Yunnan

Dehong

Dehong administers the triangular territory west of the Salween along the valleys of the Ruili and the Taiping River, bordering onto Baoshan in the east while being surrounded the other two sides by Burma. With a subtropical climate and a population with a heavy dose of ethnic minority groups in the presence of Dai, Jingpo and Lisu as well as Achang and Deang, Dehong has a distinct Burmese feel to it. More...

Wenshan

Bordering both Guangxi and Vietnam, Wenshan is Yunnan’s easternmost prefecture. The steep mountain ranges that dominate most of the province have given way to karst formations not unlike those in neighbouring Guangxi province. Like Guangxi, Wenshan’s mostly Zhuang, a very sinicized group in dress that often appears to be traditional Han. While the Zhuang are farming the better valley land, Miao inhabit the hills and often live in abject poverty. The border regions to Vietnam have pockets of Yi and Yao, especially in Funing county. More...

Diqing

It is in Diqing, Yunnan's northwestern corner, that Tibet begins. Countless icy mountains tower over the land, dissected by the deep gorges of the Mekong and Yangzi. In Diqing Yunnan's scenery is its most dramatic: In the south Tiger Leaping Gorge, one of the worlds deepest, is a paradise for hikers, while in the north the peak of Meili Snow Mountain has never been scaled. Dotted around are Tibetan monasteries, Christian Churches and the dense forests are teeming with wildlife. More...

Nujiang

Spectacular alpine scenery borders the Nujiang Canyon: to the west rise the 4,000 m Gaoligong Mountains, to the east the even higher peaks of the Biluo Mountains. Between them, almost straight from north to south for 200 km, runs the Nu River, in the west better known as the Salween. To the east of the Biluo Mountains runs the Lancang River, the Mekong. West of the Gaoligong Mountains, separated by a high pass, runs the Dulong River, its valley the home of the Dulong people. More...

Xishuangbanna

Xishuangbanna, Yunnan's southernmost prefecture, is one of Yunnan's hottest areas: in the semitropical lowlands around the capital Jinghong, China's answer to Las Vegas, roam wild elephants, and the picturesque countryside is dotted with villages of the Dai, Jinuo, Aini, Yao, Bulang and Kemu. More...