Yunnan, a province in southwest China, shares its boarder with Myanmar, Laos, and Vietnam. It literally means south of the clouds. Home of 40 million people, its area is 400,000 sq km, with an average height of 2,000m.

Yunnan is the home for 25 different tribes, making it the country's highest concentration of ethnic groups. Each of these groups maintains distinctive life style and splendid culture. The tribal people, winding ranges of mountains, tranquil monasteries and subtropical jungles make Yunnan very different from other destinations.

Kunming is the capital of Yunnan Province, with a history of more than 2400 years. Kunming is called "City of Eternal Spring". Whenever you are planning to go, the climate is always pleasant.

Dianchi Lake is called "Pearl of the Plateau". It is the sixth largest fresh water lake in China, with the highest altitude 1,885 meters. Dianchi Lake is 300 square kilometers. If you take a walk on the lake shore you will feel intoxicated by the beautiful landscape. The most beautiful view of Dianchi Lake appears at dawn and sunset, the refraction of the ethereal rays glitter on the water surface just like thousands of silver fishes swimming and playing. At night, when the breeze is fleeting over the water and the world is brimming over with hazy moonlight, Dianchi Lake lies in silence and breathes in peace like a sleeping beauty.

Golden Temple is located on top of Mingfeng (Singing Phoenix) Hill. The main building is Taoist Taihe Palace (Hall of Supreme Harmony), which is the largest copper temple in China. Except for the staircases and balustrades, which are made of marble, the walls, columns, rafters, roof tiles, altars, Buddha statues, wall decorations and the banner near the gate tower are all made of copper. The burnished copper gleamed like gold and that is why people named it the Golden Temple.

Stone Forest is the most dramatic attraction in Yunnan Province, known since the Ming dynasty (1368-1644 A.D.) It enjoys the title "First Wonder of the World". The Stone Forest is in Lunan Yi Nationality Autonomous County, which is about 120 kilometers (75 miles) from Kunming and requires only a three-hour drive. It covers an area of 400 square kilometers (96,000 acres) and includes both large and small stone forests, as well as many other scenic spots. An old local saying says that "If you have visited Kunming without seeing the Stone Forest, you have wasted your time." Truly, the Stone Forest is one of the most important attractions of Yunnan.

Dali City is acknowledged as "Backpackers' Paradise" in China. Foreign visitors like to stay in Dali ancient city. Some of them live there for months or even years.

Chongsheng Temple. Built between 823 and 1108, the three pagodas at the Chongsheng Temple is 1.5 kilometers north of the ancient town of Dali. The main pagoda has 16-stories. It is a square brick structure with close eaves. It is 69.13 meters high. The other two octagonal pagodas flanking the main pagoda, one in the south and the other in the north, are ten-story stone and brick structures, each rising 42.19 meters above the ground. The Chongsheng Temple was the Buddhist center of Nanzhao State. The three pagodas have survived more than 30 strong earthquakes in the past 1,000 years and stand as a marvel of architecture.

Erhai Lake is one of the seven biggest fresh water lakes in China. It is located about two kilometers east of Dali. It is like a crescent lying between Cangshan Mountain and Dali City as seen from Cangshan Mount. In a sunny day, the crystal waters of Erhai Lake and the snow mantled Cangshan Mount radiate with each other. Thus the scene was commonly described as 'Silver Cangshan and Jade Erhai'. It would be a great pleasure for you to go for a boat ride on the crystal water of the lake.

Lijiang is an old town in the Northwest of Yunnan. It was built 800 years ago. It is a state-level ancient cultural city. In 1997 Lijiang Prefecture was added to the List of World's Cultural Heritages. With the area of 20,600 square kilometers, Lijiang Prefecture has a population of 1.02 million.

Lijiang Old Town was built about 800 years ago during the Southern Song Dynasty. Owing to it's unique ethnic culture and urban layout, this old town was enlisted to be one of World Cultural Heritages in 1997. Brief description by World Heritage Committee: The Old Town of Lijiang, which is perfectly adapted to the uneven topography of this key commercial and strategic site, has retained a historic townscape of high quality and authenticity. Its architecture is noteworthy for the blending of elements from several cultures that have come together over many centuries. Lijiang also possesses an ancient water-supply system of great complexity and ingenuity that still functions effectively today.

Jade Dragon Snow Mountain is situated north of Lijiang Old Town. The highest point in the mountain reaches a height of 5,596 meters, named "Fan Peak". This "Fan peak" is still a virgin peak and has yet to be conquered by mountaineering enthusiasts. There are cable cars available in this resort that will bring you to a height of 4506 meters above sea level. You can also enjoy skiing on the northeast range of the Fan Peak. This is the only skiing place in Southern China. Through out the year, snow falls on the peaks. Looking from a far distance, the mountain resembles a Jade Dragon, hence the name "Jade Dragon Snow Mountain".