Hi everyone,

I have three days off for Christmas, and 4 for New Year, and I'm wondering where to go (sightseeing). Of course, it will depend on the weather, as I don't fancy having 3 days of rain, but I'm looking for options.

So far, I have:
- Rice terraces near Honghe: have already been there twice but I have bad luck with the fog. It takes a day to get there though. Yuanyang might be another option (night bus?) but the entrance fee is deterring me (what are we paying for?)
- Bamei near Guangnan

The other places I'd like to see (and that I know of) are all too far, inaccessible in winter, would require too much time, are no good this time of the year, or all four together: Shangri-la (trekking), Xishuangbanna, Nujiang & Dulong jiang...

I've already been to Dali and Lijiang (and Xishuangbanna and Shangri-La) and, while I haven't seen everything, the rest would take more than a short trip.

So, any other idea?

A lot does depend on the weather. Last year during a cold snap we went to Jianshui and it was also relatively cold, although a bit warmer than Kunming.
This year we plan to head for the border around Xishuangbanna, as it is almost guaranteed to be warmer. Not at Xmas though.

You can go to Pu Zhe Hei (PZH) and then on to Ba Mei. I really like Ba Mei. Both are in Wenshan. PZH is in Qiubei County and Ba Mei is in Guangnan County.

JianShui and Yuan Yang is a good choice and it will break up your long trip as it is on the way.

I highly recommend going to Heijing. You can go by bus or train.

www.gokunming.com/[...]

www.gokunming.com/[...]

It is 1 of the 3 salt towns and you can begin a 3 part trip with Heijing in Lufeng County, Heijing.

Thanks

Yes, it depends on the weather, which is why I'm asking for options ^^

I spent 3 days in Xishuangbanna last year and had 3 days of rain. While there is delicious food to eat and shopping for tea is enjoyable, you don't want to be stuck there during a three day downpour. There is simply nothing to do!

I don't mind the cold as long as it's dry. I went to Dali during the cold spell in December last year, and it sure was enjoyable: the whole area was basically empty.

If I remember correctly, Puzhehei and Bamei are pretty far from each other, and it's not the right season for Puzhehei. With a 200 yuan entrance fee, I'd rather see it at its best...

The salt towns look great, and with 3 very different locations, I should be able to find one with good weather.

Jianshui + Tuanshan, I'll keep that in mind if I head toward the rice terraces and manage to see them on my first day.

Have you been to Weishan? I remember it being on my "to see" list 2 years ago, but never got around to see it...

Both Weishan (South) and Jianchuan (North), both in Dali, have very nice old towns that are not filled with tourists and still remain very much as they have in the past.

Jianchuan also offers 1000 Lion Mountain which is very nice and only 2km from the old town. Shi Bao Shan (Stone Treasure MOuntain) and Shaxi are only 30 km away and you can take a taxi there for about 100-150 or 200 for both.

You can go to PZH and you do not need to pay the entrance fee. Just go in and look around but you can not go in the caves nor ride the boat. I have been to PZH and BaMei twice during December and it is nice because no one is there.

I have been to Shaxi and Shibaoshan already and, while it's quite beautiful, I won't go back just yet. Though it's a nice place to "recover" from Lijiang ^^

I'll check Jianchuan and keep the info about Puzhehei in mind.

Thanks a lot!

Weather in Guangdong and Taiwan will be quite nice and mostly dry.

Or hit the beaches in Hainan. There is much more to Hainan than Sanya. I believe you can hire wheels to travel up the coast.

Based on the examples provided, I think the OP is looking for something nearby (Yunnan).

Yes, I am! I "only" have 3 days for Christmas and then I need to be back in Kunming for work. Then 4 days for New Year and back to work. I'm not going to spend thousands (of RMB) for just a few days...

And yes, I'm looking for something in Yunnan specifically. I've been here for over a year and seen so little that I'm almost ashamed to say I live here.

If the weather is good, I'm probably going to get my bike and ride down the Bijiang between Lanping and Yunlong to see the old bridges. With a stop at Nuodeng of course!

I'll save the beach for Chinese New Year break, though I might be heading more toward Thailand than Sanya...