Tengchong

The “First City on the Far Frontier,” with Rehai hot springs, volcanic geothermal sights and Heshun Ancient Town, golden autumn at Ginkgo Village, and the history of the war of resistance in western Yunnan: a popular winter getaway in Yunnan.

Tengchong is a county-level city administered by Baoshan in Yunnan Province. It lies on the western slope of the Gaoligong Mountains in western Yunnan, on the China–Myanmar border, and has long been a major gateway on the Southern Silk Road. In the Ming dynasty, Xu Xiake called it the “First City on the Far Frontier.” Its elevation is about 1,640 m. This is China’s youngest volcanic field and its most concentrated geothermal area: 97 volcanoes and more than 80 hot springs are scattered around the city, and three national-level sights, the Rehai Big Boiling Pot, the Volcano Park and the Beihai Wetland, form a triangle around the urban area. Heshun Ancient Town, 4 km southwest of the city, is a 600-year-old overseas-Chinese hometown that preserves intact Ming-and-Qing dwellings and the largest village library in China. During the War of Resistance against Japan, Tengchong was the main battlefield of the counteroffensive in western Yunnan, and the National Martyrs’ Cemetery and the Western Yunnan War of Resistance Memorial Museum are among the most important war memorial sites in China. Areas to visit: the city and Heshun (your lodging base); Rehai to the south (12 km); the northern route of the Volcano Park – Beihai Wetland – Ginkgo Village (20–40 km); and the Mayu Valley and Lotus Hot Spring Town around Jietou and Qushi in the north. Climate: subtropical highland monsoon, with warm winters and cool summers. November to March is the hot-spring peak season, with clear skies and little rain, and the ginkgo trees of Ginkgo Village turn golden from mid-November to early December; April–May and September–October are mild and comfortable; June–September is the rainy season, with frequent showers. Getting there: Tengchong Tuofeng Airport is about 12 km from the city, with flights to Kunming (about 1 hour), Chengdu, Chongqing, Beijing, Shanghai and more. Baoshan (which has a high-speed rail station) is about 2 hours by car from Tengchong, and driving from Kunming takes about 8 hours. Sights within the area are scattered, so you can charter a car (about RMB 300–400 per day), share a ride or take a day tour; there is a bus between Heshun and the city. We suggest 3 days: Day 1 Heshun Ancient Town + National Martyrs’ Cemetery; Day 2 soaking in hot springs at Rehai; Day 3 Volcano Park + Beihai Wetland or Ginkgo Village. Food: Dajiujia (stir-fried rice cake), copper-ladle beef, xidoufen (thin pea porridge), tuguozi (clay-pot dish), and Tengchong rice noodles; in Heshun, try songhua cake and tounao. Notes: Rehai tickets come in sightseeing and bathing packages, so decide whether you want to soak before buying; the National Martyrs’ Cemetery requires a reservation the day before through the official WeChat account; UV is strong at high altitude, so bring sun protection; accommodation is tight during ginkgo season and the Spring Festival.

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Itineraries