21Days China-Laos-Vietnam-Myanmar Border Exploration

You’ll begin your journey to the diverse and captivating province of Yunnan from the capital city, Kunming. Upon arrival at the Kunming International Airport, meet your local guide and transfer to the hotel.

If time permits, you will have a Kunming city tour to visit the Flowers and Birds Market in the downtown of Kunming. You will take a leisurely stroll along the Green Lake, a charming area of teahouses and small boutiques selling handicrafts and beautiful local paintings.

— Kunming is the capital of southwest China’s Yunnan province, a primarily agricultural province of 45 million. Kunming has a population of five million and is located in one of the world’s most geographically, ethnically, biologically and linguistically diverse regions. Situated at 1,900 meters (6,233ft) above sea level and 25° north of the Equator it has a rather unique and pleasant climate for a Chinese city.

Distance: Kunming-94KM-the Stone Forest-200KM-Mengzi-160KM-Hekou/5hours Driving

After breakfast, drive to the Stone Forest, located in Lunan Yi Nationality Autonomous County, the Stone Forest is about 120 kilometers (75 miles) from Kunming. The Stone Forest is divided into several scenic areas with names like Greater Stone Forest, Lesser Stone forest, Outer Stone Forest, Underground Stone Forest, Stone Forest Lake, and Da Dieshui Fall. The Stone Forest was formed by karst two million to thirty million years ago. It contains peaks, pillars, stalagmites, depressions, underground rivers, and caves. The fantastic stone pinnacles rising abruptly from the ground resemble a huge, dense forest.

After lunch, continue the driving toHekou Yao Autonomous County. Hekou County is in the southwestern end of the Nanxi River and clear the muddy crossroads of the Red River, a one-Cloud, a blue one red, a clear trail Wei, a water color of the two natural wonders. The River Interchange only 76.4 meters above sea level, the lowest in Yunnan Province.

Arrive in Hekou and visit the Hekou Border between China and Vietnam, enjoy the special border culture.

Distance: Hekou-100KM-Ladeng Waterfalls-135KM-Jinping/4hours Driving

In the morning,visit the Sino-Vietnam Border Street. A narrow street on the Sino- Vietnamese border, commonly known as the Vietnamese Street, in southwest China’s Yunnan Province, has flourished into a symbol of the booming cross-border trade.More than 1,000 Vietnamese opened shops on this business street, and established trade ties with a neighboring street dominated mainly by shops run by people from Yunnan and other elsewhere in China.

Visit Nanxi River and Vietnam Railway Bridge which is located in the southeast part of the county, across the South River bridge 76 meters long. Bridge in the middle of the border, the northern section of the Chinese jurisdiction, the jurisdiction of the South. Bridge in the middle of narrow gauge railways, on both sides of the bed Road Vehicle.

Drive to Jinping Miao, Yao, and Dai Autonomous County. Visit Ladeng Waterfalls and Biaoshuiyan Waterfalls. Ladeng Waterfall is located in upper reaches of the Ladeng River (also called the Wutai River) and its branch Shidong River, close to the Maguaitang Village of the Ma’andi Township. There are six rarely-seen waterfall subgroups in total, one in the upper reaches of the Shidong River and five in the upper reaches of the Ladeng River. The altitude of the fifth waterfall subgroup of the Ladeng River is 2,621 meters. The heights of waterfalls are between 60 and 100 meters and the widths of them are all about 10 meters.

Drive along the Red River Valley and arrive in Jinping County.

Distance: Jinping-40KM-Jinshuihe Town-25KM-Mengla Town-65KM-Jinping-200KM-Yuanyang/6hours Driving

In the morning, visit the local market in Jinping County. Drive to Jinshuihe Border, a river border at the southern tip of Jinping County. Here is a crossroad of many minorities. At a tiny village with only twenty households, there are five nationalities.

Drive to Mengla Town and visit Mongla Temple.“Mongla” means “the village beside the water” in the Dai language. It is 42 kilometers far from the county seat. The Mongla Dam covers an area of 16.3 square kilometers. In this place, the land is wide and flat and the Mongla River is flowing slowly and peacefully.

