Tengchong

Tengchong is a county-level city in Yunnan, South-West China, located on the western periphery of Yunnan Province, adjacent to Myanmar. As a famous tourist destination, Tengchong is famous for its rich natural resources and historical culture. It has a magnificent volcanic landscape, hot springs, wetlands and a variety of national cultures, especially Tengchong Volcano Hot Sea Scenic Area and Hwasun Ancient Town attract a large number of tourists. Tengchong has a long history, is an important area of cultural exchange between China and Myanmar, but also because of its unique geographical location and cultural background, it has become one of the important tourist cities in Yunnan.

Get in

By train

Map of Tengchong The city does not have railway service. The main way to get to Tengchong is by transferring to a long-distance bus through Kunming. From Kunming West Bus Terminal, take a sleeper or limousine bus, it takes about 10 hours to reach Tengchong Tourist Terminal. The bed fare is approximately US$218. The nearest train station is in Baoshan. A bus service operates between Baoshan Railway Station and Tengchong.

By bus

Tengchong Tourist Bus Station, Rehai Road South Section, opposite the Xiake Hotel, ☏ +86 875 5161526. This is Tengchong's busiest long-distance bus station. Buses are available to a wide range of destinations in the region, including Kunming, Baoshan, Chuxiong, Dali, Jinghong, Lijiang, Liuku, and Panzhihua.
Tengchong Bus Station, Dongfang Road Opposite Dongfang Hospital, ☏ +86 875 5152363. This used to be Tengchong's main long-distance bus station but now mainly serves buses heading to towns and cities in Dehong Prefecture such as Mangshi and Ruili.

Get around

Taxis or didi dache (Chinese Uber) are probably your best bet. The areas outside the city may be too distant to casually bicycle. Buses are also a good option. Besides regular buses, there are also special express buses to major tourist attractions such as the Tengchong Volcano Cluster and the Rehai Geothermal Field. Tengchong Main Intercity Bus Station Bus Station | Description Tengchong Bus Station | Main intercity bus hub connecting Tengchong with cities like Kunming, Baoshan, Dali, Lijiang, etc. Tengchong Tourist Bus Station | Serves tourists with buses to attractions like Volcano Park and Hot Sea Scenic Area, also connects to nearby cities. Tengchong East Gate Bus Station | Connects Tengchong with surrounding counties and cities, serving local residents and tourists. Tengchong West Gate Bus Station | Provides long-distance bus services to other cities and counties, especially for the western part of Tengchong.

See

Tengchong suffered heavy damage during World War II and the impact of the war can be seen in many parts of the city. For instance, the old British Consulate building includes bullet holes visible from World War II when the Japanese used it as a stone bastion during the Battle of Tengchong. The old city wall was sadly obliterated during the battle, but the north gate has since been rebuilt. The iconic pagoda on Laifeng Hill in the city's south has also been rebuilt. A famous seasonal wetland lake area north of the city is a great attraction for migratory birdlife. Two traditional Qing Dynasty villages near the city are preserved, one to the southeast and one to the southwest. The latter features the first ever private museum in Yunnan. Both feature a lot of traditional Qing Dynasty aristocratic architecture including murals, wood and stone carvings and other significant Chinese architectural features.

Museums

[Stilwell Road Museum](https://www.google.com/maps/search/%E8%85%BE%E5%86%B2%E5%8F%B2%E8%BF%AA%E5%A8%81%E5%85%AC%E8%B7%AF%E5%8D%9A%E7%89%A9%E9%A6%86, National Highway G219take bus no. 5 to Caomiao, then walk the rest of the way).08:00-20:00. A privately-run museum about the Stilwell Road, a road built during World War II to enable supplies to reach China from British India. The road passed through Tengchong and linked up with the Burma Road, which ran between Burma and Kunming. The museum maintains a very impressive collection of World War II-era military vehicles, including dozens of jeeps and trucks. Free.
Tengchong Jade Museum, Gaoligong International Tourism City bus nos. 1, 2 and 7, ☏ +86 875 5158869. 08:30-18:00. A museum about the jade industry in Tengchong. Displays various jade specimens and artefacts, including what is claimed to be the largest jade stone in the world.¥30.
Tenchong Museum, Guanghua Road bus nos. 4, 5 and 6; the museum is the middle building in a public square - the other two buildings are the Tengchong Library and the Tengchong Cultural Center, ☏ +86 875 5135009. 09:00-17:00, closed on Mondays. Has exhibtions on the history and culture of the city. The history exhibitions are on the ground floor and the culture exhibitions are the upper floor. Free.
Western Yunnan Memorial to War of Resistance Against Japan, No. 2 Taiji Housing Estate, Tiancheng Community bus no. 6, ☏ +86 875 5138779. 09:00-17:00, closed on Mondays. Large museum dedicated to the Western Yunnan campaign of World War II. Has lots of information in English, though captions for individual items tend to be in Chinese only. The main exhibition halls are on the ground floor, but the exhibitions on the second floor are worth seeing too, especially the exhibition on Japan's biological and chemical weapons program. Free.

