The Honghe Hani Rice Terraces descend from the Ailao Mountains to the banks of the Hong River. This cultural landscape in southern Yunnan covers 16,603 hectares. Even this sweeping view of terraced slopes shows how distinctive a landscape can be. Other parts of Yunnan are shaped by very different features: deep river gorges, tropical forests, karst and ancient cultural landscapes.
Between River Gorges and Tropical Forest
The protected areas of the Three Parallel Rivers lie in mountainous northwestern Yunnan. They encompass the headwaters of the Yangtze, Mekong and Salween rivers—the Yangtze is also known here as the Jinsha. Deeply carved river gorges, lush forests, snow-capped mountains and glaciers are part of this protected area, as are alpine karst, Danxia landforms, lakes and meadows. The area may be one of the most biodiverse temperate regions in the world. The variety of landforms makes this part of Yunnan a special destination for anyone interested in nature and diverse habitats.
At the other end of the landscape spectrum is the Xishuangbanna Biosphere Reserve at Yunnan’s southwestern tip. In the upper Mekong Basin, it borders Laos to the east and Myanmar to the west. It contains China’s largest and most comprehensive tropical forest. Five geographically separate sub-reserves protect tropical forest ecosystems and rare wildlife. The natural areas described here therefore differ not only in their landforms, but also in the ecosystems they preserve.
Tea Landscapes and Living Culture
The Cultural Landscape of Old Tea Forests of Jingmai Mountain lies in Huimin Township, Pu’er City, Yunnan Province. For more than a thousand years, the Blang and Dai have developed it using traditional practices dating back to the 10th century. The tea-producing area includes ancient tea groves, tea plantations, forests and traditional villages. Here, tea is not a single point on the map, but part of a cultural landscape in which cultivated land, forest and villages together shape the scene.
The Old Town of Lijiang also tells the story of a long cultural development. It was inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1997 and preserves a historic townscape of high quality and authenticity. Its architecture combines elements of several cultures that have come together over centuries. Travelers who enjoy looking at architectural forms and historic townscapes will find a different way to experience Yunnan’s cultural diversity here than in the tea landscapes of Jingmai Mountain.
Karst and Earth History
The Shilin UNESCO Global Geopark is part of the Yunnan Karst Plateau and includes the Major Stone Forest. Another natural karst lake is Changhu Lake. Traditional festivals are held there, and it is also suitable for picnics. Both examples show how karst in Yunnan is not only a defining landform but also the setting for different visitor experiences.
The Chengjiang Fossil Site offers another way to discover Earth’s history. It is located in Yunnan and lies entirely within a Chinese National Geopark. Its rocks and fossils preserve an exceptionally well-preserved record, bearing witness to the rapid diversification of life in the early Cambrian, 530 million years ago. This takes the story far beyond visible landforms, reaching back to a significant period in the early history of life.
Walking or Cycling around Cangshan and Erhai
The Cangshan and Erhai scenic area is in western Yunnan and covers 960 square kilometers. In the Dali-Cangshan UNESCO Global Geopark, visitors can hike along the Jade Belt Road. On the Erhai Ecological Corridor, they can walk or cycle. These two options offer different ways to get around the area: hiking on the Jade Belt Road, or walking or cycling along the corridor.
The Cangshan-Ximatan Cableway is another way to get your bearings around Cangshan. Its route runs from Tianlongbabu Film Studio via Qilongnüchi to the summit area of Cangshan near Ximatan. Together with the hiking and cycling options, this route shows how varied a stay can be for anyone interested in landscapes and outdoor activities.
Yunnan can thus be explored through clear contrasts: from the rice terraces in the south to the river landscapes in the northwest, from tropical protected areas to ancient tea forests, and from karst formations to a fossil site with an exceptional record of Earth’s history. Which of these aspects takes center stage depends on whether you are mainly looking for landscapes, nature, cultural connections, or opportunities to explore on foot or by bike.
Discover more destinations: Kunming, Haikou, Lijiang, Dali, Xishuangbanna, Baoshan, Dêqên, Pu'er, Yuxi, Dehong, Qujing, Honghe, Nujiang, Chuxiong, Lincang, Wenshan, Zhaotong.
For the main travel overview: China.
