Zhèngzōng Chuānwèi FàndiànYUNNAN$
(正宗川味饭店 Wenhua Lu; 文化路 dishes from ¥15; h9am-10pm)
Almost all restaurants in Fúgòng offer the same selection of dishes, mostly on display so you can pick and choose. This one, despite its unprepossessing interior, sees a steady stream of locals and the food is tasty and clean. As ever in Yúnnán, the vegetables available are excellent.
8Getting There & Away
There are twice-hourly buses to Liùkù (¥37, four hours) between 7.20am and 4.20pm. For Bǐngzhōngluò you’ll have to wait for the bus from Liùkù to pass by, which happens around noon. Otherwise, buses to Gòngshān (¥35, nine daily) start running at 11am. Your best bet for a quick getaway to Gòngshān is take a shared minivan for ¥40. They start running from 7.30am and you'll find them outside the bus station.
There is also one daily bus to Kūnmíng (¥297, 2.30pm, 12 hours) and one to Xiàguān (¥128, 10.30am, eight hours).
Bǐngzhōngluò 丙中洛
%0886 / Pop 3000
The main reason to come to the Nù Jiāng Valley is to visit isolated, friendly Bǐngzhōngluò (丙中洛), a village set in a beautiful, wide and fertile bowl. Just 35km south of Tibet and close to Myanmar, it’s a great base for hikes into the surrounding mountains and valleys. The area is at its best in spring and early autumn. Don’t even think about coming in the winter.
2Activities
Potential short hops include heading south along the main road for 2km to the impressive ‘first bend’ of the Nù Jiāng River, or north along a track more than 15km long that passes a 19th-century church and several villages (the road starts by heading downhill from Road to Tibet Guesthouse).
Longer three- or four-day treks include heading to the Tibetan village of Dímáluò (迪麻洛) and then onto the village of Yǒngzhī (永芝). From Yǒnzhī it’s another two hours' walk to the main road from where you can hitch a ride to Déqīn. It is a demanding trek that can really only be done from late May until September as the 3800m pass is too difficult to cross in heavy snow.
Nù Jiāng Baini TravelTOUR
(%139 8853 9641; [email protected])
You can rent mountain bikes (¥80 per day), access the internet (¥8 per hour) and get travel information here. Treks can be arranged, with Peter the guide charging ¥380 per day.
TTours
A guide is pretty much essential. Tibetan trek leader Aluo comes highly recommended. He’s based at Road to Tibet Guesthouse, although he’s often away on treks so email him or call him first on 139 8867 2792. Treks usually cost between ¥300 and ¥400 per day. Note that there are no villages en route to Yǒngzhī so you’ll need to carry all your own food and sleep in basic huts along the way (porters can be hired for around ¥100 per day).
Another option is Peter, a Lemao guide, who offers treks for ¥380 a day. He speaks good English, although some travellers report he doesn't always deliver what he promises. You can find him at Nù Jiāng Baini Travel on the main street.
4Sleeping & Eating
There are a few guesthouses and hostels in Bǐngzhōngluò.
There's a small selection of restaurants, and all the guesthouses and hostels do meals.
Road to Tibet GuesthouseGUESTHOUSE$
(%0886 358 1168; [email protected]; dm ¥35-45, d with/without bathroom ¥80-120; W)
Most backpackers end up at this place, located on the street heading downhill from the main road. Beds are hard but it’s a clean place with some English spoken and they cook simple meals. The owner, Aluo, also has a basic guesthouse in his home village of Dímáluò, a good destination for a trek.
8Information
All hotels in town have wi-fi and Peter has internet access at Nù Jiāng Baini Travel for ¥8 per hour.
8Getting There & Away
There is one direct bus a day from Liùkù to Bǐngzhōngluò (¥85, nine hours, 8.20am). Or take any bus to Gòngshān (¥78, eight hours, nine daily, 7am to 1pm), where you can connect for regular buses to Bǐngzhōngluò (¥13, one hour).
Buses return from Bǐngzhōngluò to Liùkù from opposite Yù Dòng Bīnguǎn at 8am. Otherwise, take a bus to Gòngshān (¥13, one hour), where there are nine buses daily to Liùkù (¥79, eight hours, 7.30am to 12.10pm).
Dúlóng Valley 独龙江
Separated from the Nù Jiāng Valley by the high Gāolígòng Shān range and only reached by road in 1999, the Dúlóng Valley (独龙谷; Dúlóng Gǔ) is one of the remotest valleys in China and is home to the 5000-strong Dulong ethnic group. The Dúlóng River actually flows out of China into Myanmar, where it eventually joins the Irrawaddy.
