I. Pre-deparation essentials: transportation, equipment and health preparation
1. Traffic Guide: How to get to Tengchong? How to visit the city?
(1) Arrive at Tengchong
• Airplane (first choice): direct flight to "Tengchong Hump Airport". There are direct flights in many cities in China (Kunming, Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, etc.). The airport is about a 15-minute drive from the city. You can take a taxi (about 30 yuan) or an airport bus (10 yuan/person) to the city / Heshun Ancient Town. Tips: From October 1, 2024 to March 29, 2025, you can enjoy discounts in multiple scenic spots with a boarding pass within 3 days (such as a 40 yuan discount on Atami Hot Spring and a 20% discount on the Heshun Ancient Town project, please refer to the "Preferential Policy" below for details).
• Self-driving / long-distance: about 6 hours by self-driving from Kunming (take the Hangrui Expressway, passing through Dali and Baoshan along the way); or take a long-distance bus to the "Tengchong Tourist Bus Terminal", and then transfer to the city.
• High-speed rail transit: take the high-speed rail to "Baoshan Station" first, and then transfer to the tour bus to Tengchong (about 2 hours, ticket price 50 yuan), which is suitable for tourists who prefer to travel by high-speed rail.
(2) Traffic in the city
• Car rental / chartered car: a must! Tengchong scenic spots are scattered (about 40 minutes from Volcanic Geopark to Atami, about 1 hour from Heshun Ancient Town to Ginkgo Village), flexible car rental and self-driving (an average of 200-300 yuan per day), chartered car (an average of 300-500 yuan per day) is suitable for the elderly and children, no need to find their own way.
• Short-distance walking: Motor vehicles are prohibited in Heshun Ancient Town, and you can ride a shared bicycle (5 yuan / 30 minutes) or walk; you can take a taxi for short distances in the city (starting price 8 yuan).
• Public transportation: only covers the core areas of the city (such as No. 2 to Atami, No. 6 to Heshun Ancient Town), with few services (about every 30 minutes), and it is not recommended as the main mode of transportation.
2. Necessary equipment: bring the right items according to the season
Tengchong's temperature difference between morning and evening is 10℃+, ultraviolet light is strong, and hot springs are the core experience. The equipment needs to take into account practicality and scene adaptation:
• Clothing: layered wear (thin coat / windbreaker + long-sleeved T-shirt, autumn and winter with light down jacket), quick-drying hot spring swimsuit; visit the ancient town in the morning and evening, soak in hot spring windproof, must-have for hot spring experience
• Protection: high-fold sunscreen (SPF50+), wide-brimmed hat, sunglasses, mosquito repellent (summer), non-slip mountaineering shoes; volcano park sun protection, wetland mosquito repellent, scenic spot hiking anti-slip
• Others: small backpack (with water/snacks), gastrointestinal medicine (coping with sour and spicy food), thermos cup (drinking warm water after soaking in hot springs); hydration in scenic spots, adapt to diet, and keep warm after hot springs
3. Health Tips: Precautions for High Aitness and Hot Springs
• High altitude sickness: Tengchong is about 1,600 meters above sea level, and most people have no obvious altitude sickness. When they arrive, they should avoid strenuous exercise (such as climbing the crater quickly). First, walk slowly for 1 day to adapt, and you can prepare glucose oral solution to relieve fatigue.
• Hot spring taboos: soak for 15-20 minutes each time, avoid soaking on an empty stomach/within 1 hour after meals; the water temperature of hot sea hot spring is high (partly up to 96℃), do not touch the water directly; dry it in time after soaking to keep warm to avoid catching a cold.
