Where mother nature shows off

A region of incredible beauty year-round, Yunnan province is one of China's best places to seek relief from the bitter cold of winter

To escape the cold, dreary weather of Shanghai during winter, only one destination enters my mind - Yunnan province.

From peaceful lakes to fields of bright yellow rapeseed, snow-covered mountains and old towns, the contrasts are breathtaking.

Even in January, China's coldest month, the region is constantly bathed in sunshine, something that was most welcome after more than two days of driving from Shanghai.

From top to above: Lugu Lake in Ninglang county on the border of Sichuan and Yunnan. Lige Peninsula, Lugu Lake. Sunrise in Meili. Photos by Xu Xiaoming / China Daily

During our journey to Yunnan - through Zhejiang, Jiangxi, Hunan and Guizhou provinces - we saw nothing but rain and fog.

But in Dali Old Town in Yunnan province, the colors of the landscape rejuvenated our senses. The sky was deep blue, the plants were so green it seemed winter had never arrived, and the rooftops of residential buildings looked as if they were adorned with carpets made of red and yellow flowers.

Dali was one of our first stops, and it proved to be an ideal place for a nice meal after a long journey. I even managed to get my hands on a good cup of coffee, which was very comforting, especially after all the soft drinks I had consumed on the way.

We spent the night at The One, an idyllic boutique hotel in the town that offers a high-quality buffet spread for breakfast and comfortable rooms with modern facilities.

The next day, we headed to Erhai Lake, a beautiful body of sapphire-blue water 2,000 meters above sea level. Covering 256 square kilometers, the lake would take most people at least a day to cycle around.

I soon discovered that many people from Beijing and Shanghai have purchased villas beside the lake because of the scenery and fresh air.

Scooters can be rented almost everywhere in Dali and they're the best form of transportation to use to zip through the narrow lanes between lakeside villages.

My favorite places: the section from Caicun to Xizhou, where one can enjoy a panoramic view, and the Bai ethnic villages, where nearly every home comes with a pristine white wall.

Wase, a more sparsely populated section, is another lovely place to explore. There are a number of boutique hotels and guesthouses in this area where rooms come with spacious balconies on which you can enjoy views of snow-covered Cangshan Mountain in the distance and bask in the warmth of the sun.

After brewing a pot of Yunnan's specialty Pu'er tea, I switched my mobile phone off and entered a peaceful space devoid of emails, Weibo notifications and WeChat messages.

Our next stop was Yunnan's Tibetan area. Unlike the drive from Shanghai to Yunnan, this trip from Dali to Shangri-La and Meili was a thoroughly enjoyable one during which we got to see the stretch of the Jinsha River that flows under the majestic Yulong snow mountains, small villages, terraced fields in the valley and countless lakes.

The old town of Dukezong, which means "town of the moon", in Shangri-La county is known for its well-preserved Tibetan dwellings that date to about 1,300 years ago. It was low tourist season when we arrived, so we had the luxury of strolling through relatively empty streets. There were more dogs than visitors.

Having been here before, many years ago, I went out in search of a bookstore and tea house I had liked, only to discover that they had been razed during a major fire in 2014. The fire destroyed half the town. Today's Dukezong, which is neat and new, is nothing like what I remember.

Early the next morning, we left for Meili, Deqin county. Along the way, we caught sight of the famous Ganden Sumtseling Monastery in a valley not far away. Built in 1679, it is the largest Tibetan Buddhist monastery in Yunnan province and is sometimes referred to as the Little Potala Palace.

On this morning, the view of the monastery was partly obscured by morning fog, with only its gorgeous golden roof and deep red walls visible. I stood in the cold but pleasantly pure air. The only sound was the dawn breeze and the songs of birds. It was too beautiful to believe it was real, like a fantastic dream.

As we continued our journey to Meili Snow Mountain, snow began to fall, and we could only move at a snail's pace because of the slippery road conditions. Two hours later, we emerged on the other side of the mountain, where the sun shone brightly again.

Meili is situated in a range of mountains on the border of Yunnan province and the Tibet autonomous region. It boasts stunning snow-capped ridges and peaks, 13 of which tower more than 6,000 meters above sea level. Kawagebo Peak, at 6,740 meters, is the highest in Yunnan and is still a "virgin peak" - recognized as a sacred mountain by the local people. Travelers are not allowed to scale it.

Catching the sunrise behind Meili Snow Mountain is the most amazing thing I have ever seen during all my travels. It all began with a sliver of light around 7 am - sunrise in this region is late. Each of the 13 peaks of the range appeared in succession, like giants emerging from the abyss.

At around 8 am, a tiny spot of red and gold light emerged above Kawagebo Peak and expanded quickly, flowing down the mountain and glaciers like wildfire. About 20 minutes later, the entire mountain was encased in light beneath the regal sky. It's a picture that our two-week journey ended at Lugu Lake in Ninglang county, on the border of Sichuan and Yunnan provinces. The place is well-known for having a matriarchal and matrilineal society, which has been called Women's World.

Lugu Lake is a beautiful 50-sq-km water body located 2,690 meters above sea level and adorned with tiny islands and peninsulas. Watching the sunset there was yet another surreal experience. The lake looked as if it were ready to slumber, as a gentle breeze blew across the water, creating ripples on the surface that reflected the soft gray and blue hues of the dusk sky.

There are several accommodation options in Luoshui village, which lies close to the lake. Like other destinations we visited, there is little to do except take peaceful strolls, sip tea in the sunshine or ride a bicycle around the lake.

Time seems to slow down. And that's the real beauty of Yunnan province.

Travel tips

When to go: To beat the crowds, travel to Yunnan during the low season, from December to March. Yunnan has a healthy population of private hostels which are clean and comfortable. Just walk around and find one that is to your liking.

Getting there: Driving is a good way to see Yunnan, as you can stop to take in the views, rather than paying to enter scenic spots. Yunnan's less popular mountains.

What to bring: Winter in Yunnan is fairly comfortable, but bring along a windbreaker because temperatures may dip at night. Deqin county, where Meili Snow Mountain is located, lies at an altitude of 3,600 meters. As such, some travelers might experience slight altitude sickness, including headaches. It might be prudent to bring along some pain killers.

xuxiaomin@chinadaily.com.cn

(China Daily Africa Weekly 03/03/2017 page18)