Encountering the Extreme Border City - Tengchong Tourism Guide

1. Impression and Charm of Tengchong

Tengchong, a small town located in the southwest of Yunnan Province, attracts numerous tourists with its unique charm

Tengchong has a pleasant climate with an average annual temperature of 15 ℃, the highest temperature in summer is not higher than 28 ℃, and the average temperature in winter is not lower than 5 ℃. The average altitude is 1500-1600M, which is recognized as a livable and long-lived altitude area in the world. The forest coverage rate is as high as 71%, with up to 38000 negative oxygen ions and PM2.5 levels consistently below 10, making it known as the "natural oxygen bar". Almost every season here has different scenery. From February to March, you can see rapeseed, from April to June, various flowers bloom one after another, from July to September is a good time to escape the heat and eat mushrooms during the rainy season, and from November to December, you can see ginkgo trees

Tengchong is rich in plant resources, adjacent to Gaoligong Mountain, with a wide variety of plant species. Wherever you go here, there is dense vegetation, with various flowers that can be called or cannot be called blooming, not dirty green with dust, but lush green. Medicinal herbs, wild vegetables, mushrooms, and flowers are all freshly picked from the mountains and sold in the market. Like Kunming, there are many types of flowers to eat, and the mushrooms are incredibly fresh. In addition, Tengchong's "Tengyao" has also been inherited, and the local people are good at using medicinal materials to make Tonic Diet

There are various ways to play Tengchong, such as hiking on Gaoligong Mountain and picking mushrooms during the rainy season; Cultural categories include Heshun Ancient Town and Qiluo Ancient Town; Military enthusiasts can gain a deeper understanding of history such as the Burma War; There are 99 volcanoes and 88 natural hot springs in the landscape category. There are also leisure and entertainment activities such as tea picking, shadow puppetry, papermaking, and pottery making. This place can meet the needs of different tourists and allow them to experience the unique charm of Tengchong while playing

2. Route planning, play Tengchong

(1) Map Overview

Tourist transportation maps near Tengchong can be found on major tourism websites. Tengchong has numerous famous attractions, such as the Volcano Geothermal National Geopark, Rehai Scenic Area, Heshun Ancient Town, Beihai Wetland Park, etc. Through the map, tourists can clearly see the location distribution of various attractions and better plan their itinerary

(II) Transportation Guide

1. Transportation to Tengchong:
• Airplane: Tengchong has an airport, and some cities have direct flights. July, August, and September are the rainy seasons in Yunnan every year, and flights at Tengchong Airport are often cancelled. At this time, you can choose to fly to Baoshan or Mangshi, and then take a car to Tengchong
• High speed train and tourist bus: There is a high-speed train from Kunming to Baoshan, which takes about 3 and a half to 4 hours. Then, carpooling or taking a bus from Baoshan to Tengchong takes about 2 hours
• Tourist buses or self driving: Kunming, Dali, Qujing, Yuxi, Lijiang and other cities have direct tourist buses to Tengchong. If you drive by yourself, the entire highway from Kunming to Tengchong is about 640 kilometers long and takes 7-8 hours. If you are too tired, you can first go to Dali for two days and then go to Tengchong
2. Urban traffic situation: Tengchong Scenic Area is far away, making it more convenient to drive or charter a car
• Charter Bus: Charter bus travel has become one of the popular ways of traveling. There are many advantages to chartering a car, such as not having to wake up early to catch the train, being able to freely plan routes, having a large cabin capacity, providing more privacy and freedom for family outings, and increasing the fun along the way. When chartering a car for tourism, it is important to determine the type of vehicle based on the number of people traveling. Please go to a reputable travel agency or rental car company to rent a car, sign a rental contract, and include the travel route, number of days of use, and attractions in the contract. Take safety measures and psychological preparations when traveling, and design a good travel route. Tengchong offers 5-57 seat models for selection, including economy, business, and luxury options, to meet the needs of all travel scenarios. Transparent and cost-effective pricing, strictly following price management regulations for pricing, and not raising prices blindly. Exclusive one-on-one driver service, experienced drivers who can solve most of the problems encountered during travel
• Urban public transportation: Taxis in Tengchong city vary in distance, with those far away costing 10 yuan and generally 7-8 yuan. The price of chartering a taxi outside the city varies depending on the scenic spot, such as 35 yuan to Heshun, 40 yuan to Rehai, and 90 yuan to Huoshan Park. If chartering a taxi, it costs 200-300 yuan and usually only takes half a day to travel. Some taxis have started to charge by meter, starting at 6 yuan and 1.5 yuan per kilometer. Public transportation makes this small town more convenient, with bus routes including 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, etc. In addition, the county government and Tengyue Cultural Park can rent bicycles for two people, while the opposite side of the Workers' Cultural Palace can rent bicycles for one person at a rate of 1-2 yuan per hour or 10 yuan per day. Official hotels can also rent bicycles, with a deposit of 200-300 yuan, 10 yuan/day. However, due to the limited number of preserved historical sites in Tengchong city, cycling for sightseeing is not very effective. Instead, walking around the city has a unique flavor

