Tengchong Travel Guide

Basic information Area code: 0875 Baoshan District Tourism Bureau: 0875-2122583 Tengchong County Tourism Consulting: 0875-5121919 Tengchong County Tourism Complaint: 0875-5141209 Tengchong County Public Security Bureau: 0875-5131246 Tengchong County Traffic Police Brigade: 0875-5181348 Tengchong Tourism Resort Administrative Committee: 0875-5125202 Medical treatment […]

Basic information

Area code: 0875
Baoshan District Tourism Bureau: 0875-2122583
Tengchong County Tourism Consulting: 0875-5121919
Tengchong County Tourism Complaint: 0875-5141209
Tengchong County Public Security Bureau: 0875-5131246
Tengchong County Traffic Police Brigade: 0875-5181348
Tengchong Tourism Resort Administrative Committee: 0875-5125202

Medical treatment

Tengchong County People’s Hospital
Address: No. 139 Minghe Community, Tiancheng Community, Tengchong Town, Tengchong County, Baoshan City
Tel: 0875-5133072

Tengchong County Chinese Medicine Hospital
Address: Northern Section of Wenbi Street, Tengchong County, Baoshan City
Tel: 0875-5183672

Destination overview

Destination sketch

Tengchong is administratively part of the city of Baoshan, but is otherwise a city in its own right. The main urban area of Baoshan is approximately 170km from Tengchong.

Tengchong is popular with Chinese tourists, but sees relatively few foreign tourists. It is best known for its volcanoes and hot springs. The ancient town of Heshun, itself a popular tourist destination, is located just 4km from downtown Tengchong.

Previously known in English as Tengyue or Tengyueh, it was at one time a British trading base when British-occupied Burma had ambitions of increased trade volumes with China.

Local life

As other parts of Yunnan, Dianxi has many ethnic minorities living together. Baoshan is home to 36 ethnic minorities such as Dai, Jingpo, Achang, Deang, Li-Su Lisaw, Dong, Yao, and Dai.

Wa Nationality

Years ago, they believed in the power of natural things and thought all things have their spirits, including for example water, mountain, and wood. The mightiest god was called ‘Muyiji’, and his five sons were the ancestors of the Wa. In recent years, some of the Wa have become followers of Buddhism and Christianity.
There are several taboos that guests should be aware of so that when they visit a Wa family, they will not offend their hosts. For example, the guests should not ride into a Wa village on a horse; they should not touch other’s head or ear; and Wa girls will not accept a guests’ gift if it is an adornment.

Jingpo Nationality

They think everything has a soul that can never die, so, if a Jingpo meets with misfortune, they will turn to worship the spirits. However, some Jingpo people are Christian as a result of missionaries which came to these areas in the early 20th century.

Best Travel season

The middle and late April is the best travel season, when the temperature is suitable, but the ultraviolet light is strong.

Consumption level

The average daily consumption in Tengchong is about 800 yuan.

Practical information

Baoshan Tourism Bureau
Address: 6th Floor, Renmin Street, Tongren Street, Longyang District, Baoshan City
Tel: 0875-2140258
Www.lvyj.baoshan.gov.cn

Tengchong County Tourism Bureau
Address: No. 165 Zhongcun Community, Manchu Community, Tengjiao Town, Tengchong County, Baoshan City
Tel: 0875-5121919

Hot Seaview Tourist Service Center
Address: Next to 003 Rural Road, Tengchong County, Baoshan City
Tel: 0875-5868888

Tengchong County Visitors Collection Dongshan Center
Address: Near 317 Provincial Highway, Tengchong County, Baoshan City

Tengchong Tourism Distribution Center
Address: Extension line Huayan Road, Tengchong County, Baoshan City, near Ink China

Intercity traffic

Aircraft

Tengchong Airport, TCZ
Address: Airport Road, Tuofeng Village, Qingshui Township, Tengchong County, Baoshan City, approximately 10 km from Tengchong County
Tel: 0875-5198866
Ticket sales: 0875-5198878
Way of arrival
The taxi fare from the airport to Heshun is about 40 yuan, about 15 minutes. You can also fly to Baoshan first. Baoshan has flights to and from Kunming every day. It is quick and easy from Baoshan to Tengchong.

