YUNNAN: GENERAL INFORMATION & TOURIST DESTINATIONS

YUNNAN is the sixth largest of China's 23 provinces. Its towering, ice mountains adjoin Tibet and Burma in the northwest and lush jungles bordering Laos and Vietnam in the south. Half of all China's animals and plant species can be found somewhere in Yunnan, and its nearly 40 million people include members of 25 different ethnic groups - a third of its total population. In western Yunnan mighty ranges fan south from Tibet's border, channeling some of Asia's greatest rivers through immensely deep canyons. The Salween, the Mekong and the Yangzi race side by side far below the snowcapped peaks, barely 80 kilometers (50 miles) apart. Movements in the earth's unstable crust continue to thrust the mountains upwards and subject Yunnan to periodic earthquakes.

China Yunnan Airlines offer comfortable and convenient service direct to Kunming, the capital of Yunnan province. Their modern fleet of Boeing 737s and new wide-body 767s fly from Kunming to 41 regional destinations. Thai International Airways with a daily flight from Bangkok to Kunming and also serving Chiang Mai en route on Thursdays and Sundays is an ideal "gateway " to China from Southeast Asia. Flights between Hong Kong and Kunming leave daily on China Southwest Airlines or three to four times per week with Dragon Air. From Kunming, there exists direct flights to Kunming to Yangon in Myanmar, Korea, and Laos. If domestic air services and road conditions in some certain areas have improved greatly over the recent years, long distance overland travels generally take longer than the traveler might expect. New roads have been opened and are being under construction. A new express way links Kunming to Dali in 5 hours and it is being continued westwards to Baoshan. To the south, a motorway allows to reach Yuxi in only over an hour reducing therefore the time of travel of our southwards itineraries. Long distance transportation will be provided with air-conditioned buses or van. In remote areas however, air conditioned vehicles may not always be available and travelers should be advised that the quality of roads can from good to bad. Train transportation is also a way to discover. Since 1999, a new train is linking Kunming to Dali daily (night train with soft and hard sleepers). The most famous line is still the one built by the French linking Hanoi to Yunnanfu, the former name of Kunming. Within the country borders, it still allows to reach Kunming from Hekou, with a narrow road track and one-class (seats and sleepers) compartments.

FOOD IN YUNNAN With a history of several thousand years, China is one of the most ancient civilizations in the world. Chinese cookery, similarly, occupies a unique place in the world's culinary art. A variety of cuisine have formed out of different local products, climates, traditions and eating habits throughout the centuries. Like music, dance and drama, Chinese cookery is regarded as a form of art and an important part of the Chinese culture. Chinese culinary pays special attention to the selection of ingredients and the color, smell, taste, appearance and combination of dishes. Even the ways of eating are worth studying. In order to give travelers a true feeling for the country and its diverse regional gastronomic variations, all included meals feature interesting local restaurants whenever possible in its itineraries. These are carefully selected, for hygiene as well as gastronomic considerations. In some countryside areas, however, dining opportunities are still very limited. Travelers are advised against eating from street or market stalls, however tempting these may seem. Again, never drink tap water - purified, bottled water is available everywhere.

HOTELS In spite of the building boom that is creating new hotels up to international standards for the first time in key tourist centers, accommodations in Yunnan still vary in quality and, during high seasons, availability. Travelers will generally receive hotel reservation priority, but we cannot guarantee specific hotel requests upcountry and reserves the right to substitute accommodation of the best available alternative standard when a first-choice hotel is not available. Clients are advised that accommodations, especially in upcountry or remote locations, may not always be up to international standards. 

LANGUAGE Mandarin is China's official language, spoken by more than 700 million people. It is the most widely spoken language in the world. Although technically within the Mandarin-speaking region, Yunnan has its own colorful dialects, difficult to understand for outsiders. English is spoken in international tourism places in Kunming but seldom spoken in other parts of the Province. 

