Travel Destinations: Dehong Prefecture, Yunnan Province, China

Yunnan is a province of contrasts – in the north there are snow-capped mountain peaks, whilst to the south you are in tropical forest paradise. In addition to this, it is a contrast of ethnicities – nearly 50% of the population here are non-Han Chinese.

The Xishuangbanna Region definitely overshadows Dehong Prefecture – like the former, Dehong is an area heavily populated by non-Han Chinese and borders Burma, but has not been able to capture the imagination or itinerates of international travellers.

Due to its close proximity with Burma, there are a lot of Chinese who come here to trade with the other country, especially Burmese jade which is still a speciality. You will also see a lot of Burmese people in this area, as well as the Dai, the Jingpo and a few other ethnic groups.

MANGSHI:

This is a large town which has been the link with the outside world; a stop as travellers pass through o their way to Ruili, but Mangshui is a good place to stop and explore for a day. Start with visiting the 200 year old Embracing Tree Pagoda (so-called as it has intertwined with the neighbouring tree), then head off to the Puti Temple, the Foguang Temple and the beautiful Five Clouds Temple.

RUILI:

This is a town with a history almost as shady and seedy as Shanghai; for many years this was a place for adventurers, the shady and the criminal. Nights here were filled by visiting casinos and seedy karaoke bars. This was the ‘it’ place in Yunnan, drawing rich young men due to the ‘anything-goes’ attitude of the town.

This occurred due to the strong trading links with Burma, trading anything from raw gemstones to weapons in the 1990s. For the latter, China was given gigantic amounts of heroin, leading to drug trafficking and drug taking being a part of everyday life.

Today, Ruili is no longer as shady as it once was and is relatively safe to visit (but remember to be careful in any case).

There are some good places to visit, but the atmosphere is what still draws its visitors. Just watching people as they go on their way is a good way to soak it all in. There is a massive market in the west of town, as well as a jade market in the other, and you can also explore one or more of the several ethnic villages in the surrounding region.

Travel Destinations: Datong, Shanxi Province, China

Although not the prettiest of China’s cities, Datong in Shanxi Province is still another great place for the international traveller who wants to explore away from Beijing, Shanghai and Hong Kong.

Datong has a long and rich history; a border town, is has been an important strategic place, situated on the edge of the Mongolian grasslands during the Northern Wei period. It first rose to prominence as the capital city of the Tuoba, an ancient Turkic-speaking people who rose up and united the nomads in northern China under a federation. They converted to Buddhism and eventually became Chinese.

Datong has some wonderful sights to offer the traveller. One of the first stops here should be the beautiful Huayan Temple. This temple is separated into two complexes and was constructed in the Liao dynasty by the ancient Khitan people. Unfortunately, time has taken its toll and very little of the architecture from this date has survived.

The upper temple (Shang Huayan Si) is an active monastery, the main hall dates to 1140. It is one of the largest Buddhist halls in China and you can listen to regular lectures from the Buddhist monks on how to cease suffering.

The lower temple (Xia huayan Si) is a museum, housing some beautiful artifacts dating to the Wei and Liao dynasties. The back hall was originally built in 1038 and is the oldest building in the city.

The Nine Dragon Screen (Jiulong Bi) is another great place to visit when in Datong. It was constructed in the Ming dynasty to serve as a temple’s spirit wall, preventing evil spirits from entering and causing troubles inside. It is 8m high, 45m long and 2m thick, and is a beautiful example of ancient Chinese craftsmanship.

If you love Chinese temples and have already seen Huayan Temple, then visit Shanhua Temple (Shanhua Si). This flamboyant temple dates back to the 12^th century, and contains five central Buddhas and beautiful statues of heavenly generals.

If you go a little outside of Datongn, you will find some amazing cultural attractions. Visit its section of the Great Wall of China – this is not the brick and stone wall that dates from the Ming dynasty. Instead, it is from much earlier dynasties and is made from tampered earth. Although it is not as pretty as Ming Wall around Beijing, this is the authentic Wall and should not be missed.

You can also hike along the Great Wall and visit some wonderful historic forts and ruins along the way. Desheng Bao (‘Achieving Victory Fort) dates from the 10^th century and can be found about 43km north of Datong.

The Yungang Caves are a must-see when visiting Datong. These beautiful grottos began construction in 460 CE and are the earliest examples of Buddhist iconography in China. They are different from the Buddhist carvings found along the Silk Road (the Magao Caves in Dunhuang) because the Tuoboa were trying to portray a sense of ‘Chinese’ about them, to assimilate themselves in the Chinese society they ruled.

