Favorite Yunnan Tours

Travel from Yunnan to Vietnam via Dien Bien Fu

Cross-border journey from the Yunnan Province in southwest China to the Halong Bay in Northern Vietnam. The mountainous border area between Yunnan and Vietnam is historically, ethnically, as well as scenically amongst the most inspiring and exiting areas within Southeast Asia. You travel from Kunming via the splendid Yuanyang Rice Terraces, Sapa and Dien Bien Fu to Hanoi. The remnants of the French Colonial times are omnipresent and serve as a reminder of the French presence in Asia.

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Border crossing travel from Laos to Yunnan in China
Favorite Yunnan Tours

Journey from Mystical Laos to Hidden Yunnan in China

Insider tip: Travel from Laos to Yunnan in China. Fascinating overland journey from the pristine Laos to the still largely unknown Chinese province of Yunnan. Our journey leads through one of the most remote and impressive landscapes of Southeast Asia. The old royal capital Luang Prabang, the wonderful rice terraces of Yuanyang, the boat trip on the Nam Ou river as well as the many contacts with the local population will inspire you!

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Travel Sichuan Province, Zigong Travel, Anyue Buddhist Caves
Favorite Yunnan Tours

Travel Sichuan Province, China: Tour from Chengdu to the ancient Salt Wells of Zigong

Travel throughout Sichuan Province from Chengdu to the Buddhist grottos of Anyue and to the salt well of Shenhai near the city of Zigong in China. The stone sculptures of Anyue, more than 1,200 years old, are among the most beautiful of their kind in the world. On this Sichuan tour you will also visit the salt well of Zigong and the salt museum with an interesting exhibit about the ancient salt trade in Sichuan, China. The visit to the world’s biggest Buddha in Leshan and a lovely walk at the holy Emei mountain round off this tour to Sichuan Province.

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Travel overland from Yunnan in China to Luang Prabang in Laos
Favorite Yunnan Tours

Active Tour from Yunnan in China to Laos

An activity-packed tour from the spectacular landscapes of Yunnan in China into the relaxation of Laos. Travel from Lijiang in Yunnan province as far as the gold-gleaming temples of Luang Prabang. The boat trip along Nam Ou river and the hike on a scenic high trail through Tiger Leaping Gorge are only two of the highlights of this journey from China to Laos. Spending nights off-the-beaten-track and away from the major tourist paths with local families in Khamu villages give you a first-hand experience of the daily life of the native people in Laos and China.

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Travel from Tagong to Yading in Sichuan Province, China
Favorite Yunnan Tours

Travel the Tibetan Highlands of Western Sichuan

The journey over the Tibetan Highland from Sichuan to Yunnan in Western China is a journey of a lifetime. The impressive natural landscapes with snow-covered mountains, endless grass landscapes, countless yak herds as well as Tibetan monasteries will leave you literally speechless! The journey leads from the famous Panda Bears in Chengdu, the capital of Sichuan Province via the fascinating landscape of the Tibetan plateau of West Sichuan, to Zhongdian, the "Shangri-La" of Yunnan Province. With the Haizi Pass you will also cross the highest point of this journey at 4,696 metres above sea level.This journey also includes a visit to the magnificent Yading National Park with its three snow-capped holy peaks which reach over 6000 meters into the deep blue Tibetan skies. 

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TRAVEL INFORMATION FOR SOUTHWEST CHINA

Travel to South-West China
Step into the rich history of South-West China!

Travel information for South-West China. The largely undiscovered provinces of Yunnan, Sichuan, Guizhou and Guangxi are amongst China’s most facetted regions. Together these four provinces make up the south-west of China and are slightly bigger than the European countries France, Germany, Denmark and Poland combined.(or about the size of Texas, Arizona, and New Mexico combined in the U.S.)

South-West China’s spectacular scenery reaches from 7500 meters high majestic mountain peaks, hidden monasteries, Tibetan highlands, karst mountains, volcanoes, sub-tropical rainforests and some of the world’s deepest gorges. The Yunnan Province alone is home to 26 ethnic minorities, the largest number of different ethnic groups in a single province in China. With the Rivers Yangtze, Mekong, Yellow, Salween and Pearl, some of China’s largest Rivers run through the Southwest of China.

