Jade Dragon Snow Mountain

Jade Dragon Snow Mountain is a snow capped mountain located 15 kilometers north of the Lijiang Ancient City. With an altitude of 5,596 meters above the sea level, this snow mountain is famous for its perilous, beautiful and grotesque landscapes, including the spruce platform (Yunshanping), white water river, sweet lake, primitive forest, etc. The thirteen peaks standing from south to north look just like a flying giant dragon with overwhelming momentum and show off beauty and charming attitude like crystal-made. The scenery varies unpredictably with seasons and sunlight. Jade Dragon Snow Mountain is a sanctuary for rare animals and wild plants. In fact, one fourth of all plant species in China can be found here and 20 primeval forest communities shelter a big family of 400 types of trees and 30 kinds of animals. These species live in different temperature levels and create different kinds of views of Jade Dragon Snow Mountain. The 13 peaks, which have the altitudes of at least 4,000 meters, are covered by snow all year round; the mountain is called the "Natural Glacier Museum" for it has all types of glacier.

Sifang Street

Sifang Street is located in the Central Square of Lijiang Ancient Town, covering an area of about 6 acres. Originally a square developed on the basis of a former country market, Sifang Street is now the center for business and other activities in Lijiang. Lined with shops on all sides, it bustles with activity all day long. The shape of the Square is much like a big square official seal. That's why it was named Sifang Street by the then chieftain, getting its meaning of "conquest of the neighborhood". There is also another saying that, it got its name because of its roads leading to all directions, making it the terminal for clusters of people and traffic. Sifang Street embodies many bazaars; the buildings there today are mostly of the Ming and Qing Dynasty architectural styles.

Black Dragon Pool

Black Dragon Pool is a famous pond in the scenic Jade Spring Park (Yu Quan Park) located at the foot of Elephant Hill, a short walk north of the Lijiang Ancient Town. It was built in 1737 during the Qing Dynasty and offers a spectacular view on the region's tallest mountain, Jade Dragon Snow Mountain, over its white marble bridge. The park features several smaller temples and pavilions including Moon-Embracing Pavilion (Deyue Pavillion), Dragon God Temple (Longshen Temple) and threefold overlap Five-Phoenix Tower (Wufeng Tower). Moon-Embracing Pavilion, whose current structure is a reproduction from 1963 after a fire in 1950, was originally built in the late Ming Dynasty. Dragon God Temple was constructed by local Nakhi people in 1737 and is located to the east of the park. It was given the name Dragon God of Jade Spring by Emperor Qianlong of the Qing Dynasty in the same year. Five-Phoenix Tower was built during the Ming Dynasty, and today located at the north end of the park. The tower was originally situated at the Fuguo Temple, which is 30 kilometers to the west, but was moved to Jade Spring Park in 1979. Furthermore, Black Dragon Pool Park is also home to the Dongba Culture Research Institute and the Dongba Culture Museum.

Tiger Leaping Gorge

Tiger Leaping Gorge, one of the deepest and most marvelous gorges in the world, is located in Hutiaoxia Town, about 100kms northwest of Lijiang. A hike through the Tiger Leaping Gorge is simultaneously awe-inspiring and tranquil. Fresh winds, looming mountain peaks, donkey bells and produce fields set a magnificent scene. Along the hiking tourists will have the chance to visit guest houses and experience local hospitality of both Tibetan and Nakhi people. With its glorious view of the rapids, torrential current of the Jinsha River, Tiger Leaping Gorge is created through constant erosion by the waters between the Jade Dragon Mountain and Haba Snow Mountain. About 17 kilometres long, the gorge drops is around 300 metres in a series of 18 rapids. The water surface is about 1,800 metres above sea level and the Snow Mountains on both sides soar as high as 5,600 metres. Its trail is naturally divided into three sections: the Upper Gorge, the Middle Gorge and the Lower Gorge. The first section, which is the narrowest and uppermost section, is the mouth of the fast flowing Yangtze River. In the midst of the river's mouth is a large rock that is positioned at the gorge's narrowest section, which is only 30 meters wide. An ancient legend says that tiger used this rock as its stepping stone so it could leap across from one side of the gorge to the other, which is how the gorge got its name.

Lion Hill

Both the hill and the wooden structure called Wangu Tower provide good views of the whole Old Town and the surrounding countryside. Wangu Tower is the landmark building of Lijiang Ancient Town located on the top of Lion Hill. This is the best-preserved pure wood building in the world, which is 33 meters high. This tower is an exquisite example of wooden architecture art in ancient China, with sets of brackets on top of the columns supporting the beams inside and the roof eaves outside. It has five stories and five tiers of eaves. The top storey has 13 angles, representing the 13 peaks of the Jade Dragon Snow Mountains. Painted inside the tower are 2,300 auspicious patterns, standing for the harmony and unity of the 23 ethnic groups living in Lijiang region. The colorful murals in the tower are redolent of the traditional Dongba culture of the Nakhi minority.

