Yunnan's Cloudy South: Western Yunnan Trip 2021
Yunnan Province, abbreviated as Dian, 'Cloudy South' is one of the origins of the name Yunnan. Located in the southwestern border of China, Yunnan is one of the provinces with the longest borderlines, bordering Myanmar, Laos, and Vietnam. There are 56 ethnic groups in China, and 25 of them are in Yunnan, making it the province with the most ethnic minority groups. I once traveled to Yunnan in 2010 with colleagues, and the pleasant climate, picturesque scenery, rich ethnic customs, and tempting cuisine left me with deep memories. With Kunming, the capital, as the center, there are great places to visit in eastern, southern, western, and northern Yunnan, so one trip to Yunnan is never enough. At a class reunion in 2019, an old classmate suggested a trip to western Yunnan, and I immediately agreed. We planned to depart after the Spring Festival of the following year. But the sudden outbreak of the global pandemic in early 2020 disrupted our plans, and the trip was postponed again and again. Finally, in May 2021, we set off. We would complete this trip by renting a car and driving ourselves. The itinerary started from Kunming, passing through Mojiang, Lincang, Tengchong, Dali, Shangri-La, Lijiang, and Yuanmou, before returning to Kunming, a total of 18 days.
D1: May 3, 2021. The four of us (my mother, aunt, my wife, and I) took China Eastern Airlines' newest wide-body Boeing 787 from Shanghai Hongqiao Airport to Kunming. The spacious seats and legroom made the three-hour flight more comfortable. The dimmable windows, without shades, added a high-tech fun. At around 4 p.m., we arrived on time at Kunming Changshui Airport. A staff member from the car rental company picked us up and drove us to the car rental center parking lot near the airport. After completing the rental procedures, we drove directly to Dianchi Lake Haigeng Dam, perfectly timed. Although there were no red-billed gulls in May, blowing the gentle breeze by the lake, enjoying the sunset, and leisurely waiting for dusk was a unique experience. After sunset, as it grew dark, we had dinner at the ethnic minority-themed Old Dian Village, then checked into the Atour Hotel on Chunrong Street near the Kunming City Government.
D2: After breakfast, we set off for the Luchong Scenic Area of Fuxian Lake, 50 km from Kunming, belonging to Yuxi City. Since it was the May Day holiday, but I thought Fuxian Lake was a relatively lesser-known attraction among Yunnan's many classic sites, I hadn't expected a large crowd. But it turned out I underestimated people's enthusiasm for travel. Due to the global pandemic, domestic attractions were packed during the holiday, with long queues at parking lot entrances and no parking spaces to be found. After a test of patience and searching, we finally found a spot in a remote corner.
The endless lake waters, waves crashing on the beach, really gave a seaside feel.
Unique fishing tools have now become a unique photo backdrop.
After lunch, we drove for over three hours on the expressway, covering 250 km, to Mojiang County, the only Hani Autonomous County in China. Before entering the city, we visited the Tropic of Cancer Marker Park.
From the high point in the park, we could clearly see the Tropic of Cancer cutting through the city.
This is also the famous hometown of twins. There are over a thousand pairs of twins in Mojiang County, and an international twins festival and Hani Sun Festival are held here every year. After checking into the Mojiang Gemini Star Hotel, we had a Hani-style dinner at the Mojiang Hani Family Restaurant.
D3: After breakfast, we headed to Lincang, driving 250 km on the newly completed Tianhou Expressway, taking 3 hours. Around noon, we arrived at Wende Yutang in Lincang, a restaurant that amazed us—unexpected to find such a stylish restaurant in a small county.
The decor was as artistic as the name. A light rain fell during the meal, and the misty rain gave me a hint of the Jiangnan region.
After lunch, we leisurely had tea in the cozy atmosphere before heading to the Shuangjiang Yunding Zhuchao Tea Estate Hotel. The hotel is located on a tea mountain in Shuangjiang County, 90 km from Lincang. After taking G214 National Road and a 10 km winding mountain road, we arrived at the hotel around 3:30 p.m. This was also the meeting point agreed with my classmates. Their group of four flew from Shanghai to Pu'er, then via Jinggu, arrived here in the afternoon to join us, officially starting our western Yunnan trip. The first group photo after the victorious reunion.
The hotel is set among misty high-altitude tea gardens, lush green like a fairyland.