II. Core scenic spots: full analysis of nature, humanities and hot springs
Tengchong scenic spots are divided into four categories: "natural wonders, humanistic history, hot spring health care, seasonal limited", and each of them has exclusive experience skills:
1. Natural wonders: volcanoes, hot sea, wetlands
(1) Tengchong Volcano Geopark (ticket 35 yuan)
Core gameplay:
• Check in the "big rolling pot": boiling spring with a diameter of 6 meters (water temperature 96℃), hot steam on the water, you can buy "hot spring boiled eggs" (10 yuan / string), 10 minutes cooked, protein Q elastic.
• Visit the "Wei Taijing" and "Sulfur Pond": Huai Taijing is said to drink well water to help pregnancy (you can wash your hands, do not drink it), the sulfur pond spring is blue-green, and the surrounding sulfur is yellow, like a "natural color plate".
• Hot spring (optional): Yugu Hot Spring (198 yuan/person, including multiple theme pools) or Beauty Pool Hot Spring (128 yuan/person). It is recommended to soak after 4 p.m. to avoid noon exposure and relieve daytime fatigue.
• Tips: Wear dark dirt-resistant clothes (with a lot of volcanic ash), climb the crater and walk slowly to support the railing, and avoid wrestling.
2. Humanities and History Category: Ancient Towns, Anti-Japanese War Ruins
(1) Heshun Ancient Town (ticket price 55 yuan, including some scenic spots)
Core gameplay:
• Visit the "Cross Street + Cun's Ancestral Hall": On both sides of the main street are Ming and Qing Dynasties architecture. The Cun's Ancestral Hall has the characteristics of "three squares and one wall", and the carved beams and painted buildings show the style of overseas Chinese; free visit the "Heshun Library" (the earliest rural library in China), which contains ancient books and combines Chinese and Western architecture.
• Take the "Wild Duck Lake Trail": When there is fog in the morning, wild ducks float on the lake, and the reflection of the ancient town is in the water, like an "ink scroll", which is suitable for taking pictures of the morning scene; in the evening, find a lakeside cafe, order a cup of "Tengchong Small Grain Coffee", and watch the sunset.
• Experience the "morning market and non-heritage": visit the morning market in the ancient town from 7-9 o'clock in the morning, eat thin bean powder, drive, and feel the fireworks; you can visit the "Former residence of Ai Shiqi" (the former residence of the philosopher "Popular Philosophy") to learn about the culture and philosophical thought of overseas Chinese.
• Tips: There are a lot of people at noon, so it is recommended to go shopping at 6-8 o'clock in the morning; there are many jade shops in the ancient town. If you don't know how to do it, don't buy high-priced jade to avoid being cheated.
(2) Guoshang Cemetery & Western Yunnan War Memorial Hall (free of charge, it is recommended to donate 10-20 yuan)
Core gameplay:
• Guoshang Cemetery: Thousands of martyrs of the Chinese Expeditionary Army are buried, and the tombstones are like "loyal guards". Visit the "Loyalty Temple" and "Martyrs List Wall" to remember the history of the War of Resistance in Western Yunnan. It is recommended to spend 2-3 hours to experience it quietly.
• Memorial Hall of the Western Yunnan War of Resistance: There are physical exhibits (weapons, old photos) and scene restoration in the museum. You can make an appointment to explain (50 yuan/time) to gain an in-depth understanding of the tragic journey of "the recovery of Tengchong by the Chinese Expeditionary Army".
• Tips: Dress solemnly and do not make noise; the memorial hall is closed on Mondays (except legal holidays). It is recommended to arrange to visit in the afternoon to avoid the morning crowds.
3. Seasonal limited & niche attractions
(1) Gudong Ginkgo Village (ticket 30 yuan, best from mid-November to early December)
Core gameplay:
• Visit the "Ginkgo Square": There are thousand-year-old ginkgo trees in the center of the village, and the yellow leaves are like "golden umbrellas". The viewing platform can take pictures of the whole village; walk through "Chenjia Lane" and "Lijia Lane", and the fallen leaves are paved on the slate road. Step on it and make a "rustle" sound. Take portraits of people wearing light-colored clothes (white/beige), and the contrast is more out.