Baisha Village & its Mural

Baisha village is one of the Nakhi Minority villages in Lijiang. It is more special because of the collection of murals in this village. Painted over a thousand years ago, they display the life stories of the Tibetan Buddhism, Confucian and Taoism. The unique artistic style and precious historical content of the murals attract visitors from home and abroad. Baisha frescos, as they were painted by a variety of talented Han, Tibetan and Nakhi artists, incorporate the different religious cultures and arts from Buddhism, Lamaism, Daoism, ect. Sakyamuni Preaching the Sermon, the largest fresco among the murals of Baisha Village, covers an area of 140 square meters. There tourists can enjoy the graceful brushwork, and easy smooth lines done by the artists. In these frescos, the vivid figures and their rich facial expressions, who are hunting, fishing, cutting firewood, or riding horses, are still clear after hundreds of years.

Lashihai Lake

With an area of 5,330 hectares, Lashihai Lake is about 9.3 km long from south to north and 8.2 km wide from east to west. It is located in the basin in Hengduan Mountain Range, 10 kilometers away from the Lijiang Old Town, being the largest lake in Lijiang County. Surrounded by the mountains, the catchment of Lashihai is about 256.6 square meters. This grassy marshland on the embankment often gathers lots of water that forms the best place for plants, fishes, shellfish and river snails. Lashihai Lake provides a nice habitat for wetland animals and plants. In early winter, lots of wild birds come here from cold northern places. They rest in the grass and look for food in streams. The warm climate makes it possible for them to pass the long winter safely. When next spring comes and flowers bloom, the birds will leave to the north for reproductions.

Mu's Mansion

Mu's Mansion, or Mufu, situated to the southwest of Lijiang Ancient City, enjoys the status of a splendid architectural heritage. It is actually Lijiang's ruler Mu's official residence. Mu received his officials in this palace and although it was basically a personal residence, it also served as the center of politics, power and wealth in ancient Nakhi minority. Mu's Mansion is a supreme instance of Nakhi brilliant architectural and artistic skills. During the glory days of Tusi Mu, Mu's Mansion covered a sprawling area of over 16 acres and consisted of almost one hundred buildings. Designed as a miniature Forbidden City, this magnificent residence suffered considerable damages during warfare in the Qing Dynasty. Today, Mu's Mansion covers an area of about 8 acres and spans a length of 369 meters. Situated against the backdrop of Lion Hill, it faces east in the direction of sunrise. The decorative work in Mu's Mansion including the intricate carvings and elaborate paintings of buildings, are similar in style to those in the palace of Ming. The decorations in Mu's Mansion have been purposely kept simple but sublime to reflect the stateliness of the ruler.

Lugu Lake

Lugu Lake is located in the North West Yunnan plateau in the centre of Ningliang Yi Autonomous County, Lijiang. The middle of the lake forms the border between the Ninglang County of Yunnan Province and the Yanyuan County of Sichuan province. The formation of the lake is thought to have occurred in a geological fault belonging to the geological age of the Late Cenozoic. It is an alpine lake at an elevation of 2,685 metres and is the highest lake in the Yunnan Province. The lake is surrounded by mountains and has five islands, four peninsulas, fourteen bays and seventeen beaches. Lugu Lake's shores are inhabited by many minority ethnic groups, such as the Mosuo, Norzu, Yi, Pumi and Tibetan. The most numerous of these are the Mosuo people (also spelt "Moso"), said to be a sub clan of the Nakhi People with ancient family structure considered as "a live fossil for researching the marital development history of Human beings" and "the last quaint Realm of Matriarchy." Lugu Lake is also well-knownas the region of “the Kingdom of Women” and “Home of the Matriarchal Tribe”, which highlights the dominant role of the Mosuo women in their society. The marriage rites of the Mosuo people are known as “Azhu marriage” ceremony and this unique aspect of their social culture has given the title “exotic land of daughters” to the area.

The First Bend of Yangtze River

Stone Drum Town(Shigu Town) of Lijiang City stands in the base of the mountain flanking First Bend on the Yangtze River. Yangtze River, considered the mother river of China, flows majestically through the center of China and is the third longest river in the world. Starting from the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, Yangtze River surges southeastward until it meets the Hengduan Mountain Range. About 30km outside of Lijiang Ancient City, unusual geological phenomenons force the Yangtze to make a sudden U-shaped bend and flow to the northeast. This extraordinary turn, nearly 180-degrees, creates beautiful and marvelous views that startle the imagination. Here, the river is wide and the water flows in a gentle, slow pace. The whole sight is like a wonderful landscape painting that never ends. Stone Drum Town, which derives its name from a white marble carved monument in the shape of a drum, was always a significant and vitally strategic military area where many famous historical events have been taken place.  There are memorials here honoring the people whose histories are entwined with the Stone Drum Town.

Dali Ancient City

The Ancient City of Dali is 13 kilometers away from Xiaguan, Dali City, and is located at the foot of Cangshan Mountain. The Ancient City of Dali was built in the year Hongwu 15 of Ming Dynasty (1382AD). In the Ancient City run clear springs, and live simple and unsophisticated local Bai people. Whether rich or poor, local people are used to planting trees and growing flowers in the yard. So there is a saying in the Ancient City of Dali: “there runs a spring in every family and grow flowers in every yard.”

