Yunnan

Yunnan, in China's far southwest, is the country's most diverse province — old towns and minority cultures, snow-capped mountains, deep gorges and the terraced rice fields of Yuanyang. It's where independent travellers come to slow down: wandering the cobbled lanes of Lijiang and Dali, hiking the Tiger Leaping Gorge, or chasing Tibetan-flavoured landscapes around Shangri-La.

The province is best understood as a collection of distinct destinations linked by mountain roads and short flights. Kunming, the capital and transport hub, has a mild "eternal spring" climate; from there the old towns, the Jade Dragon Snow Mountain and the border regions with Laos, Myanmar and Tibet fan out in every direction.

Getting there: Kunming Changshui (KMG) is the main gateway, with international and domestic flights; Lijiang (LJG) and Dali also have airports. High-speed rail links Kunming to Dali and Lijiang, making the classic loop easy without flying.

Getting around: Fly or take the train between cities, then use local buses, hired cars or bicycles. Distances are long and roads mountainous — allow generous travel time between stops.

Yunnan's food is bright and varied: crossing-the-bridge noodles (a hot broth with rice noodles and toppings you cook at the table), wild mushrooms in summer, erkuai (rice cakes) and steam-pot chicken. Each minority area adds its own dishes, from Lijiang's baba bread to Dai sour-and-spicy curries in the south.

Mar–May and Sep–Nov (dry season)

Plan for altitude around Shangri-La and the mountain areas — acclimatise and stay hydrated. Book internal flights and popular guesthouses ahead in peak season. July–September is mushroom season (a food highlight) but also the rainy season, so expect wet roads.