An Unrestrained Yunnan Tour with Mom and Kids
Last year, at the end of June, as soon as my child finished the exam, in order to avoid the crowds of the "summer vacation army," we immediately took my mother and child on an unrestrained 10-day tour of Tengchong + Dali, Yunnan!
This trip included both the elderly and the young, focusing on a relaxing and leisurely experience. Therefore, we mostly chartered a car or took local day trips. The B&Bs we chose were also in the scenic spots, making it easy to stroll around at any time. They also offered travel photography and other services, allowing my child and mother to record unforgettable memories of their happy trip!
Day 1️⃣
Shanghai ✈️ Kunming, then 🚄 to Baoshan, and then chartered a car to Tengchong, arriving at the Zhuangyuan B&B in Heshun Ancient Town.
In the evening, enjoy the night view of Heshun Ancient Town and a peaceful and simple dinner.
Day 2️⃣
Chartered a car to the Rehai Scenic Area, soaked in the hot springs ♨️, and tasted the special hot spring eggs 🥚 we cooked ourselves. Then, we went to the Gaoligong Mountain Tea 🍃 Museum to let the child experience frying tea and making tea cakes 🍵. We went to Simao La Wa Village to experience the Wa ethnic culture and customs.
In the evening, we returned to Heshun Ancient Town, chose a restaurant in the ancient town for dinner, and continued to stroll around the ancient town to digest after the meal.
Day 3️⃣
Chartered a car to Ruili 🌴 to visit Yizhai Liangguo 🛕 and feel the unique border scenery. (Although it is an artificially built border attraction, it is still good for taking pictures 📷); at noon, we tasted Mengyin Banquet in Ruili, which had a Southeast Asian cuisine feel; after the meal, we went to Mangshi, put on Dai costumes to visit Menghuan Grand Golden Pagoda and Menghuan Silver Pagoda, took beautiful photos, and pretended to travel to Thailand 🇹🇭
Day 4️⃣
In the morning, we visited the Tengchong Heroes Memorial Hall to remember history and cherish the memory of the martyrs. It was a bit rainy that day, so we chose to relax and enjoy afternoon tea at a popular cafe ☕️ next to Heshun Ancient Town in the afternoon, and took beautiful photos by the way; in the evening, we watched the Dream Tengchong performance 🎭 to learn about the history, culture, and folk customs of Tengchong. The sound, light, and video effects were quite eye-catching.
Day 5️⃣
We got up early and went to the Volcano 🌋 Geothermal National Geological Park. Unfortunately, the weather was not good and we couldn't take a hot air balloon. We could only ride horses 🐎 + explore caves ⛰️ by the volcano. Then, we went to the Tengchong Wetland Park, took a boat 🚣♂️ to tour the wetland scenery, and admired the natural scenery and migratory birds. In the evening, we tasted the special peacock 🦚 banquet next to the ancient town.
Day 6️⃣
We chartered a car from Tengchong to Dali, and after arriving, we checked into the Zhenmei Resort B&B in Wenbi Village. In the evening 🌆, we tasted firewood chicken and strolled around the village while enjoying the sunset 🌅.
Day 7️⃣
We went to Xiaoputuo 🏝️ for sightseeing, had a meal at the Haitian Yise Restaurant 🍴 opposite Xiaoputuo, and admired the beautiful scenery of Erhai Lake 🌊. In the afternoon, we took travel photos 💃 near the hotel to leave beautiful memories.
Day 8️⃣
We visited Xizhou Ancient Town, rode bicycles 🚲 on the Erhai Internet-famous S-bend, and played in Dali Ideal State, pretending to be in Santorini, admiring the unique architectural style, taking photos, and enjoying a leisurely time.
Day 9️⃣
We climbed Cangshan Mountain 🏔️ for sightseeing, and visited Tianlongbabu Film and Television City along the way to experience martial arts culture. There are also 🈶 immersive script COS characters here. If you have time, you can join in and participate! We strolled around Dali Ancient City at night, eating all kinds of snacks until we were full. If we were tired, we could also find a small restaurant or bar along the street to sit down. Since we had elderly people and children with us, it was not suitable to 🌊 too late.
Day 10️⃣
We went from Dali to Kunming Airport and ✈️ returned to Shanghai.
⚠️ Precautions:
🌟 It is recommended to buy a small oxygen tank for climbing Cangshan Mountain. Don't save the life-saving money of dozens of yuan. The elderly with poor physical strength should be cautious.
🌟 Book air tickets, train tickets, chartered cars, and tickets for various attractions in advance to ensure a smooth trip. Prepare headrests, waist pillows, and eye masks. Even if it is a chartered car tour, it is still quite a test of the elderly's waist strength.
🌟 The weather in Yunnan is changeable, the altitude is high and the ultraviolet rays are strong, and the temperature difference will be large on the mountains or when it rains. Remember to bring clothes suitable for different weather and sunscreen products.
🌟 If you plan to soak in the hot springs in Tengchong, remember to bring your swimsuit 🩱 (you can also buy it on the spot if you forget it). Pay attention to the water temperature when soaking to avoid burns and dizziness caused by soaking for too long. There are also bathing facilities here.
🌟 Both B&Bs provide travel photography clothes. The Heshun one does not include a photographer; the Dali one 🈶 includes a travel photographer in the room rate. Pay attention to booking and communicating the shooting time, style, and requirements in advance during your stay. There are many landscaping scenes at the entrance of the hotel that can be used for shooting, which is definitely convenient and worry-free for those who love to take selfies.
🌟 Generally, chartered cars or day trips can be ordered from B&Bs or platforms. We chose 7-seater cars for the elderly to avoid excessive fatigue affecting the travel experience. Young people or those who want a more economical option can choose some local group tours online. After all, our colorful Yunnan is still a great tourist destination!