Visit Dai,Yao and Miao ethnic villages as well as the rice terraces, drive along the Red River to Yuanyang.
Enjoy the sunset view of Longshuba Rice Terrace which is 5KM away from Xinjie Town.

Distance: Xinjiezhen-20KM-Duoyishu-20KM-Laohuzui-20KM-Xinjiezhen/1.5hours Driving

Get up every early in the morning,you’ll drive 30KM to visit Doyishu Village and enjoy the sunrise of Duoyishu Rice Terrace Fields when the sun appears above the eastern horizon. The terraced fields are ring upon ring and cascade one by one. They go along the hillside up to the sky. You will see the scenery of the terraced fields from the top of the mountains to the bottom. They are all farms under the sunshine and cloud and mist. The landscape is spectacular.

And then, you will visit Qingkou Village and rice terraces where Hani people for generations inhabit. Visit Bada Hani Rice Terrace, Shengcun Market as well. You will enjoy the sunset of Laohuzui Rice Terraces in the late afternoon in Panzhihua Town.

Distance: Xinjiezhen-120KM-Lvchun-160KM-Jiangcheng/7hours Driving

After breakfast, visit the local market in Xinjie Town. Depart from Xinjie Town,drive around 2 hours to Laomeng, if you are lucky enough, you will have chance to enjoy the Laomeng Sunday Market. Laomeng holds the most flamboyant market every Sunday. One can see people from six different ethnic minorities, with women and children dressing up in colourful dresses, different in their own traditional style.

Continue the driving along the banana forest and some rice terraces, you arrive at Lvchun County. Luchun county, on the south western border of Yunnan Provice, China, just like its name, is a land where the green mountains spread out like a ribbon, the azure water always flows, the winter isn’t too cold, and the summer isn’t too hot.
Pay a visit Lvchun Local Market and Lvchun Hani Ethnic Culture Museum. The main cultural legacy of the worldwide Hani people over several thousand years of development is its unique immaterial culture. Therefore, this museum, in accordance with current advanced theory, has discarded the model of a traditional museum which simply displays a collection of implements, and adopted a model of bringing together local characteristics and the worldwide Hani culture.

After lunch, drive along the Lixianjiang River Valley to Jiangcheng Hani and Yi Autonomous County. Visit Lixianjiang River Valley, Hani ethnic villages, rice terraces on the way.

Distance: Jiangcheng-60KM-Qushui Town-60KM-Jiangcheng-60KM-Zhengdong-170KM-Mengla/7hours Driving
Jiangcheng Hani and Yi Autonomous County is an autonomous county under the jurisdiction of Pu’er City, in southern Yunnan, China, bordering Laos and Vietnam to the south, making it the only county in the province to border more than one country. By road, its seat, the town of Menglie (勐烈镇), is 520 km (320 mi) from Kunming and 145 km (90 mi) from Simao District, the municipal seat of Pu’er.
Drive 1hour to Qushui Town and visit Longfu Border between China,Vietnam and Laos including Monument of One Foot in Three Countries, Triple-border Boundary Tablet,Longfu Border Market (3th,13th,23th). Longfu Border, located in Shiceng Dashan Mountain (Ten Layers Mountain), is famous for the Place Straddling the border of China, Vietnam and Laos.
Drive back to Jiangcheng, visit Jiangcheng Tea Plantation.
Drive to Zhengdong Town, 60KM from Jiangcheng County. Visit Mantan Village and Chenzisanzhai Village of Dai Minority.
Mantan Village(漫滩傣族村) is a traditional village with Dai people’s characteristics. Dai people has lived there since the Emperor Yongzheng(雍正) of Qing Dynasty(1636 A.D-1912 A.D.). Up to now, Dai people have occupied 95% percent of the population in the village.
Well-reserved natural environment and ethnic dwellings make the village beautiful and quiet. No garbage can be seen when strolling along the roads in the village.