There are a couple of basic hotels in the county capital Kǒngdāng (孔当) where you can find rooms from ¥80 to ¥100. Outside of Kǒngdāng, it might be possible to find a bed in a village (most are close to the main road), but bear in mind that the Dulong people are very shy and you'll hardly head any Mandarin, let alone English, here.
The main road in the valley itself is paved south towards the border with Myanmar (Burma) and north towards Tibet, but there are no hotels or restaurants outside Kǒngdāng. Strong cyclists will have a field day, but bring your own tent and food.
Although the road into the valley has been upgraded, no buses run here. Minivans make the four-hour, 96km trip infrequently (¥100 per person, or hire one for ¥600).
Bǎoshān Region 保山
Scrunched up against Myanmar and bisected by the wild Nù Jiāng, the Bǎoshān (保山) region is a varied landscape that includes thick forests, dormant volcanoes and hot springs.
The eponymous capital is unremarkable; lovely Téngchōng (and its environs) is where it’s at. The Téngchōng area is peppered with minority groups whose villages lie in and around the ancient fire mountains.
As early as the 4th and 5th centuries BC (two centuries before the northern routes through Central Asia were established), the Bǎoshān area was an important stop on the southern Silk Road – the Sìchuān–India route. The area did not come under Chinese control until the Han dynasty. In 1277 a huge battle was waged in the region between the 12,000 troops of Kublai Khan and 60,000 Burmese soldiers and their 2000 elephants. The Mongols won and went on to take Bagan.
Téngchōng County
Some highlights of this region are the traditional villages that are scattered between Téngchōng and Yúnfēng Shān (云峰山; Cloudy Peak Mountain). The relatively plentiful public transport along this route means that you can jump on and off minibuses to go exploring as the whim takes you. Otherwise, hire a taxi or minivan for a day tour for around ¥300.
Téngchōng 腾冲
%0875 / Pop 135,318
With 20 volcanoes in the vicinity, lots of hot springs and great trekking potential, there’s plenty to explore in this neck of the woods. Téngchōng (腾冲) itself is a bit of an oddity – one of the few places in China that, though much of the old architecture has been demolished, remains a pleasant place to hang out, with oodles of green space (you can actually smell the flowers!) and a friendly, low-key populace.
Téngchōng
1Sights
1Diéshuǐ WaterfallA1
2Láifēng Shān National Forest ParkA2
3Xiānle TèmpleA1
4Sleeping
4Xīnghuá DàjiǔdiànA1
5Yudu HotelB1
5Eating
6Héfēngyuán CāntīngB1
1Sights
Much of the old-time architecture is now gone, but a few OK places for a random wander are still to be found. Téngchōng's proximity to Myanmar (Burma) means there are many jade and teak shops around town.
Láifēng TempleBUDDHIST TEMPLE
(来凤寺; Láifèng Sì GOOGLE MAP )F
Buddhist temple surrounded by lush pine forest.
Xiānle TèmpleBUDDHIST TEMPLE
(仙乐寺; Xiānlè Sì MAP GOOGLE MAP )F
Buddhist temple in the west of town.
Diéshuǐ WaterfallWATERFALL
(叠水瀑布, Diéshuǐ Pùb�
� MAP GOOGLE MAP ; ¥20)
In the western suburbs of town, beside the Xiānlè Temple, this is a good place for a picnic. The area makes a nice destination for a bike ride and you could easily combine it with a trip to Héshùn (和顺), a picturesque village 4km outside Téngchōng.
Láifēng Shān National Forest ParkPARK
(来凤山国家森林公园; Láifēng Shān Guójiā Sēnlín Gōngyuán MAP GOOGLE MAP ; h8am-7pm)F
On the western edge of town, walk through lush pine forests of this park to Láifēng Temple or make the sweaty hike up to the summit, where a pagoda offers fine views.
4Sleeping & Eating
Xīnghuá DàjiǔdiànHOTEL$
(兴华大酒店 MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0875 513 2688; 7 Tuanpo Xiaoqu; 团坡小区7号 d incl breakfast ¥120; aW)
It's been around a while, and there are alarming, tiger-pattern carpets here, but the rooms themselves are clean and sizeable, if a little old-fashioned. The wi-fi connection is strong and the location is handy in what is a spread-out town.