Historical sites

Former residence of Li Genyuan, 38 Dieyuan Housing Estate, Tiancheng Community, Tengyue Town at the intersection of Dieyuan Road and Tengyue Road, not far from the National Martyrs' Cemetery; take bus nos. 3 (both inner and outer circle routes) or bus no. 9, ☏ +86 875 5133450. As of August 2022, the building is closed for repairs. Li Genyuan (1879-1965) was an educator, army officer, and government official who was born in Tengchong. He had a long and illustrious career, which included acting as principal of the Yunnan Military Academy, participating in the Xinhai Revolution and holding various senior government positions. In 1945, after the Second World War was over, he moved back to Tengchong and oversaw the establishment of the National Martyrs' Cemetery. This house of his was built between 1946 and 1947. It is now a museum dedicated to Li Genyuan's life. Free.
Former site of British Consulate down an alleyway off Jihong Street; bus no. 1).The building can only be viewed from the outside. Built by the British between 1921 and 1931. During the Japanese occupation of Tengchong, the Japanese Imperial Army used the building as a fort. It subsequently saw intense fighting when the Chinese army returned in 1944 to take back the city. Even today, the building is riddled with dozens of bullet holes. As of August 2022, the building is surrounded by construction sites on one side and a market on the other. If you follow the directions given by Baidu Maps, it will tell you to walk to the site via the market on Jihong Street, but actually there is a fence between the market and the building, so you have to go around the back of the block and walk through a construction site. Free.

National Martyrs' Cemetery, No. 2 Taiji Housing Estate, Tiancheng Community next to the Western Yunnan Memorial to War of Resistance Against Japan, ☏ +86 875 5138779. 09:00-17:00, closed on Mondays. One of a very small number of national cemeteries in China dedicated exclusively to the fallen of World War II.Free.

Temple of the Medicine King, Intersection of Guanghua Road and Jihong Street bus nos. 1, 4, 5 and 6).09:00-17:00. A Taoist temple dedicated to the Medicine King. The temple was established in 1626 and rebuilt in 1877. Free.
Tengchong Confucius Temple, 180 Huangxue Housing Estate, Xiufeng Community near the intersection of Huangxue Road and Fengshan Road; bus nos. 2 and 4).As of August 2022, the temple is closed for repairs. Founded in 1480, the temple was moved to the present site in 1705 and rebuilt in 1879. Free.

Ancient towns and villages

Heshun Ancient Town Drive: From Tengchong city, drive about 10 kilometers along Tenglong Avenue, about 20 minutes by car. Public transportation: Take the bus from Tengchong to Hwasun, which takes about 30 minutes.).All day. Heshun Ancient Town is famous for its rich historical culture and beautiful water country scenery, which is an ideal place to experience western Yunnan culture and water country style.80. Ai Siqi Memorial, Water Mill Village, Heshun Township. All day. Established to commemorate the famous Chinese philosopher and sociologist Estee, the Estee Memorial Hall displays Estee's life and related materials.80¥.

