Yunnan Travelogue

From October 13 to 28, 2023, four of us born in the 1970s traveled to Yunnan. This was our first trip together. We visited Kunming, Weishan, Dali, Lijiang, and Xishuangbanna. We covered pretty much all the places worth seeing. Of course, we didn't rent a car or join a tour group—this was pure independent travel.

When I saw round-trip flights from Hangzhou to Kunming for only 1,260 yuan, even cheaper than the second-class high-speed rail at 806 yuan, I confidently booked. Who knew off-season airfares don't work that way? After we bought our tickets, the price kept dropping and even fell below 800 yuan. Lesson learned: in the off-season, you should wait until just before departure to buy tickets for the best deal.

We usually travel by train, but Yunnan's cities aren't on a straight line. Taking the train to Kunming, Dali, and Lijiang works, but from Lijiang to Xishuangbanna via Dali and Kunming takes over seven hours by bullet train and costs around 420 yuan. Online, a flight from Lijiang to Xishuangbanna was 320 yuan (not including fees) and took just one hour, so I decided to wait for a lower price. Finally, two days before departure, the fare dropped to 190 yuan. Since I needed four tickets, I didn't dare wait for rock bottom—what if there were only three left? So I seized the moment and bought four tickets at 348 yuan each. Train tickets in the off-season were easy to get anytime and a bit cheaper than peak season. Before leaving, I only booked the Kunming–Weishan ticket for October 14; all others were left for later.

That settled our main itinerary.

**D1 October 13**

We took the 5:30 PM flight. We'd never used a VIP lounge before, so we had lunch early and took the subway to the airport. Because the VIP lounge was taken over for the Asian Games, we were redirected to the ICBC lounge. It offered snacks, apples, water, and instant noodles. At 5 PM, a buffet was set out, but we couldn't enjoy it because we needed to check in 40 minutes early. Still, we had instant noodles beforehand so we wouldn't go hungry on the three-hour flight.

Before departure, Capital Airlines texted us: no free checked baggage for economy class. To check a bag, you had to pay 100 yuan to upgrade, and carry-ons were limited to one piece under 7 kg each, max dimensions 20×30×40 cm (14 inches). That gave us a shock. Our suitcases were 18 inches, under 7 kg, but oversize. "It's just 100 yuan," we thought, and felt a bit relieved. At the airport, the check-in attendant saw our small suitcases and said we didn't need to check them, so that was that. But in Lijiang, this became a real headache—more on that later.

The flight left Hangzhou on time and arrived in Kunming at 8:30 PM without incident. We followed the crowd out. Kunming airport's walk from the gate to the exit was long—a good twenty minutes. Then we took subway Line 6, transferred to Line 3 at Juhua, and got off at Dashuying. It took over an hour. Everything was unfamiliar. Late at night, a taxi was the best way to find our hotel. For 12 yuan, we reached the Boman Hotel on Renmin Road. The location was central, but the hotel was old and the facilities dated. The toilet seat was hard to lift, the door chain had a button—it was hard to adapt. The room was small and dim, 166 yuan a night with breakfast. Though the front desk service was good and they even gave each of us a bag of treats, we decided not to stay here again on our return and to switch hotels.

**D2 October 14**

We woke up naturally, went down for breakfast. The selection was limited: rice noodles, eggs, fried rice, corn, sweet potatoes, cabbage, steamed buns… not lavish but filling. After breakfast we took a taxi (18.63 yuan) to Daguanlou Park. The park is famous for its 180-character long couplet. The area somewhat resembles Hangzhou's West Lake, with hills, water, bridges, pavilions, and even boats.

The main building was fenced off and we couldn't go inside, so we didn't get a good look at that ancient couplet.

We had a 1:07 PM train to Weishan, so we returned to the hotel before 10:30. This time, instead of using a ride-hailing app, we hailed a taxi right at the park gate, trusting the new-energy vehicles. But what was supposed to be a metered cab turned out to be like an unlicensed one. He took us on a big detour, onto elevated roads, circling around the city, and finally charged 36 yuan. The driver said, "If you think I took the long way, you can complain!" Clearly, he figured that a few elderly out-of-towners had neither the time nor energy to deal with him. We just counted it as bad luck and resolved never to hail cabs like that again. Back at the hotel, we grabbed our luggage; it was already too late to eat nearby, so we took a taxi to the train station and found a meal there. Luckily, the station was close—a ten-minute taxi ride. With a bit of time before noon, we quickly had rice noodles and boarded.

