Tengchong has a stunning volcanic landscape that includes natural volcanoes, hot springs, and volcanic lakes.

 

Volcanic Landscape:

 

Tengchong County is a quiet place, but in the last 500 years the area has recorded over 70 earthquakes measuring at least five on the Richter scale. As a geothermal area, Tengchong is second only to Yangbajing in Tibet.

 

The county itself lies on the lava lands of Leifeng Mountain. More than 80 steam springs, hot springs and heat springs have been found in Tengchong. The geothermal heat creates different landscapes: Carbonic acid and sulfur springs that boast luxuriant vegetation; sulfuric acid springs where no grass will grow; and poisonous carbon dioxide and hydrogen sulfide rich springs.

 

A casual stroll around the small volcanoes followed by a dip in a hot spring give you a good taste for the area.

 

Volcano Park

 

In Tengchong there is a saying: "Nine out of 10 mountains have no head." With 97 volcanoes in the area, this is no exaggeration.

 

In the volcano park, there are eight well-preserved volcanoes from the Cenozoic era. The foremost is Daying (Beat Hawk) Mountain, which sits in the middle part of the county, and has erupted many times. It is the tallest conical volcano in the area, rising 2,614 meters, and is surrounded by over 70 volcanoes of different sizes.

 

About 10 kilometers to the north stands Dakong (Senior Empty) Mountain, Xiaokong (Junior Empty) Mountain and Heikong (Black Empty) Mountain. Dakong Mountain has been dormant for several centuries so the center is empty, but the rim offer views of the surrounding landscape.

 

The environment in Tengchong includes many different types of volcanoes, as well as magnificent scenes such as volcanic lakes, crater lakes and lava cascades.

 

Taken together, these comprise the biggest natural museum of dormant volcanoes in China.

 

Admission fee: 20 yuan

 

Activities: visitors can take a fire balloon at the foot of the volcano. Cost: 100 yuan.

 

Transportation: Take bus route C (10 yuan) or hire a taxi (around 40 yuan).

 

A World of Heat

 

Visitors cannot miss a trip to Rehai (Hot Sea).

 

The main attraction there is called Dagunguo (Big Boiling Bowl), a large spring that reaches a temperature of 97 degrees centigrade. Locals offer visitors eggs cooked in the spring's heat. Hot water is ejected intermittently into the nearby streams with a thunderous roar. The water in the hot spring contains a wide variety of minerals.

Among the numerous smaller springs and geysers, the park also has cooler springs suitable for a swim, including Frog Mouth, Lion Head, Pearl Spring and Drum-beat Spring. The waterfall on the Zaotang River is also an attraction.

 

Overall, Tengchong has more than 80 hot springs and nearly every village has one of its own.

 

Admission fee: 20 yuan

 

Transportation: Take the bus in the county or a taxi. (Both cost 5 yuan/person). It's not recommended to hire a bicycle since it is quite tiresome to ride on the winding mountain road.

 

Lodging: Tengchong has some hotels but it is better to reserve a room in the busy season. Standard rooms are 268 yuan but can be bargained down to about 90 yuan in the low season.

 

Hotels:

 

Rehaimingzhuren Hotel: (Tel) 0875-5149888 Standard room: 220 yuan

 

Rehairen Hotel: (Tel) 0875-5150366 Standard room: 180 yuan (Spa included)

 

Laogunguo Inn: 10 yuan. (This one is cheaper but visitors have to walk about 10 minutes to get to the park)

 

Yunfeng Mountain 

 

Yunfeng Mountain is a Taoist mountain situated near the Myanmar border. Visitors have the option to reach the top either by hiking or taking a cable car. There are a number of small pagodas scattered around the mountain, while most people head for the main temple of Yunfeng Si at the peak. At the mountain's summit, visitors are offered a panoramic view of the area.

 

Admission fee: 10 yuan, plus 54 yuan for the cable car

 

Beihai National-level Protected Wetland

 

The Beihai swamp is a national protected wetland. The broad expanse of paddyfields and lakes, bamboo-made bridges and little boats sliding along the river create a quiet and peaceful scene.

 

The surface of the lakes is covered by one-meter-thick grass decorated with many wild flowers, but be careful of drowning while stepping on the grass; the water beneath is about seven meters deep. Boating on the river and fishing is a good way to relax.