SHOPPING Best buys include bright batik clothing and embroideries from Yunnan's minority people. Aprons, shoulder bags, embroidered shoes, headdresses and belts are particularly attractive. Famous like the Pu'er Tea, Tuocha (green teas) or some local Black tea, Chinese medicines and herbs are abundant in Yunnan. Jewelry is generally not up to international standards for design and workmanship and buyers should check that "gold" is, in fact, gilded silver. Bargaining is essential for all souvenir shopping, if travelers are to obtain reasonable prices.

CURRENCY The Chinese currency, referred to as Renminbi or RMB, is commonly referred to as Yuan. The exchange rate is approximately US$ 1 = RMB 8.20. Travelers cheques and currencies may be exchanged into RMB in major hotels as well as the Bank of China and the Bank of Communications. Credit cards are accepted in major hotels. Except for a few rare places like shopping centers, the use of credit card for payment is not common yet.

CLIMATE Yunnan enjoys one of the best climate in China and Kunming is known throughout the country as the “Spring City”. Temperatures are rarely freezing in winter, and days are crisp and sunny. The rainy season lasts from June to August, but most of the days are sunny in between the showers. Spring and autumn are sublime. The high altitude may cause some fluctuations of temperature and nights are generally chilly. Clothing should be simple and consist of layers added or removed as temperatures vary during the day. A sweater and light jacket will be useful and stout, comfortable shoes are recommended. Special items to bring to Yunnan include sunscreen lotion and sun glasses against the intense sunlight, and a hat. The high, dry plateau is likely to cause chapped lips and cracked skin; lip salve and skin cream should not be forgotten. Travel to the southern part of Yunnan Province requires light, cotton clothing suitable for the tropics. Travelers to Dali, Lijiang or Zhongdian in the northwest of the province should take gloves and a warm coat or jacket between November and March.

MAJOR TOURIST DESTINATIONS IN YUNNAN 

The sixth largest of China' s 23 provinces, situated in southwest China. Its towering, ice mountains adjoin Tibet and Myanmar in the northwest and lush jungles bordering Laos and Vietnam in the south. It is noted for its pleasant climate, picturesque scenery instinctive styles of minority life, and enjoys the laudatory titles of "Kingdom of Plants", "Kingdom of Animals" and "Kingdom of Non -ferrous Metals". Yunnan covers an area of 394,000 sq.km and has a population of 39 million, composed of 25 different and colorful minority nationalities of China. The rich cultures and customs of the many tribal groups provide a colorful and wonderful calendar of festivals one after another throughout the year. Its natural beauty, healthy climate and the friendliness of its people have combined to make it one of China's most attractive areas, and a trip through Yunnan is unlike any other in China for the geographic and cultural variety. 

KUNMING 
The city of Eternal Spring, the provincial capital and the center of politics, economy, culture, science, technology and communications of Yunnan. Yunnan, one of the historic and cultural cities of China, is embellished with beautiful scenery and picturesque sights that have won its reputation of being the lustrous pearl of the plateau. With the annual average temperature of 14.5 C, Kunming is well-known as a City of Eternal Spring without sweltering heat in summer or bitter cold in winter. It is a place where wonderful scenery bestowed by nature and achievements of human culture co-exist. With a long history and distinctive geographical features, Kunming is endowed with numerous places of historical interest and natural wonders, such as: the Stone Forest, the dominant Dragon Gate of Western Hills, 500 lifelike statues of Arhats, medieval monasteries, Golden Temple, Yuguan Park, and Alu Gu Caves, etc. 