Spacious and elegant rooms with a large balcony offering excellent views.
We strolled along the mountain boardwalk through the tea garden, standing among layers of tea plants like green waves, breathing fresh air, as if in a paradise.
D4: Early morning, awakened by roosters and crisp bird songs, the sky was full of morning glow.
After breakfast, we headed to Cangyuan as planned. But halfway, we were stopped at a road checkpoint entering Cangyuan. It turned out that the Mengding port on the China-Myanmar border is in Cangyuan County, and due to pandemic control, we needed a pass to enter and exit Cangyuan. With no other choice, we turned back. Returning to Shuangjiang near noon, we found a Wa-style restaurant—Wa Lai Manor for lunch.
During lunch, we discussed with our companions and decided to visit the Shuangjiang Ten-Thousand-Mu Wild Ancient Tea Tree Garden in the afternoon. After a final 20 km of unpaved, rugged winding dirt road, we reached the tea garden deep in the mountains. However, it wasn't an open scenic area but a protected zone. After a bit of persuasion and surrendering all fire sources, the staff allowed us to enter. Past the checkpoint, we continued on the rugged dirt road. Soon we reached a lookout tower. To see the thousand-year-old tea trees, we would need to hike about 3 km through the primeval forest. Considering safety and stamina, we decided to give up. So we climbed the lookout tower and enjoyed the sweeping views—beautiful scenery, and the trip was not in vain.
A group photo for the record, hehe!
Descending the dusty dirt road, we had dinner at the Near Water Building Restaurant in Mengku Town, then returned to the hotel.
D5: After breakfast, we left the Yunding Zhuchao Tea Estate Hotel for Tengchong, a total of 466 km. Since the Tianhou Expressway was not fully opened, we alternated between expressways and national roads. Approaching Tengchong, we passed the super project on the Baoteng Expressway—Longjiang Extra Large Bridge.
The deep gorge under the bridge was bottomless.
Around 6 p.m., we arrived at our destination, Heshun Ancient Town in Tengchong, and checked into the Xiangzhu·Tingyun Shu View Lake Inn.
The inn featured antique decor; large floor-to-ceiling windows brought the beauty right before our eyes.
As it grew dark, we had dinner at a restaurant next to the inn.
D6: Early morning, the ancient town in the dawn light was quiet and soft, bringing a sense of peace and comfort.
In the morning, we went to the Simola Wa Village in Qinghai, Tengchong. The whole village was surrounded by green hills, with babbling springs and fresh air—exactly what Simola means in Wa language: a happy place.
In the afternoon, we visited the most famous attraction in Tengchong: the Rehai (Hot Sea) Scenic Area.
As soon as we entered, the smell of sulfur hit our noses. Steaming hot springs appeared in various forms.
We walked along the boardwalk, feeling the heat even through our shoes, amazed by nature's wonders.
The most famous spectacular Big Boiling Pot, where we cooked eggs right next to it.
Finally, we enjoyed a relaxing hot spring bath at the Yugou bathhouse.
In the evening, we returned to the ancient town for dinner at Cun Daguan Private Kitchen—an amazing dinner! A must-book-in-advance delicacy! No menu; the owner made dishes based on fresh ingredients and the number of diners. We entered famished and left stuffed. This was the best meal of the trip, without a doubt!
D7: The inn where we stayed: Xiangzhu Tingyun Shu View Lake Inn.
The beautiful Wild Duck Lake next to the inn.
After breakfast, at the invitation of a companion's tea factory friend, we visited a tea garden and tea factory deep in the mountains, as well as thousand-year-old and century-old tea trees. At noon, a Tengchong friend of our companions treated us to lunch at Xidong Courtyard.
Xidong Courtyard covers 18 mu (about 1.2 hectares). The owner was the prestigious Dong family of Tengchong, known for their charity. During the Anti-Japanese War, they donated three fighter planes, helped build the Burma Road, and supported the Chinese Expeditionary Force. After the war, they funded the construction of the National Cemetery to commemorate the fallen soldiers. Today, Xidong Courtyard is a free tourist attraction combining jade, cuisine, and ancient village preservation.
After lunch, we visited the Western Yunnan Anti-Japanese War Memorial Hall and the National Cemetery.
A natural waterfall in Tengchong city: Dieshuihe Waterfall.
Before and after dinner, we strolled around the ancient town.