Houses of Bai People in Xizhou

the Houses of Bai people in Xizhou is located in the Xizhou Town which is 16 kilometers away from the Ancient City of Dali. Xizhou is not only a famous historic city, but also a typical commercial town of Bai people. It is one of the cradles of National capitalism of Bai people, and a famous hometown to overseas Chinese in Yunnan. Here visitors will see Bai minority typical traditions as well as dresses there. Some buildings are old and typical ancient architectures, which are the real local house. On the outside walls of each house, there are numerous exquisite paintings showing the art atmosphere.

Cangshan Mountain

Cangshan is a mountain range immediately west of Dali City. Its highest summit, Malong, is 4,122 meters above the sea level. And the mountain includes another 18 peaks all over 3,500 m altitude. The mountain is noted for its very rich, diverse flora, first scientifically documented by Pierre Jean Marie Delavay in 1882. In 1991, construction began on a paved walkway running north and south from the top chairlift station near ancient Dali. This walkway passes several waterfalls, and overlooks Erhai Lake and the ancient city itself. This walkway is named "Jade Cloud Road" after the cold formations that appear over the Cangshan peaks.

Erhai Lake

Erhai Lake which is one of the most fascinating parts of a Dali visit is situated at 1,972 m above the sea level, sandwiched between the Cangshan Mountains to the West and Dali City. Its area is 250 square km, making it the second largest highland lake of China. Tourists are pleasant to enjoy the crystal waters of Erhai Lake and the snow mantled Cangshan radiating with each other. This scene is commonly described as "Silver Cangshan and Jade Erhai". The lakeshore can be explored by hiking. Islands on the lake include Guanyin Ge ("Avalokitesvara Pavillion"), Jinsuo Island ("Golden Shuttle Island"), Nanzhao Folklore Island (The lake used to be a royal deer ranch for the Nanzhao Kingdom) and Xiaoputuo Island. In addition, Erhai Lake is an important food source for the local people (Bais), who are famous for their fishing method: their trained cormorants catch fish and return them to fishmongers. The birds are prevented from swallowing their fish by rings fixed around their neck.

Chongsheng Temple & its Three Pagodas

Three Pagodas standing inside Chongsheng Temple are an ensemble of three independent pagodas arranged on the corners of a equilateral triangle, near the ancient city of Dali, dating from the time of the Nanzhao kingdom and Kingdom of Dali. Chongsheng Temple is located at the east foot of the tenth peak of the massive Cangshan Mountains and face the west shore of the Erhai Lake of the ancient Dali town. The Three Pagodas are made of brick and covered with white mud. As its name implies, the Three Pagodas comprise three independent pagodas forming a symmetric triangle. The elegant, balanced and stately style is unique in China’s ancient Buddhist architectures, which makes it a must-see in the tour of Dali. The Three Pagodas, visible from miles away, has been a landmark of Dali City and selected as a national treasure meriting preservation in China. The main pagoda, known as Qianxun Pagoda, reportedly built during 823-840 AD by king Quan Fengyou of the Nanzhao state, is 69.6 meters high and is one of the tallest pagodas in China’s history. The central pagoda is square shaped and composed of sixteen stories; each story has multiple tiers of upturned eaves. There is a carved shrine containing a white marble sitting Buddha statue at the center of each façade of every story. The body of the pagoda is hollow from the first to the eighth story, surrounded with 3.3 meters thick walls. In 1978, more than 700 Buddhist antiques, including sculptures made of gold, silver, wood or crystal and documents, were found in the body during a major repairing work. The designers of the pagoda are supposed to have come from Xi’an, the capital of Tang Dynasty at that time and the location of another pagoda, Small Wild Goose Pagoda, which shares the similar style but is one hundred years older. The other two sibling pagodas, built about one hundred years later, stand to the northwest and southwest of Qianxun Pagoda. They are 42.19 meters high. Different from Qianxun Pagoda, they are solid and octagonal with ten stories. The center of each side of every story is decorated with a shrine containing a Buddha statue. There is a lake named Juying Chi (Reflection pond) behind them, the pond is known to be able to reflect images of the Three Pagodas.

Butterfly Spring

Situated at the foot of Mount Shenmo, the first of the peaks of Mount Cangshan, the spring rises to form a square shaped pool that is shaded by the dense foliage that lines its banks. The pool is some 50 square meters overall and above it, is an ancient decumbent tree. This is the famous "Butterfly Tree", so called as in the short interval as spring turns to summer, its fragrant blossom attracts thousands of butterflies. These small multi-colored creatures fly around the pool and settle on the tree in great clusters as they sip the nectar from its blooms. The vast numbers of butterflies are hardly distinguishable from the flowers as the whole tree pulsates with every color of the rainbow. This spectacular sight has given rise to a local festival when the Bai people gather at the tree on April 15th for the "Butterfly Meet". The romantic spectacle of the butterflies as they feed and mate in such abundance has become a symbol of courtship and each Bai youth will seek to engage with the love of his life by joining in with the traditional antiphonal singing. Bai people also refer to the spring as the "Allegiance Spring" as it is here that true and lasting love may be found.

