Yunnan is a province in the south of China, sharing a border with Vietnam, Laos, Myanmar, and India. With natural scenery ranging from gorgeous karst topography, jungle, terraced mountainsides, lush valleys, to towering mountain peaks, Yunnan has an incredible variety of sights to see. It is also one of the most culturally diverse provinces in China, home to 25 of the 56 recognized Chinese ethnic groups. Many of the most beautiful sights are remote, which means they’re not on the typical tourist route! I’m always looking for places I can travel and experience the true culture, not the tourism facade, and Yunnan was absolutely perfect. Here are my top recommendations on places to visit (pssst I’ve written more in-depth articles on all of these places – just click the place name to jump to more information) :
1. Yuanyang Rice Terraces
These terraces were built by the native Hani and Yi people more than 1,500 years ago. The people from these ethnic groups still live similarly to how they have lived for centuries, using water buffalo to help plant and harvest the terraces. The best time to visit is from mid-November to early April when the terraces are flooded with water. This makes for gorgeous photographs of the sunrise/sunset reflecting off the water. Definitely stay in one of the small guesthouses/hostels in the villages while you’re there! It was awesome getting to chat with the locals and spend time just walking through the terraces and experiencing the way of life there.
2. Yubeng
This is hands-down my favorite place in Yunnan. Remote village, picturesque mountain peaks, awesome hiking, and no cars? It’s a recipe for paradise! It is located in the far northwest corner of the province in the region which is ethnically and culturally Tibetan. Getting there requires several long buses and an 18km hike in to the village, but it is so worth it! The valley is surrounded by the three peaks of Meili Xueshan, a Tibetan holy mountain, with the towering 22,000 ft elevation Kawagebo peak visible from everywhere in the valley. The hiking there is incredible, with trails to the glacier lake, the sacred waterfall, and the holy lake. Be prepared for high altitude and lots of snow while you’re there, but if you enjoy hiking and seeing places that are off the beaten path, it’s perfect!
3. Tiger Leaping Gorge
Located just two and a half hours from Lijiang, Tiger Leaping Gorge is fairly easy to get to, yet is still stunning to visit. with over 12,000 ft elevation change from rim to gorge floor, it is one of the deepest gorges in the world. Even better, it is entirely accessible via hiking trails. The most common route is to start in Qiaotou and hike the upper trail to Middle Tiger Leaping Gorge (requires 2 days of hiking with an overnight in one of the several guesthouses along the trail). At Middle Gorge, you can hike down to the river to see it close up, then ascend via one of the village-maintained sky ladders. It’s absolutely beautiful, and compared to Yubeng, not as strenuous a hike, just remember to take it easy with the elevation!
4. Dali
If you’ve researched Yunnan you’ve surely come across references to Dali. It’s well established on the backpacker route through Yunnan, praised for its East meets West vibe due to the influx of expats living there. I found it to be a little too touristy for my taste (though nothing compared to the tourism madness that is Lijiang) but if you’re looking for a place to find some local craft beer and catch a local band covering Guns N Roses and Metallica, Dali might be unique in providing just that.
5. Overland Route from Yunnan to Sichuan
Ok, so this isn’t technically a place, more a series of places, but it was so incredible I just have to add it to this list. Most tourists will go up about as far as Lijiang, or perhaps Shangri-la before catching a flight to Chengdu to tour through Sichuan from there. If you’re short on time this may make sense, but it leaves out the entire Tibetan region of Yunnan and Sichuan. Foreigners are of course barred from going into Tibet itself, but the culturally and ethnically Tibetan regions of Yunnan and Sichuan are still open and provide a glimpse of a completely unique and amazing culture and way of life. I decided to tack this detour onto my trip at the last minute and it was the best decision I made! The route is not east to travel (requiring a 13 hour bus ride through the mountains from Shangri-la to Daocheng) but it is so worth the amazing views and people you’ll meet. Check out my post on Litang for more information on this route.
There are plenty of other gorgeous places in Yunnan worth visiting, but these were my absolute favorites! Make sure to allow plenty of time for travel to all of these places and time to soak in the pace and way of life. Happy travels!