D8: Today we would leave Heshun Ancient Town. Early morning, it started drizzling. The misty ancient town felt particularly fresh, giving us a different experience. As planned, we set off in the rain to Yuanxiang Qihualing. When we entered the scenic area, the rain stopped—lucky us! The purple verbena flower sea was stunning!
Large patches of roses gave off a pleasant fragrance. Freshly made rose cakes were fragrant and delicious—the best rose cake I've ever had, bar none!
We climbed to a high viewing platform and looked out at the volcanic columnar joints along the Ruili River, known as the Divine Pillars.
At noon, thanks to the powerful internet, we found a restaurant on the roadside to Beihai Wetland: Beihai Yipinyuan Farmhouse Cuisine. The copper pot rice was fragrant and delicious. After a hearty meal, we arrived at Beihai Wetland.
Large patches of floating meadows drifted on the water.
We rowed on the lake on a piece of floating meadow.
Flocks of waterbirds either soared high or played in the water, a harmonious natural scene.
Tonight was the last night in Tengchong. We splurged at the Bodu Hot Spring Hotel, soaking in the hot spring pool on the room's balcony, overlooking the volcanoes in the sunset—only one word: bliss!
D9: After a hearty buffet breakfast at the hotel, we drove away from Tengchong to our next destination: Dali Ancient City. After a 5+ hour drive, we arrived in the afternoon at the hotel near the Erhai Gate of Dali Ancient City: Fengxue Gucheng Dali Ancient City Manhua Branch. After checking in, we strolled around the ancient city, tasted snacks, bought souvenirs—relaxed and carefree!
Scary, scary, scary! (referring to something not dared to eat)
D10: The wind, flowers, snow, and moon of Dali: Cangshan Snow and Erhai Moon are two iconic attractions. In the morning, we took the Ximatang Cable Car up Cangshan Mountain. The upper station is at 3,900 meters above sea level. From there, we had to walk about 1,300 meters of up-and-down steps to the Ximatang viewing platform. Panting heavily, resting often, we overheard returning tourists saying the Ximatang Pond was dry and the alpine rhododendrons hadn't bloomed yet. We almost gave up, but I believe the meaning of travel lies not only in seeing unknown beauty but in the journey itself and keeping all memories forever!
We finally reached the highest viewing platform.
The dry and waterless Ximatang Pond.
Looking down from the cable car at Dali Ancient City and Erhai Lake.
After lunch, we visited the famous Three Pagodas of Chongsheng Temple in Dali.
The reflection of the three pagodas in the reflection pool was like a painting.
The main central pagoda: Qianxun Pagoda.
Chongsheng Temple backed by Cangshan Mountain.
During dinner, we suddenly noticed that the entire Cangshan Mountain was capped with white clouds, looking like a snow mountain—stunningly beautiful!
D11: Yesterday we visited Cangshan, so today had to be Erhai. After breakfast, we drove north along the west bank of Erhai. Our first stop was Panxi Village, a popular internet-famous spot. Everywhere were photographers with big cameras and subjects in bright clothes striking various poses. Under the blue sky and white clouds, the sparkling Erhai made every photo a masterpiece—so beautiful!
At noon, we visited Xizhou Ancient Town and had lunch at Hanlin Restaurant, located in a traditional Bai-style old house.
After lunch, we took a horse-drawn carriage to truly experience 'viewing flowers from horseback' while touring the ancient town.
In the afternoon, we arrived at Shanshui Seaview Inn in Shuanglang Ancient Town on the east bank of Erhai. The inn was built by the lake. Sitting on the beautiful viewing balcony of the room, listening to the waves of Erhai, looking at Cangshan under the blue sky across the lake, it was pure enjoyment!
The 'Jesus light' was a rare sight for a city dweller like me. Limited by photography skills and equipment, seeing it in person was even more breathtaking!
Because of thick clouds, we didn't get to see the sunset over the mountains, but the sunset over the clouds was also beautiful, hehe!
D12: Today was the 12th day of our trip. Tomorrow, our companions would end their journey and return to Shanghai, while the four of us would continue our western Yunnan trip, heading to Shangri-La! Today was mainly for rest. In the morning, we slept in naturally. After breakfast, we leisurely had tea, cracked sunflower seeds, chatted, and stared into space on the balcony. At noon, while looking for food in Shuanglang Ancient Town, we passed by the well-known Yang Liping's Sun Palace. Although no ticket was required, you had to spend money to enter—a rip-off. We decisively gave up. After lunch, we drove south along the east bank of Erhai to continue our Erhai tour.