Long-distance bus

Tengchong Tourist Coach Station
Address: Opposite to Xiake Hotel, South Section of Hothai Road
Tel: 0875-5161526

Tengchong Bus Station (Old Station)
Address: Dongfang Road, Tengchong Oriental Hospital opposite
Tel: 0875-5152363

Traffic in the city

Bus

The area of Tengchong is not large, the departure distance of the bus is very short, and the transfer is also very convenient.

Taxis

From the county to the tourist attractions, the maximum price is imposed, with Heshun at 10 yuan per trip, Atami at 25 yuan per trip, Beihai at 25 yuan per trip, volcanoes at 60 yuan per trip, and Yunfengshan at 100 yuan per trip. Holidays will not increase prices.
Taxi complaints phone: 0875-5162340
Tengchong County Taxi Management Office Tel: 0875-5162340

Bicycle

Rent a bike about 2 yuan per hour, chartered 10 yuan a day. Some hotels in the scenic area can also rent bicycles, and the charter price will be the same, but a deposit of 200 to 300 yuan will be required.

Chartered

In general, the chartered price is based on days. You can talk about the price with driver.

Attractions

Heshun Old Town

Heshun Old Town is surrounded by a river and built along the slope of a hill. The town extends about 3km horizontally. Since the early of Ming dynasty, ethic Han-Chinese from inland migrated to this place for military presence. Later, the town got prosperous from international trade business as it’s the must-go-through site on the old Silk road.

The Heshun Old Town ticket costs CNY80 and half price promotion for students and seniors. With the ticket, you could visit the Library, Museum of Yunnan-Burmese Anti-Janpanese War, Heshun Lane, Wanlouzi Museum, vaious temples and ancestral halls. As Cun, Li,Yi, Liu and Jia have been quite old families since migration dated back to AD1382, they all have their own ancestral halls as icons.

After you enter the main gateway of the old town, you will see a delicate pavilion named Yuzhou in the middle of the lotus pond. The zip aisle connects it to the street. Follow the street to the Twin Rainbow Bridges. There are 3 memorial gateways by the sides of the river, after which stands the Library and Wenchang Temple from here, you’ve already walked into the old world.

Heshun Lane is a newly built area with teahouses and pubs inside. After 5:30pm, entry is allowed without a ticket. It’s like a quiet park for dusk walk along the wetland pond. You could have a seat by the side of the river, just to watch the wild ducks passing by, lotus swaying to the breeze, white egrets flying against the glowing sunset sky.

If you ask, most of the residents will friendly invite you in and show around their residential houses and courtyards. Some of them are more than 200 years old but well preserved. The architecture still follows the ancient style of Ming/Qing dynasty.

Washing pavilions have unique background story in this old town. There are a dozen of them along the river. As the tradition, most Heshun adult men had to go abroad for business to raise the whole family just after they got married. So they built the washing pavilions for their wives for shading while washing clothes along the river. When they were away from families, this was the only protection they could offer to the lovers. Young wives also waited there to expect the early return of the husbands. Yet someone could have been dead halfway abroad or buried in foreign countries and never returned, the widow would lead a lonely life till death. Then her families would build up a memorial gateway as a good example for other women to follow. You could stand below one of the memorial gateways to imagine those tragic romance.
Address: 3 km southwest of Tengchong County, Baoshan City
Arrival method: You can take Xu Xiake roundabout along the way to the city into the city and drive back to the Jade Road and you can reach the 317 provincial road. Or you can take the No. 2 bus opposite to the Yehai Tourist Bus Station to the opposite station of the Jade Trading Center to transfer to the No. 6 bus. Can be reached, you can also take a taxi, the fare is about 10 yuan. Heshun Scenic Area offers coach service, 10 yuan, from the town
Tickets: 80 yuan (including Heshun Library, Yuen Long Court, Ai Siqi’s House, Tulou House Folk Museum and Qianyang Resistance Museum)