• Eat "Ginkgo Stewed Chicken": a specialty of the farmhouse, limited to the ginkgo season, the chicken is fresh and tender, and the soup is fragrant with ginkgo, 60 yuan per person.
• Tips: There are many tourists in the ginkgo season, and it is recommended to arrive early (before 8 o'clock) to occupy the parking space; the homestay in the village needs to be booked one month in advance to avoid no room.
(2) Simola Wa Village (free of charge)
Core gameplay:
• Experience the Wa nationality customs: There are ox-headed totems and traditional Wa nationality residences in the village. You can watch the Wa nationality singing and dancing (available on weekends), learn to dance "Wa nationality dance"; visit the "Rural Revitalization Exhibition Hall" to learn about the change of the Wa nationality village from poverty to well-off.
• Eat "Wa nationality hand-caught rice": meat and vegetarian combination, with banana leaves on a plate, 50 yuan per capita, feel the food culture of the border ethnic groups.
4. Hot spring health care: unlock the charm of Tengchong's "city of hot springs"
Tengchong "There is hot water in the village". In addition to Atami Hot Spring, the following special hot springs are recommended:
• Heshun Bailian Hot Spring: high-end hot spring in the ancient town, private hot spring pool with lake view, 20% discount with boarding pass, suitable for tourists who pursue privacy (about 600 yuan/person).
• Mayugu Hot Spring Town: Pastoral-style hot spring, surrounded by rice fields, you can see the rural scenery when soaking in the hot spring, 200 yuan per capita, suitable for family leisure.
• Lotus hot spring: forest hot spring, the pool is hidden in the woods, the environment is quiet, 150 yuan per person, suitable for tourists who like the natural atmosphere.
III. Itinerary planning
1. 3 days and 2 nights classic version (suitable for short-term vacation)
D1: Morning: Arrive at Tengchong → Volcanic Geopark (board the crater, take a hot air balloon); Afternoon: Hot Sea Scenic Area (visit the big pot, soak in hot springs); Evening: Dieshui River Waterfall (ticket 20 yuan, see the waterfall + expeditionary army sculpture)
D2: Morning: Guoshang Cemetery & Western Yunnan War Memorial Hall → Heshun Ancient Town (visiting the library, Cun's ancestral hall); Afternoon: Morning Market in Heshun Ancient Town (eating thin bean powder) → Wild Duck Lake Trail Walk; Evening: "Dream Tengchong" performance (about 200 yuan, see the history and culture of Tengchong)
D3: Morning: Beihai Wetland (rowing grass and taking pictures of the sky); Afternoon: Return (or add Ginkgo Village / Smolawa Village, adjusted according to the season)
5 days and 4 nights in-depth version (suitable for comprehensive experience)
D1: Arrive at Tengchong → Heshun Ancient Town (visit the morning market and Aishi's former residence) → Evening: Night view of the ancient town + Tengchong small grain coffee
D2: Morning: Guoshang Cemetery & Western Yunnan War Memorial Hall; Afternoon: Simora Wa Village (experience Wa customs and eat hand-cooked rice); Evening: "Dream Tengchong" performance
D3: Morning: Volcanic Geopark (climbing Dakong Mountain, watching the columnar joints); Afternoon: Hot Sea Scenic Area (visiting the big hot pot, soaking in the hot spring)
D4: Morning: Beihai Wetland (rowing grass row); Afternoon: Mayugu Hot Spring Town (soaking in rural hot spring); Evening: Have barbecue in the city (braised meat, grilled small-eared pig)
D5: Morning: Ginkgo Village (seasonal limited) / Yunfeng Mountain (climbing to the famous Taoist mountain, the ticket price is 60 yuan); Afternoon: Return
IV. Food Guide: Tengchong Must-Eat List
Tengchong cuisine combines the flavor of western Yunnan with the characteristics of the border area. It is sour, spicy and fragrant. You must try the following types:
1. Staple food & special dishes
• Great rescue: the representative of stir-fried bait blocks, the bait blocks are cut into small slices, stir-fried with fresh meat, ham, eggs and vegetables, soft and fragrant, 25 yuan per capita, recommend "Heshun Family" restaurant.