The train arrived in Weishan on time at 3:35 PM. A short taxi ride (13.12 yuan) took us to Yunzhishang Hotel, 181 yuan a night with breakfast. The room was spacious and bright, with new facilities and good service. Complimentary drinks and water were available at the front desk. Breakfast was via vouchers at the rice noodle shop across the street (all-you-can-eat). After dropping our bags, we took a taxi (18.63 yuan) to Weishan Ancient Town.

Weishan was the capital of the Nanzhao Kingdom. The ancient streets are well-planned, straight and orderly. Buildings are low, but almost every one is painted on the outside—quite pretty. We walked around for half a day, visited Gongchen Tower and Xinggong Tower, but didn't find many other sights. As it got dark, we headed back to the hotel.

**D3 October 15**

After breakfast, we asked the front desk for directions to the Nanzhao Museum and learned they had free tourist maps of the old town. We took a map and a taxi (10.4 yuan) to the museum. Admission was free, and since it was Sunday, there were lots of students visiting. We spent a little over an hour there and returned to the hotel by 10:30. Prices in Weishan were relatively low. At Yunnan restaurants, vegetable dishes generally cost 16–20 yuan per plate. The restaurant next to our hotel's breakfast spot was decent. We ordered a plate of beef for only 58 yuan—thick slices of spiced beef, about 2 cm thick, and so delicious the two of us couldn't finish it. On this trip, we split all costs except for meals. Every time we ate at a restaurant, we'd order one meat dish and two vegetable dishes. In Yunnan, besides charging 2 yuan per person for rice, restaurants typically also add a 2-yuan fee for each set of sterilized bowls and chopsticks.

We took the 2:08 PM train and arrived in Dali at 2:30. Dali's train station is quite large. In Yunnan, stations usually don't have escalators when exiting. Dali was no exception: exit barriers funnel you forward, then you take an escalator up to a footbridge, cross it, and only then can you reach the roadside and find a taxi. We took a taxi (10 yuan) to Dali Tianfa Hotel, 149 yuan a night with breakfast. (From now on, every hotel we stayed at included breakfast, so I won't mention it again.) The room was big and bright, the bathroom had a wet/dry separation. Besides two cabinets near the TV, there was a long padded bench under the window and a chair—good setup. Free bottled water was in the hallway, help yourself. The restaurant's breakfast was decent. Overall, good value.

There were many restaurants around Tianfa Hotel, for every budget. A short walk left from the hotel's main gate, there was an open-front restaurant with the lowest prices. On the day we left Dali, we had a yuxiang shredded pork rice there. We asked her to put the rice and the dish on separate plates, and she served a portion of shredded pork just as generous as a full-sized order, for only 13 yuan.

Dali's streets form a grid, but with the crowds they felt narrow. Tourists packed in, jostling, and shopkeepers' shouts rose one after another. After wandering through the old town, we'd walked enough and didn't want to walk anymore. We found a spot where a car could turn around, pulled out our phones to book a taxi, and for 38.87 yuan returned to Tianfa Hotel.

**D4 October 16**

We'd originally planned to tour Erhai Lake and had arranged a chartered car with Dali taxi driver Mr. Du. At 9 AM we set off and reached Erhai by 10. But soon after arriving, I accidentally fell into the water and soaked my camera and phone. We had to go back to the hotel, losing the whole morning. We adjusted our plan and decided to take a boat on Erhai in the afternoon. Erhai has several docks; we chose Dali Dock. We took a taxi there, aiming to buy boat tickets. Outside the dock, a local woman in her 50s called out to us, asking if we wanted tickets. She said she could get them cheaper than at the dock—140 yuan each. We were unsure, so we checked outside, then went to the ticket hall to ask the price: 160 yuan each at the window. That made us a little more trusting, but still hesitant. She then said, "Stay here; I'll have my brother buy the tickets, and you pay me afterward." We waited until her brother came with the tickets, then paid her. With the tickets in hand, we boarded smoothly. The tickets were in two parts: one for the boat, one for the performance. The lower deck was a rest area, the second floor the performance space.

