Overview
Trip from tropical Xishuangbanna to border town Hekou through colorful ethnic areas.
Kunming – Xishuangbanna – Luchun – Yuanyang - Jianshui – Mengzi – Jinping - Hekou
Travel through Yunnan’s Red River (Honghe) Valley areas to border of Vietnam (or vice versa). The trip starts at Xishuangbanna through Kunming and extends along the banks of the Red River (Yuanjiang) as it flows from its origin in Yunnan to border town Hekou and ongoing to Vietnam. High or steep, sharply mountains are etched against the skyline and cut by rivers running paralled to the Yuanjiang, which caused the complex, gorgeous and diverse natural scenery here. Perhaps nowhere else in the province is the lay of the land, in all its possible shapes and contours, so clearly discernible. Nowhere else has terrace farming been so intensively and successfully engineered. Old Yunnan-Vietnam railway still runs and passes through Honghe Prefecture, reminds the history. Ming-era architectures in Jianshui inherits while blends the Chinese Han and local ethnic cultures. Besides the scenic and cultural attractions, here is home to a number of colourful minorities, especially in the areas close to the Vietnam border that is also less-visited by outsiders. There are ten ethnic groups live in the Red River regions for generations including Dai, Hani, Yi, Miao, Yao, Zhuang ect. The customs and traditions of the past are still popular here, both in day-to-day domestic life and in the observance of annual celebrations. Traditional attires are most women’s choice for everyday wear. The tour also offers many unplanned but frequent local markets to visits. For the visitors these are bonus and make the tour replete with colour and beauty.
Outline Itinerary
Day 01 Arrival Kunming & City Sightseeing (D)
Day 02 Flight to Xishuangbanna (B)
Day 03 Xishuangbanna Sightseeing (B)
Day 04 Border village of Erfu (B)
Day 05 Erfu Sunset & Luchun Explorations (B)
Day 06 Luchun to Mengla (B)
Day 07 Mengla to Jinping (B)
Day 08 Yuanyang & Rice terraces sunset (B)
Day 09 Yuanyang rice terrace & Hani villages (B)
Day 10 Jianshui Visits (B)
Day 11 Drive to Mengzi (B)
Day 12 Hekou Departure (B)
Get Inspired
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Detail Itinerary
Day 01: Arrival Kunming & City Sightseeing (D)
Upon arrival in Kunming and transferred to hotel. After some rest visit Bamboo Temple, a Buddhist temple established during the Tang Dynasty, displayed exquisite 500 arhats sculptures. Then take a leisurely stroll along the Green Lake, a charming area of teahouses and small boutiques selling handicrafts and paintings. Later free wander the interesting flower market. Dinner will be served as the local flavor mushroom hot pot, one of Yunnan’s characters with infinite varieties.
Day 02: Flight to Xishuangbanna (B)
Take the morning flight to Jinghong, the capital of Xishuangbanna prefecture. After short rest we get to Nannuo Hill, visit a huge and old tea tree with over 700 years, have a delightful walking descending through the fragrant tea mountain and some small rice fields. There are a few ethnic villages dot the area, we may have unplanned stop to visit and see the tea producing in the family workshop depending on the chance permits. In any case a tea factory will be visited after walking, where you learn more about the Pu’er tea production. Later take the scenic drive to Menghai where we pay a visit at the over 300 years old Octagonal Pagoda. Drive back to Jinghong and experience the local’s nightlife.
Day 03: Xishuangbanna Sightseeing (B)
Take about 2 hours drive to Menglun. En the route, visit a Dai village and their traditional wooden houses built on stilts, some villagers believe Catholicism and you may visit an interesting catholic church. Menglun, is a splendour site for Menglun Tropical Botanic Garden, over 8,000 species of tropical plants housing here, including many rare exotic and endangered species. Spend a night in this gorgeous and fragrant garden.
Day 04: Border village of Erfu (B)
Enjoy the fresh air in the garden early this morning. Then we head out for an active local market at Menglun, some Dai and Jinuo ethnics come from their nearby villages. Later leave for Erfu along the road parallel to the border to Laos. The road stretches many rubber plantations and Hani villages. Overnight in a tiny village facing a beautiful valley looking out over Vietnam.
