Tengchong Travel Guide
Volcanic Hot Springs · Heshun Ancient Town · Ginkgo Village · Jade
Tengchong is located at the western end of Yunnan on the China-Myanmar border: a place where volcanoes and geothermal features coexist, the overseas Chinese culture of the ancient town Heshun, a golden landscape in Jiangdong Ginkgo Village in autumn, and the National Martyrs Cemetery of the Anti-Japanese War in western Yunnan. Three to four days.
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Destination Details
Tengchong has two faces: one is the hometown of overseas Chinese and border trade—people from Heshun went to Myanmar and traveled to the Yi territories for six hundred years, leaving behind libraries and ancestral halls, which are the most exquisite rural buildings in Southwest China; the other is war—in 1944, this was the site of the most brutal counterattack in western Yunnan, with more than 3,000 small tombstones arranged by number in the National Martyrs Cemetery, providing a significant lesson for overseas Chinese. Combined with volcanoes and geothermal features, Tengchong's content density is second only to Lijiang and Dali in Yunnan.
Main Highlights
Heshun Ancient Town
A six-hundred-year-old hometown of overseas Chinese, Heshun Library is the largest rural library in China, with ancestral halls and washing pavilions lined along the river.
Rehai Scenic Area
The core of Tengchong's geothermal area, the water temperature in the big boiling pot reaches 96°C, and there are multiple hot spring pools in the scenic area for bathing.
Volcano Park
The two volcanic cones, Dashakang and Xiaokong, can be viewed from the air by taking a hot air balloon ride over this volcanic group.
Jiangdong Ginkgo Village
With over 3,000 ancient ginkgo trees, the entire village is covered with fallen leaves in mid to late November, making it the most famous sight in Tengchong.
National Martyrs Cemetery and Western Yunnan Anti-Japanese War Memorial Hall
The cemetery for soldiers who died in the 1944 Tengchong counteroffensive is an important site in modern and contemporary Chinese history.
Suggested Duration and Itinerary
- Recommended stay: 3–4 days.
- Connecting with other nearby destinations in the same area makes for a more efficient route. Refer to the "Extended Routes" and "Province" sections below.
Local Tips
- Mid to late November is the best window to visit Ginkgo Village, lasting only around two to three weeks.
- Rehai and Volcano Park are in different directions, so it is recommended to spend a day at each.
- Tengchong is at an elevation of 1,600 meters, with a mild climate suitable for visiting year-round.