Five things to do in China’s volcanic city of Tengchong: from hiking the Gaoligong Mountains to relaxing in hot springs
Tengchong is located just 50 kilometres from Myanmar in the southern province of Yunnan. The city is well known for volcanic activity, so try your hand at hiking the Gaoligong Mountains or simply relax in a hot spring
Landing in Tengchong is an exciting experience. The plane banks steeply several times, before touching down in a gap between two thickly forested mountainsides. If you pay attention, you will realise that some of these flat-topped mountains are, in fact, volcanic cones.
Tengchong is perched near the southwest edge of China, just 50 kilometres from Myanmar in the southern province of Yunnan. The identity and wealth of this small, subtropical city grew from its position on the crossroads between China and Mandalay and beyond, on the loose network of trading routes that are now known as the Southern Silk Road, or the Tea and Horse Trail.
Tengchong is not an easy travel destination for foreigners. There is no information in English and staff at most hotels only speak Mandarin. It caters almost exclusively to the needs and tastes of domestic tourists, who come to soak in the hot springs, hike up a volcano, and sample the local cuisine.
But for those who have the resilience and patience to step off the beaten path, Tengchong is generous in its rewards.
“Tengchong portrays the diversity of Yunnan like no other place can – diversity of landscapes, people, and also, very importantly, food,” says Frank Hitman, a Dutchman whose company Zouba Tours have been taking Westerners to the area for the past 10 years.
If you’re lucky enough to venture to this part of the world, here are five things you must see and do.