Yunnan Lincang | A Hidden Gem Unknown to 99% of People! What a Find!

Below is a travel guide to Lincang, Yunnan. We hope it will be helpful to you: Recommended Tourist Attractions in Lincang • Wengding Wa Village: The last primitive Wa tribe in China, the thatched-roof "Bull Head Village" is like an ancient secret realm. You can participate in the "Wooden Drum" sacrificial activities, dance with the Wa people around the bonfire, and photograph the village in the morning mist. The 11 village gates look like a time tunnel in the morning light. You can also stay in a Wa homestay, taste the Chicken Rice (Wa hand-grabbed rice), and listen to the elders sing the epic of creation, Sigangli, in the evening. • Lancang River Grand Canyon: The wild and surging river is hidden in a kilometer-deep canyon, comparable to the Colorado River in the United States. You can hike the "Xiaowan Power Station - Qinglong Bridge" section to see the river change from turquoise to muddy yellow, take a boat through the canyon to find the ruins of ancient ferry crossings on the cliffs by the river, or visit the Mengyou Town viewing platform, the best place to take photos, where the sunrise fills the canyon with mist like a milky river. • Cangyuan Cliff Painting Valley: 3,000-year-old red totems of the Wa ancestors, mysterious symbols that remain unsolved to this day. Focus on the "Menglai Cliff Paintings," where there are undeciphered hieroglyphs next to the hunting scenes. Ask a local guide to explain the legend of the "Sun Man" rock paintings. You can also take a bamboo raft down the Nangun River at the bottom of the valley and see the wild mango forest along the way. • Nangun River National Nature Reserve: The only tropical rainforest in China with wild Asian elephants, it has an amazing biodiversity. You can take a jeep tour of the reserve to look for wild elephant footprints and dung, hike the "Mangku - Banhong" line to see strangler figs and century-old Parashorea chinensis trees, or stay overnight at the research station and use infrared cameras to photograph nocturnal animals such as black bears and clouded leopards. • Shuangjiang Mengku Ancient Tea Plantation: The origin of tea trees in the world, the thousand-year-old wild ancient tea tree king stands here. You can visit the "Bingdao Old Village," taste ancient Pu'er tea worth tens of thousands of yuan, and watch tea farmers hand-fry tea. Hike the "Shennong Temple - Daxueshan" Tea Horse Road, where century-old tea trees cover the mountains along the way. In April, during the spring tea season, you can participate in tea picking and experience the "one bud and two leaves" picking standard. • Gengma Mengding Mangtuan Scenic Area: A living fossil of traditional Dai handmade papermaking, the birthplace of the intangible cultural heritage "Mangtuan Broussonetia papyrifera paper." You can experience the entire papermaking process and take home your own handmade floral paper, visit the Mangtuan Village Friday Market to find Dai brocade and sour ant eggs, or stay in a Dai bamboo house and participate in the alms-giving to monks in the morning (a Theravada Buddhist custom). • Yongde Daxueshan: The highest peak in southwestern Yunnan at 3,504 meters above sea level, with azalea seas and spectacular cloud waterfalls. In May, climb to the top to see tens of thousands of acres of azaleas in full bloom, with pink and purple flower blankets covering the ridges. Hike the "Tanglishan - Main Peak" line, which requires a guide to lead you through the virgin forest. The "Wanzhangyan Waterfall" on the mountainside is spectacular during the rainy season, and there are ice waterfalls in winter. • Fengqing Lushi Ancient Town: A major town on the Tea Horse Road, a living fossil of Ming and Qing Dynasty houses and caravan culture. You can walk the "Alusi Inspection Department - Luo Family Ancestral Hall" bluestone road to look for caravan hoofprints, taste "Baba Juan" (rice pancakes rolled with bean sprouts), which is a perfect match with Fengqing Dianhong tea, or stay in an ancient town inn and listen to the elders tell the story of how "Dianhong" tea made its way to London. • Yun County Manwan Baili Long Lake: A hundred-mile-long high gorge lake formed by the interception of the Lancang River, a landscape version of the "Norwegian fjords." You can take a boat from Manwan Power Station to Manghuai Township to see Yi villages hanging on the cliffs on both sides, fish for tilapia in the lake (a temporary fishing license is required), grill the fish you catch by the river, or drive along the lake road and take photos of the S-shaped lake bay and terraced fields at the "Bingzhai Viewing Platform." • Linxiang District Wulao Mountain National Forest Park: A natural oxygen bar next to the city, with waterfalls and forest hot springs. You can walk the "Jiudiequan - Yulong Waterfall" trail. The waterfalls are spectacular after summer rains. Soak in the forest hot springs. The 40°C sulfur springs will relieve your hiking fatigue. Go birdwatching in the early morning. Hoopoes and Mrs. Gould's Sunbirds hop among the azaleas. Lincang Food Recommendations • Chicken Rice: Wa hand-grabbed rice, one of Lincang's specialties. • Dai-style Sour Bamboo Shoot Fish: Dai flavor, sour and spicy. • Xidoufen Rice Noodles: Smooth and delicious. • Fengqing Bacon: Bacon with a rich aroma, a specialty of Fengqing. • Wild Roasted Whole Lamb: Roasted whole lamb is one of Lincang's specialties, with tender and juicy meat. • Lincang Copper Pot Casserole Fish: Fish cooked in a copper pot or casserole, delicious. • Lincang Butter Tea: With a strong ethnic flavor and rich taste. Travel Notes • Best tourist season: November to April of the following year. The dry season has many sunny days and a pleasant climate, suitable for tourism. July-August is the rainy season, and some attractions may be affected by weather conditions. • Transportation: There are flights from Kunming to Lincang Airport, and you can also take the high-speed train to Yun County Station. The attractions are scattered, so it is recommended to charter a car or rent a car for convenient travel. • Accommodation: It is recommended to stay in homestays in Wengding Village, Bingdao Old Village, and other places to experience the local ethnic customs. In the city, you can choose hotels around Yulong Lake. • Border pass: Some border attractions require a "Border Pass," which can be obtained on the spot with an ID card.