Live Your Best Lives
Winter is coming to Jiangnan, but there is a place that is entering a magical season where you can feel the colorful flowers of early spring and the golden ground of late autumn at the same time.
Known as "the place where spring arrives first," this area boasts the earliest cherry blossoms in the country. In late November, the falling cherry blossoms create a picturesque scene in the valley, creating a breathtaking spectacle that defies nature, like a fairyland on earth.
Picture @Photo.net
Here is the "No. 1 Ginkgo Kingdom in the World", with more than 30,000 ginkgo trees. The village is in the forest and the forest is in the village. The fairy-tale atmosphere and the fireworks of the world coexist.
Here you can see the magnificent spectacle of three parallel rivers, where the Nujiang River, Lancang River and Jinsha River converge, the stunning sight of the sun shining on the golden mountains, and the colorful gathering of various ethnic minorities.
When autumn arrives, the vast expanses of ginkgo trees and winter cherry blossoms in this hidden gem transform into the most beautiful colors on earth. Gold, pink, and emerald—instantly, the scene becomes a vibrant palette, each one breathtaking!
This is Yunnan from November to December, the magical and charming northwest Yunnan.
After visiting northwest Yunnan, American adventurer Joseph Rock exclaimed: "Where in the world can explorers and photographers find exciting and incomparable magnificent scenery? I think it is nowhere else but in northwest Yunnan, which has never been visited by anyone..."
The culture and beliefs here are mutually inclusive and have lasted for thousands of years. From the Tibetan, Dulong, and Nu peoples to the ancient Tea-Horse Road, the unique ethnic character and culture impress every traveler who visits this place.
The magical nature and simple people bring an incomparable romance to this hot land. Air tickets are super cheap right now. For example, a one-way ticket from Hangzhou to Dali is as low as ¥383!
Photo @OTA
Cherry blossoms, ginkgo trees, snow-capped mountains, and the sun shining on Golden Mountain... these sights only appear together for two weeks a year in northwest Yunnan! Don't hesitate if you want to go!
When many people think of Yunnan, they think of Lijiang, Shangri-La, and Xishuangbanna. However, western Yunnan in autumn holds countless romantic secrets waiting to be discovered.
"Opening the ritual of appreciating spring in winter"
Winter is coming to Jiangnan, but Dali in the south is full of spring.
Deep within Dali's Wuliang Mountain lies the Cherry Blossom Valley, a vast and winding 2,000-mu (approximately 1,000 acres) of open and winding fields. Every year in late November and early December, the cherry blossoms burst into bloom, creating a romantic and dreamy painting.
Therefore, people also say that this is "the place where spring arrives first." In fact, most people know Wuliang Mountain because of Jin Yong's martial arts novel "Demi-Gods and Semi-Devils", in which the protagonist Duan Yu comes here at the beginning of the story.
Wuliang Mountain, a place so prominent in Jin Yong's writings, boasts picturesque scenery. During bloom, the pink blossoms against the green tea plantations appear strikingly vibrant, while at sunset or sunrise, the cherry blossoms are even more captivating.
But when we actually set foot here and saw the real Wuliang Mountain, we realized that such beautiful scenery doesn't just exist in novels. The cliffs shrouded in white mist, the cascading waterfall with a jade dragon hanging in the air, and the statue of the fairy sister in the secret room of the cave...
The elegant young man Duan Yu learned the "Lingbo Weibu" by chance in Wuliang Mountain. The legend may not exist, but the mysterious and beautiful Wuliang Mountain still attracts countless tourists.
▼Attached is the Wuliangshan cherry blossom viewing schedule
"Fairytale golden world"
If one color were to represent Tengchong in autumn, gold would be the best choice.
Tengchong hides the "World's Greatest Ginkgo Kingdom"—Jiangdong Ancient Ginkgo Village. Home to over 30,000 ginkgo trees, the village blends seamlessly with the locals, creating a scene that gives the impression of "the village within the forest, the forest within the village." At sunset, the village resembles a paradise.
In mid-November, Ginkgo Village is already dyed golden, and the fallen leaves on the ground decorate the ancient village with a breathtaking beauty. The whole village is covered with yellow leaves flying in the sky and falling down, covering every corner.
Under the ginkgo tree in the yard, experience the unique "Ginkgo Afternoon Tea", chat with friends, feel the sunshine, and the tranquility and comfort of this small village in southwestern Yunnan.
▼Attached is the Tengchong Ginkgo timetable
In addition to experiencing the golden fairy tale, in Tengchong, you can also enjoy the private hot springs of Banyan Tree. Follow us to stay in the top resort hotel in Gaoligong, Tengchong. After a comfortable hot spring, sleep with the beautiful scenery.
In 639 AD, Xu Xiake, a great traveler in the Ming Dynasty, visited Tengchong and called it "unique to the west of the country". Therefore, Tengchong is known as "the first city at the extreme border". Heshun is also golden under the warm autumn sun.