We caught the second show; each show was probably the same. After boarding, we found a row of window seats. An announcement called first-show ticket holders to go upstairs. The boat kept moving; when the first show ended, we went up. The performance was the Bai people's Three-Course Tea ceremony—each person got three small cups of tea to taste and compare, with an explanation of its origins. Then came song and dance, much like "Five Golden Flowers," with characters like A Peng…

After the performance, we went up to the third and fourth floors. Because of strong winds on Erhai, all the windows were closed. There were many people, but the view wasn't better than from below. These days, efficiency rules, so most people went back to the main hall afterward. The boat crew didn't miss the chance to sell their tea, and someone was also promoting a calligrapher who did live painting and selling—a familiar routine. When the boat docked, we strolled along the lakeshore a bit before catching a taxi back to the hotel.

**D5 October 17**

We'd arranged a chartered car with Mr. Du again, 320 yuan for nine hours around Erhai, from 9 AM to 6 PM. He was supposed to pick us up at 9 AM, but due to a parent-teacher meeting, he asked Mr. Zhang to cover for him. Mr. Zhang arrived a few minutes late. We didn't know how to tour Erhai, so we just followed his lead. First, he took us to S Bay, probably one of the most scenic spots along the lake. To folks from Hangzhou, it was just okay—maybe not even as charming as the lakeside path at Orioles Singing in the Willows. The distant opposite shore had no standout features, nothing like West Lake's beauty. Still, Erhai is much larger than West Lake, with clear water. Many trees grow right in the water along the shore, and the gentle breeze was refreshing. The bay is a short distance from the road. Mr. Zhang dropped us at the entrance; we walked in at 10:10 and came out around 10:50. He then took us to Xizhou, known for Bai-style residences. We arrived at 11:20, and Mr. Zhang led us through the streets and alleys to a large residence.

This was one of the bigger ones in Xizhou and charged admission. Since we were all over 70 and not interested in the Three-Course Tea show inside, we got in free. We each wore a badge and wandered through the living room, study, and other areas. We didn't go upstairs; just strolled around. By 11:50 we were tired, so we left to find a car and lunch. Mr. Zhang, a local, knew the area well and took us to a busy restaurant. Inside, no tables were free, so we waited while the ladies scouted for suitable dishes. Once we got a table, we ordered: a soup, a plate of fried spare ribs (eight whole ribs), a stir-fried mushroom dish, and two vegetable dishes. The five of us ate well for 280 yuan, and everyone was satisfied.

After lunch, Mr. Zhang drove us to Shuanglang. The main draw there is Nanzhao Customs Island. To reach the island, you take a boat. At 3 PM we landed, and a guide gave an overview (he said he'd spend 20 minutes telling us the island's history). Inside the Nanzhao Palace, another guide explained the kingdom's history. It was interesting, but standing and listening for over an hour was tiring, so we ducked out early. At 3:40, we took the boat back. My friends Xiaowu and the others eagerly went to have a look at Taiyang Palace. I was too tired and waited at the three-way intersection for them to get back so we could go to the next spot—Little Putuo Island. They were quick, spent 20 minutes just peering at Taiyang Palace from outside, and returned, saying the prices there were steep. Little Putuo is a small island. We viewed it from the long causeway; going over to pray wasn't for me. By the time we finished, it was already 5:10 PM.

At 5:50, we reached the last Erhai spot: Shituoling, which is actually a high-end hotel still under construction. Mr. Zhang drove us up the hill. After we finished looking around at 6:10, we called him to pick us up at the road, and we all headed back. By the time we got to the hotel, it was past 7 PM.

**D6 October 18**

Cangshan Mountain has three cableways. We chose the most popular one, Gantong. Online it said on-site tickets were 115 yuan, advanced online booking 105, with no mention of senior discounts, so I booked online. The cableway starts at 9 AM. We took a taxi from Tianfa Hotel to the Gantong entrance (32.6 yuan) and arrived at 8:50. At the ticket office, the staff said those over 70 got a discount—only 80 yuan per person. We asked them to help us refund the online tickets. They told us to go to the upstairs office for assistance. Refunding online tickets shouldn't have been difficult, but because I'd once used my wife's phone to buy flights on Ctrip, the system defaulted to her phone number, even though I'd bought these tickets with my own phone. My phone showed the payment record, but no option to refund. This stumped us. The staff were in a meeting and asked us to wait until it ended so they could handle it. Just as we were at a loss, a young couple walked by with a pet dog. Seeing our distress, they offered to help. We poured out our problem like we'd found saviors. The young man took my phone and started working on it. Being young and sharp, he resolved it in about five or six minutes. We were extremely grateful. He said it was a small favor anyone would do. This taught me: tickets aren't necessarily cheaper the earlier you buy them. From now on, I won't buy attraction tickets online—it's better to buy at the destination.