 

Admission Fee: 20 yuan

 

Transportation: the wetland is 12 kilometers away from the county. A minibus costs 5yuan person. It is about 20 minutes bus ride.

 

Heshun Township

 

Heshun Township is the well-known hometown of many overseas Chinese. The unique hybrid culture makes it an great choice for visitors touring Tengchong.

 

Transportation: The township is only four kilometers away from Tengchong. Hiring a taxi costs 10 yuan.

 

Lodging: it is quite cheap to stay in Heshun. It costs about 10 to 20 yuan.

 

 

Tomb of State Funeral

 

The tomb of State Funeral lies one kilometer southwest of the county. It is the largest, and best-preserved cemetery of KMT martyrs from the anti-Japanese and Second World War. In 1944, one of the fiercest battles in the eight-year long war took place here with Chinese Expedition Force's counter offensive to retake Tengchong from the hands of the Japanese. Over 3,000 Chinese soldiers died in the 44-day action.

 

Admission Fee: 10 yuan

 

Transportation: The tomb of State Funeral lies within the county; visitors can walk to the site.

 

General Travel Info:

 

--The nearest airport is in Baoshan, a two-hour bus ride from Tengchong. Visitors may take a flight from Kunming to Baoshan or a 17-hour bus ride.

 

Beginning April 28, travelers in Guangdong may take a direct flight from Guangzhou to Baoshan.

 

 

--A taxi for a day that includes Yunfeng Mountain and the volcano park will cost around 250 yuan. Add another 50 yuan for the hot springs. There are public buses to these sites but it can become very time-consuming to use them and some walking or hitching will still be involved. Tour buses from the county to Rehai cost five yuan.

 

--Tengchong Hotel is a good deal. Standard rooms are 268 yuan but can be bargained down to about 90 yuan in the low season.

 

More About Tengchong

 

Geography:

 

Tengchong, tucked in a western corner of Yunnan Province, is 750 kilometers west of Kunming. Starting from Baoshan city and traveling along the China-India highway, built half a century ago, leads you to Tengchong Basin.As you approach, you can see dozens of volcanoes, large and small, in the distance, surrounded by dense trees.

 

Located on the border of the Europe-Asia continental plate, Tengchong is a highly volcanic area. Since 1500, there have been over 70 earthquakes in the area measuring five or more on the Richter scale. The Daying (Beat Hawk) Mountain volcano has erupted many times. Ma'an Mountain consists of three volcanoes, some of which have formed lakes. Tengchong has the best preserved volcano groups from the Cenozoic Era in China.

 

History:

 

The history of Tengchong can be traced back to the Han Dynasty, around 100 BC. For 2000 years, it was an important station along the old southwestern silk route. Xu Xiake, a great Ming Dynasty traveler, described the place as the "number one furthest city on the border".

 

The Han and 22 ethnic minority groups reside in the county. (For more knowledge about China's ethnic minorities, click here).

 

The place also boasts as "the cradle of Tengyue culture," a hybrid culture mixing Han Chinese, local ethnic minority groups, and foreign cultures from Burma.

 

Local products:

 

Tengchong was renowned as the Jadeware factory of China. The jade processing industry has been centered in Tengchong for over 500 years.

 

Local people work jadeite into bracelets, earrings and many other decorations. In its golden days, during the Ming and Qing dynasties, there were more than 500 jadeware workshops and over 3,000 craftsmen in Tengchong. The local Duanjia, Wangjia, Qiluo and Zhengkun jade works - named after their makers - are well known at home and abroad.

 

Tengchong is also famous for producing traditional Chinese herbal medicines, Xuan paper (high quality paper for traditional Chinese painting) and rattan work, which is famous throughout Southeast Asia.

 

Transportation:

 

Tengchong, though a small city, has been an important link between southwest China and both India and Myanmar since ancient times.

 

It opened to foreign trade during the Qing dynasty and was deemed important enough by the British to establish a Consulate there. The first consul arrived in 1899 and the office remained open until the 1940s.

 

In the first decades of this century, the main route from Dali to Burma crossed Baoshan, continued westward over the great Salween River and reached Tengchong.

 

The building of the Burma Road in the late 1930's shifted the route farther south, from Baoshan to Luxi (Mangshi) and on to Wanding, by passing Tengchong.

 

Today, this remains the primary highway in western Yunnan .

 

(CRIENGLISH.com November 10, 2006)