Yunnan Province: Kunming & Lijiang
Until relatively recent times most of Yunnan Province was literally cut off from the outside world. As a result, it’s unlikely that many Westerns have any ‘specific’ expectations beyond being on a quest for a discovery of things new to them but almost six millennia in the making. Legend is, the mystical place called Shangri-la from James Milton’s Lost Horizons was located in Yunnan.
Expected…
Ancient, unaltered-for-centuries cuisine
Extraordinary fauna (more species of plants than anywhere in China)
Mishi Xiang, Sifang Jie (Market Square)
Shangri-La
Naxi Music Academy Performances
Unexpected…
Go from snow covered alpine-like mountains to tropical rain forests in hours
Water wheel rides down the canals
Zero traffic
Asian elephants, Yunnan golden monkeys
Golf
Spring City - Golf Digest claims this to be the home of the two finest golf courses in all China. We suspect you might feel they’re even better than that. The Mountain Course, designed by Jack Nicklaus, the Lake Course designed by Robert Trent Jones, Jr. Among the accolades bestowed on the pair we include; China Golf Magazine’s Favorite Golf Club – 5 years in a row; Golf Digest’s (China) Best Maintained Course; 51st and 52nd Best Courses Outside the U.S. and World’s Most Influential Golf Award.
Jade Dragon Snow Mountain - The World’s Longest Golf Course (8,548 yards) as well as the World’s Longest Golf Hole (850
yards) are found here nestled among the Himalayas. There’s a 275-yard par three, a 545-yard par four and that pesky 850-yard par five. Before you start trembling in your Foot Joys, keep in mind the course is elevated 10,000 feet above sea level so you will absolutely be launching that ball a lot further than you would at home.
