FOREWORD
Yunnan is China's most geographically and ethnically diverse province. With the exception of deserts and coastlines,Yunnan is in many ways a perfect microcosm of China, its staggeringly
varied landscapes and richly varied ecology rarely seen in greater China today.
Yunnan's matchless landscapes have been the subject of Chinese poets for centuries.
One ancient line reads:
Sunrise in the East
Cangshan's nineteen peaks in the West
Snow to the North
Endless hills and clouds to the South.
There are few regions in Asia that can provide so much visual stimulation
within one defined area: Tibetan highland on its northwestern borders, central
mountains, hills, plains, and plateaus; volcanic areas rich in hot springs.
Legendary waters like the Yangzi, Mekong and Pearl rivers pass through its valleys
and gorges, semi-tropical jungle and rain forest creep over its southern and
southwestern borders with Laos, Burma and Vietnam. Over half of China's animal and
plant species inhabit Yunnan, lending it great appeal to naturalists and hikers.
Over a third of all the country's ethnic minorities live here. Yunan is regarded as
one of the most relaxed of China. Here is an all-seasons destination, a place where
you can find good weather somewhere in the province for most of the year.
We can offers a surprise itinerary for you in Yunnan Province. Highlights include the
Provincial capital of Kunming,renowned for its food and laid-back atmosphere; a petrified forest
at nearby Shilin; Xishuangbanna, home of the stunning Dai people; Ruili near the Burmese border,
with its Buddhist pagodas. Tiger Leaping Gorge, one of the deepest ravines in the world, is a
challenging trek, but there are countless others, most of them unexplored.The ancient town of
Lijiang, now a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and its nearby monasteries on the road to Tibet, the
lakeside town of Dali with its Bai-style architecture, and the province have many festivals are
other persuasive reasons to spend time in Yunnan.