Cun Family Ancestral Hall, Dashi Xiangkou, Heshun Ancient Town. All day. It was the first of the eight great temples in Heshun, built in the Qing Jiaqing Decade (1806), and took more than 20 years to complete. Its architectural style is unique, integrates Chinese and Western elements, and has important historical and cultural values.80¥.
Dragon Pool, Longchuan River Basin. From April 10th. Known for its clear water quality and rich natural scenery, Longchuan River rafting is an excellent way to experience the natural scenery of Tengchong.200-300¥.
Heshun Library, No. 8 of Three Societies of Water Mill Village. Heshun Library was founded in 1928, formerly known as the "Book Reading Newspaper", is one of the important cultural landmarks of Heshun ancient town.55¥.
Liu Family Ancestral Hall, Dashi Xiangkou, Heshun Ancient Town. Liu's Ancestral Hall, the first of the eight major temples in Heshun, was built in the Qing Jiaqing Decade (1806) and took more than 20 years to complete. Its architectural style is unique, integrates Chinese and Western elements, and has important historical and cultural values.80¥.
Zhongtian Temple, Heshun Ancient Town. Zhongtian Temple was built in the Qing Dynasty, located at the top of the mountain in Heshun ancient town, is one of the eight temples in Heshun. The temple is full of incense and enshrined many Buddha statues, which is an important place for tourists to understand the history and culture of Hwasun.
Qiluo Ancient Town. The ancient town of Qiluo attracts many tourists with its unique historical culture and beautiful natural scenery.60¥.
Yinxing Village, Jiangdong Village, Gudong Town. Ginkgo Village attracts many tourists with its ancient ginkgo trees and unique natural scenery.

Parks and nature

Beihai Wetland, Provincial Highway 238 (238 bus no. 13), ☏ +86 875 5130102. 08:30-19:00. A major national wetland park spanning two volcanogenic lakes. The park may be visited at any time of the year but if you want to see the flowers blooming, you should come around April or May.¥55 (entry fee), ¥40 (boat ride).
Dieshui River Waterfall, Baofeng Road about 400 meters north of the National Martyrs' Cemetery.), ☏ +86 875 5141499 (enquiries, +86 15925003317. 07:30-18:30. A beautiful natural waterfall right in the heart of the city.¥10.
Laifengshan National Forest Park, Fengshan Road take bus no. 8 to Tengchong No. 5 High School, then walk from there), ☏ +86 875 5155283. 08:00-17:30. A large park centered around Laifeng Hill (Laifengshan, the highest land formation in the central part of the city and one of the city's major landmarks. During the Second World War, the occupying Japanese forces fortified the hill and used it as a base for maintaining their stranglehold over the city. In 1944, this was one of the main battlefields of the Battle of Tengchong, during which the Chinese Expeditionary Force and allied forces fought to liberate the city. The Chinese ultimately won the battle but at a heavy cost. Many of those who fought in the battle are buried at the National Martyrs Cemetery. There are also many soldiers and other people buried on the hill itself, including Zhang Wende, the unofficial wartime governor of Tengchong County who mobilized local civilians to support the war effort. When walking through the park, you will see graves almost everywhere you look. You can also see remnants of the battle such as trenches and bomb craters. Visitors are requested not to touch the war remnants. At the summit of the hill is the famous Wenbi Pagoda, which was rebuilt in 2000. There are multiple walking paths. Take the 3-km-long path on the left if you want to see as many graves and war remnants as possible. The three steep paths in the middle will take you directly to the pagoda. If you take the easy path on the right, you will end up at the Laifeng Temple. Free.

Tengchong Volcanic Geothermal National Geological Park. Large national park protecting the geologically significant parts of the Tengchong Volcanic Field. The park is divided into several distinct 'scenic areas'. These scenic areas are many kilometers apart and may be viewed as separate parks from a traveller's point of view. The two biggest and most popular scenic areas are the Rehai Scenic Area and the Volcano Scenic Area. The Rehai Scenic Area and the Volcano Scenic Area are about 37 kilometers apart. Nonetheless, it's certainly possible to visit both places on the same day if you start out in the morning. Black Fish River Scenic Area, County Highway M74, Qushi Town ( M74 bus no. 13), ☏ +86 875 5853388. 08:00-19:00. This tends to be the least visited of the park's scenic areas, but there are some interesting features here too. Black Fish River is an underground river that was forced to the surface after the original channel was blocked by lava flows. The river is named after the black fish that live in the river. Near the river, one can see some fine examples of columnar jointing. Free.