Pudacuo National Park

Podacuo National Park covers a total area of nearly 2,000 square kilometers in Shangri-la region. This park has an average altitude of 3,500 meters and retains a well-preserved ecosystem within the virgin forests. The must-see scenery in this park includes Bita Lake and Shudu Lake. “Bita” means “a place with a dense oak forest” in Tibetan. Bita Lake is a quiet lake surrounded by mountains covered with ancient pines, oaks and rhododendrons, and appears like an emerald in the heart of the mountain. Shudu Lake is located in northeast of Shangri-la and it is one of the largest fresh water lakes on the Diqing plateau. This lake is surrounded by a forest of fir, spruce and silver birch, and is home to lots of wild animals such as bears, golden cats, deer and pheasants.

Ganden Sumtseling Monastery / Songzanlin Temple

Ganden Sumtseling Monastery, also known as Songzanlin Monastery, is a Tibetan Buddhist monastery situated 5 kilometres from Gyalthang Town at an elevation of 3,380 metres. Occupying an area of 33.3 hectares, Songzanlin Monastery represents the Tibetan culture, the statue of Buddhists and many precious cultural treasures. Built in 1679, the monastery is the largest Tibetan Buddhist monastery in Yunnan Province and is sometimes referred to as the Little Potala Palace. Located in the capital of Diqing Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, it is also the most important monastery in southwest China. Ganden Sumtseling Monastery belongs to the Yellow Hat sect of Tibetan Buddhism of the Gelukpa order. Its architecture is a fusion of the Tibetan and Han Chinese. At its peak, the monastery contained accommodation for 2000 monks; it currently accommodates in its rebuilt structures 700 monks in 200 associated houses.

Meili Snow Mountains

Meili Snow Mountains, or Mainri Snow Mountains, are a mountain range in Shangri-la area, Yunnan Province. They lie close to the northwestern boundary of the province and are bounded by the Salween River on the west and the Mekong on the east. The crest of the range rises to over 6,000 metres above the sea level, making for impressive prominence over the river valleys to the east and west, which are between 1,500 metres and 1,900 metres in elevation. The highest peak is Kawa Garbo, or Khawa Karpo, which rises to 6,740 metres. Kawagarbo is one of the most sacred mountains for Tibetan Buddhism as the spiritual home of a warrior god of the same name. It is visited by 20,000 pilgrims each year from throughout the Tibetan world; many pilgrims circumambulate the peak, an arduous 240 km trek. Although it is important throughout Tibetan Buddhism, it is the local Tibetans that are the day-to-day guardians and stewards of Kawagarbo, both the deity and the mountain. Other significant peaks include Mianzimu, Peak 6509 and Jiariren-an. Because of restrictions and dangerous conditions, none of the major peaks in the range have ever been summited.

Feilai Temple

Feilai Temple is located around 10 kilometers away from Deqin Town, Shangri-la region. There is a legend that the monastery was built by a Sakyamuni Buddha who flew here from Tibet. It is a place for Tibetans to pay homage to the sacred mountains. The monastery also serves as a center for many of the activities and festivals held by local Buddhist. Feilai Temple is one of only two places in Deqin County where tourists can view the sacred mountains and because of the convenient accommodations and pleasant environment is certainly the most popular. Travelers who wake up early will be greeted with the dazzling scenery of sunrise over the Snow Mountains. It is a sight well-worth getting up for.

Napa Lake

Napa Lake, or the Napa Lake Nature Reserve, is located in the northwest of Shangri-la County, 8 km from the county seat. In Tibetan, Napa refers to a lake behind forests. The reserve covers an area of 31.25 square km and is 3,266 meters above the sea level. Being flat, Napa Lake is surrounded by snow-capped mountains at three sides. In spring and summer, the thawing water finds its way into Napa Lake via Naqu River and Naizi River. As a seasonal plateau lake, Napa Lake will expand in late summer and early autumn and shrink in late autumn and next summer. In October, migrating birds such as black-necked cranes, white cranes, bar-headed geese, yellow ducks, and sheldrakes etc can be seen looking for food in marshlands near the lake. Napa Lake has become one of the favorite habitats of black-necked cranes.

