Top 5 Places to See in Yunnan
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...
Ending the Sichuan Adventure
Traveling overland from Yunnan through Western Sichuan is a beautiful journey with so many amazing sights, places, and people. The end of the journey was a bit of a shock for me though, descending from the wide grasslands and one street towns into the bustle and neon...
Experiencing “Tibet”
Several times as I traveled through the Tibetan areas of Yunnan and Sichuan provinces I was asked what had been my impression of Tibet before I came. I honestly didn’t know how to respond. I knew of the Dalai Lama, knew vaguely of the unrest in the region and the...
Tagong
Tagong is a small town mid-way between Litang and Kangding on the most common overland route through western Sichuan. I had heard mixed things about Tagong – that it was a beautiful place with a real Tibetan feel, and that it was rather dusty and touristy....
Yarchen Gar Monastery
Yarchen Gar (Yaqing in Mandarin) is the definition of remote. Located in the far west of Sichuan province, hours by bus through the mountains to the nearest actual town, this place has attracted more than 10,000 monks and nuns to form a monastery amid the mountains....
Litang
Litang is a small city in western Sichuan, near the Yunnan border. At over 13,000 ft elevation, it is one of the highest cities in the world. Set in a long valley and surrounded by wide grasslands and tall mountains, it is a beautiful place to visit....
Yubeng
Yubeng is one of the most beautiful and remote places I’ve been to. Not for the casual tourist, getting to Yubeng requires an 18 km hike over the mountains at an elevation of more than 11,000 feet to reach. However, the beautiful scenery and culture makes...
Tiger Leaping Gorge
Tiger Leaping Gorge was one of my favorite places in Yunnan. The entrance is about two hours from Lijiang. The trail to hike in starts here, in Qiaotou. You can also take a bus directly to the Middle Gorge, but it’s a much better adventure to hike in! I...
Shaxi and Lijiang
After the excessive tourism in Dali, I was ready for break to the countryside. The hostel owner in Dali recommended the town of Shaxi, a couple hour’s drive northwest of Dali. It is an ancient town on the old Tea-Horse trade route through Yunnan, Sichuan, and Tibet....
Dali
It seems that every traveler I’ve met in Yunnan has been to Dali. It is known for being a place where “east meets west”, where you can find an interesting mix of Chinese locals and westerners who decided to stick around and open up cafés and music bars. It is true...