After that, we bought new tickets and got on the cable car. It was a long ride, taking 21 minutes. At 9:30 we reached the mountain and found it much colder than ground level. We put on extra clothes, then headed down to Qipan Gorge. The path there wasn't easy, scenery just so-so, and it's not for people with mobility issues. It's a loop trail; going up and down uses different paths. Higher up, a cross-path connects the three cableways.

Honestly, visiting Cangshan wasn't really worth it for us. It's just a mountain, nothing particularly memorable. It might suit young people as a bit of an adventure, because some stone steps are uneven, steep, or missing, making the climb challenging.

We left Cangshan at 11:40 and took a taxi to Chongsheng Temple. From the Gantong cableway entrance to the Three Pagodas of Chongsheng Temple, the taxi was 20.8 yuan. We arrived at noon. We didn't go into the temple itself. Our main purpose was to see the three pagodas that, as described in the Nanzhao Palace, had survived several earthquakes. They're not the same size—one big, two small.

We had a 3:20 PM train to Lijiang, so after a quick look at the Three Pagodas, we returned to the hotel. The taxi from the pagodas to Tianfa Hotel was 50.47 yuan. The train station was close to the hotel. After getting back, we had a relaxed lunch before heading to the station. Following a taxi driver's advice, we skipped the overpass and crossed the road directly into the station. The train pulled into Lijiang on time at 5:21 PM. Lijiang's train station is small, with a deserted feel and few shops—like a minor stop. Outside the station was countryside. The female taxi driver explained that Lijiang governed one district and two counties; this was one of the counties. The taxi to our hotel, Xibulun, cost 27.6 yuan. Xibulun is near the edge of the ancient town, about a 15-minute walk. The room wasn't tiny, but with two 1.5-meter-wide beds, it felt cramped. The front desk was to the right outside the compound wall, and the breakfast room was behind it. Breakfast wasn't lavish but okay. The desk clerk said their pay was decent—3,200 yuan a month, working one day and resting the next.

**D7 October 19**

We took a taxi from Xibulun (14.1 yuan) at 8:50 AM to Shuhe Ancient Town. This is the most beautiful ancient town I've ever seen. The lanes and alleys retain their original layout, and though the buildings are new, they're all built with the flavor of the ancient Tea Horse Road we imagine. One photo shows the entrance to a guesthouse: a pavilion by the water where you can drink tea, chat, and talk business. But the B&Bs here aren't cheap. On the flight back, I met a young man from Hangzhou who stayed here for 199 yuan a night.

We followed signs to the Tea Horse Road Museum, but luck wasn't with us—it was closed. So we just wandered around Sifang Street. Every inn and restaurant was beautifully done, giving a very pleasant feeling. The streets were clean, no touts, and the tea houses and restaurants were doing good business, which surprised us. After reaching Longtan at the far end, we left. The town is fairly large with multiple gates, so we exited in a different spot from where we entered. Around 10:30 we caught a taxi back to the hotel.

After lunch and a short rest, we headed to Lijiang Ancient Town. Although it wasn't far from Xibulun, we weren't familiar with the way and wandered around for a bit, even backtracking, before finally finding it through an underground shopping passage. We emerged at ground level around 3:30 PM. The first thing we saw was the big waterwheel. Lijiang Ancient Town has narrow streets paved with old stone. The main streets are okay, but the alleys are uncomfortable. The most famous attraction in Lijiang is Mu Mansion. The Mu family were local chieftains who held power from the late Yuan Dynasty right through to the Xianfeng era of the Qing Dynasty—over 400 illustrious years. You can also enter Lijiang Ancient Town through a large marketplace without using the underpass. Because the area is huge and you can only get around on foot, we lost interest in seeing every single spot. We didn't even make it to the Big Stone Bridge sung about in the Naxi girl's song before calling it a day.

**D8 October 20**

We wanted to see the sunrise over Jinshan at Dongba Valley (the day before, at the Shuhe Ancient Town gate, we'd met a girl who did exactly that before visiting the town). So we got up very early—6 AM, ate the hotel breakfast at 6:15, and at 6:45 took a taxi (42.47 yuan) to Dongba Valley. Xibulun Hotel's breakfast starts at 6 AM, which was great. Sunrise in Lijiang isn't until 7:20 AM, so arriving before 7 AM should've been fine. Many cars were parked along the road outside Dongba Valley; lots of people had come for the sunrise. There were two vans selling breakfast and a few horses offering rides—20 yuan a round. It was cold, and even with extra layers we still felt cold. Everyone faced east, waiting for the sun. But the weather seemed against us: the eastern clouds grew thicker and thicker, and Jade Dragon Snow Mountain was completely wrapped in white. The sky gradually brightened, but the sun just wouldn't appear. By 7:50, disappointed people started driving away. We gave up at 8 AM.