Chenzisanzhai Village(城子三寨村): a unique village with exotic flavors
About 8 kilometers away from Mantan Village sits the Chengzisanzhai Village. It is a small yet ancient village where Dai people have lived there for generations. Traditional customs of Dai people are intactly reserved in the village. Exquisite traditional houses of Dai people can be seen everywhere.

The village borders to Laos and Vietnam. Its unique geographical location contributes to Dai people’s close communication with southeast Asian countries. Nowadays, local Dai residents still keep the custom of intermarriage with the Lao and the Vietnamese, which endows an kind of exotic flavor to the village.

Drive to Mengla County for overnight.

Distance: Mengla-40KM-Mohan-40KM-Mengla-80KM-Menglun-60KM-Jinghong/4hours Driving

Transfer to Mohan Border in the morning, pay a visit the border trade street and transfer back to Menglun.

MoHan border trade in yunnan province, is located in yunnan province and the southernmost part of the Indochina peninsula, and Laos grinding hub, butyl port from more than 190 states xishuangbanna jinghong quentin km (lines), Raman highway in kunming, the capital of yunnan province, from more than 700 kilometers.

Drive to Menglun and take a tour of the Menglun Tropical Botanical Garden. As the home to many rare flora and endangered fauna, Xishuangbanna is an excellent place to take in the unique beauty of sub-tropical nature and biodiversity in China. Take a visit to the Menglun Tropical Botanical Garden and observe beautiful flowers, shrubbery, and trees in the spacious garden. If you go early enough in the morning, you can see the sunrise cast a dreamy golden glow over the garden.

Drive to Jinghong City for overnight.

Distance: Jinghong-35KM-Dai Ethnic Garden-35KM-Jinghong/1.5hours Driving

Take one day tour to Ganlanba Morning Market,Dai Ethnic Garden,Mekong River,Mengle Temple,Manting Park.

In the morning visit Ganlanba Morning Market, water Dai villages, Burmese temple and rubber garden on the way. Visit Dai Ethnic Garden, located in the Ganlan Basin in Menghan County, proudly holds a national 4A rating as one of China’s top scenic spots.  Within the Dai Ethnic Garden, five Dai villages – Manjiang, Manchunman, Manting, ManZha, and Manga – cover an area of 3.36 square kilometers and consist of 309 families, or 1487 individual villagers.

Transfer back to Jinghong in the afternoon and pay a visit Mengle Temple. Mengle Great Buddha Temple was built to memorize a beautiful Dai Minority queen who was a pious Buddhist during Ming dynasty (1368-1644), which was destroyed during a war in 1848 and what we see today was rebuilt in 2007. Notable for its peculiar shape which resembles a sitting Buddha, Mengle Great Buddha Temple, the largest Theravada Buddhist temple in China, is the most sacred and important religion site of Dai people.

Visit Manting Park which is a modern park that measures about 30 acres in Jinghong in Xishuangbanna. It has a large new Buddhist temple called Zongfo Si. There is a display of ethnic architecture, and people entertain themselves by water fights during the Dai Water Splashing Festival each year. Entertainment is presented in the evening.

Distance: Jinghong-120KM-Daluo-70KM-Jinghong/4hours Driving
Transfer to Daluo Town, visit Daluo Border between Myanmar and China, Daluo town is located in southwest of Menghai County. The southeast is Bulangshan Mountain, the southwest and west are bordering on the Myanmar with the national boundary of 36.5 kilometers.With a total area of 400 square kilometers and superior geographical advantage, and being 81 kilometers away from Menghai County, Daluo is an important port in Yunnan province.

Visit Mengjinglai Dai ethnic village. Mengjinglai is the most outstanding China-Myanmar village. It’s located in the southwest of Xishuangbanna, Menghai Town. The crystal clear Daluo River flows from the west of the village forms the natural borders for both countries. Mengjinglai is a very typical traditional Dai ethnic village. The villagers here and the Shan ethnic from Myanmar have a good relationship through inter ethnic marriage and they form a rare Dai-Shan ethnic in this area. It’s a strong Buddhist foothold with much common view of sacred trees, pagodas, holy spring, temples which make you feel a solemn Buddhist culture here.