Baimaxueshan Snow Mountain and Snub-nosed Monkey

Baimaxueshan and Snub-nosed Monkey: Baimaxueshan, literally the "White Horse Snow Mountain", is one of over twenty 5000m plus peaks in Sahngri-la area. It is believed that it was White Horse Snow Mountain region that inspired James Hilton's classic utopian narrative of Shangri-la and his novel Lost Horizon. Here snow-capped mountains tower over the plateau in the north, feeding the Jinsha (Golden Sand), Lancang (Mekong), and Yangtze Rivers that carve their way through the plateau, which is still covered by large tracts of pristine montane forest and alpine meadows. The upland temperate forests found here and elsewhere in southwest China are the most bio-diverse in the world, with thousands of endemic plant and animal species.  In May and June each year, plenty of plateau cuckoos covered lower altitude areas of Baimaxueshan. Snub-nosed monkeys, or known as the golden monkeys in China, have faces that resemble human beings. Their nostrils are turned upward and they have red lips. Living all year in the coniferous forest near the snow line, they are the primate species that live at the highest altitude in China. Set up in 1983, Yunnan Baimaxueshan National Nature Reserve is a core area of biodiversity protection in northwest Yunnan. The Reserve is home to over 60% of the world's golden monkeys and the number of the golden monkeys there has increased from about 500 in 1983 to 1300 at present.

Baishuitai (White Water Terrace)

Baishuitai (White Water Terrace) is located 3-hour driving distance from Zhongdian, while being famous for the ortinal birth place of Dongba culture. Baishuitai in Nakhi means "growing flower". Amid the Haba Snow Mountain, there is a stretch of crystal terrace, the largest area of sinter terrace in China. Spring water flows down from the mountain, leaving crystallized sodium carbonate along its slopes, giving the impression of a marble sculpture. Among the green mountains, it forms a startling white contrast. A spring gushes down from the mountain summit, and flows downward, and local people call it "a field left by fairies." Baishuitai is perfectly reasonable that a special kind of religion can be born in this area. That is why the Naxis have the Dongba Religion, kernel of the Naxi culture. According to Nakhi people who believe in the Dongba creeds, any men without any experience of visit to the Baishuitai cannot be a true believer. Tradition has it that the first saint of Dongba, Dingba Shiluo, was deeply attracted by the scenery of this place on his way back from Tibet. Without hesitation, he settled down and began his missionary work here. From then on, White Water Terrace is widely accepted as the Holy Land of the Dongba Religion.

Dhon-Drupling Gompa / Dongzhulin Temple

Dhon-Drupling Gompa, or Dongzhulin Temple, is located in Shusong Village, Benzilan Town, about 105km away from the seat of Zhongdian County. The Yunnan-Tibet Road passes behind the temple and vehicles can get straight to this temple. Dhon-Drupling Gompa was built in 1667, whose original name was "Chongchongcuogang Temple", meaning "the temple by the crane lake". It was renamed as "Gedandongzhulin Temple" after a combination of seven small temples, meaning "benefit others and oneself". It is also one of the thirteen most well-known monasteries, and can hold 2,000 monks sitting and chanting scriptures. The present temple was rebuilt in 1985. The main building is a four storied structure. In the first floor is the place where the Lamas chant scriptures. In the front stand the statues of the Three Saints. On the second floor stands a statue of Qiangba Buddha. There is a statue of Sakyamuni in the Sakyamuni Hall, whose Buddhist crown and the pearls and gems inlaid on the front are gifts from the Sera Temple in Lhasa. Every year a grand Buddhist celebration ceremony is held in the monastery and it has became a Buddhist holy land where people go on a pilgrimage.

Benzilan

Benzilan is a small town in Shangri-la area. It lies along a stretch of the Jinsha River (a major headwater stream of the Yangtze River) that forms the border with Sichuan Province. This laid-back Tibetan village makes an excellent base to explore the wonderful Dhon-Drupling Gompa (Dongzhulin Temple), 22 km heading northwesterly along the main road from Zhongdian. The abundance of fresh produce was what James Hilton described when he talked about the mystical world of Shangri-la, an abundance that the local fruit and vegetable market in Gyalthang displays proudly. Visiting the market is a colorful experience in itself that prepares everyone well for sampling popular Tibetan dishes and delicacies. Offerings vary according to the season, so everything is completely fresh. The typical farmhouse in Benzilan is a large wooden structure with space for the animals on the ground floor, the family quarters on the second floor and a loft for storage.

Haba Snow Mountain

Haba Snow Mountain is a mountain rising above the northwest side of Tiger Leaping Gorge, standing 120 kilometres to the southeast of Zhongdian County. It is opposite to the higher Jade Dragon Snow Mountain and towers 3,500 metres above the river. Haba Snow Mountain's highest peak is 5,396 metres in height. Haba Snow Mountain covers an area of 21,908 hectares, with a vertical distribution of virgin forests, it is rich in wildlife and plant resources. The attraction of the Sanba Tourist Area is attributed to the towering peaks of the Haba Mountain and its alpine morainal lake, endless tracks of azalea flowers, and cluster of waterfalls cascading down snow-covered cliffs. About half of the 13,000 kinds of plants in Yunnan, the Kingdom of Plants, could be found in here. The primeval forest serves as the valuable scientific research base. In addition, there are more than 900 varieties of rare medicinal materials, more than 25 species of protect animals at the national grade and about 50 kinds of azalea. The glacier on the Haba Snow Mountain is one of the southmost glaciers in China.