A taxi driver had told us that Shihe Village was fun. So from Dongba Valley we took a taxi (21.32 yuan) to Shihe Village, arriving at 8:45 AM. The public restroom in the village was locked, and we couldn't get in. A cleaner said it didn't open until 9 AM, which put us in a bind. But there's always a way. We found the elementary school, but they wouldn't let us use the toilet. Then we found the village committee office—no one was at work yet, but the courtyard gate was open. Inside, the restroom was right there. Problem solved, we began exploring Shihe Village. It's not big. The main road runs along a slope where construction trucks were busy loading and hauling dirt. Houses are built along the road, mostly of stone—rustic and sturdy. Streams flow out of stone crevices, pass through walls and courtyards, and rush into the roadside creek, the water clear and swift. Beyond that, we didn't see much worth seeing, so we decided to head back.

Down at the village entrance, where we'd been dropped off, we tried to hail a taxi but couldn't. Our driver called, saying he couldn't come up: the village committee had installed barriers and only allowed their own shuttle cars in. He was waiting outside, asking us to walk out. It was a classic "this mountain is mine, this tree I planted, to pass this way, leave behind some cash" situation, so we had to walk. Outside the barrier, we got a taxi (49.12 yuan) back to the hotel. First thing, lunch. Then at 11:15, we took our luggage and another taxi (72.59 yuan) to Sanyi Airport for the 1:05 PM flight to Xishuangbanna. We arrived at the airport with plenty of time, but after getting our boarding passes, a short man blocked us from proceeding, saying our luggage was oversized and didn't comply with their 20×30×40 cm rule. We took the bags to the check-in counter. They weighed them, and it looked like we'd have to pay by weight. We quickly opened the suitcases and stuffed everything we could into our backpacks. The two suitcases then weighed 8 kg total—the empty cases themselves were about 5 kg, so they were practically empty. But we still had to pay a 90-yuan handling fee. After paying, time was running short. We asked a cleaner which gate to go to; she said Gate 6. That sent us running up and down stairs. At Gate 6 downstairs, the agent said we were wrong—it was upstairs. Back upstairs, after asking at a counter, we learned we should be at Gate 10. We raced to Gate 10 just in time to board—what a relief!

**D8 October 20**

The Botanical Garden of the Chinese Academy of Sciences is 80 kilometers from Xishuangbanna station. Along the way are two other attractions: the Rainforest Park and the Dai Folk Customs Park at Ganlanba. Visiting two or three places in a day would be exhausting, so I chose the Wenmu Garden Hotel near Ganlanba, hoping that after flying into Gasa Airport in the afternoon, we'd still have time to see the Dai Folk Customs Park. Our flight landed on time at 3 PM. The hotel's car was already waiting for us outside the airport.

We headed straight for Wenmu Garden Hotel. During the drive, a call came in from the hotel's sales director, Mr. Wang, also wanting a ride back. After we agreed, the driver stopped at a fork to pick him up. Mr. Wang started sharing his travel wisdom, saying the botanical garden wasn't much fun—that it's for researchers. He suggested we check out the Saturday "Ganbai" (which is simply a market day), since the 21st happened to be the Dai people's market day… We didn't comment. By the time we reached the hotel, it was after 4 PM and we were tired. We settled in first.

Wenmu Garden Hotel had great hardware: smart curtains, air conditioning, toilet; the room was large and bright, with a table, chairs, cabinet, and—most satisfying to me—a luggage rack, nicely arranged. After a short rest, we wanted dinner. We checked the hotel restaurant but didn't fancy the food, and there were no other eateries nearby. So we took a taxi (10.4 yuan) to Ganlanba. After dinner, we strolled, bought mosquito repellent, and then tried to get a taxi back—none to be found. The area was too remote; no drivers wanted to come. Fortunately, the distance wasn't far, so we just treated it as an after-dinner walk back to the hotel.

**D9 October 21**

We got up early, packed, and left our suitcases at the front desk. At 7 AM, we went to the restaurant and saw Manager Zhang personally making noodles for us. He added beef and a fried egg to each bowl and even generously gave us the fried dough sticks he'd bought for himself. All we could do was thank him again and again.