Tengchong Volcano Park

Tengchong Volcano Park is located in the western parts of the Gaofenggong Mountains in the Hengduan Range. Lying at the edge of the Eurasian Plate, the cluster movement in this area is very active. The volcanoes were formed when lava, ashes and smoke were emitted during severe earthquakes.
Around Tengchong County, there are over 70 volcanoes, large and small. Tengchong County was constructed on the cooled and solidified lavas emitted from the Laifeng Mountain, the oldest volcano in the cluster. Daying Mountain, measuring 8,576 feet above sea level, is the tallest of the volcanoes, with a crater over 328 feet deep and a diameter of 328 yards. Because of its high altitude and verdant scenery, it is also known as the “Small Mount Fuji”. Around Mazhan Village, about six miles northwest of Tengchong County, there are several volcanic cones. Among them, Dakong Mountain, Xiaokong Mountain and Heikong Mountain lay north to south in intervals about 1,093 yards. The surrounding dammed lakes, crater lakes and other unique volcanic sights form the largest natural dormant volcano museum in China.
Address: Mazhan Township, about 23 kilometers north of Chengchong County
Arrival method: You can take the Xu Xiake roundabout along the way to the city into the city by car via Dongfang Road to the North Third Ring Road or via Fei Cui Road, Teng Yue Road to the North Third Ring along the North Third Ring Road out of the city can be reached by road signs, or by the opposite of the Tourist Coach Terminal. Volcano bus can arrive
Opening hours: 8:00-18:00
Tickets: 40 yuan, including volcanoes, columnar joints and Heishui River

Tengchong Hot Sea

Due to the movement of many volcanoes in the area, Tengchong County is rich in geothermal resources. In fact, Tengchong County is one of three most famous geothermal areas within China. The grandest view of the area is the Hot Sea, which lies 20 kilometers (12.4 miles) from the southwest of the county’s center.
The Hot Sea is a valley of steaming gas pouring out from thick forests, cliffs, grounds and rivers. Covering an area of nine square kilometers (2,223.9 acres), this tourist resort contains more than 80 hot spring groups of hot water and vapor, 14 of the springs reach a temperature of 90 degrees Celsius (197 degrees Fahrenheit).

The “big boiling pot” is well-known in the area. It can reach 97 degrees Celsius (206.6 degrees Fahrenheit), is one point five meters (16.4 feet) deep and about three meters (9.8 feet) in diameter. Its water boils and rolls day and night with steaming vapors across all four seasons. The waterfall in Zaotang River, a fountain from a rock’s gap resembling a toad’s mouth is also well known. Many bathhouses and nursing homes are built around the Hot Sea, so tourists can have a steam bath as part of their medical treatment.

There are many hot springs located throughout the world; however, the Hot Sea is regarded as a natural geothermal wonder due to the number and geothermal energy of the spring.
Address: 10 km south of Tengchong County
Arrival method: You can drive by Xu Xiake roundabout along the extension line of Atami sea route or take Bus No. 2 at the tourist bus terminal and the extension line of Atami sea route. In addition, Tengchong Volcano Heathet has opened a public bus line directly to the volcano of Atami.
Opening hours: 8:00-21:00
Tickets: 60 yuan, 60 yuan extra hot springs
Tel: 0875-5133333

Wofo Temple (Reclining Buddha Temple)

At the foot of Yunyang Mountain 16 kilometers (10 miles) north of the city proper has the biggest jade Buddha in China. The temple was first built in 716 of the Tang Dynasty (618-907). The main hall of the temple was built on the basis of a natural stone cave, and the 6 meters (20 feet) long jade Buddha together with many other sculptures area stored in the hall.

