Yunnan Travel Guides
Source-checked city travel guides in Yunnan: attractions, itineraries, local food, and practical tips.
Yunnan in this set is Kunming the spring city, Dali on Erhai, and Lijiang under Yulong. Kunming is the airport; Dali and Lijiang are the nights you keep. Altitude starts to matter at Lijiang; the gorge day is longer than the old town.
Baoshan Travel Guide: Heshun and Tengchong Volcanoes
Baoshan travel guide: Heshun's overseas-Chinese old town, Tengchong's young volcanoes and hot springs, the 1944 war cemetery, Gaoligong and a 3-day plan.
Dali Travel Guide: Old Town, Erhai Lake and a 3-Day Plan
Plan a Dali trip: where to stay, Dali Old Town, the Three Pagodas, Cangshan cableways, cycling Erhai Lake, Xizhou and Shuanglang, with a three-day route.
Dehong Travel Guide: Mangshi Pagodas and Ruili Border
Dehong travel guide: Menghuan Golden Pagoda in Mangshi, Ruili border-market day, optional Moli rainforest, Dai food and a clear 3-day western Yunnan plan.
Diqing Travel Guide: Shangri-La and Pudacuo
Diqing travel guide: Songzanlin monastery pacing, Pudacuo National Park day, altitude buffers, and a three-day Shangri-La town plan.
Honghe Travel Guide: Yuanyang Rice Terraces and Jianshui
Honghe travel guide: when the Yuanyang Hani terraces are flooded, which viewpoints suit sunrise or sunset, where to sleep, Jianshui's old town and a 3-day plan.
Kunming Travel Guide: Stone Forest, Lakes, 3 Days
Kunming in three days: Stone Forest day trip, Dianchi and Green Lake, Western Hills, Nationalities Village and Jinma-Biji, with gull season and food tips.
Lijiang Travel Guide: Old Town, Snow Mountain, 4 Days
Lijiang in four days: Dayan Old Town, Jade Dragon Snow Mountain, Tiger Leaping Gorge, Shuhe, Black Dragon Pool and optional Lugu Lake, with altitude notes.
Lincang Travel Guide: Cangyuan Rock Art, Wa Culture, Tea
Lincang travel guide: 3,000-year-old Cangyuan rock paintings, the rebuilt Wa village of Wengding, Mengku and Bingdao tea hills, the Dali railway, and 3 days.
Pu'er Travel Guide: Jingmai Tea Forests, Simao and Nakeli
Pu'er travel guide: trains from Kunming, how far Jingmai Mountain really is (237 km), coaches and village shuttles, Simao tea sights, Nakeli and a 3-day plan.
Qujing Travel Guide: Luoping Canola Fields and Jiulong Falls
Qujing travel guide: when Luoping's canola really blooms, the order for Jinji peaks, Niujie terraces and Jiulong Waterfalls, trains from Kunming, a 3-day plan.
Wenshan Travel Guide: Puzhehei Lakes, Lotus and Karst Peaks
Wenshan travel guide: Puzhehei's karst lakes and July lotus, Qinglong Mountain views, 2026 boat prices, the train from Kunming South, Qiubei stays and Bamei.
Xishuangbanna Travel Guide: Jinghong, Dai Villages, Jungle
Xishuangbanna travel guide: Jinghong on the Mekong, Wild Elephant Valley, the Menglun botanical garden, Dai villages at Ganlanba and the China-Laos railway.
Yuxi Travel Guide: Fuxian Lake, Chengjiang Fossils, and Kunming Side Trip (2–3 Day Route)
Yuxi travel guide: Fuxian Lake shore pacing, Chengjiang Fossil Site museum-first order, Kunming day-trip tradeoffs, with a two-to-three-day Yunnan itinerary.
Zhaotong Travel Guide: Dashanbao Wetlands and Dousha Pass (3-Day Route)
Zhaotong travel guide: Dashanbao black-necked crane wetlands, Dousha Pass Five-Foot Way relics, Yunnan northeast staging, with a three-day itinerary.