After breakfast, we took a taxi (116.47 yuan) to the Botanical Garden. It's on an island in Xishuangbanna, vast, divided into East and West zones. Although we didn't need entrance tickets, we still had to buy tickets for the park shuttle, 50 yuan per person for the East zone. At 8:35, we got our tickets and took the shuttle bus over a large bridge into the garden. The garden has countless tree species—we outsiders couldn't name a single one. It's divided into sections. There were many tour groups with guides explaining as they walked. Following a group was too slow and tiring for us. Trying to see on our own, we just got confused by the plants. Each shuttle stop only served two points, so to reach the next zone you had to follow their sequence. We'd long since lost the order and ended up backtracking. Tired, we stopped wanting to look and just headed back. I can't say how many zones we visited; it was past 12:30, time to rest and return.

Outside, we called our earlier taxi driver. We'd agreed on a flat 100 yuan for a no-meter ride back to Wenmu Garden Hotel. He came as promised. In the car, we decided to visit the Dai Folk Customs Park first, then take another taxi to the hotel, and finally to Jinghong's Airport Hotel. When we told the driver this, he offered to take us to the airport hotel for an extra 100 yuan. It was a good deal, so we agreed: he'd take us to the Dai park, then we'd call him when we were done. He was friendly, saying as a local he could drive us into the park to save us a walk, and instead of going to the main gate for a taxi after, we could just call him from inside where a car could turn around. Since we'd already been to the Botanical Garden, he said the Rainforest Park was similar and we could skip it.

So at 1:50 PM we arrived at the Dai Folk Customs Park, still under construction. They still charged admission, but we were over 70, so we got in free. We walked all the way to the far end, where we learned the water-splashing activity wouldn't start until 3:30 PM. We saw young men and women in colorful costumes carrying small basins pass by in twos and threes. Someone said you had to buy a ticket to join. That made it less appealing—we'd just be spectators, so we decided to leave.

We called the driver; he was with other passengers and couldn't come, so he sent a friend to take us first to the hotel, asking us to wait a moment. After he finished his business, he'd come to take us to Jinghong. So we wrapped up our Ganlanba trip. The driver got us to the airport hotel by 6 PM.

The airport hotel is close to the train station—we chose it for that reason. It was clean, rooms were big, the bathroom even had a window, and the furniture was okay. But the toilet and the shower area weren't separated, which was uncomfortable. It was 132 yuan a night, but with a perk: free airport and train station transfers as long as you reserved. Since we had a 7:40 AM train to Mengla on the 22nd, staying here was convenient. Also, we'd arrive back in Xishuangbanna at 6:09 PM on the 22nd—wouldn't it be great to have transfers? So we booked two nights. However, because the hotel had few guests, bookings were non-refundable. They provided one free bottle of water; if you wanted more, you had to ask nicely, and they'd give it, but it wasn't as generous as other places.

**D10 October 22**

From Xishuangbanna to the Wangtianshu Scenic Area is about 150 km. A one-way taxi would cost at least 500 yuan—not worth it. But taking the train to Mengla brings you within 20 km. The train ticket from Banna to Mengla cost 47 yuan, and the return 62 yuan. Round-trip for four of us saved over 500 yuan compared to a taxi, so we took the train. There are only two trains a day, likely the same one running back and forth. The morning one out and the evening one back suited us. But we didn't consider that there'd be no breakfast—or lunch—available. The train had no dining car, no intermediate stops, and no food. The airport hotel breakfast only started at 7:30, but the shuttle came at 7 AM, so we couldn't eat. We went to the dining hall, saw no breakfast, grabbed two hard-boiled eggs, and left. The train arrived in Mengla at 8:36 AM. As we stepped off and were using the restroom, someone shouted, "The bus is leaving, hurry!" A station attendant said there wouldn't be another. So we had to let it go. After it left, the only option was a taxi into Mengla town to find something to eat first. We had no idea where to go; checking the map, we spotted a "Third Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital" and decided to head there. The driver (25.46 yuan), hearing we weren't going to the hospital but looking for food, took us to what he thought was a good breakfast place nearby, and dropped us off. We filled up on minced meat rice noodles (small bowl 12 yuan, large 14 yuan). Then another taxi (61.7 yuan) got us to Wangtianshu Scenic Area by 10:10 AM.