Cuihu Park

Cuihu Park (Green Lake Park) is one of Kunming's major park and is predominately a lake surrounded by greenery. It has a large and elaborate network of waterways and winding paths, with broad, lotus-covered pools and overhanging willows. Located in the west side of the park is the statue of one of Yunnan's most famous patriots - Nie Er, the composer of China's national anthem. It was established in the 17th century on the west side of the Wuhua Mountain and is sometimes described as a "Jade in Kunming". Brightly painted pavilions on the islands inside the park, tree-lined walks, flowers, and the local populace enjoying themselves by exercising in various specialist groups all add to the appeal of the park.

Stone Forest

Stone Forest is a fantastic natural phenomena and a complete range of karst forms located 90 km southeast of Kunming. The various shapes of karst landscape was formed due to the millions years movement of Earth. Stone Forest area is the home of the Sani people, their folk customs has become one spectacular scene, the colorful embroidery and minority dances combine with the natural sceneries, which will surely leave tourists a deep impression. The tall rocks seem to emanate from the ground in the manner of stalagmites, with many looking like petrified trees thereby creating the illusion of a forest made of stone. Since 2007, two parts of the site, the Naigu Stone Forest and Suogeyi Village, have been UNESCO World Heritage Sites as part of the South China Karst.

Dianchi Lake

Dianchi Lake, also known as the Kunming Lake, is the largest lake on the Yunnan-Guizhou Plateau. Its nickname is "Sparkling Pearl Embedded in a Highland," and it was the model for the Kunming Lake in the Summer Palace in Beijing. At Dragon Gate of the Western Hills, there is a panoramic view of the lake. Dianchi Lake is the eighth largest lake of China and the largest one of Yunnan Province, with 370 square kilometers in area, 44 meters deep and 1,885 meters in elevation. It is a highland lake, much treasured both in the light of Kunming's perennial spring weather and the splendid scenic beauty of the Lake District. Surrounded by hills and crisscrossed by streams, the lake basin is spread with thousands of acres of fertile fields reaching as far as the eye can see. Its shores are dotted with scenes of rich scenic beauty and areas of historical significance. Around the lake are a fair number of interesting tourist attractions, such as several smaller parks, resorts and the Yunnan Nationalities Village.

Western Hills

Western Hills, lying in the western suburbs of Kunming, are also called the "Sleeping Buddha Hills" for looked at from a distance, they have the appearance of a giant sleeping Buddha. They have also been given another name "Sleeping Beauty Hills" for the hills when viewed together look like a beautiful young lady laying beside Dianchi Lake with her face upward and her hair trailing into water. Western Hills boasts an excellent environment with flourishing flowers and dense forest, providing tourists an excellent environment to enjoy the tranquility and marvelous scenery. No wonder that the place has gained a reputation as "having the most pleasant environment in the world". In Western Hills, there are wonderful scenic spots such as Huating Temple, Taihua Temple, Sanqing Pavilion, and Dragon Gate. Huating Temple is one of the largest Buddhist temples in Yunnan Province. It had been destroyed and rebuilt several times most recently in 1923.

Daguan Park

Daguan Park lies on Dianchi Lake in Kunming's southwestern limits. Originally laid out by the energetic seventeenth-century Qing emperor Kangxi, it has been modified over the years to include a noisy funfair, food stalls and emporiums, and is a favourite haunt of Kunming's youth. Today many locals come to sit, drink tea, fly kites, and go boating. Among shady walks and pools, Daguan's focal point is Daguan Ge, a square, three-storeyed pavilion built to better Kangxi's enjoyment of the distant Western Hills and now a storehouse of calligraphy extolling the area's charms. The most famous poem here is a 118-character verse, carved into the gateposts by the Qing scholar Sun Ran, reputed to be the longest set of rhyming couplets in China. The park is set on Daguan Stream, which flows south into Dianchi Lake, and there are frequent hour-long cruises down the waterway, lined with willows, to points along Dianchi Lake's northern shore.

Yuantong Temple

Yuantong Temple is northern Yunnan's major Buddhist temple and an active place of pilgrimage. It is Kunming's largest and most famous temple with the original structure being first constructed more than 1,200 years ago during the Tang Dynasty. The temple sits on the southern slopes of Yuantong Park. In the 1950s, it hosted a grand ceremony to greet and send on the sacred teeth of the Buddha and so became important in Southeast Asia. This old temple is noted for its unusual structure which is high at the front and low at the back. From the front archway named "Yuantong Shengjing" (Wonderland), one can behold the entire garden.

Qiongzhu Temple

Qiongzhu Temple, or Bamboo Temple, is a Buddhist temple situated on Yu'an Mountain to the northwest of Kunming. The name of the temple "Qiongzhu" refers to a type of bamboo (genus Qiongzhuea). The Bamboo Temple was established during the Yuan Dynasty as the first temple dedicated to Zen Buddhism in Yunnan. It has since been burned down and reconstructed several times. The present structure mostly dates from the late Qing Dynasty. The temple is most renowned for the painted clay sculptures of the 500 Buddhist arhats. The sculptures which are known as the "Sculptured pearls in the oriental treasure-house" were created during reign of the Qing Emperor Guangxu's (1875–1909), when the temple was undergoing major repairs. Li Guangxiu, a folk clay artist from Sichuan Province, took his students to Kunming where they spent seven years (1883–1890) to create the sculptures.

