• TravelBizNews > News > Asia-Pacific / Travel Trends > Tengchong – China : A popular destination with over 90 hot springs and volcanoes

    Tengchong – China : A popular destination with over 90 hot springs and volcanoes

    November 10, 2013
    Asia-Pacific / Travel Trends
    Tengchong – China : A popular destination with over 90 hot springs and volcanoes

    By Ramesh Tiwari

    Travel BizNews ————

    Tengchong , China : Tengchong County in southwest China’s Yunnan Province is heading to be one of the top destination of spa tourism in recent years.

    More than 5 million tourists visit Tengchong each year including the domestic tourists. Tourism development plans were implemented here since 2006 and the modern airport was operated in 2009.

    Tengchong County,located in Baoshan city in the western Yunnan Province bordering with Myanmar in the northwest , is home to one of China’s most famous volcanic mountainous areas with over 90 hot springs and volcanos scattered through the mountains with several small villages surrounding the main town.

    Tourists from different parts of the world are attracted to visit Tengchong , known as a capital of hot springs and jade . More than 80 hot springs are located only in Rehai scenic mountain valley including Frog Mouth hot spring, pregnant well, pearl spring and glasses spring among others .

    Rehai area in the county is developed as a major centre of hot springs with quality spas and resorts with hot springs and massage treatments around the area. 

    “Tengchong can be a popular attraction in terms of health and medical tourism,”opines Chay Ng, president of Malaysia Chinese Tourism Association.

    Tengchong County in Baoshan city was once a communication hub of the Silk Road and was the scene of battles between the Japanese, invading from occupied Burma, and the combined Chinese forces of nationalists and communists during World War II.

    Different ethnicities live in the Tengchong county and Han, Hui, Dai and Lisu are dominant communities .The culture and attires of Lisu nationality in Nujiang, Tengchong and Baoshan attracts tourists visiting the area and they are regarded as a brave and warm-hearted ethnic community in Yunnan Province of China.

    According to the chief of the Tourism Bureau of Tengchong County Mr. Zhoute, new tourism products including the hot springs are developed and different projects are under construction to develop the area as a major tourist center of Yunnan province.

    Beihai Wetland, 12.5 kilometers northwest of Tengchong County, is one of the first 33 national preserved wetlands as well as the only one nation-level wetland in Yunnan Province. Beihai Wetland Reserve is rich in bio-diversity and various species of plants and animals. 

    Tengchong County is said to be located in an area where the Indian plate meets the Eurasian plate with 99 volcanoes of various sizes in the area surrounding Tengchong.

    The last eruption of volcano occurred in 1639. Tengchong’s volcanoes are inactive but the frequent movement of the tectonic plates has created a large number of hot springs.Tengchong Volcanic Geo Park is popular for its geothermal springs and remains of ancient volcanoes.Most of the volcanoes in Tengchong are said to have formed in the Pliocene and Holocene periods, dating backing to 3.4 million years to 10,000 years ago. 

    “Beautiful hot springs, volcanoes, wetlands, cultural and historical sites, Gaoligong Mountains, finished jade jewelry show rooms and jade carvings and golf clubs have allured growing number of domectic and foreign tourists to visit Tengchong county in recent years,”opines tour guide Ms. Tang Jia .

    Tengchong County is a famous source of numerous herbs used in traditional Chinese medicines and some of them are used in local cuisine.

    As national scenic area, National Geological Park, AAAA level scenic spots, the Tengchong Yunfeng Mountain Scenic Area in possession of popular Taoist temple is developed rapidly to attract more visitors there.The Yunfeng Mountain Spring Health Resort is designed by the famous Japanese architect Kenjo Kuma.

    Heshun , a birthplace of philosophers and a hometown of Jade King ,is said to be the most attractive village in China with ancient temples and buildings of Ming and Qing dynasty.Most of the people of Heshun town are living abroad even today.

    Travellers from USA, Canada, Russia, Mongolia and South-east Asian countries said that they enjoyed visiting the century-old vistas, ancient footpaths with old shops and the largest rural library of China.

    Tengchong Volcanic and Geothermal National Geopark,GaoLiGong International Tourism City and Angsana Tengchong Hot Spring Village are ideal getaway for holiday makers besides other attractions of the County.

    People visiting Kunming, capital city of Yunnan Province of China, either use overnight trains to reach there or take about 10 hours drive from Kunming to Tengchong.Tengchong is connected by air with Kunming and major cities of China and it takes 50 minutes from Kunming by Lucky Air and air services of other airlines .

    Other News

    • Connecting you with the world of travel and tourism

      Theme Park Expo Vietnam 2025

      28th East Mediterranean Tourism and Travel Exhibition https://emittistanbul.com/en

      Asia Pool & Spa Expo , May 10 – 12, 2025 , Guangzhou , China

      An Opportunity to enter South-East Asian market in 2023

      KAZAKHSTAN International Exhibition “Tourism & Travel” Almaty, Kazakhstan

      CHINA- Beyond your imagination

      China – Lunar New Year 2025 

      This Lunar New Year (LNY) is shaping up to be a festive season of exploration and connection as celebrating families and friends worldwide embrace the holiday spirit.

      This year marks the year of the Snake, a symbol of wisdom, intuition, and transformation — themes that reflect the everchanging travel landscape. While some choose to celebrate at home, others have taken the opportunity to create memories in destinations far and near. With travel back in full swing, Trip.com Group has unveiled its latest LNY trends for 2025, showcasing how travellers are prioritising longer stays, meaningful experiences and unconventional destinations this year.

      Data reveals strong year-on-year growth for cross-border travel, with travellers combining public holidays and annual leave to increase their length of stay.