Rehai Scenic Area, Hot Sea Scenic Area), Qingshui Township take the special tourist bus that departs from outside the Tengchong Tourist Bus Station), ☏ +86 875 5133333 (enquiries), +86 875 5869777 (complaints, +86 875 5869119 (emergencies).08:00-21:00 (summer, 08:00-20:00 (winter).This is the most active area of the Tengchong Volcanic Field and has many hot springs and other hydrothermal features such as fumaroles and geysers. The most famous hot spring is the Dagunguo Hot Spring which maintains a constant temperature of around 96 to 97 degrees Celcius. Here, visitors are permitted to throw eggs into the water and watch them boil. Make sure you don't do that at any of the other hot springs. Also, be careful not to touch the boiling water. Bathing is possible, but only at a certain designated sites such as the Meinvchi Hot Spring and the Yugu Hot Spring. Entry fee: ¥50, hot springs bathing fee: ¥300, sightseeing car: ¥10 one way or ¥15 return.
Volcano Scenic Area, Mazhan Township take the special tourist bus that departs from outside the Tengchong Tourist Bus Station), ☏ +86 875 5133333 (enquiries), +86 875 5869777 (complaints), +86 875 5869089 (emergencies).08:00-18:00. Includes a cluster of volcanoes of varying sizes. Two of the volcanoes have been developed for tourism, including Dakong Hill and Xiaokong Hill. Dakong Hill is the larger of the two. Once you get to the top, you can walk or take a horse ride around the rim of the crater, but the path is covered in wet mud and horse excrement, so taking the horse might be the better option. Xiaokong Hill, although smaller than Dakong Hill, actually offers a more pleasant experience. Not only is it easier to climb, it also has a much cleaner walking path (made from wood instead of dirt. There are two museums near the entrance to the scenic area. One is the Tengchong Volcanic Geology Museum, which explains the geology of the area and displays various specimens of volcanic rock. The other museum is the Science Experience Hall, which features interactive science displays and a 3D movie theatre. General entry fee: ¥35, General entry fee plus entry fee for Science Experience Hall: ¥78, sightseeing car: ¥10 one way or ¥15 return.

Do

Visit the Tengchong Volcano Park: Explore the fascinating volcanic landscapes, hot springs, and lava tubes.
[Hwasun Ancient TownExplore the Heshun Ancient Town: A well-preserved historical town known for its architecture, ancient culture, and picturesque scenery.
Tengchong Hot Springs: Take a relaxing soak in the hot springs, which are famous for their therapeutic properties.
[Angsana TengchongTengchong Museum: Learn about the region’s rich history, including its role during World War II and its indigenous cultures.
Wildlife Watching: The nearby Gaoligong Mountains are a hotspot for hiking and wildlife enthusiasts, home to a variety of rare species.

Buy

Silver jewelry: Renowned for its intricate designs and traditional techniques, popular among tourists and locals alike.
Local Tea: Tengchong’s highland tea is known for its distinctive flavor, especially the famous green tea.
Handcrafted pottery: Traditional pottery and ceramic goods are widely available in the local markets.
Herbal products: Tengchong’s proximity to natural hot springs makes it famous for its herbal and spa products.

Eat

[Hot potTengchong Hot Pot: A unique hot pot that uses locally sourced ingredients, often served with a variety of meats and vegetables.
Pineapple rice: A dish that blends rice with tropical fruits like pineapple, creating a sweet and savory flavor.
Rice with pineappleChili chicken: A popular spicy chicken dish that uses locally grown chilies and herbs.
Pork with pickled vegetables: A dish combining tender pork and locally fermented vegetables, showcasing the region's rich flavors.

Drink

Tengchong Coffee: The local coffee grown in high-altitude regions is known for its strong flavor and rich aroma.
Pu'er tea: Widely available in the area, Tengchong’s Pu'er tea offers a mild, earthy taste appreciated by tea connoisseurs.
Herbal teas: Brewed with locally grown herbs, these are popular for their medicinal properties and refreshing taste.

Sleep

Angsana Tengchong, Mayugu International Hot Springs Resorts, Beihai Township Approximately 12km northeast of the city center, ☏ +86 875 899-9888, tengchong@angsana.com. Check-in: 14:00, check-out: 12:00. Five-star hotel. From ¥2848.
Heshun Xinyue Boutique InnXinyue-Liubai Boutique Inn;, 18 Lijia Alley, Heshun TownAbout 60 meters west of the Heshun Library, ☏ +86 15925030407. Check-in: 14:00, check-out: 12:00. Four-star hotel. From ¥490.

Go next

Ruili is a border city between China and Myanmar, known for its unique exotic atmosphere and tropical scenery. There is a rich Myanmar culture where you can experience border trade, exotic cuisine and handicraft markets. Recommended to visit Ruilijiang River, Jiajiao Port, Mori Rainforest.