LIJIANG
A famous county of historical and cultural interest is known as a superbly scenic region as well as a major center historic culture. Lijiang is the center of the Naxi people, a relatively small (250,000) minority group with a richly textured culture. One characteristic that strikes the visitors is the predominance of women in all types of work. Women seem to run the market and control the purse strings. Although men are by no means indolent, they were traditionally gardeners, child-rearers and musicians. The Naxi have had a long history of interaction with the Chinese and today under the irresistible force of modernization, contacts are increasing and ways of life are changing fast. Nevertheless, the Naxi still desire to hold into their cultural roots and in the remote hinterland to the north, old customs continue largely untouched by the outside world. As a shining jewel on the Northwest Yunnan Plateau, neighboring the southeast side of the Qingzang Plateau which is considered the "Roof of the World", it covers an area of 20,600 square kilometers with a population of 1,030,000. Lijiang possesses many fascinating scenic places, such as Jade Dragon Snow Mountain and its maritime glacier, the world-famous grand canyon Tiger Leaping Gorge, the Old Town of Lijiang which is regarded as the "Oriental Venice", the miraculous First Bend of Yangtze River, Baoshan Stone Town where people live in houses made of stones and use tables, beds, grinders all drilled out of rocks, the Xinzhu botanical garden which is filled with rare plants of all kinds, the red rocks and precipitous stalagmites at Liming, the ten-thousand-flower-Camellia that is referred to as the "King of Earthly Camellias". There are enchanting ethnic customs such as Dongba Culture, Naxi classical music, the Ming Dynasty, Lijiang Murals and mystical Mosuo customs. Lijiang's pleasant climate with the average temperature of 12.6บ C, spectacular scenery together with the honest and hospitable people make the district an ideal tourist and health resort. 

DALI 
City of great literary fame is situated in the southwest of Yunnan and the intersection of the Yunnan-Myanmar Highway (Burma Road) and the Yunnan-Tibetan Highway, 400 km. west of Kunming. It is a historic and cultural city, the birthplace of Yunnan's ancient culture and the capital of notable former Nan-Zhao and Dali Kingdoms. Visitors to Dali are always deeply impressed by its extraordinary sights; the honorable age-old Three Pagodas and the Nan Zhao Stele, the unusual residences of Bai people, the world famous Dali Marble, and the wind of Xia Guan, Flowers of Shangguan, Snow of Ghangsh and Mountain, and the moon reflection on Erhai Lake, etc. With all Dali's prosperity, its famous marble and rich agriculture, with its colorful and vigorous life, it is no wonder that the Bai people consider Dali the best spot in China and never want to leave it. 

XISHUANGBANNA
Beautiful and enchanting city, is situated in the southern most tip of Yunnan on the borders of Myanmar and Laos. The annual mean temperature of the whole prefecture is 21 C. Xishuangbanna, covered with luxuriant and varied tropical rain forest, is described as an Emerald Inlaid on the Tropic of Cancer. Xishuangbanna, a beautiful and mysterious place, has aroused people 's curiosity and fancy, where green bamboos set off the cool stilt houses ; streams skirt Dai villages that cluster around holy pagodas, where people of various ethnic groups are fond of singing and dancing, where there exist wild Asian elephants, lovely peacocks, rare flowers and plants, fruits, delicious food and, multifarious exotic customs. Its capital, JINGHONG, the City of Dawn, is located 740 kilometers south of Kunming and possesses many fascinating scenic places such as Ganlanba, a natural Park, the Buddhist Temple of Mange Village, Peacock Lake, and the Manting Park. 

TIBETAN COUNTIES OF YUNNAN 

GYALTHANG (Zhongdian in Chinese) - the capital of the Diqing Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture in northwestern most of Yunnan province ; Gyalthang, Dechen and Weishi are the counties that comprise the prefecture. Gyalthang opened to tourism in 1992 and is slowly finding its place on the travelers map. It is situated in the southeastern tip of the vast Tibetan plateau, at 3,300 meters above sea level, 709 kms from Kunming, 250 kms from Dali and 152 kms from Lijiang. It is a land of 470 of snow-capped peaks, virgin forests of immense spruce and pine, meadow ablaze with fragrant wild flowers and pristine lakes. Gyalthang, famous for its scenic beauty and treasure, is a place waiting exploitation. Its people are warm hearted, hospitable, honest and kind. Gyalthang people are passionate equestrians ; each summer, therefore, various races and festivities are being held such as the annual Horse Festival (June or July), once in a year when all Tibetans gather from the remote areas to boost their prowess horse racing, to trade and to feast. It is truly a colorful event.