III. Exploring Scenic Spots and Appreciating the Charm

(1) Urban Scenic Spots

1. Confucian Temples:
• The Confucian Temples are open all day and all year round. Although the Confucian Temple may not be grand and majestic, it is the only well preserved academic palace in the Baoshan area and the only ancient architectural complex left over from the anti Japanese war in Tengchong City during the Ming and Qing dynasties. This is a great place to learn about the knowledge of Confucian sages. Confucius is enshrined in the innermost part of the architectural complex, and the building environment is very quiet. As the only border county in Yunnan dominated by Han culture, Confucian temples have important historical value and cultural significance. Here, tourists can experience a strong Confucian cultural atmosphere and learn about the spread of Central Plains culture in the southwestern border of China
2. Medicine King Palace:
• The architectural plan of Medicine King Palace is in the shape of a gourd, with the palace gate as the gourd mouth, the Five Emperor Tower as the gourd neck, the Medicine King Hall and Hall Tower as the gourd belly, the lotus pond as the gourd bottom, and the walls as gourd shells. This unique layout is ingeniously designed and distinctive. The Medicine Palace is not only an important witness to the long history of the development of the traditional Chinese medicine industry in Tengchong, but also a center for gathering medical professionals in the Tengchong area
• There are some Tonic Diet restaurants around the Yaowang Palace, where tourists can taste Tonic Diet with Tengchong characteristics. These Tonic Diet combine Chinese medicinal materials with local food ingredients, which are delicious and have health preserving effects. In addition, there are some pharmacies near the Medicine King Palace where tourists can purchase authentic Chinese medicinal herbs and products

