CHINA - Yunnan Recommendations

Here are a few things NOT in the guide books that we HIGHLY recommend.

CHINA - Yunnan Province

JINHONG
The 411 - Not worth lingering, but I recommend to set out from here for the Sunday Market in Menghun if you're in the area.

JIANSHUI
The 411 - An undiscovered gem and a treat to discover the friendliness of the people as you stroll through the untouristed, though new, old town and around the "real" old gate in the city center.
Sleep - Garden Hotel has a central location + cheap, clean rooms
Eat - There are lots of little tofu "snack houses" + stir-fry restaurants on the narrow alleys to the south of the gate.

TONGHAI
The 411 - Another untouristed town with a great complex of numerous temples set on a hill. Get up before dawn to avoid the ticket booth and see locals performing Tai Chi in the dawn hour as a bonus. Pack some food and plan to spend at least half a day exploring.
Sleep - Li Yue Hotel is cheap + clean

KUNMING
The 411 - Touted as the "Spring City", this bustling metropolis is nice enough.
See - It's worth being here on a Sunday for people watching in Green Lake Park. Another recommended outing is the walk up into the Western Hills for great views on a clear day. Also, if you have an extra day it IS worth heading over to the Shilin Stone Forest and you CAN easily avoid the ridiculous $20 entry by just walking through the village and the fields beyond. There are no tourists in the outskirts either which makes for a much more enjoyable experience.
Sleep - The Hump is good for meeting other travelers, but if you want a less youthful vibe + for the same, cheap rate, Mingtong Guesthouse is located in a nice neighborhood (in a back street behind the Kunming Hotel) where you can hang with the locals.

DALI
The 411 - Not as touristy as Lijiang, but the Old Town HAS lost it's soul to commericalism aimed at the many Chinese tour groups that pass through. Still, it's worth a few days exploring the area.
See - Rent a bike for 2+ days exploring the lakeside villages on bicycle. Xizhou + Wase are recommended for a good glimpse into village life. Also, hike up the Cangshan Mountains (possibly spending the night at the Higherland Inn) and across the trail connecting the monasteries for fantastic views of Erhai lake. It's a little tricky to avoid the ticket booths, but just cut through the fields like the locals do.
Sleep - Comer Guesthouse (near the most northwestern gate) is another cheap + clean place. Try to get the balcony room for 40 yuan. Travelers Guesthouse (a few doors down) is another good bet.
Eat - Stir-fry restaurants + grill stands abound in the streets off the main tourist drag.

LIJIANG
The 411 - The ultimate in Chinese packaged tourism. You've never SEEN so many shop selling the same, cheap crap! Avoid it.

TIGER LEAPING GORGE
The 411 - A scenic 2-4 day hike that gets you into some really nice villages, particularly Daju at the north end of the gorge. You could easily spend an extra day or two exploring Daju and hiking around the valley. Note that you should allow at least 5 hours to get to Daju as it's not SO easy to find your way down to the Yangtze ferry nor to the bus stand. At the moment, buses depart for Lijiang at 7:30 AM + 1:00 PM daily.
Sleep - Naxi Guesthouse (2 hrs. in) is a good place to spend your first night. Five Fingers (5 hrs. further) has great views but could use some sprucing up. Tibet Guesthouse (3 hours further still) in Walnut Garden is a better bet than Sean's which is overpriced and lacking in friendliness for all it's hype. All provide plenty of blankets and offer decent food.

2-3 WEEK ITINERARY
Your cheapest + quickest bet would be to fly to Hong Kong and catch a connecting flight to Kunming (2-4 days). Head south by bus to Tonghai (1 day) + Jianshui (2-3 days) for a taste of untouristed city life. Bus back to Kunming, then to Dali (3-5 days) for biking + hiking in the hills and around the lakeside villages. Time permitting, continue directly on to Tiger Leaping Gorge + Daju for a few more days (3-5 days) in stunning scenery. From here your best options are to either continue to Chengdu, where you'll want to spend another few days before flying back to Hong Kong, or busing back to Kunming for your return flight. Obviously plan for at least a couple days in Hong Kong itself.


APPROXIMATE COSTS (For Low Budget Travel)
Room - $4-10/2p (One of the best values for your money of any country I've visited)
Meal - $1-3/pp
Tea - Frequently free
Beer - .50
Visa - $55/ 30-60 Day

Visa Info
Must be applied for in advance, either from capitals of neighboring countries or at your home embassy. Lengths of stay must be negotiated at time of application. 60-Day is commonly given if applying from home, while anywhere from 30-180 days must be requested when applying at the embassy in a neighboring country. Once in country visas can be extended in several cities for an additional 3o-days for $25-30. Check the "link" for more info.

What's to Like?
The people, the social food scene, villages, temples + neon. Yunnan is not NEARLY as touristed by foreigners as all the other asian countries we've visted, nor does it cater to them, so it's a good chance to hang with the locals.

What's Not?
Charging entrance (not cheap either) for EVERY, SINGLE thing you can possibly charge entry to, Chinese tour groups + souvenir stalls (most specifically in Dali, Lijiang + Shilin).

Will you Starve to Death?
Maybe the easiest place to be a vegetarian in Asia, contrary to popular belief. There's tofu available everywhere! Grilled at "snack houses" or from the stir-fry restaurants where you just pick + choose whatever you want (including a big variety of vegetables, or meats), or bbq stands (also with different kinds of tofu, veg + meats). A favorite lunch was the local bread, which is sometimes similar to foccacia or pizza dough, with the local goat cheese "rubing" (ask for it in the outdoor markets when you're buying your fruit + veggies) with tomatoes, cilantro, etc. - tasty! A good breakfast was the instant "walnut drink", available in the grocery store, with fresh fruit + oats. Every guest house/hotel provides thermoses of hot water, so if you're a tea drinker you'll be in heaven. Try the regional Yunnan red wines too - Dynasty brand is a good bet.

Will you Dig It?
You don't have to be an outdoor enthusiast to like this province, though for the villages you will have to forego some creature comforts. This gives you a nice mix of urban + rural and lots of photo ops as well as an opportunity to break the Chinese stereotype.

Books to Read
We didn't see any second-hand bookstores that I recall, so it's best to bring your own. Here are two that are both entertaining + informative - The River at the Center of the World by Simon Winchester, Riding the Iron Rooster by Paul Theroux

Check the "link" for photos from China