Pu'er City Area

The home of Pu'er tea, with the Tea Horse Ancient Town, Pu'er National Park and the vast tea gardens of the Tea Expo Park, plus the old Nakeli post station in Ning'er and the imperial tea gardens of Kunlu Mountain.

Pu'er lies in southwestern Yunnan, with the city government based in Simao District. Located near the Tropic of Cancer, it has a subtropical monsoon climate with no harsh winters or scorching summers, and is the home of Pu'er tea and one of the starting points of the Ancient Tea Horse Road. Simao is surrounded by forest and known as the "City in the Forest." North of the city are the Tea Horse Ancient Town and the Banjiupo ruins of the Tea Horse Road; to the south are Meizi Lake, the China Pu'er Tea Expo Park and Pu'er National Park (Taiyanghe Forest Park), where you can see vast tea gardens, tropical rainforest and Asian elephants. To the north, Ning'er County was historically the trading hub for Pu'er tea, with the Nakeli tea-horse post station, the Ethnic Unity Oath Monument, the imperial ancient tea gardens of Kunlu Mountain and Mohei Ancient Town. The best time to visit is the dry season from Nov to Apr, sunny, warm and with little rain; Mar–Apr is spring tea-picking season. In the May–Oct rainy season the tea hills are greener, but mountain roads may be hit by landslides. Pu'er Simao Airport has flights to Kunming and elsewhere, and bullet trains on the China–Laos Railway connect Pu'er Station with Kunming and Xishuangbanna. Sights in the city are easy to reach by taxi, but for Ning'er, driving or hiring a car is recommended. Allow 2–3 days, then continue south to Xishuangbanna or west to Jingmai Mountain. Pu'er's wild mushrooms, Dai cuisine and dishes from its many ethnic groups are all worth trying.

Top sights

• Pu'er National Park (Taiyanghe Forest Park) – A tropical rainforest park south of Simao city where you can see Asian elephants and peafowl up close, walk forest boardwalks and stay in t…
• China Pu'er Tea Expo Garden – A Pu’er tea-themed park among the 10,000-mu tea gardens of Yingpan Mountain, with a tea museum, tea ceremony performances and tea-picking e…
• Tea Horse Ancient City – A purpose-built ancient-style tourist town in the new district north of Simao, with night lights, shows and a Pu'er tea street, free all da…
• Tea Horse Road Scenic Area (Banjiupo Section) – A heritage park on the Tea Horse Road north of Simao, with a stone-paved old road, tea hills and ancient wells, ideal for a reflective walk…
• Meizi Lake Park – A reservoir-lake park south of Simao, with a lakeside trail and forest paths, a favorite spot for locals to stroll and watch the sunset.
• Nakeli Tea Horse Station – A Tea Horse Road post-station village in Tongxin Town, Ninger, with a wind-and-rain bridge, horse inns and a well-preserved stone-paved old…
• Kunlushan Royal Tea Garden – A Qing-dynasty imperial tribute tea garden where centuries-old tea trees grow alongside village life, a pilgrimage site for Pu'er tea lover…
• Pu'er Ethnic Unity Garden – The site of the 'First Ethnic Unity Stele of New China,' erected in 1951, a national key cultural heritage site.
• Simao Old Town (Confucian Temple & Daijia Lane) – The Confucian Temple and Daijia Lane heritage buildings of Simao's old town, with cafés and handicraft shops tucked away in the lanes.
• Pu'er Museum – Pu'er's comprehensive museum, showcasing the region's history, tea culture and multi-ethnic heritage, free to visit.
• Mohei Ancient Town – A town built around thousand-year-old salt wells in northern Ninger, with a Peacock Screen section of the Tea Horse Road nearby and salt he…

Where to eat

• Lao Pu'er Cuisine (Chama Ancient Town Branch) – A local Pu'er restaurant in the Chama Ancient Town tourist village, known for its intangible-heritage Chicken Tofu and…

Itineraries

• Jinghong, Ganlanba & Pu'er in Depth – Stay in Gaozhuang and a Dai homestay in Ganlanba, explore the botanical garden, Dai villages and temples, then take the…
• Xishuangbanna, Jingmai Mountain & Pu'er Rainforest Tea Route – Start from Jinghong's rainforests and Dai villages, pass through Nannuo Mountain to the ancient tea forests of Jingmai…