Visit One Tree Forest. Some aerial roots will grow from the trunk of the big banyan tree to whose base they would twine. Through the branches of the banyan tree breaks 32 aerial roots that are hanging down into the earth to be an aerial roots jungle. These straight aerial roots stand in lines like the soldiers who protect their motherland at the frontier, which makes people respectful. Therefore, the One-Tree-Forest scenery in Da Luo town is indispensable for the tourists to Xishuangbanna.

Drive to Menghai County, pay a visit to Jingzhen Octagonal Pavilion. Jingzhen Octagonal Pavilion was built in 1701 during the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911) — the year 1063 according to the Dai calendar. It was originally built in a local Hinayana temple, but the temple was destroyed. The pavilion has retained its former features following three large-scale repairs.

Distance: Menghai-110KM-Lancang-60KM-Menglian-25KM-Mangxin Town-25KM-Menglian/6hours Driving
Transfer to Menglian Dai Wa Lahu Autonomous County in the morning. The landscape and culture of southwestern Yunnan’s Menglian Dai, Lahu and Va Autonomous County very much resemble those of Xishuangbanna. Hills rise around alluvial plains and the major towns lie along rivers. The Dai minority nationality dominates the plains population — wet-rice cultivators who live in stilted houses and practice Theravada Buddhism. Other ethnic minorities, from the Tibeto-Burman and Mon-Khmer linguistic groups, inhabit the hills, growing dry rice, sugarcane or tea.

Visit Nayun Old Town. Nayun Ancient Dai Ethnic Town is the last surviving old Dai ethnic town in China. It’s near the Dracaena (Dragon Blood Trees) Natural Reserve and consists of the Upper Town (Shangcheng) where the Mansion of Menglian Pacification Commissioner is situated, the Middle Town (Zhongcheng), the Lower Town (Xiacheng), Mangfang Mount and Mangfang Mount etc. First built in 651 on the Dai Calendar (1289 A.D), it has enjoyed a history of more than 700 years. In 2001, the ancient town is approved as “Nayun Dai Ethnic Historic and Cultural Town” by Yunnan Provincial Government.

Visit Mangxin border town. Mangxin market is about 25km from Menglian, another small market but colourful, yes…because of the Aini! there was 2 different dressing style, one was similar to those in Lancang with kind of head scarf, but here they tailor made it into a hat, the jacket is the same style only less decorated, as I saw those wear this kind of headdress were mostly older women.

Distance: Menglian-70KM-Ximeng-60KM-Yuesong-60KM-Ximeng/5hours Driving

Transfer to Ximeng Va Autonomous County. Visit Mengsuo Dragon Pool,Longmoye Forest and Sigangli Va Ethnic Village.

Over 200 kilometers from Pu’er City on the south, Ximeng County is a home for Va people who have dark complexion, straight nose, big eyes and glossy black hairs. They shows a kind of the beauty of the wild. The newly-built Ximeng County lies in the Washan Valley. “The skull of oxe”, symbol of Va people are decorated on roofs or eaves.

The spiritual land of Va people is in the middle of the downtown. “Longmoye” Forest is a jungle for sacrifice. Thousands of buffalo skulls, thickly dotted, can be seen on the stocky walls on the cliff.

Drive to visit Yuesong Town between Myanmar and China, enjoy the wonder of  Washan Yunhai(Wa Mountain and the Sea of Cloud) ,transfer back to Ximeng.

Distance: Ximeng-170KM-Shuangjiang-80KM-Cangyuan/5hours Driving

In the morning,visit Muyiji Holy Valley of Va ethnic people. Years ago, the Va people believed in the power of natural things and thought all things have their spirits, including for example water, mountain, and wood. The mightiest god was called ‘Muyiji’, and his five sons were the ancestors of the Va. In recent years, some of the Va have become followers of Buddhism and Christianity.