Yudu HotelHOTEL$$$
(玉都大酒店; Yùdū Dàjiǔdiàn MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0875 513 8666; 15 Tengyue Lu; 腾越路15号 d ¥978; aW)
There are 130 rooms at this comfortable, professionally run place and they are routinely discounted by a whopping 70% to 80%, making them a great deal. Some come with computers, but all have decent bathrooms. Don't expect to hear any English, though. It's on the corner of Tengyue Lu and Guanghua Lu.
Héfēngyuán CāntīngYUNNAN$$
(河风园餐厅 MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0875 513 2758; opposite Aili Hotel, 爱丽酒店对面 dishes from ¥12; h11am-9pm)
Eat outside in a large, pleasant courtyard at this busy place. Try the local cured ham, huǒtuǐ (火腿), a Téngchōng speciality, or choose from the wide range of fish, meat and veggies on display. No English spoken, but the staff are welcoming. It's right by the bridge over the river: look for the five red characters painted on the wall.
8Information
Bank of ChinaBANK
(中国银行; Zhōngguó Yínháng GOOGLE MAP ; cnr Fengshan Lu & Yingjiang Donglu)
Has a 24-hour ATM and will change cash and travellers cheques. There are other ATMs around town that take foreign cards too.
China PostPOST
(国际邮局; Zhōngguó Yóuzhèng GOOGLE MAP ; Fengshan Lu)
You can send mail overseas from here.
Public Security BureauPOLICE
(PSB, 公安局, Gōng’ānjú GOOGLE MAP ; %0875 513 1046; 20 Xiaxi Jie; 下西街20号 h8.30-11.30am & 2.30-5.30pm Mon-Fri)
Come here for visa extensions.
8Getting There & Away
Air
Téngchōng’s airport, 12km south of town, has six flights daily to Kūnmíng (from ¥580).
Bus
The city’s long-distance bus station is in the south of town. A taxi to the centre of town is ¥15.
ABǎoshān ¥63, 2½ hours, every 40 minutes (8am to 7pm)
AKūnmíng ¥218 to ¥289, 10 hours, nine daily (9am to 8pm)
ALìjiāng ¥195, 10 hours, one daily (10.50am)
ALiùkù ¥58, six hours, three daily (10am, 11am, noon)
AXiàguān ¥130, 5½ hours, four daily (10.30am, noon, 2pm and 7pm)
Téngchōng’s local bus station (客运站; kèyùnzhàn GOOGLE MAP ) is on Dongfang Lu.
AMángshì ¥45, two to three hours, ten daily (8am to 4.30pm)
ARuìlì ¥80, four hours, nine daily (7.50am to 3.50pm)
Buses to local destinations north of Téngchōng, such as Mǎzhàn, Gùdōng, Ruìdián, Diántān or Zìzhì, leave from the West Gate bus station, (西门客运站; Xīmén Kèyùnzhàn), which is really just a forecourt on the corner of Huoshan Lu and Guaijinlou Xiang in the northwest of town.
8Getting Around
Bus 2 runs from the town centre to the long-distance bus station (¥1), as well as passing the West Gate bus station. Bus 6 passes the local bus station on Dongfang Lu (¥1). Taxis charge ¥6 to hop around town. MInivans run to the airport from just south of the junction of Feicui Lu and Rehai Lu (¥30 per person).
Héshùn 和顺
%0875 / Pop 6,000
Southwest of Téngchōng, Héshùn (和顺) has been set aside as a retirement village for overseas Chinese, but it’s of much more interest as a traditional Chinese village with cobbled streets, even if there are an ever-increasing number of jade and jewellery shops here. But it's far from overwhelmed by day trippers and there are some great old buildings in the village, providing lots of photo opportunities.
The village has a small museum (博物馆; bówùguǎn) and a famous old library (图书馆; túshūguǎn), with 70,000 books, as well as a few interesting courtyard residences and temples. There's an ¥80 admission fee to get in to the village itself.
Mànbànpāi Kèzhàn (慢半拍客栈 %0875 515 0755; [email protected]; Cunjiawan, 寸家湾 2-bed dm ¥50, d & tw ¥100-120; aW) is set around a small courtyard at the end of the village, where the cheaper rooms have hard beds and squat toilets, but are fine for a night or two. There's a pleasant 2nd-floor communal area and helpful staff, although no English is spoken. To find it, turn right at the banyan tree and waterwheel and head a few hundred metres uphill.