(II) Must visit attractions

1. Tengchong Rehai:
• Tengchong Rehai is a tourist destination characterized by geothermal landscapes and hot springs. There are more than 80 gas springs and hot spring groups in the Rehai Scenic Area, among which 10 hot spring groups have water temperatures above 90 ℃. The hot spring whistled and spewed, enveloping the entire scenic area in a white mist, forming a unique natural landscape
• The iconic attraction of Hot Sea is the large rolling pot, with a diameter of 6.12 meters and a water depth of 1.5 meters. The pot has three water spray holes at the bottom, and the water surface temperature is 96.6 ℃. The water temperature at the bottom of the pot can reach 102 ℃. The stone wall on the front of the big rolling pot is engraved with the words "Hot Sea Big Rolling Pot", inscribed by Guo Wei, a calligrapher from Yunnan Province. To the southwest of the pond stands a rectangular stone monument, which records the composition and medical value of the mineral water in the Hot Sea Rolling Pot
2. Tengchong Volcanic Group Geopark:
• Tengchong Volcanic Group Geopark is a comprehensive national geological park that integrates volcanic sightseeing, outdoor leisure, environmental health, geological research, and popular science education. This is a natural volcano museum characterized by a complete range of volcanic types, new eruption eras, rich species, and unique landscapes
• Tourists can take a hot air balloon ride to view the volcanic landscape, overlook the volcanic crater and lava plateau from the air, and feel the magic and magnificence of nature
3. Heshun Ancient Town:
• Heshun Ancient Town is a commercial ancient town on the Southern Silk Road, formerly known as "Yangwendun". Later, it was renamed "Heshun" due to the small river winding around the village, and the meaning of "scholars and people follow" was elegantly transformed into "Heshun". The ancient town was founded in the Ming Dynasty and currently has over a thousand traditional residential buildings, including more than a hundred from the Qing Dynasty. It is known as a living fossil of ancient Chinese architecture
• The layout of the ancient town's architecture is well-organized, with streets and alleys crisscrossing, houses scattered in an orderly manner, and Huizhou style buildings with pink walls and black tiles, high horse head walls, and decorated with local mysterious totems, giving the ancient town a unique charm. The Western style blends perfectly with the Yunnan ancient dwellings of four in five courtyards, three bedrooms, and one facing wall, forming a harmonious and unique architectural style
• Heshun Ancient Town has one of the largest rural libraries in China - Heshun Library. Its predecessor was the "Xianxin News Agency" organized by Cun Fuqing, a member of the Heshun Alliance in the late Qing Dynasty. It was changed into the "Book Reading Newspaper Agency" in 1924, and later expanded into a library in 1928 after overseas Chinese and villagers donated books. In 1938, the new building was completed, and Hu Shi, Xiong Qinglai, Liao Chengzhi and others wrote poems and inscriptions for it
4. Beihai Wetland:
• Beihai Wetland is a national wetland reserve with beautiful ecological environment and rich species. The wetland is formed by underground springs, covering dozens of acres with rippling blue waves, clear water, and numerous fish swimming. The surrounding area of the pond is decorated with exquisite stone railings, with stone pavilions and wings in the pond, and ancient trees and sky by the pond
• Tourists can experience the grass mat play project, standing on the grass mat, as if they are in a water grassland, feeling the tranquility and beauty of nature
5. Gudong Ginkgo Village:
• In the golden autumn season, the ginkgo trees in Tengchong Ginkgo Village turn from green to golden yellow, decorating the village into a beautiful fairy tale world. Tengchong Ginkgo Village is famous for having over 10000 acres of natural contiguous ginkgo forests and more than 30000 ginkgo trees, of which over 1200 are over a hundred years old. The oldest Ginkgo King tree is over 1300 years old
6. Yunfeng Mountain:
• Yunfeng Mountain is the first peculiar peak on the border of China and Myanmar, with an altitude of 2445 meters. From a distance, it looks like a jade bamboo shoot standing upright, piercing straight into the sky. Because the peak waist is often shrouded in clouds and mist, it is named "Yunfeng Mountain"
7. Black Fish River:
• Black Fish River is named after a small black fish and is the outlet of an underground river. The river is clear to the bottom, with green trees on both sides providing shade and a pleasant scenery
8. Gaoligong Mountain:
• Gaoligong Mountain, as the world's natural gene bank, has abundant flora and fauna resources. Here, you can hike through primitive forests, enjoy natural scenery, and feel the charm of nature
9. Dieshui River Waterfall:
• Dieshui River Waterfall is the only urban waterfall in China, with a height of 46 meters. The cliffs on both sides of the waterfall are steep, and the river water falls from the top of the cliff, forming a spectacular scene of seven level waterfall cascading down step by step
10. National War Memorial Cemetery. Here lies the loyal bones of the fallen soldiers of the 20th Group Army of the Anti Japanese Expeditionary Force, and is an important place to commemorate national heroes

Fourth, a journey of delicious food, tempting with the tip of the tongue

(1) Da Jiujia

Da Jiujia, which is stir fried bait, is one of the most famous traditional snacks in Tengchong County, Baoshan City, Yunnan Province. According to legend, Emperor Yongli of the Ming Dynasty, Zhu Youlang, fled to western Yunnan. When he arrived in Tengchong, he cooked several meals, endangering his life. When he arrived at a farmhouse, the owner mixed and fried the bait pieces, ham, eggs, and vegetables in the house into a plate of bait pieces. After eating it, Emperor Yongli praised it endlessly, saying, "The stir fried bait blocks saved my great carriage." From then on, Tengchong stir fried bait blocks were known as the "great salvation

(II) Bait Silk

Tengchong Bait Silk is a specialty snack of Tengchong, Yunnan. The production of Tengchong bait silk is an important traditional culinary technique in Tengchong. It uses high-quality indica rice and old varieties of glutinous rice as raw materials, and utilizes local unique water quality to blend traditional craftsmanship with modern technology. The product has a clean color, fine quality, soft and delicious taste, and a unique flavor. Whether cooked or stir fried, it is delicious

(III) Diluted Bean Powder

Diluted Bean Powder is a specialty food of Tengchong, usually made from pea flour, while Tengchong Diluted Bean Powder is made from suspended slurry. Pulping needs to be made into two types: clear pulp and thick pulp, and then the two types of pulp are used to make thin soybean powder. Yang Auntie and Cun Auntie's thin bean flour are the most famous and are also sold in the vegetable market. Diluted soybean powder has a delicate taste and rich nutrition, making it one of the favorite breakfast options for Tengchong people