The taxi stopped at the main gate ticket office. They were selling boat tickets along with admission. We asked and found you could walk in directly, so we didn't buy the boat ticket. Once inside, we realized the boat ride was just on the river outside the gate, from the ticket office to the main entrance, offering views of the riverbanks. Inside, the road lined with elephant statues is the main path. The trees in this scenic area are incredibly tall—some said to reach 80 meters. Indeed, many towering trees stood out. The star attraction is a skywalk suspended in midair between the trees; you have to crane your neck to see it, and you can stroll along up there.

A little after 2 PM, we left the area. At the exit, we heard that a free shuttle from the gate went directly to the train station, timed perfectly with the train. Why wouldn't we take it? It would leave at 4 PM; we just had to wait. Actually, we'd made a silly mistake that morning: the bus from Mengla station to town was 9 yuan per person, but the free shuttle to the scenic area was the same bus we'd missed. There were no restaurants inside the scenic area, only a small shop at the gate with inflated prices—15 yuan for instant noodles. We'd been unprepared, not realizing the train didn't serve breakfast and the station had no food, so we'd had to take a taxi for breakfast.

Not many people took the free shuttle, and the train we caught wasn't crowded either—many were migrant workers heading to Laos. The return train also had few passengers. It reached Jinghong right on time at 6:09 PM.

**D11 October 23**

After breakfast, we packed and moved to Tongcheng Boutique Hotel (Jinghong Water Splashing Square branch). City life is more convenient; the airport hotel had no restaurants nearby, you had to walk far. During the taxi ride (12 yuan), the driver, upon hearing we wanted to visit Jino Mountain Village and Wild Elephant Valley, offered to charter his car for 200 yuan round-trip. Not knowing the situation, we said we'd contact him once we were settled and left his number. At the hotel, when we handed over our IDs, the front desk clerk said we'd booked windowless king rooms (two rooms for two nights, total 706 yuan). That was a shock. I said we wanted to cancel and find another hotel. The clerk said we could switch rooms. I asked if twin rooms were possible, and he said yes. So he canceled our original booking and rebooked on the spot. He said booking online now was cheaper. He then rebooked two twin rooms (529.9 yuan for two rooms, two nights). So not only did we not pay more, we saved a good amount—mainly because off-season prices had dropped, and earlier booking was more expensive.

Tongcheng Boutique Hotel is a large establishment in a 22-story building. The lower part (up to the 16th floor) is operated under a different name, but the clerk said the interiors were similar. The rooms had full cabinets, tables, chairs, and a proper bathroom. The breakfast was much better than the airport hotel's. It's in the city center, surrounded by many eateries. The clerk assigned us two rooms on the 8th floor—satisfactory. After settling in, we checked the map and saw that taxi fares to those two places would total close to 200 (90 from hotel to Wild Elephant Valley, 75 from there to Jino, 30 from Jino back to hotel), just an estimate, probably higher. So chartering made sense. We called the driver, who arrived in about ten minutes. We started with Jino Mountain Village. The driver said no discounts were available with any documents, but he could get us a deal (he had a tour guide license), so we let him handle it. At the ticket office, he bought tickets (originally 160 each, discounted to 140), handed us over to a group guide, and we followed the guide into the village.

We came to Jino to see how Yunnan's ethnic minorities live. Our young guide explained their way of life as we walked, taking us house-to-house to see their homes, drink tea, and hear their stories of prosperity. The mountain paths have many stone steps, so it's not for those with poor legs. After the tour, there was a performance. Each small group sat around a table with a plate of snacks, watching while eating.

At 12:40 we left Jino for Wild Elephant Valley, arriving around 1:40 PM. A 2 PM elephant show was scheduled. Our first task was to find good seats. We were a bit late; the front seats were taken, so we sat farther back on the side. The show featured elephants eating peanuts, bananas, drinking water, and having their temperature, height, and weight checked. Afterward, the elephants came to a corridor at the gate, where interested visitors could feed them and take photos—for a fee. We visited the butterfly house, the deer garden, and walked along the valley's nature trails. Of course, seeing wild elephants in the valley depends on luck; we had none, so we just returned to the hotel.

**D12 October 24**

Tongcheng Boutique Hotel is close to the General Buddhist Temple. After breakfast, we walked there. The temple is free, and at the entrance stands a statue of Premier Zhou. It's a royal temple. Besides the temple buildings, there's a lake, bridges, a river—you can even take a boat on the river (30 yuan per person). Vendors set up on the bridges, and there were quite a few tourists. We arrived at 9:10 AM; this city park has no hills, so it was easy. We left at 12:10 PM.