Lánnà Cafe (兰纳咖啡; Lánnà Kāfēi %187 8750 1309; coffee from ¥28, breakfast from ¥30, mains from ¥38; h9am-10pm; W) is a chilled-out spot for a decent coffee. It also does OK breakfasts, as well as pasta, pizza and sandwiches.
From Téngchōng, bus 6 (¥1) goes to Héshùn from Feicui Lu.
Yúnfēng Shān 云峰山
Yúnfēng ShānMOUNTAIN
(云峰山 ¥110, combined ticket including cable car ¥230)
A Taoist mountain dotted with 17th-century temples and monastic retreats, Yúnfēng Shān is 47km north of Téngchōng. It’s possible to take a cable car (one way/return ¥90/160), close to the top from where it’s a 20-minute walk to Dàxióng Bǎodiàn (大雄宝殿), a temple at the summit. Lǔzǔ Diàn (鲁祖殿), the temple second from the top, serves up solid vegetarian food at lunchtime. It’s a quick walk down but it can be hard on the knees. You can walk up the mountain in about 2½ hours.
To get to the mountain, go to the West Gate bus station in Téngchōng and catch a bus to Gùdōng (¥15), and then a microbus from there to the turn-off (¥10). From the turn-off you have to hitch, or you could take the lovely walk past the village of Hépíng (和平) to the pretty villages just before the mountain. From the parking lot a golf cart (¥5) takes you to the entrance. Hiring a vehicle from Téngchōng for the return trip will cost about ¥300 to ¥350.
Mǎzhàn Volcanoes
Téngchōng County is renowned for its volcanoes, and although they have been behaving themselves for many centuries, the seismic and geothermal activity in the area indicates that they won’t always continue to do so. The closest volcano to Téngchōng is Mǎ’ān Shān (马鞍山; Saddle Mountain), around 5km to the northwest. It’s just south of the main road to Yíngjiāng.
Around 22km to the north of town, near the village of Mǎzhàn (马战乡), is the most accessible cluster of volcanoes (¥40). The main central volcano is known as Dàkōng Shān (大空山; Big Empty Hill), which pretty much sums it up, and to the left of it is the black crater of Hēikōng Shān (黑空山; Black Empty Hill). You can haul yourself up the steps for views of the surrounding lava fields (long dormant).
To visit the volcanoes around Mǎzhàn from Téngchōng, take a Gùdōng-bound bus (¥15) from the West Gate bus station on Huoshan Lu and get off at Mǎzhàn, From there, it’s a 10-minute walk to the volcano area, or you can take a motor-tricycle (¥5). Once you are in the area there is a fair bit of walking to get between the sights, or you can hitch rides.
Getting out to the villages around Téngchōng is a bit tricky. Catching buses part of the way and hiking is one possibility, hiring a taxi for the day (¥300) is another.
Sea of Heat 热海
Sea of HeatHOT SPRING
(热海; Rèhǎi ¥60, pool access ¥268; h8am-9pm Apr-Oct
, to 8pm Nov-Mar)
A steamy cluster of hot springs, geysers and streams (but no actual sea). Located about 12km southwest of Téngchōng, it’s essentially an upmarket resort, with a few outdoor springs, a nice warm-water swimming pool along with indoor baths. You can wander the tree- and plant-lined stone paths admiring the geothermal activity. Some of the springs here reach temperatures of 102°C (don’t swim in these ones!).
Note that it's possible to buy a combined ticket (¥100) for both the Sea of Heat and the Mǎzhàn volcanoes at Yǎng Shēng Gé (养生阁 %0875 586 9700; www.chinaspa.cn; d ¥1960, ste ¥3600-5600; aW).
Bus 2 (¥3) leaves Téngchōng for the Sea of Heat from Rehai Lu, 200m south of the junction with Feicui Lu.
Déhóng Prefecture 德宏州
Déhóng Prefecture (德宏州; Déhóng Zhōu and Jingpo Autonomous Prefecture) juts into Myanmar in the far west of Yúnnán. Once a backwater of backwaters, from the late 1980s the region saw tourists flock in to experience its raucous border atmosphere.
That’s dimmed quite a bit and most Chinese tourists in Déhóng are here for the trade from Myanmar that comes through Ruìlì and Wǎndīng; Burmese jade is the most desired commodity and countless other items are spirited over the border.
Almost all travellers stay in Ruìlì, the capital of Déhóng, where there are many midrange and budget hotels, as well as one hostel. Expect discounts most of the time.
Lonely Planet China Page 146