The most beautiful and impressive Buddhist statue here depicting the Wei emperors can be found in Cave 20 which portrays a seated Sakyamuni, standing 14m high, with a standing Bodhisattva next to him. In Cave 8, you can see some wonderful Hindu gods (Vishnu and Shiva) as guardians of the entrance with phoenixes or Chinese peacocks.

16km west of Datong, the Yungang Caves can be reached by taking a number 3 bus which will take about 30 minutes. Alternatively, you can join a tour which will also take you out here.

Datong has a very small airport, about 20km east of the city, with flights from Beijing daily and Guangzhou three times a week. There are three bus stations which can take you wherever you need to go. You can also visit Datong from Beijing as a day or overnight trip on the train as well.

Like Beijing, Datong has big air pollution issues due to many reasons; sulphurous pollution, sub-urban slag heaps and contaminated groundwater. As stated, Datong may not win first prize (or second or third for that matter) for its beauty, but nevertheless, there is a certain charm and a sense of pride about her past that keeps tourists flocking to this wonderful ancient city year after year.

Travel Destinations: Changsha, Hunan Province, China

The British philosopher Bertrand Russell once described Changsha as resembling ‘a medieval town’ in the 1920s when it passed through it on a visit to China. Today, Changsha in Hunan Province looks much the same as other Chinese cities.

The Changsha area has been inhabited for more than 3000 years. By the time of the Warring States Period, a large permanent settlement had been established here, due to the fertile plains of the Xiang River (Xiang Jiang).

Changsha is mostly known as the gateway to the village of Shaoshan, the birthplace of the infamous Chairman Mao, as well as its own Mao related attractions.

Hunan Provincial Museum (Hunan Sheng Bowuguan) is the first place tourists should visit when in Changsha. This museum is one of the best in China; the museum showcases some incredible artefacts including exhibits from the 2100 year old Western Han Mawangdui Tombs which can be found 5km east of the city.

This museum can offer visitors a chance to learn and understand more about life and art in the Western Han period; the expressions of the wooden figures are truly incredible. There are also more than 700 pieces of exquisite lacquer ware, Han silk textiles, and magnificent silk and bamboo wooden slips which record ancient manuscripts. One of these includes an early version of the Zhouyi (the Yijing, otherwise known as the I Ching), which is written in the formal Han clerical script.

The highlight of the museum is the body of the Marquess of Dai. She has been extracted from her incredibly beautiful and elegant multi-layered coffin, where she has been wonderfully preserved. However, she does have an unusually horrified look upon her face.

Further on in the museum, there are some lovely bronzes discovered in Hunan from the Shang and Zhou dynasties. One of the most interesting is the ‘elephant-shaped zun’.

Yuelu Park (Yuelu gongyuan) can be found at the base of the High Mountain Park is a lovely place to visit and unwind. The University here was built on the earlier YueluAcademy, built in the Song dynasty. For exquisite views, hike from here to Loving Dusk Pavilion (Aiwan Ting).

Changsha is known for its Mao related attractions. These include the massive 1968 statue of Chairman Mao, which greets visitors as they enter the Changsha City Musuem (Shi Bowuguan). You can also visit the former site of the Hunan CPC Committee, which is located inside the museum. Here, you can view some interesting photos and other items from Mao’s living quarters from the 1920s.

On Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays, there is a small but lovely antiques market held at the museum entrance gate. Here, you can pick up some unusual and interesting objects.

Changsha is reachable via bus, train and plane. There are buses that run here to and from Shaoshan (two hours), Guilin (six hours), Heng Shan (two to three hours) and Jinggang Shan (five hours). There are two daily trains on the Guangzhou-Changsha-Beijing route, as well as a daily train to and from Shanghai (20 hours). If coming from Hong Kong, the train running from Kowloon to Beijing also stops at Changsha.

If coming via plane, the nearest airport is the Hunanghua International Airport, around 26km from the city. There are shuttle buses to and from the airport to the Civil Aviation Hotel on Wuyi Dadao.

Changsha is a wonderful city that can offer the international traveller everything that they could possibly want. Come visit today and soak in the history, the culture and the friendliness of Changsha.

Travel Destinations: Changbai Shan

In Jilin Province in China, you will find the country’s largest nature reserve, Changbai Shan. This is a beautiful 210,000 hectares of thick forest which straddles the North Korean border. This is a stunning place to visit, drawing thousands of tourists every year to its heart.

