An 11-day in-depth tour guide for children in Yunnan

I have always wanted to visit Yunnan, so I asked friends who had been there for a lot of "experience" in advance. After hesitating for a long time between the northern route (Shangri-La-Lijiang-Dali), the southern route (Xishuangbanna), and the western route (Tengchong-Ruili-Mangshi), I finally decided to take a big loop and go all the way! Before we went, I was worried whether the trip would be too rushed with a 3-year-old child, but in fact the child had a lot of fun and it was a wonderful and unforgettable travel memory for the whole family. [Itinerary] Lijiang - Dali - Baoshan - Tengchong - Ruili - Mangshi - Xishuangbanna - Kunming, 2 days in Lijiang, 2 days in Dali, 2 days in Tengchong, 1 day in Ruili and Mangshi, 2 days in Xishuangbanna, 2 days in Kunming. See Figure 2 for the itinerary. 【transportation】 1. Take a flight from Beijing to Lijiang, and then take a flight from Kunming back to Beijing, without going back the same way. 2. Rent a car directly at Lijiang Airport, and drive from Lijiang to Dali, Baoshan, Tengchong, Ruili, and Mangshi, and finally return the car to Dali. Now all car rental companies can return the car at a different location, which is very convenient. 3. Take the high-speed rail from Dali to Xishuangbanna, and then take the high-speed rail from Xishuangbanna to Kunming. 【stay】 Yunnan tourism is very mature, accommodation near various attractions is very convenient, and prices are also very cheap in the off-season. We stayed in homestays in the ancient cities of Lijiang and Dali. They were convenient for sightseeing and nice for taking photos, and the children liked them too. We stayed in a local hotel in Tengchong, and in large chain hotels in Xishuangbanna and Kunming. Considering that we were mainly going to the latter places for sightseeing, the accommodation was mainly for rest and comfort. 【Recommended attractions】 1. Lijiang: Lijiang Old Town, Lugu Lake. Lijiang Ancient Town is actually similar to other ancient towns in other places. It is very commercialized. There are many stalls selling flower cakes. Don’t buy them at the entrance of the ancient town. Go inside and you will find many cheap and delicious ones. The scenery around Lugu Lake is beautiful and the air is fresh. I highly recommend it. 2. Dali: Dali Ancient Town and Erhai Lake. The ancient cities are actually similar, but the scenery of Erhai Lake is indeed beautiful. It is recommended to rent or charter a car to go around Erhai Lake. You can stop as you go, and there are scenery everywhere. 3. Baoshan: Gaoligong Mountains. The most unforgettable attraction of this trip far exceeded expectations, with very few commercial traces and pristine alpine forests. You must go to the naturally formed large hot springs, which are very shocking. We brought swimsuits and took the kids to play in the hot spring for a long time. It is said that natural hot springs contain sulfur, which is good for the skin (this is just hearsay, don't criticize if it's not true). Anyway, both adults and children had a lot of fun. 4. Tengchong: The Hot Sea Hot Pot is a natural geothermal hot spring that can reach 100°C and emits hot steam, which can be used to boil eggs. Many people buy raw eggs on site to boil, tie them up with straw ropes, and string 5 together. You can also bring your own raw eggs. The boiled eggs taste very special, really different from those cooked at home. 5. Ruili: Ruili Port, Myanmar market near the port. You can take photos and check in at the port, and the nearby market is worth a visit. There are many small Burmese items, plasters, snacks, etc. We bought durian cakes, which were very delicious. 6. Mangshi: There is the Shwedagon Pagoda, the Silver Pagoda, and many special snacks worth checking out. Mangshi is relatively small, so it’s a good place to eat some snacks and buy some fruits. The fruits here are super cheap. 7. Xishuangbanna: Manting Park, Starlight Night Market, and Chinese Academy of Sciences Botanical Garden. Xishuangbanna is very suitable for family travel. We bought tickets for Manting Park and the evening bonfire party. Highly recommended! The evening performances and bonfire party were so atmospheric that the kids had a blast. The bonfire party included a buffet dinner in the evening, which was delicious and very cost-effective. The Starlight Night Market is very lively. The Chinese Academy of Sciences Botanical Garden is actually suitable for older children. Find a tour guide to introduce various interesting tropical plants. 8. Kunming: Dianchi Lake, local vegetable market. We didn't have much time in Kunming, so we just went to Dianchi Lake, but it was really nice. Flocks of red-billed gulls are particularly spectacular and sociable. There are bird food sellers near Dianchi Lake, but it is actually more convenient to bring small steamed buns and biscuits with you to feed the birds. We went there in the evening, and the red-billed gulls were still very willing to eat. The interaction was very good, the children had a lot of fun, and the photos were very good. 【Food Recommendation】 1. Flower cake: It is recommended to buy local hand-baked ones, which are much more delicious than the packaged foods we buy online. You should ask a few more stores for prices and you will be able to get particularly affordable ones. 2. Cross-Bridge Rice Noodles: A must-visit when visiting Yunnan. You won’t go wrong with any rice noodle shop you choose there. The local rice noodles are reliable and delicious. 3. Mushroom hot pot: It is also a must-visit when visiting Yunnan. There are many kinds of mushrooms, many of which I have never seen before. The mushroom soup cooked with it is extremely delicious and I can't stop eating bowl after bowl. People like Jianshouqing must listen to the waiter, but we just focus on being obedient and only eat when they tell us to, haha. 4. Dai-style rice: The Dai people make up a relatively large proportion of the Yunnan region. Dai rice is very distinctive. I think it is delicious and worth a try. 5. Crispy Buns: It is very fragrant, special and delicious. At first glance, I thought it was an ordinary bun, but when I took a bite, the bun skin opened up layer by layer, and the aroma of flour mixed with the aroma of sesame oil made me unable to stop eating it. 6. Myanmar snacks: Yunnan is close to the border and has many authentic Burmese snacks that are not available outside of the province. The prices are generally quite cheap, making them suitable for trying new food. 7. Various tropical fruits: The fruits in Yunnan are really delicious and cheap. Many tropical fruits only cost one-third to one-quarter of what they cost in Beijing. If you go to the local vegetable market to buy them, the prices are amazing. 8. Yunnan local milk: The milk in Yunnan is very mellow, including Eurasian, Chadian, and buffalo milk. You must try them when you go there. The milk flavor is very rich and unique. 【Tips】 1. We did not go to Shangri-La and Jade Dragon Snow Mountain. The altitude there is relatively high, and there will be altitude sickness. If you bring children or the elderly, you must be cautious and prepare anti-altitude sickness medicine in advance. Don't be careless. 2. There is a big difference in temperature between the north and south of Yunnan. We went there at the end of February. It was still quite cold in the north, so we had to wear woolen coats. The temperature in Xishuangbanna was already 35 degrees, so we had to bring both thick and thin clothes and change them in time.