Dongchuan Red Earth

Dongchuan Red Land is located to the east of Kunming City, about 250 kilometers by car from Kunming to the center of the scenic spots. The main scenic spots of Dongchuan Red Land are between 1,800 and 2,600 above the sea level. The red soil developed under the high temperature and heavy rain in Dongchuan is sticky, containing more iron and aluminum, with strong acidity and less organic matter. It is the most concentrated, typical and characteristic red land on the plateau of Yunnan. In Yunnan's warm, humid environment, iron is slowly oxidized and deposited in the soil, gradually forming a dazzling color. Dongchuan Red Land refers to a place named "huashitou", more than 40 kilometers southwest of Dongchuan District. Every year from September to December, part of the red earth is rooted to be planted, while the other part of the red earth has been planted with green barley or wheat and other crops. From a distance, it looks like the color block daubed by god, with gorgeous colors, blue sky, white clouds and the unpredictable beams of light, constituting a spectacular scenery of the red earth.

Wild Elephant Valley

Located at the juncture of east and west regions of Xishuangbanna Mengyang National Natural Reserve, Wild Elephant Valley is a hub for wild Asian elephants passing by, so it becomes a gathering place for wild elephants visiting frequently. It is the only nature reserve where tourists can have close contact with wild elephants safely. In Wild Elephants Valley, there is a 300-metre-long "Observing Elephant Platforms" on the trees. There are also some small and exquisite observing houses which are specially built for visitors’ accommodation on the trees. Besides, there is a Jinuo ethnic minority village with a tent camping facility offering campfire parties where viewers could stay to wait for the chance to see wild elephants and at the same time experience Jinuo minority folklore. It is worth to mention that various birds in the ravine have caused birdmen's concern, and bird-watching groups come to observe birds every year.

Dai Ethnic Garden (Ganlanba)

Dai Ethnic Garden (Ganlanba): Xishuangbanna Dai Ethnic Garden, or Ganlanba (Olive Flatland), is an exhibition platform for the Dai Minority's traditional culture and folk-customs, built on the basis of five natural villages of Manjiang, Manchunman, Manting, Manzha and Manga, combined natural landscapes with social attractions together harmoniously. Ganlanba also features a great natural view with mountains, lakes and varied tropical plants. Palms, paddy field and mountains at distance formed a gorgeous picture. The land is rich and beautiful, the weather is hot and wet, and the plain is level and abundant. Coconut palms, oil palms and banana trees make it green all the year round. Bamboo houses on stilts and Buddhist pagodas hide behind coconut palms and other trees. Tourists can not only experience strong Dais' living rites fully, appreciate typical Dai stockade-style architecture, traditional handcrafts, Dai folk songs and dances, and featured folk-customs, apprehend mysterious Theravada Buddhism, but also enjoy the Water Sprinkling Festival every day.

Manting Park

Manting Park, which is the formerly Dai King Royal Court, has over 1300 years history. As the former Imperial Garden of Dai King, it is one of imporant carriers in the Dai historical culture. At that time celebration activities must be held here during the Water Sprinkling Festival, Door-closing Festival, Door-opening Festival and other major feasts in Dai minority. The main sightseeing spots in Manting Park include the Commemoration Bronze of Premier Zhou's Splashing water, the Memorial of Premier Zhou, the Monument of Tree Planting of Thailand King's Sister, Temple Fair, Guheixi Woods, Xishuangbanna Peacock Zoo, Captured Animal Freeing Lake, the White Pagoda, Pattra-leaf Palm Zone, the Octagonal Pagoda, and Xishuangbanna General Monastery.

Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden of Chinese Academy of Sciences

Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden of Chinese Academy of Sciences, established in 1959, is located in Menglun Township, Mengla County of Xishuangbanna. Over 12 thousand species of tropical plants are well preserved in its 36 living collections. There are the dragon tree, the maytenwood, and the poisonous upas tree; the thirst-relieving "carriage-pole vine"; the "clock flower" that opens and closes along with the sunrise and sunset; the "dancing grass" that responds to sound; the "king lotus" which can support a seated child on the water; the "mystery fruit" able to turn sour to sweet, then sweet to sour; and the "King of Tea Trees", which authorities say is at least 800 years old; it continues to sprout, and give the flavour of its homeland, the land of the Pu'er red tea. In a world of declining biodiversity, Xishuangbanna Tropical Bbotanical Garden is coming into its own - both as a storehouse of rare plants and skills, and increasingly as a center of molecular research. It is regarded as the “Green Germ on the Crown of the Plant Kingdom”.

