China Travel Tips

Reflections on Travel in China

Tuesday, July 9, 2013

Visiting Remote Villages in Yunnan Province

In my 25 years of travel through out China one of the most interesting provinces is Yunnan province.  In south central China just north of Burma, Laos and Viet Nam boarders Yunnan which is a very diverse province.  The North part is in the mountains and the south half is semi-tropical.  Kunming, the capital is in the middle and known as the Spring City because of its altitude and is fairly cool during the hot summer months. These photos of one minority village is just one of over 26 minority peoples in Yunnan province. Each has their own dress,


foods, and culture. It isn't often you can visit many cultures in such a small area and you will always find them hospitable and friendly.   It is the custom if you ask to visit them to open their houses and serve you tea or in the case of this village some of their great wine!!  Your guide just yells out to them "We have some foreigners here that would like to visit you".   There are no door bells of course.  As curious as you are about them, they are just as curious to know where you come from.  They may continue to do their work but you will see first hand what life is like in each small culture and village.  In one minority village, once married, the men retire and the women do all the work!  :-)   Learning about each culture is interesting and at the same  time you see wonderful back country China without hoards of tourists.
     Click on the photos for a full screen view!

No comments: