Lahu, Wa Nationality Autonomous Prefecture locates in the southwestern part of Yunnan, under the jurisdiction of Pu’er City, 630 kilometers away from Kunming taking about 10.5 hours driving. Enter Kunming-Mohan Highway at Southern Kunming, enter S309 at Pu’er then to Menglian. Highway covers all the way from Kunming to Pu’er, secondary road covers the way Pu’er to Menglian. As a county that many ethnic groups live in, Menglian maintains the unique Dai palace culture and the last Dai ancient town, and the Divine Fish Festival obtains a magnificent scene.
1.Kunming-Pu’er: Kunming-Mohan Highway, 418 km, over 6 hours.
2.Pu’er-Menglian: S309. 206 km, over 5 hours.
First Impression
Menglian Dai, Lahu, Wa Nationality Autonomous Prefecture locates in the southwestern part of Yunnan. The county goverment seats in Nayun Town. Patina scenery and the water carnival shows different scene of this place. Nayun Town as the mecca of Tusi cultural, and the Theravada Buddhist Temple are bound to the believers at home and abroad, Nanlei River is the wonderland gentle like water.
Recommendation
Day 1
Nayun Town-Menglian Grand Golden Tower(1 km)-Former Site of Menglian Xuanfu Dapartment(7 km)-Mengwai Village(20 km)
Day 2
Menglian Downtown-Menglian Giant Banyan Tree(50 km)-Guangsan Aini Region Custom Park(75 km)-Menglian Downtown(39 km)
Beautiful Scene
Former Site of Menglian Xuanfu Dapartment
Located in Nayun Ancient Town, the whole ancient buildings remained what they used to be, with the Dai and Han architectural features mixed. This former site stands for the hereditary Tusi rule system of Dai from Ming an Qing till now over 500 years. Former Site of Menglian Xuanfu Dapartment is now listed as National Key Cultural Relics Protection Unit. The ticket fare is 10 yuan.
Nayun Ancietn Town
Located 1 km west to Menglian, Nayun is the last Dai ancient town in China. Nayun still obtain Dai houses and other buildings best preserved in China, Such as Former Site of Menglian Xuanfu Dapartment and Shangyun Dai Village. In the ancient town locate places of historic figures and cultural heritage such as Shangcheng Buddhist Temple and Zhongcheng Buddhist Temple. Ticket-free.
Menglian Grand Golden Tower
Located beside the beautiful charming Nanlei River, constructured by a main tower surrounded by other 8 smaller towers. The Grand Golden Tower faces the Former Site of Menglian Xuanfu Dapartment, as the symbol of the union of all ethnic groups in Menglian. The Grand Golden Tower was built in 1997, together with Menglian Xuanfu Dapartment, forms a splendorous contrast. The ticket fare is 5 yuan.
Mengwai Village
“Mengwai” in Dai language means a plain of convenience. The village is 15 km northwest to Nayun Ancient Town, built among mountains and rivers, with beautiful scene and simple folk. The village was once the Mountain Resort of Tusi in Menglian. Ticket-free.
Cultural Experiences
Ethnic Festival Activity
Gourd Festival
April 8~10, Lahu People in Lancang celebrate by dancing and exchanging glutinous rice cakes, to express the wish for a bright future of this nationality come out from a gourd.
New Rice Festival
At the beginning of the 8th Lunar month, villagers from Dongwen and other villages bring newly-harvested crops and other special food to celebrate their grand harvest. Due to the harvest time varies every year, the festival could fall on a random day in early Augest.
Water-splashing Festival
On the 4th day in the 4th lunar month, which usually falls in mid April, Dai People celebrate the Water-splashing Festival, it’s a grand carnival in Dai regions. People splash clean water to anyone whether they know each other or not, it’s considered a way to bless others and to wash away all the misfortune.
Divine Fish Festival
During the festival, thousands of Menglian people will go catch fish in Nanlei river. Unique skills in catching fish obtained by local ethnic groups as Dai, Lahu, and Wa, which are rarely seen in urban life, will become a bright spot in Menglian.
Museum
Menglian Eco Museum of Wa Nationality: located in Damanru Wa Settlement, The museum displays the precious cultural heritage of ethnic minorities in a [FS:Page]original ecology way.
Delicacies
Beef Salad
A famous Dai flavor dishes which mix beef and ox liver with various spices. The dishes taste spicy and delicious.
Basha
Fresh Tilapia cooked with various spices, maintained the delicious flavor of fish and Dai spices.
Sour Beef Feet Tendon
To cook beef feet tendon with other spices. The dishes taste soft and tender in bright colors.
Restaurants
Lotus Dai Restaurant
Address: across Xingguang Motor Mall, beside Yan-Lian Highway.
Average Consumption: 40 yuan
Tel: 0879-8726777
http://you.ctrip.com/food/puer928/8280845.html
Shangyunjiao Dai Cadence Restaurant
Address: Shangyunjiao in Nayun Town, Menglian.
Tel: 0879-8729142
Sijixiangfan Restaurant
Address: South Ring Rd., Menglian.
Tel: 13987938960
Mother Fu’s Yonghe Soybean
Address: #111 Baixiang Rd., Menglian.
Tel: 4006881927
Mianwei Cold Drink Bar
Address: Menglian Downtown.
Tel: 0879-8871006
Bunong Dai Agritainment
Address: West Ring Rd., Menglian.
Tel: 13887998181
Daijiale Agritainment
Address: Across Shangyunjiao Buddhist Temple in Menglian.
Tel: 15331668099
Wayuan Manor
Address: Genmao Village, Menglian.
Tel: 15891967339
Hotels
Menglian Huacheng Jinyuan Grand Hotel
Fully equipped rooms, clean and warm
Address: 50 meters to Menglian Passenger Station
Consumption: starting at 138 yuan
Tel: 0879-8911999
http://115.28.204.211:8080/yysc/a/yysc/yyscLog/jumpurl?cpid=1088b4869e9d41edb62f81e01adc5635
Education Hotel
Address: Lianhua Rd.
Tel: 0879-8728958
Xinhai Inn
Address: Haiguan Rd.
Tel: 0879-8726888
Hengtai Inn
Address: South Ring Rd.
Tel: 0879-8724518
Debao Inn
Address: Haiguan Rd.
Tel: 0879-8720788
Xinyin Inn
Address: Padang Rd.
Tel: 0879-8725222
Shunda Inn
Address: Circle Rd.
Tel: 0879-8724198
Yinghuang Bussiness Hotel
Address: beside Road S309
Tel: 0879-6888588
Bafang Hotel
Address: Southern Ring Rd.
Tel: 0879-8724977
Souvenirs
Ethnic Costume and Ornaments
Main ethnic groups in Menglian include Dai, Hani, Wa, Lahu. Each group obtains different costumes, and wear different ornaments, which are rare souvenirs.
Purple Scented Garlic
Known as Gourd Garlic, one of Menglian’s specialties. Obtains a natural fragrance flavor and unique health care function, can be eaten alone, can also be used as ingredients.
Tea Products
Menglian County is one of the main origins of Pu’er Tea, it has a long history of planting, producing, and drinking tea.
Chinese Medicinal Herbs
Menglian obtains over 1000 kinds of Chinese medicinal herbs, such as Amomum, hematoxylin, pangolin, bear bile, monkey bone, antler, bezoar, and Dracaena.
Best Time to Travel
Better to travel in winter. Scenery season of Daheishan scenic spot lasts from October to February the next year.
Brief Description for Recommendation
Nayun Ancient Town: The last Dai ancient town remain in China
Menglian Grand Golden Tower: The Great Golden Tower beside Nanlei River
Guangsan Aini Custom Park: To enjoy the Aini customs
Menglian Giant Banyan: The biggest banyan of the world
Mengwai Village: The Summer Resort of Tusi in Menglian