At 2 PM we reached the Great Buddha Temple, a reconstructed temple. A taxi from town (12 yuan) brought us there. It's on a hillside, and the ticket booth also sells shuttle tickets (40 yuan per person). We rode the shuttle up and walked down. By the time we descended, it was 2:55 PM; a peacock release was scheduled for 3 PM. After that, a water-splashing event followed. Around the splashing square, viewing stands were already set up. Since we were early, we grabbed front-row seats. Before the splashing, young men and women performed Dai dances. Then the host explained Dai customs, invited audience members to sign up for the splashing activity, rent costumes and props, and the splashing began. It didn't last long and wasn't particularly lively. Afterward, the host invited a famous calligrapher to write scrolls for lucky audience members—three for free, then 300 yuan each from the fourth onward. Interested people could sign up and have the calligrapher write on the spot. In our session, 11 people paid to have theirs done.

Besides the places we visited, Xishuangbanna also has the Primeval Forest Park (best known for its peacock release), the Rainforest, Daluo (a border crossing), and the Single Tree Forest. According to our taxi drivers, those spots are much the same as what we'd already seen, so skipping them was fine. We decided not to go.

**D13 October 25**

Originally, we'd thought about taking the 3 PM-ish train (arriving after 7 PM). With no activities planned, we caught the 10:54 AM train instead, arriving in Kunming at 2:29 PM. From Xishuangbanna to Kunming, the route was almost entirely tunnels, much like the trip to Mengla. This is due to the elevation change: Xishuangbanna is at 500 meters, while Kunming sits at 1,800—a huge difference the train covered in three hours.

Getting off at Kunming South (198 yuan per ticket), we took subway Line 4 to Yangfutou, then a taxi to Ibis Hotel (776 yuan for two rooms, two nights). This hotel was clean, the rooms large and bright, with furniture for luggage and backpacks, a desk and chairs, a bathroom with wet/dry separation, a rich breakfast, and complimentary bottled water—great value. The only downside: the bathroom door opened outward, which was awkward and annoying. There were plenty of restaurants nearby, and prices were reasonable.

**D14 October 26**

There are many trains from Kunming to Shilin West. Shilin West is a bit far from the scenic area (a 40-minute bus ride), but there's a bus specifically timed with the trains. You can hop straight on, and the final stop is the Stone Forest scenic area gate—10 yuan. We got up late, took the subway to Kunming South, and arrived at the Stone Forest around 11:30 AM.

Everything at the Stone Forest was free except the bus, even the park shuttle. After entering the main gate and crossing a bridge, you reach the shuttle stop. From the gate to the Greater Stone Forest is quite far—the shuttle took nearly 15 minutes. After exploring the Greater Stone Forest, we visited the Lesser Stone Forest nearby. By about 1:50 PM, we were done, and we needed to catch the 3:54 PM train back to Kunming. We couldn't delay: we found the shuttle, took it out of the park, then boarded the bus, allowing time to buy train tickets and wait. We'd be back at the hotel around dinnertime.

**D15 October 27**

After breakfast, we called the Haigeng base office to ask if there were seagulls at Dianchi Lake. Getting a yes, we decided to see the red-beaked gulls first. From the hotel, a taxi (29.71 yuan) took us to Haigeng Dam at 9:30 AM. The dam was packed with people holding bread, hoping to pose with the seagulls. But it's a skill—getting that photo often means paying someone to help.

After watching the gulls on the dam, we took a taxi (19.07 yuan) to Cuihu Lake (arrived at 10:50). The Jiangwu Tang (Military Academy) is just outside the west gate of Cuihu Park. Like the park, it's free. It's quite large; touring it was tiring. The academy's most famous alumni are Zhu De and Ye Jianying—over 200 generals came from here. We did a quick walk-through, then caught a taxi to Nanping Street. Nanping is wide, blocked at both ends to be pedestrian-only. At a flower cake shop there, we queued and bought some cakes, then walked to Zhengyi Road for lunch. Zhengyi Road was bustling, with shops everywhere. Even past noon, customers streamed in. I had a yuxiang shredded pork rice at a Xinjiang restaurant—the pork was actually beef. After eating, we strolled out and took a taxi back to the hotel. We rested in the lobby until dinnertime, then left for the airport to catch the 9:50 PM flight back to Hangzhou (landed on time at 12:50 AM).