Yunnan, located
at the very southwest of China, borders with three southeastern
nations, Myanmar, Laos and Vietnam. Two other countries, Thailand
and Cambodia, are also within close range of Yunnan.
Geographically, there is no other place in China like Yunnan
province where you have the chance to conveniently travel to so many
countries. Because of these nations’ close proximity to Yunnan, it
would be a good idea to take a few days to travel to these nations
to reward yourself for your Chinese studies in Kunming.
Culturally, all
the countries around Yunnan share certain similarities with each
other. Theravada Buddhism, exclusively in Yunnan around China, is
the common faith among these nations. The Dai people’s Water
Splashing Festival in Xishuangbanna is widely celebrated in many
of these nations under different names. The Dai people in Yunnan
and the Tai, the major ethnic group in Thailand, are alike in many
aspects of their lives.
Go to Cambodia
and visit, among many other historical cultural ruins, the Angkor
Wat, the national symbol which has been listed as World Culture
Heritage by UNESCO; visit Tuol Sleng S-21, the Museum of Genocide
and see how tragedy happened.
Pay a visit and
pilgrimage to Shwedagon Pagoda, the most scared Buddhist temple in
Yangon revered by the Burmese. In the second largest city, Mandalay,
you can be reminded of its former glory when it was the capital of
the Burmese during the last Konbaung Dynasty
Visit Bangkok,
the most modernized city on the Indochina peninsula; travel to
Chiang Mai, Thailand’s second largest city for innumerable Thailand
cultural experiences; relax on the sand beaches in places like
Pattaya and Phuket.
Visit the
national symbol of Laos Pha That Luang in the capital city,
Vientiane; go to the UNESCO-honored World Heritage city Luang
Prabang to experience the history of Laos’ former capital city…
Travel to the
Vietnam World Heritage sites: Complex of Hué Monuments, Ha Long Bay,
Hoi An Ancient Town, My Son Sanctuary and Phong Nha-Ke Bang National
Park. Visit Hanoi, the capital city of Vietnam, to experience the
fast modernization and remaining Vietnamese cultures; travel around
in the largest city, Ho chi Minh, formerly known as Saigon…