As it is so close to Korea, Changnai Shan is also popular with South Koreans who call it Mt Paekdu, or Paekdusan. The North Koreans have claimed that Kim Jong II was born here, but there are other accounts which state he was actually born in Khabarovsk, Russia.

At lower levels, you will find that the forests are full of Korean pine and white birch trees; at the higher elevations the landscape looks hauntingly desolate with no trees. The temperatures can rise and drop without warning – you could be hot at the entrance and freezing cold at the very top.

The nature reserve has two entrances, the west slope (xi po) and the northern slope (bei po), the latter being the busier out of the two. You can get to Heaven Lake, the main attraction here, from both sides but these entrances are separated by 100km of rail or road. On the western side, the key attraction is Changnai Shan Canyon.

You can catch a tour bus here in the summer when they will drop you off at the north entrance. Tourists will pose for photos standing in front of the gorgeous waterfall, eat eggs boiled in the steaming natural hot springs, hike up to Heaven Lake and then walk back down again.

You should be aware that visiting Changnai Shan can be expensive; you will need to pay for the transportation and entrance fees, as well as a fee for the waterfall area and a 4WD vehicle ride to Heaven Lake if you don’t fancy doing the walk.

Heaven Lake is the main attraction here at Changnai Shan and is absolutely beautiful. It is a volcanic crater lake at a 2194m elevation, with crystal blue waters, surrounded by jagged outcrops and misty mountainous peaks, making it look as though it had been transported out of a fairytale. There is a legend that claims Heaven Lake is home to a creature not unlike the Loch Ness monster in Scotland but, of course, there is no real proof of its existence.

It takes about an hour to climb up to Heaven Lake from the location where tourists board vehicles to avoid walking.

The waterfall and hot springs are other attractions at Changnai Shan. Instead of climbing the path which would take you up to Heaven Lake, turn the other way and start walking. You will pass several hotels on the way before arriving at this gorgeous waterfall and hot springs. It is created by the Erdaobai River running off from Heaven Lake which is the source of the Tumen and Songhua Rivers.

Another great spot in Changnai Shan is the underground forest. The verdant forest (Dixia Senlin) is located about 12km from the north gate and is a great place to hike. Walk the 30 minute trail to come to a forest-filled crater which makes for beautiful views.

Travel Destinations: Baoshan Region, Yunnan Province, China

Yunnan is a province that is often overlooked by travellers visiting China – it is generally the bright lights of Beijing, Shanghai, Hong Kong and the glittering natural beauty of Guilin that draws tourists to their bosom. However, Yunnan Province is an area is contrasting natural beauty, cultural attractions and a chance to get to know a part of China that is often, sadly overshadowed by the eastern cities.

The Baoshan region is located in the south of Yunnan province, a region of haunting beauty. It is an area only really visited by English teachers teaching in one of the schools or universities, or scholars looking to learn more about the cultures of the different ethnic groups in the area.

However, say ‘volcanoes’ and tourists will flock to this region for a few days to marvel at the wonders of Mother Nature. But the Baoshan is so much more than volcanoes. This region was an important part of the Silk Road and we can still see the traces of that heritage today.

TENGCHONG:

The town of Tengchong is a great way to start your trip to the Baoshan region. There are 20 volcanoes and several fabulous hot springs in the area, making it somewhere you would definitely want to explore. The town itself is worthy of a visit, with some amazing old wooden architecture to be found and admired at.

The town has a few really good markets, including the jade market where, if you are lucky, you can actually see them being carved. You can also visit the Laifeng Shan National PForest Park, the Laifeng Temple, the Xianle Temple and the beautiful Dieshui Waterfall.

AROUND TENGCHONG:

There are several great places to visit in the area surrounding Tengchong. You can reach many of them by hiring a bike or catching a bus and then by hiking. You can always hire a van if you wish; this might be a good option if you are in a group. Some of the villages here are simply incredible and worth a few hours in each of them, especially Heshun.

VOLCANOES:

This region is famous for its volcanoes. Although they are dormant now and have been for quite some time, experts believe that they won’t always be so quiet. The nearest one to Tengchong is Ma’an Shan (Saddle Mountain), but if you want to see a cluster, then head out to the village of Mazhan, whereyou can find them nearby.

SEA OF HEAT:

This area is a collection of hot springs, streams and geysers where you pay for the chance to soak in the Beautiful Lady Pool or in one of the outdoor hot springs to soak away your cares and your ills.