Day 05: Erfu Sunset & Luchun Explorations (B)
Enjoy tranquil village scenery and amazing sunrise this morning, with beautiful cloudseas stretching out over Vietnamese mountain peaks. After visit a nearby Lahu minority village, take the stunning drive through the heavily forested path crossing the Luchun county's biggest natural reserve dominated by terraced hills, Hani, Dai, Yao villages. Overnight in Luchun, a remote county lies along the Vietnamese border.
Day 06: Luchun to Mengla (B)
The Hani is the main population in Luchun. Morning visit the Hani museum to get insight about the history, culture, apparel, religion and their ways of working the land. Then drive to Mengla, a small border town close to Vietnam where several minorities living. At Mengla, visit a Dai minority village or have an optional hot spring bath.
Day 07: Mengla to Jinping (B)
Morning drive to Nafa and wander around the bustle border market that spillover nearby ethnic groups and draws tribals from Vietnam. Later drive to Jinping county, a home for Miao, Yao, Dai, Hani, Yi, Zhuang and Lahu ect. Stop for visiting a Miao village, a Yao village and a Yi village or an unplanned interesting village on the way.
Day 08: Yuanyang & Rice terraces sunset (B)
Drive to Yuanyang through the magnificent and ever changing landscape. As the road ascends, Hani villages with their typical flat-roofed ‘mushroom houses’ appears on the hills, with bamboo groves, patches of forest and the marvelous water-filled terraces in between them. Yuanyang is famed for mass rice terraces carved on Ailao Mountains by Hani people making a living for centuries. Stop for Tiger Mouth Terrace for sunset, one of the most representative and spectacular paddy terraces in Yuanyang.
Day 09: Yuanyang rice terrace & Hani villages (B)
Today you will experience the rice terraces and engineering with distinct features in Yuanyang, along with authentic customs and traditions of various ethnic minorities in the villages. Wake up early morning to witness a magnificent sunrise over the rice terraces (around 6 am). Thereafter visit a bustling market where we can see the local people from different ethnic groups wearing their traditional attire for trading. It’s a great photo opportunity! Next, we move to a Hani village to visit Hani family and their lovely mushroom houses. In the late afternoon, enjoy the breathtaking sunset view in another rice terrace, one of the essence highlights in the region.
Day 10: Jianshui Visits (B)
In the morning head down the road through an impressive and mountainous countryside towards Jianshui. In the outskirts of Jianshui, visit Zhang Family Garden in fascinating Tuanshan village, admire the exquisite architectures and old courtyards with the ornate woodcarvings, calligraphy and paintings. Visit the ‘Twin Dragon Bridge’, one of the 10 oldest bridges in China dating back to Qing Dynasty. In Jianshui, visit the remarkable Confucius Temple, the third largest Confucian temple in China. Visit Zhu Family Garden, an outstanding example of a Qing dynasty traditional ancestral home took 30 years to build, lots of pretty courtyards inside.
Day 11: Drive to Mengzi (B)
Today leave for Mengzi, the capital town of Honghe prefecture and the home for ‘across-the-bridge rice noodles’, a famous Yunnan’s snack. Visit the old railway station and Yunnan-Vietnam railway, which was built by the French in 1910 and still runs today. Wander around the Nanhu Park located in the center of town, visited a few 200-year-old architectures, including the French building of original French consulate, the Chinese building of the original Customs and Post Office sites that was the first China’s post office.
Day 12: Hekou Departure (B)
In the morning drive to Hekou to across the border for Vietnam. If time permits, you can stroll in China-Vietnam border market before customs clearance.
Experiences & Activities
- Laze in Xishuangbanna and walk to visit minority villages in the jungle
- Explore nature reserves and ethnic mix in Luchun, with lots of hidden gems
- Off-beaten-track to Jinping and witness incredible diversity of border minorities
- Marvel at the breathtaking sunrise or sunset over the Yuanyang rice terraces
- Step back in time in old courtyards, gardens and Confucian Temple in Jianshui
- Visit the centuries old China-Vietnam railway & valuable architectures in Mengzi
- Discover some Yunnan’s remote & traditional ethnic villages near Vietnam border
- Experience the unique and authentic multiple ethnic cultures and lifestyles