(IV) Tu Guo Zi

Tengchong Tu Guo Zi is a local hotpot in Tengchong, with a unique flavor. Tu Guo Zi only uses earthenware hotpot made in Manyi Village, a suburb of Tengchong City, which emphasizes slow cooking over low heat, resulting in a fresh, sweet and mellow taste. The ingredients and production of the earthen pot are vegetables, taro, Huaishan, sweet potatoes, yellow bamboo shoots, etc., cooked with fresh meat bone soup as the base material, covered with a layer of bubble skin, and dotted with a circle of Chicken rolls on the bubble skin, which is a perfect Tengchong hot pot. Tu Guo Zi used to be eaten during spring and autumn when visiting graves and ancestors in the mountains. It is no longer limited by time and has become a daily feast for guests

(V) Heshungzhou

Heshungzhou is a typical Tonic Diet, combined with Chinese medicine, so it has a strong tonic. Nowadays, in Heshun, a hometown of overseas Chinese in Tengchong, every year on the second day of the first lunar month, when the son-in-law visits his mother-in-law's family to pay New Year's respects, the mother-in-law will make a special bowl of "brain" for the son-in-law to eat, symbolizing that in the new year, the son-in-law will have a head, mind, body, face, intelligence and wisdom, and the young couple will have good luck and a sweet life

(VI) Three Drops of Water

Three Drops of Water is the highest level banquet for locals, especially in the Heshun Township area, and is a form of banquet for receiving important guests. Three drops of water almost encompass the flavor characteristics of Tengchong. The first drop is Dim sum and appetizers, such as dried fruits and cold dishes. The second drop is the Eight Great Bowls, mainly featuring the famous and unique flavors of Tengchong, such as roasted and pocket tofu. The third drop is dessert Dim sum, such as sweet Baijiu and fruits. Nowadays, it is rare to find very authentic "three drops of water", and even if there are, they have been improved

(Seven) Big Thin Slices

Big Thin Slices is one of Tengchong's specialty dishes, which is made by cutting cooked pork into thin slices and adding various seasonings to it. The large thin slices of meat are as thin as paper, with a smooth and delicious taste, making it a very popular appetizer

(8) Songhua Cake

Songhua Cake is a traditional snack in Tengchong, made from pine pollen and bean paste. Songhua cake has a golden color, a soft and glutinous taste, sweet but not greasy, and a unique aroma. Songhua cake is not only delicious, but also has certain nutritional value. Pine pollen contains rich nutrients such as protein, vitamins, and minerals

(9) Ginkgo Banquet

Tasting the "White Fruit Banquet" in Ginkgo Village brings a brand new experience and satisfaction to the taste buds. Although Ginkgo Village has not yet reached the season of golden trees, small fruits on the green branches have already ripened. Ginkgo biloba is rich in nutrients and has excellent medicinal and dietary properties. It has the effects of clearing the lungs, promoting health, and prolonging life. Ginkgo banquet includes fried gingko, stewed chicken with gingko, stewed small intestine with gingko, fried egg with gingko flowers, Babaofan (Rice pudding with eight-delicious ingredients) with gingko, and other delicacies to fully meet your taste buds' needs

Fifth, enjoy hot springs and relax your body and mind

Tengchong, as the place with the highest concentration of high-quality hot springs in the world, has rich and diverse hot spring resources. Not soaking in hot springs is like never having been to Tengchong

(1) Rehai Hot Springs

Tengchong Rehai Hot Springs is a hot spring resort in Tengchong County, Baoshan City, Yunnan Province. The Yugu Hot Springs are located at the exit of the Rehai Scenic Area, built by the mountains and waters, with a total of 22 pools. There are 7 Chinese herbal medicine pools, 5 characteristic hot spring pools, 4 alkaline carbonate spring bathing pool and 6 sulfur carbonate spring bathing pool. The most famous one in the hot sea is the "Big Rolling Pot", with a diameter of over 3 meters, a water depth of 1.5 meters, a water temperature of 97 ℃, rolling and boiling day and night, and steaming hot air throughout the year. Tengchong is one of the three major geothermal regions in China. The Tengchong Hot Sea is located on a volcanic belt and has numerous natural hot springs with clear water quality and rich in various minerals. Hot sea hot springs are sodium bicarbonate type water