Southwest China

Region

Mountains, minority cultures and the spiciest food in China. Chengdu has the giant pandas, Chongqing is a vast hillside city on the Yangtze, Yunnan has the old towns of Lijiang and Dali, Tiger Leaping Gorge and Xishuangbanna, and Tibet has Lhasa's Potala Palace and the road to Everest. Guizhou has karst, waterfalls and Miao villages.

Southwest China Leshan Giant BuddhaTiger Leaping GorgeMount Kailash KoraDian LakeMount KailashCho OyuShishapangmaLake ManasarovarMount EmeiDazu Rock CarvingsGyachung KangPumoriNamcha BarwaHonghe Hani Rice TerracesLake RakshastalFanjingshanKula KangriNorbulingkaNujiangHengduan ShanMount GonggaMount QingchengYamdrok LakeHuangguoshu WaterfallEr HaiWolong National Nature ReserveChangtseKunmingDali CityLijiangPotala PalaceJokhangDrepung MonasteryJiuzhaigouNamtsoGuiyangMianyangZunyiLuzhouAnshunNanchongLiupanshuiZhaotongYuxiQujingZigongBaoshan, YunnanNeijiangLeshanDeyang

Southwest China essentials

Country: China
Driest months: Dec-Feb
Pay in: Yuan Renminbi (¥)
Language: Chinese
Emergency: 110

Where to Go in Southwest China

City Kunming KunmingCity in Yunnan known for its mild climate City Guiyang GuiyangCapital of Guizhou province with diverse culture City Lijiang LijiangHistoric city in Yunnan, China City Mianyang MianyangCity in Sichuan known for its technology History Potala Palace Potala PalaceFormer Tibetan Buddhist residence and Lhasa landmark History Leshan Giant Buddha Leshan Giant BuddhaMassive cliff-carved Buddha statue overlooking river History Dazu Rock Carvings Dazu Rock CarvingsLarge Buddhist grottoes famed for intricate stone carvings History Honghe Hani Rice Terraces Honghe Hani Rice TerracesExtensive terraced rice landscapes sculpted by Hani people Nature Jiuzhaigou JiuzhaigouMountain valley park with colorful lakes and waterfalls Nature Dian Lake Dian LakeLarge freshwater lake near Kunming with scenic shores Nature Mount Kailash Mount KailashSacred Himalayan peak important in several religions Nature Cho Oyu Cho OyuSixth-highest mountain in the world, Himalayan massif
Regions & Cities
Kunming Explore Kunming Kunming’s mild climate and market lanes lead visitors to the Stone Forest, flower and minority-people markets, and Yunnan kitchens where mushrooms and crossing-the-bridge rice noodles rule. Dali City Explore Dali City Erhai’s shore, cobbled old-town lanes, three pagodas and Bai minority life draw cyclists, boaters and tea lovers to Dali; mountain trails on Cangshan and night markets make it a slow-rhythm counterpoint to Yunnan’s larger cities. Lijiang Explore Lijiang Yunnan’s Lijiang draws people to its cobbled Old Town, Naxi music evenings and canal-side timber houses, with easy access to Jade Dragon Snow Mountain and Tiger Leaping Gorge treks. Potala Palace Explore Potala Palace High on Lhasa’s Marpo Ri hill, the Potala Palace served as the Dalai Lama’s residence and seat of Tibetan government. Jokhang Explore Jokhang In Lhasa’s old quarter, Jokhang temple anchors Tibetan Buddhist practice; pilgrims perform kora while Barkhor Street sells ritual items and souvenirs. Drepung Monastery Explore Drepung Monastery Outside Lhasa, Drepung Monastery ranks among Tibet’s largest Gelug centers; visitors observe monastic debate, ancient assembly halls and hilltop views of the valley. Jiuzhaigou Explore Jiuzhaigou Jiuzhaigou Valley in Sichuan is a nature reserve of multicolored lakes, cascading waterfalls and alpine meadows; tourists hike boardwalks, photograph water pools and visit Tibetan villages to combine scenery with local culture. Namtso Explore Namtso Namtso, a high-altitude Tibetan lake north of Lhasa, draws trekkers and pilgrims to its shorelines, nomadic camps and lakeside monasteries amid thin, cold air.

Southwest China at a Glance

Local Time
8:09 AM
GMT+8
Population
205,148,550

Best Things to Do in Southwest China