Doesn't it feel like being at the seaside?
Along the way, we saw various wedding photo cars, naturally forming convoys.
We checked out the so-called 'Santorini' of Dali. It was actually a hotel+commercial complex officially named Dali·Ideal Bang, an internet-famous spot. Good for photos, but I wasn't interested in such artificial attractions.
On the way back, passing Xiaoputuo, we encountered the Jesus light again.
In the evening, we had our last dinner with our companions at Laidi Zhu Jia restaurant in Shuanglang Ancient Town.
D13: Early morning, we bid farewell to our companions and set off for Shangri-La. On the way, we first visited the First Bend of the Yangtze River in Shigu Town. Honestly, standing on the riverside viewing platform, I felt no awe.
Take off with the drone, and behold the God's perspective! The stunning 'hairpin bend' of the Yangtze River!
Driving along G214 National Road, shortly after passing Tiger Leaping Gorge Town, we entered the newly built but not yet fully opened Lixiang Expressway to Shangri-La. Once fully opened, the drive from Lijiang to Shangri-La will be cut from 5-6 hours to about 2 hours, and road conditions will greatly improve. Then, going to Shangri-La will no longer be difficult! Thanks to the expressway, we arrived at Dukezong Ancient Town smoothly and early. We checked into a very Tibetan-style hotel in the ancient town: Feifan Hotel.
After a short rest, we went to Songzanlin Monastery, the largest Tibetan Buddhist monastery in Yunnan, known as the Little Potala Palace.
The monastery was built on the mountain, with steep and high stairs leading to the main hall.
Then we went to Napahai. I didn't know whether to call it a lake or a grassland, because it's a seasonal natural lake. In late summer and early autumn, due to rain and snowmelt, the lake expands. From late autumn to early summer, the water recedes, exposing large meadows—magical nature!
We drove along the lake road, stopping occasionally. Half lake, half grassland.
On the grassland, herds of sheep, yaks, and horses.
Back in the ancient town for dinner: Tibetan-style yak meat hotpot.
Beside Moonlight Square in the ancient town is Daguishan Hill, with the world's largest prayer wheel, a Guinness World Record holder.
Dukezong Ancient Town is at 3,300 meters above sea level. It was mid-May, but after sunset, it became extremely cold. When we left Shuanglang in the morning, we were wearing short sleeves; here, we changed to long sleeves and added windbreakers, but still couldn't resist the cold. After a short walk, we couldn't take it and fled back to the hotel, where the underfloor heating was very warm. The Tibetan compatriots in the square danced without fear of the cold.
D14: Shangri-La has a classic scenic spot: Pudacuo National Park. The name alone sounds old-school. But when planning the trip, many reviews were unfavorable. Since we only had one day in Shangri-La, we chose a newly developed spot: Balagezong Scenic Area, because its story deeply attracted me, and it proved to be the right choice. The establishment of Balagezong originated from building a road. Bala Village, a paradise isolated in the deep mountains, was a place not even on maps before 2008. A villager named Sana Dingzhu, at age 8, injured his left eye by a piece of iron while forging. Without a road, it took 5 days to reach the nearest hospital in Shangri-La city. The delay caused him to lose sight in his left eye. Seven years later, at 15, he decided to leave the mountains. Through hard work and perseverance, he accumulated tens of millions in assets over decades. Instead of enjoying comfort, he returned to his impoverished, isolated hometown. He went from a multimillionaire to a multimillionaire in debt, spending over ten years building a 60-km sky road for his hometown. Using this road, he developed tourism, lifting the village out of poverty. He is known as the modern-day Yugong of the Tibetans. The scenic area now features sightseeing boardwalks, a glass viewing platform, and many structures reflecting Tibetan religion and culture. The area combines snow mountains, canyons, rivers, grasslands, and forests—an absolutely worthwhile super beautiful scenic spot.
Reinforced concrete sheds built on the winding mountain road to prevent falling rocks.
The sacred Badarayong Stupa.
Looking up at Gezong Snow Mountain.
Overlooking the Shangri-La Grand Canyon.
The historic Bala Village.