• Earthenware pot: Tengchong hot pot, cook slowly in an earthenware pot, put the ingredients in layers (greens at the bottom, meat in the middle layer, egg rolls in the top layer), with dipping water, you need to make an appointment 1 day in advance, 80 yuan per person.
• Shunjiang braised pork rice noodles: braised pork (charcoal-roasted pork belly, crispy skin and tender meat) with handmade rice noodles, charcoal-roasted green pepper sauce, sour and spicy and appetizing, 15 yuan per capita, a must-try "braised pork rice noodles shop" in the city.
2. Snacks & Desserts
• Thin bean powder: ground pea powder into thin porridge, with baked bait blocks / fried dough sticks, spicy oil and ginger juice, must be eaten for breakfast, 8 yuan per person, which can be found in the morning market of Heshun Ancient Town.
• Pine flower cake: traditional dessert, fragrant pine flower + sweet red bean paste, soft and not greasy, 5 yuan/piece per person, sold at snack stalls in the ancient town.
• Poluda: Southeast Asian-style dessert, milk + sashimi + dry bread + shredded coconut, cold and sweet, bite bread "click" sound, 12 yuan per person, can be tasted at the urban dessert shop.
3. Barbecue & Special
• Braised pork: Charcoal-roasted pork belly, the skin is golden and crispy, and the lean meat is tender. It can be eaten directly or rolled into noodles, 30 yuan per person.
• Roasted small-eared pig: bright small-eared pig, the skin is as crispy as chicken skin after roasting, and the fat is transparent and not greasy, 60 yuan per person, suitable for sharing with many people.
V. Practical Tips: Preferential Policies, Best Seasons and Pitfall Avoidance Guide
1. Preferential policy (2024.10.1-2025.3.29)
• Hold a boarding pass within 3 days:
• Atami Hot Spring: the original price is 288 yuan/person, with an immediate discount of 40 yuan (248 yuan at the front desk);
• Heshun Ancient Town: 20% discount on water impression cruises and sightseeing buses, 20% discount on Bailian Hot Spring / SPA, 10% discount on catering;
• Beihai Wetland: 30% discount on the package + free sky realm;
• Yunfeng Mountain: Individual tickets are free once.
2. The best season to travel
• October-December: Ginkgo Village is golden (the best from mid-November to early December), the weather is sunny, suitable for soaking in hot springs and visiting ancient towns, which is the peak season for Tengchong tourism.
• March-April: Spring is warm and flowers are blooming, Beihai wetland wild flowers are blooming, Gaoligong Mountain is a sea of rhododendron flowers, there are few tourists, and it is cost-effective.
• June-August: Rainy season, occasional showers, but the wetland is green and there are few people in the hot spring, which is suitable for summer vacation.
3. Guide to avoiding pits
• Don't buy high-priced jade: There are many jade shops in Heshun ancient town and urban areas. If you don't know how to buy it, don't buy it easily to avoid being cheated by "sky-high jade".
• Don't be late for the hot air balloon: It is only open before 9 a.m. It is recommended to arrive before 8 a.m. and catch the first flight to avoid the wind stoppage.
• Respect local customs: Don't take pictures of the elderly/children in Simola Wa Village at will, and you need to get their consent; Guoshang Cemetery should dress solemnly and don't make noise.
The charm of Tengchong is hidden in the shock of the volcanic hot sea, in the slow time of the ancient town, and in the warmth of the hot spring. Whether you are a nature lover, a history fan, or a healthy people who want to relax, you can find your own travel meaning here - remember the history and cherish every moment of the present scenery.