Heshun, ranked among Yunnan's ten most beautiful ancient towns, is the birthplace of Yunnan's earliest international trade. The ancient Southwest Silk Road runs westward through East Asia from here.
In Heshun, you can get up early to catch the morning market, where you can buy alpine herbs, red bean cakes... Eat a piece of pine flower cake or a bowl of thin bean flour, and then take a slow walk to see the 600-year-old overseas Chinese houses. This may be the best way to integrate into the local community.
Tengchong is rich in geothermal resources and is known as the "Hot Spring City." With 84 hot springs exceeding 25°C, Tengchong boasts the highest number of hot springs, the highest temperatures, and the densest distribution in China, earning it the title of "China's Hot Spring Capital."
The most popular geothermal area in Tengchong is the Hot Sea Boiling Pot. The pool is about 10 square meters wide and 1.5 meters deep, with the water temperature reaching up to 97°C.
The clear water in the pool churned rapidly, forming huge splashes. Locals put corn, eggs, and peanuts into the pot nearby, and the raw eggs were cooked in five minutes.
"The best time to shine on Jinshan Mountain"
The rainy season has passed and the clouds and mist are no longer lingering. This season is the best time to see the golden mountain in the sun.
Meili Snow Mountain is one of the famous pilgrimage sites in Tibet. At the junction of Deqin, Yunnan and Chayu, Tibet, stands the highest peak in Yunnan - Kawagebo Peak.
At 6,740 meters above sea level, it stands out among the mountains. It is a virgin peak that has never been climbed and the only one prohibited from climbing due to cultural protection.
Come to Meili Snow Mountain and experience the beauty of the sun shining on the golden mountain at Feilai Temple, and reap a year of good luck. Only by being there and experiencing it firsthand can you truly appreciate its beauty!
"Yunnan's last secret place"
The heart of the Nu River, one of the Three Parallel Rivers, is the least commercialized region in Yunnan. Vast amounts of moisture and glacial meltwater from the Himalayas rush southward, carving the 2,000-meter-deep Nu River Grand Canyon through the towering mountain streams.
This is the longest canyon in the world with diverse natural landscapes. Twelve ethnic minorities such as the Lisu, Nu, and Dulong, who are unknown to outsiders, live on both sides of the canyon, adding countless mysteries to the canyon.
The unique culture is still preserved here, where you can deeply experience the lives of the ethnic minority brothers and feel the romance that nature and people have brought to this hot land.
Bingzhongluo means "a place with a village" in Tibetan. It is located in the north of Gongshan County, Nujiang Prefecture, bordering Chayu, Tibet.
In the minds of locals, it is the hometown blooming on the eight-petal lotus stamen, the place where humans and gods live together, and the starting point of the famous "Bingchacha Road" to Tibet.
The 2004 documentary "Drum" was filmed here. After its release, countless people flocked here to seek traces of the simple life of local ethnic minorities in this vast land.
Wuli Village is located about ten minutes' drive north of Bingzhongluo. There are 60 households in the village, including Tibetan, Nu and Lisu families.
The old wooden houses, the lush barley fields, the fruit trees beside the houses and the fir trees behind the fields together form a poetic pastoral picture, giving people the illusion of being in Switzerland.
Wuli Village still retains its traditional horse trails, making it perhaps the only village in China inaccessible to vehicles. Carved out of the cliffs, the trails are both precipitous and magnificent, a testament to the wisdom and perseverance of our ancestors.
Laomuden, in Nu language, means "a place people love to visit." Why do people love to come here? Perhaps it's the Nu people's talent for singing and dancing, and the radiance they exude when they play the dabia or mouth harp.
It may also be because they are hospitable and will treat you to fine wine and delicious food when you arrive. The Nu ethnic group’s pilaf is already on the table, waiting for you!
Or perhaps people just want to come and see the starry sky on top of the church and the sea of clouds filling the Nujiang Gorge at sunrise from Crown Peak.
Zhiziluo, the former capital of Nujiang Prefecture, was abandoned after a collective relocation due to geological disaster predictions. Here, time seems to have stood still in the 1970s, and you can occasionally spot some residents who are reluctant to leave.
The small town is located on a ridge at an altitude of 2,023 meters on the western foot of Biluo Snow Mountain. Looking from a distance, it is shrouded in clouds and mist, dreamy and romantic.
As a paradise in the Nujiang Grand Canyon, compared with the surging Nujiang River, Zhizi Luo appears to be elegant and peaceful.
Looking along the road, credit unions, supply and marketing cooperatives... these long-gone buildings from the 1980s are lined up on both sides of the road. The old slogans that can be seen in the background and the cracks in the buildings covered with weeds seem to be telling of the prosperity of the past.
Whether it's the white snow-capped peaks, the emerald green rivers, the misty fairyland, or the real-life Peach Blossom Spring... Northwestern Yunnan hides so much beauty and touching moments that are beyond words. Come here in autumn and experience a beauty that transcends all four seasons.