This Website will give you valuable, up to date travel information about South-West China and will assist you in planning your next journey to China. You find  more information about Colorful-China Travel and Tours on Tripadvisor and here.

For a quick overview of spots you want to visit we have put together two quick reference pages. On "The ten best places to visit in Yunnan", we'll highlight some of Yunnan's most interesting spots to travel to. For Sichuan Province, there is more to be found on "The ten best places to visit in Sichuan". More in depth information about sightseeing spots and important cultural and natural sites to travel to, there is our location overview. If you are looking for a location, but just cannot find it, feel free to contact us directly. We'd be happy to help you with any questions regarding south-west China travel.

EXPLORING CHINA’S MAGNIFICENT SOUTH-WEST

Active Tours throughout South West China. Hiking Tiger Leaping Gorge in Yunnan
Hiking Tiger Leaping Gorge in China's South-West

The South-West of China is without doubt one of the most attractive regions for visitors to China.

Weather you travel the remote Tibetan Highlands of Western Sichuan, explore the cobble-stoned alleys of the weathered villages along the ancient Tea and Horse Road in Yunnan, or take a boat trip through the magnificent karst-landscape of Guangxi Province -  the cultural, geographical and ethnic diversity of this part of the World is simply overwhelming.

You can tour South-West China with one of our group tours or you let us design your own, private journey. An individual tour to China (private tour) offers maximum freedom and flexibility to the traveler. You will be traveling together with your driver and tour guide and benefit from a private service customized to your needs. The itinerary will be designed in such a way that you have time to visit spontaneously a local market, can converse with a Tibetan monk over a cup of tea or that you can explore a village on your own and without your tour guide constantly by your side.

 

EASY ACCESS THANKS TO MODERN INFRASTRUCTURE

Travel China's Southwest by the comfortable high-speed trains
Connects South-West China. Travel in comfort aboard the CRH-Highspeed trains

With the development of the high-speed train network in recent years, the South-West of China is now easily accessible. From Hong Kong Island the travel time to Guilin in Guangxi Province takes only about 3.5 hours. From Guilin, you can continue your journey by highspeed train to Guiyang in Guizhou or to Kunming in Yunnan Province.

There are also direct flights from Europe and many Asian countries to Kunming and Chengdu in South-West China. Chengdu, Guiyang, Guilin and Kunming all have a modern airport with flights to all major cites in China and some even to South-East Asian airports.

The hotel infrastructure has also improved significantly in recent years. Most travel destinations throughout South-West China offer clean and affordable accommodation. In some places you can even find accommodation in old, traditional houses that have been transformed to tastefully furnished boutique Hotels.

CROSS-COUNTRY TRAVELING FROM YUNNAN TO MYANMAR LAOS OR VIETNAM

South-West China shares its borders with Vietnam, Laos and Myanmar. Especially the Yunnan province can easily be combined with an overland trip to either Laos, Vietnam or, along the legendary Old Burma Road to Myanmar.

Some of these cross-country journeys lead through to the remotest corners of Southwest China and allows the traveler a fascinating insight into the different cultures and traditions.

The traveler awaits breathtaking natural landscapes, huge river valleys, ethnic minorities and the many exciting encounters with the local population.

Contact us for more information about overland tours to neighboring countries from China.

BEST TIME TO TRAVEL TO YUNNAN, SICHUAN AND SOUTHWEST CHINA

Best time to travel to Southwest China
Fascinating landscapes of South-West China

The best time to travel to the north of the Yunnan Province is from April to October. July and August are the rainiest months. October to March the temperatures are cold. However, the winter months are a good travel time in Southwest China, since there are not many tourists and hardly ever rainfall.

For the southern subtropical areas of the Yunnan and Guangxi Province, the best time to travel is the cooler winter months from October to March.

The climate in Sichuan differs considerably depending on the region. For the subtropical Sichuan Basin in the East of Sichuan, the best time to travel is during the winter months. On the other hand, the Sichuan plateau, located in the West, experiences a warm and mild spring and autumn. That is the best time to travel to the West of Sichuan. The most rain falls between May and October. The  winter months are not considered to be the best time to travel to Western Sichuan because the climate is cold, dry and quite rough in most places.

"... Every journey begins with a first step in the right direction ..."
(Confucius 551 - 479 BC)