Excellent County Share - The 'Little Suzhou and Hangzhou' on the Yunnan Border
Yunnan Baoshan · Tengchong
Compared to the flourishing flowers of Kunming, the romantic scenery of Dali, and the bustling ancient city of Lijiang, Tengchong is more like a low-key hermit on the western border of Yunnan. It has not been filled with hordes of tourists, yet it quietly brews a unique surprise with the grandeur of volcanoes and the gentleness of hot springs.
As one of China's four major volcanic areas, Tengchong's land hides the heartbeat of the earth—99 silent volcanoes stand tall, like geological codes carved by time; 88 hot springs flow endlessly, with healing warmth hidden in the swirling steam. Here, there are not only the steaming wonders of 'China's second largest hot field' at Rehai, where spring eyes burst forth like boiling water, and the hot air carries the scent of sulfur across the mountains; but also China's only urban volcanic dam waterfall—the Die Shui River Waterfall, where rushing water cascades down from volcanic lava plateaus, sounding the roar of nature at the edge of the city.
It lacks the clamor of excessive commercialization but possesses the slowness and authenticity of a border town: the ancient town of Heshun in the morning is shrouded in light mist, and the bluestone roads reflect the morning light; the Beihai Wetland in the evening is painted gold and red by the sunset, with water plants gently swaying in the breeze. This pearl of western Yunnan, with the strength of volcanoes and the softness of hot springs, conceals a border charm more unique than 'Little Suzhou and Hangzhou'.