Visit Likan Waterfall and walk in the Rattan Bridge over the river. In the opposite direction, about five kilometers north of the county seat, the main road spills down a canyon towards the Nankang River (南康河). A side road leads to another Dai settlement, Likan Village (里坎村). Past the town’s temple a trail winds through terraced rice paddies and into the jungle, eventually leading to Likan Waterfall (里坎瀑布).

Drive to Cangyuan Va Autonomous County. Visit the tea plantation, Xiaoheijiang River Valley on the way.

Distance: Cangyuan-20KM-Yonghe-30KM-Wending-20KM-Cangyuan/2hours Driving
Drive 20KM to Yonghe Border between Myanmar and China which is welknown as the Great Golden Triangle of China,Myanmar and Thailand. Enjoy the border scenery and visit the holy Gongming Mountain of Va ethnic people from a far.

Drive back to Cangyuan Rock Cliff Paiting. The cliff paintings of Cangyuan is said to take on different colors as the time, weather and humidity change. According to the proverb of the local Wa and Thai (dǎi 傣) people that the cliff painting changes three times a day: in the morning the color is red, at noon lighter and in the evening purple. Nowadays the paintings have already been designated as the key historical relic protection unit at the provincial level.

Visit Wengding Va Ethnic Village and rice terraces of Va ethnic people. You will enjoy the Wooden Drum Dance of Wa ethnic group in the village and experience the ethnic life with local people. Wengding Wa original herd small villages in Cangyuan Wa Autonomous County Weng small village, surrounded by beautiful natural scenery, rich ethnic customs, Weng dingzhai retain the original architectural style and residential Wa Wa traditions of the original, is by far the most well-preserved primitive village herd, Lincang customs humanities is the must-tourism attractions.

Drive back to Cangyuan and pay a visit Mangnong Temple.

Distance: Cangyuan-110KM-Mengding-30KM-Qingshuihe Border-80KM-Zhenkang/5hours Driving
Drive to Mengding Town,located in Gengma Dai and Va Autonomous County, is famous for the Golden Border in China because its economy and border culture.
Visit Moya village of Mengding Town, Gengma County, is a big producer of palm tree leaves, and is most famous for its fans braided from the leaves of Chinese fan palm trees (Latin name: Livistona chinensis). Light, cute and exquisite, Moya palm-leave fans are widely used not only as interior decorations, but also as practical cooling tools in summertime.

Visit Mangtuan Village and the Mangtuan Traditional Paper-making Workshop.Papermaking is one of the four great inventions of ancient China. Over time, the original and traditional papermaking process has gradually been replaced, but in the remote village of MangTuan in Yunnan, the 600 year-old tradition of paper-making by the Dai Ethnic group still exists. July 2013, ten students from Tsinghua’s Academy of Arts & Design went to the small village on the border with Myanmar and launched a thorough research and investigation of their paper-making traditions.

Visit the tropical farmland and drive along the Nanding River to Qingshuihe Border between China and Myanmar, visit the China-Myanmar Border Market in Qingshuihe, drive along the border to Zhenkang in the afternoon.

Distance: Zhenkang-220KM-Mangshi/5hours Driving

In the morning, transfer to the Nansan Border between Myanmar and China. Enjoy the fantastic border culture including the Nansan Border Market, the Border Gate and Nansan Transnational Cave.

Pay a visit Baiyan Border Village of Deang ethnic minority, a small village face to Myanmar welknown as the First Village of Deang Ethnic Minority in China.Visit the wonder of Pagoda-wrapped Tree in the village as well as the Deang ethnic performance.

Drive to Mangshi, visit the Nujiang-Salween River between Myanmar and China, stop for some ethnic villages on the way.
Arrive in Mangshi, you will be free to walk around Mangshi Plaza.