Mengle Great Buddhist Monastery

Mengle Great Buddhist Monastery is the largest Theravada Buddhist temple in China now. This temple, while promoting the Theravada Buddhism Theravada Buddhism, uses modern techniques to protect the traditional cultural heritage and provides visitors a good chance to learn about local history and culture. Covering an area of 26 hectares, Mengle Great Buddhist Monastery’s layout outline coincides with the original natural landform like a sitting Buddha, which exclusive in the world. Themed on Theravada Buddhism, the Buddhist monastery inherits and popularizes traditional culture by modern means to meet visitors' sightseeing and appreciation of history, Buddhist and regional cultures. Having a bird's eye view of downtown Jinghong from the Square of Ten-thousand Buddha-Statue Pagoda, beautiful tropical scenery leaps to eyes. Xishuangbanna is an only region in China where Theravada Buddhism is prevailing, currently there are 300,000 Buddhism followers, 577 Buddhist monasteries and 215 pagodas here,  "every village has the Buddhist monastery and each family believes in Buddhism."

Xishuangbanna Primeval Forest Park

Xishuangbanna Primeval Forest Park, or Xishuangbanna Virgin Forest Park, which is one of the biggest comprehensive eco-tourism scenic spots of Xishaungbanna. Occupying an area of 18.8 square kilometers, the park is highlighted by three major themes: "primeval forest", "wild animal", and “ethnic folklore". It locates in the mountain valley of the Laiyang River and 8 km east of Jinghong City. 98% of the park covered by trees, it is the largest comprehensive ecological place of interest in Xishuangbanna. Xishuangbanna Primeval Forest Park has blended together the unique primitive forest natural scenery and the enchanting national character and style. The gate of the park is a "one tree forest" that one tree makes up a forest, it is a unique wonder in tropical rain forests. The park mainly consists of 10 scenic sections: Tropical Valley Rain Forest, Peacock Breeding Base, Monkey Training Base, Dai Village, Aini Village, Jiulong Waterfall, 100-meter Granite Relief, and the Legend of the Jinhu Lake. Visitors here could enjoy the beauty of the vast tropical rain forests and have chances to encounter rare forest animals.

Yuanyang Rice Terrace Field

If you are a travel lover, or if you are a photography lover, then Yuanyang is the best choice for you. The unique geographical environment of terrace landscape really make sense. Honghe Hani Terraced Fields are located in the south of Yunnan, covering four counties: Yuanyang, Honghe, Jinping and Lvchun, with a total area of about 66,000 hectares. Only in Yuanyang there are 11,300 hectares of terraced fields. Yuanyang Terrace is an idyllic painting continuously carved by Hani people for more than 1,300 years. On June 22, 2013, at the 37th World Heritage Conference, Honghe Hani Terrace was listed as the 45th World Heritage Site in China.

Zhu Family's Garden

Located in the middle of Jianxin Street in the Ancient City of Jianshui, it was the house and ancestral hall built by squire Zhu Weiqing brothers in the late Qing Dynasty. Covering an area of more than 20,000 square meters, its main buildings are arranged in a "three horizontal, four vertical" layout. The houses are in an orderly pattern, and the courtyards are emerging. The materials used for residential buildings are excellent and the carvings are exquisite. It's a typical [rivate garden, with the characteristic of south China gardens. In the form of a rich contained profound cultural connotation, it is the combination of Chinese culture and the frontier culture, which enjoys high art value.

Zhang Family's Garden

The scale of Zhang's Garden is only second to that of Zhu Family's Garden, while its construction quality, intact degree and cultural value are the top one. Zhang Family's Garden is located in Tuanshan Village, 13 kilometers west of Jianshui County. The layout of the house is basically the planar form of traditional folk dwellings of Jianshui, which is composed of two groups of three-entrance courtyards and ancestral gardens in parallel row vertically and horizontally. It is a group of residential buildings in relatively complete preservation. Different from Zhu Family's Garden, Zhang Family's Garden still plays the role of residential houses, but only a few different families scattered in each courtyard, where no longer lived the former large family. In the courtyard, you can still find out the old elegance, especially the carved wood doors and windows with a thin layer of gold paint. Compared with Zhu's Garden, the wood carvings are more exquisite in Zhang Family's Garden, which could be even comparable to that in Huizhou.

Shuanglong Bridge

The prestigious Shuanglong Bridge is a double-pavilion and 17-hole stone arch bridge, located at 5 km west of Jianshui County. Shuanglong, literally "Double Dragons", refers to the two rivers, Tachong River and Lujiang River which meet each other at the bridge. Locals believe that in this case the bridge can lock the flood in rain seasons.

Yanzi Cave (Swallow Cave)

In Jianshui County of Honghe Hani and Yi Autonomous Prefecture, there are millions of swift nested in the cave, which is named for its abundant bird's nest. Various shapes of stalactites form a unique natural karst landscape there. Every year at the beginning of autumn, local farmers climb more than 50 meters high and 450 meters long to collect birds' nests in stalactites, what a breathtaking sight!

Jianshui Confucian Temple

Located in Jianshui County, founded in the Yuan Dynasty, the scale of Jianshui Confucian Temple is just below the Confucian Temple in Qufu, Shandong province, which has been regarded as Confucius' hometown. Jianshui Confucian Temple is a ritual building that started Jianshui's education, offered sacrifices to Confucius and promoted Confucianism.