On the balcony of a Bala village house, looking up at the holy Gezong Snow Mountain.
The boardwalk built along the cliff leading to the viewing platform.
The suspended glass viewing platform.
Shangri-La Grand Canyon.
Near the entrance to the scenic area, on a cliffside, grew a thousand-year-old Bodhi tree. Most amazingly, a branch grew in the shape of a hand, tightly gripping the cliff—another wonder of nature!
D15: Today we would head back to Kunming. Originally planned to take the eastern ring road from Dukezong via Baishuitai to Tiger Leaping Gorge, then to Lijiang Old Town, avoiding the way we came. But hotel staff said many sections of that road were under repair, very bumpy and prone to traffic jams. After much consideration, we gave up and took the newly built Lixiang Expressway (not yet fully opened) directly to the Upper Tiger Leaping Gorge Scenic Area. Before even entering, the roar filled our ears. We took an escalator down to the riverside viewing platform. The Tiger Leaping Rock in the middle split the river, with surging waters and thunderous waves.
Ten years ago, on my first trip to Yunnan, I had visited Tiger Leaping Gorge but on the Lijiang side, which is now closed.
On the way to Dali, two new bridges spanned the canyon. The one in front, blue, was a railway bridge under construction; the one behind, with red cables, was the Jinsha River Bridge of the Lixiang Expressway.
In the afternoon, we arrived at Lijiang Old Town. We checked into the Cheng Yi Qu Ying Inn inside the south gate of the old town. Along the way, the distant Jade Dragon Snow Mountain accompanied us, appearing and disappearing, very spectacular. Unfortunately, I was driving and couldn't stop on the expressway to take photos. Since I had visited Lijiang on my previous trip, this time we just passed through.
We visited the Mu Palace in the old town.
The iconic landmark of the old town: the Big Waterwheel.
D16: Today we returned from Lijiang to Kunming, the longest driving distance (550 km) of the trip. Passing through Huaping County, we saw mountains covered with white bags. On closer look, they were mangoes! Along the roadside, many farmers had set up sheds to sell mangoes. We stopped to taste various varieties—fragrant and super sweet! Before dusk, we reached Yuanmou Wumao Earth Forest. This is a very niche attraction. The scenic area was large but almost empty. Standing on the highest viewing platform, overlooking the entire earth forest, it was magnificent! Then descending the steps, up close, it looked like an enormous sculptural group with various shapes, sparking the imagination. It was an incredible place for photos. Every shot was a masterpiece. I don't know if it's because few people know about it or another reason, but such a beautiful place had no visitors—what a pity for such stunning scenery.
D17: We arrived in Kunming last night around 8 p.m. We simply had the famous Yunnan snack—Crossing-the-bridge noodles—for dinner, then checked into Meihao Lizi Kunming Hi-tech Branch. At noon today, we had lunch at the internet-famous Huixiang Xilou restaurant near Cuihu Lake. Before lunch, we visited the Yunnan Army Military Academy, from which Marshals Zhu De and Ye Jianying graduated. It was one of the earliest modern military academies in China.
In the afternoon, we visited the last scenic spot of the trip, the famous Stone Forest, on a journey to find Ashima.
In the evening, we had our final dinner of the Yunnan trip at Airuochun Restaurant near Jinma Biji Square. I once again tasted the steamed chicken (qiguoji) that I had been longing for since my first Yunnan trip ten years ago—still delicious!
D18: Around 3 p.m. today, we safely landed at Hongqiao Airport on a China Eastern flight. The Cloudy South Western Yunnan trip ended perfectly.
During this trip, from flying to Kunming on May 3, renting a car and driving through Mojiang, Shuangjiang, Lincang, Tengchong, Dali, Shangri-La, Lijiang, and back to Kunming, we covered a total of 3,100 km over 18 days. We left our footprints on high mountains, deep valleys, snowy mountains, grasslands, big rivers, lakes, Cangshan clouds, and the shores of Erhai. We tasted the unique cuisines of many ethnic minorities, including Hani, Wa, Dai, Tibetan, and Naxi. We stayed in Heshun Ancient Town in Tengchong, Dali Ancient City, Shuanglang Ancient Town on Erhai, Dukezong Ancient Town in Shangri-La, and Dayan Old Town in Lijiang, experiencing the customs of various ethnic groups. With family and companions, the journey was filled with laughter and unforgettable memories.