Dieshuihe Waterfall

Dieshuihe Waterfall of Tengchong is one of the twelve scenic spots in Tengchong, and is the only volcano barrier waterfall located in the city of China. It lies 1 kilometer west to Tengchong County, so getting there is quick and easy and making it a good place to add to a day trip itinerary,

The waterfall leaps down over a precipice of about 40 meters high at the outlet of Daying River. Water of Daying River flows across Tengchong basin from north to south and suddenly falls down from the huge cliff and forms the grand waterfall. You can take a short hike down some steep stair to get closer to the waterfalls. And you could easily see the rainbow formed by the water vapors during the sunny days.

Above the waterfall is the famous Taijiqiao Bridge, which was constructed in 1911 by Zhang Wenguang, a senior officer in Western Yunnan. Standing on the bridge, you could appreciate the waterfalls from another angle. Opposite to the waterfall, there is a waterfall-viewing balcony built in Ming Dynasty. And this is a good place to review the history of Tengchong.
Address: 1 km west of the county seat of Tengchong County, Baoshan City
Arrival method: Guoshang cemetery left to walk away about 300 meters is
Opening hours: 8:00-17:00
Tickets: 20 yuan

Gaoligong Mountain Nature Reserve

Gaoligong Mountain begins from the ranges of Nianqing-Tanggula in Tibet and lies on the border between China and Myanmar in the west of Yunnan Province. On its two sides-east and west- are Nujiang River (Salween River) and Yiluowadi River respectively.
As early as in 1983, Yunnan provincial government approved to establish Gaoligong Mountain Nature Reserve which mainly comprises Tengchong County and Longyang District of Baoshan Municipality, and Lushui County of Nujiang Lisu Autonomous Prefecture. It was promoted to state-level nature reserve in 1986, covering 12,500 hectares. In 2000 Nujang Nature Reserve was incorporated into Gaoligong Mountain Reserve which from that time began to neighbor Tibet in the north extending 400 kilometers from north to south. With the highest and lowest altitudes being respectively 5,128 and 720 meters above the sea level, Gaoligong Mountain Reserve covers over 400,000 hectares and is the largest nature reserve in Yunnan Province.
Address: Tengchong County, Baoshan City, Yunnan Province
Tickets: Free

Photography recommendation

Jiangdong Village Ginkgo Forest
Address: Jiangdong Village, Gudong Town, Tengchong County, Baoshan City
Tickets: August to January 40, February to July 20
Arrival line
Bus: The charter fee ranges from 150 to 200 yuan. Or take a bus from Tengchong to Gudong, 8:00-19:00, take a bus about 15 minutes, transfer to Gudong Town and transfer to the bus in Jiangdong, RMB 7 one way.

Itinerary

2 days tour

Day 1: Heshun Ancient Town – Guoshang Cemetery – Dieshui River Waterfall – Beihai Wetland – Tengchong Hote sea
Day 2: Volcano National Park – Yunfeng Mountain – Heiyu River – Ginkgo Village

Food

Tengchong cuisine tastes unique in Yunnan, it is completely different from other flavor dishes, with oil but not greasy, hot and sour, fragrant and refreshing characteristics.

Accommodation

Accommodation in Tengchong County is not cheap, especially in the tourist season. Sometimes the hotels in the middle of the scale are as high as 700 yuan a night, and the inn in a good location is about 500 yuan. If it is not during the peak season, it is recommended to live in the quiet and ancient town of Heshun, which is a town ideal for quiet days. The prices of residential-style inns operated by local people are relatively low, generally around 200 yuan.

Shopping

The famous local products include jade articles, Chinese medicine, ‘xuanzhi” paper, dried rice noodles, tea oil, small hats of split bamboo, preserved vegetables, articles of rattan work, etc

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