Distance: Mangshi-100KM-Mangshi/1.5hours Driving ​ In the morning, visit Bodi Temple in Mangshi. It is said to be first built in the reign of the Emperor Kangxi in the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911) by Mangshi Chieftain’s oldest son who gave up his official career and became a monk. The temple got its name because there was a Bodhi tree (Bo tree) in its front. With unique designs and exquisite workmanship, the main hall is characterized by the fusion of architectural styles of the Dai, Chinese Han and Ancient-India, etc. Visit Tree-wrapped pagoda and Tower-wraped Tree in Mangshi City. Tower Wraped in the Tree was formerly called Iron City Stupa which was built in memory of a war. The Stupa is a solid tower made of bricks. It is wraped and covered by roots, and is thus called Tower Wraped in the Tree. It is the earliest stupa built by local Dai people. Visit Mengbanaxi Rare Garden. Mengbanaxi Rare Treasures Garden is a state 4A-level scenic attraction in the southeast of Luxi City, Dehong Prefecture. It’s known as an ecological garden for its simplicity, being natural, and curiosities contained. Mengbanaxi Garden is endowed with a great deal of ancient trees (such as silicified wood) that add much to the fame of the garden as a Gene Data Base of Tropical Plants. Drive to Wanding Border Town between Myanmar and China. Visit Wanding Bridge and Wanding Town. Drive along the Ruili River to Ruili City, visit One Tree Forest on the way. Enjoy the Ruili Night Market at night.

Distance: Ruili-30KM-Longchuan-90KM-Yingjiang/3hours Driving ​ Take a halfday tour in Ruili City. Ruili is on the border with Myanmar. 64% of the population of Ruili are members of five highland and lowland ethnic minorities including Dai, Jingpo, Deang, Lisu, Achang. It is an important location for trade with Myanmar, in both legal and illegal goods and services. Prostitution and drug trade in the city are not uncommon. Visit Jiegao Border between Myanmar and China, Jiele Golden Pagoda, China and Myanmar Border Street,One Village in two countries. Drive to Longchuan County and visit Longchuan Jingpo Ethnic Square,Zhangfeng Border Gate. Drive to Yingjiang, visit Husa Town and Achang ethnic villages, visit the Knife-make workshop in Husa.”Achang knife,” which is also known as “Husa knife”, gets its name because it is made mainly in the Husa and Lasa areas of Longchuan County where many Achangs live. This sort of knife is “well-forged and elaborately made, and very sharp, tensile, durable.” Sheaths made of wood, leather, silver and other materials are extremely exquisite, too. Drive along the Yingjiang River and arrive Yingjiang County.

Distance: Yingjiang-40KM-Tongbiguan-40KM-Nabang Border-130KM-Lianghe-50KM-Tengchong/5hours Driving ​ Visit Yunyan Pagoda on the top of Yunyan Mountain, walk to Yingjiang River and experience the Bamboo Bridge of Dai ethnic people. Transfer to Tongbiguan Pass, visit Kaibangya Lake and The King Banyan Tree. Drive 40KM to Nabang Border between Myanmar and China, visit Nabang Border Market. Drive to Tengchong via Yingjiang and Lianghe, visit Nandian Xuanwu Chieftain Palace in Lianghe County. Arrive in Tengchong in the late afternoon.

Distance: Tengchong-13KM-Rehai-20KM-Heshun-10KM-Tengchong/1hour Driving ​ Tengchong at the Tea-horse Road is a famous historical city bearing witness to the rise, prosperity and falling of that significant trade route. The city remains every aspect brought by the once thriving trade with aged streets lined with horse inns, shops selling horse gears and entertainment catering to those passing-by merchants. Walking along the tranquil streets, one can still feel the trading air of this former trade town. Walk around Heshun Old Town. ‘Heshun’ means peace and harmony in Chinese, the town is indeed a quiet place with many traditional courtyards, pavilions, memorial halls, archways, and ponds. In the town, you could visit the Heshun Library, Museum of Yunnan-Burmese Anti-Japanese War, Heshun Lane, Wanlouzi Museum and some ancestral halls. Transfer to visit Rehai Hot Spring and you also can enjoy the hot spring and spa extra.The Hot Sea and Hot Fields in Tengchong.Tengchong is one of China’s three major geothermal areas, known as “Land Abounding in Geothermal Resources”. There are plenty of springs of hot water and hot vapour, called “Hot Sea”. There are quite a number of hot fields as well. Transfer back to Tengchong.

Departure from Tengchong.