      Notably, in the Chinese mainland, a key source of LNY travel, New Year’s Eve is officially recognised as a holiday in 2025. This allows travellers to take just two days of leave for an eleven-day holiday. Korean travellers need to take one day for a nine-day break, while Singaporeans can create a five-day holiday with a single day off. As such, extended stays are a hallmark of this year’s LNY. On average, Asia-Pacific travellers will stay up to 10% longer this festive period.

      Popular destinations frequented by travellers who celebrate LNY include Japan, Hong Kong, Singapore and the Chinese mainland. -PRNewswire Jan. 20, 2025 /

      FITUR tourism exhibition

      opens as sector fully recovers

      The 2025 FITUR international tourism exhibition opened  in Madrid, showcasing a robust recovery in the global tourism sector. Over 9,000 companies from 156 countries are participating in the event, which marks the 45th edition of the exhibition. Running until Jan. 26, FITUR is hosting 153,000 industry professionals, highlighting its significance as a key gathering for the global travel industry.

      The United Nations Tourism (UN Tourism) announced Tuesday that 2024 saw international tourism fully recover from the COVID-19 pandemic, with 1.4 billion international travelers recorded. The organization forecasts further growth of 3-5 percent for 2025.

      Spain, a leading global tourism destination, recently reported a record-breaking 94 million visitors in 2024, underscoring the sector’s resilience and strength.

      Brazil takes center stage as the invited nation at this year’s FITUR. The exhibition also features 10 specialist areas, including cruises, sports tourism, film tourism, and language-learning tourism, reflecting the growing diversity of travel trends.

      The Asia-Pacific region has reached 87 percent of its pre-pandemic tourist numbers, according to the UN Tourism. China has a strong presence at FITUR, with companies such as Enjoy China, Fantastica China, The Chinese Office of Tourism in Spain, and Focus China showcasing their offerings over the coming days. – Xinhua ,Jan. 22 ,2025

      France holds off Spain

      as world’s tourist favourite

      Olympic host France retained its spot as the world’s top tourist destination in 2024 with 100 million visitors, holding off stiff competition from countries including Spain.

      As world tourism returned to pre-pandemic levels with 1.4 billion people taking a trip abroad, according to the UN, both France and Spain announced record visitor numbers.

      Spain said last week that a record 94 million foreign tourists flocked to the Iberian nation in 2024, a 10 percent increase from the previous year.

      France, which hosted the Olympic Games in July – September 2024, welcomed two more million visitors in 2024, an increase of two percent compared with 2023.

      But although France had more visitors, they spent less than those in Spain — 71 billion euros ($74-billion) compared with 126 billion euros in Spain.

      France’s takings from international tourists rose by a total of 12 percent year-on-year, driven largely by Belgian, English, German, Swiss and US citizens, the tourism ministry said in a statement.

      Despite the return of customers from Asia, the number of Chinese visitors to France remained 60 percent lower than before the pandemic.Thirty percent fewer Japanese visited the country than in 2019.

      Good snowfall in late 2024 meanwhile drove a rebound for the end-of-year holidays as snow sports lovers flocked to the French ski slopes.

      “The outlook for the first quarter of 2025 is very good, with visitor numbers on the rise,” the ministry statement added.- enca.com ,22 January 2025

      Nepal hikes Everest climbing fee

      KATHMANDU – Nepal has sharply increased Everest climbing permit fees and introduced a slew of measures aimed at controlling garbage pollution and preventing accidents on the planet’s tallest peak.

      Under the revised rules, every two climbers must hire a guide to climb any mountain over 8,000 metres, including Everest.Under the revised mountaineering regulations, the royalty fee for foreigners climbing Everest from the normal south route in the spring season (March-May) has been raised to $15,000 from the current $11,000 per person.

      The autumn season (September-November) climbing fee has increased from $5,500 to $7,500. At the same time, the permit cost per individual for the winter (December-February) and monsoon (June-August) seasons has risen from $2,750 to $3,750.The new rates will take effect on September 1, 2025.

      The last royalty fee revision was made on January 1, 2015, when the government switched from a group-based system to a uniform fee of $11,000 per climber for the spring season from the normal route.

      For Nepali climbers, the royalty fee for the normal route during the spring climbing season has doubled from Rs75,000 to Rs150,000.Climbing permits, previously valid for 75 days, will now be limited to 55 days. The reduced validity is aimed at streamlining climbing activities.

      As per the amended rules, from the upcoming spring season, Everest climbers will be required to bring their poop back to base camp for proper disposal. Climbers must carry biodegradable bags to collect waste in the upper reaches.

      Base camps typically have designated toilet tents with barrels to collect human waste during expeditions. However, in higher camps, only a few agencies provide similar facilities, while others rely on pits. Very few climbers use biodegradable bags to transport waste from the summit.

      The government has also hiked the insurance coverage for high-altitude workers.Insurance coverage for high-altitude guides has gone up to Rs2 million ($14,400) from Rs1.5 million ($10,800), and for base camp workers, it has been raised to Rs1.5 million ($10,800) from Rs800,000 ($5,760).

      According to the Himalayan Database, which records all expeditions and deaths in the Himalayas, more than 200 people died on the Nepal side of Everest between 1953, when Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay Sherpa first scaled the peak, and 2022.

      Nearly 8,900 people have summited the world’s highest peak from Nepal’s side since 1953.- Kathmandu Post , January 22, 2025

      Bangkok named the world’s

      second-best city by Time Out

      The ranking, based on surveys of city dwellers worldwide, highlights culture, food, affordability and overall happiness as key factors in making a city truly great.

      Climbing from 24th place last year to an impressive second place, Bangkok is celebrated for its rich cultural heritage, dynamic food scene, and vibrant lifestyle.

      The city’s affordability is a major plus, with 84% of residents agreeing that dining out, grabbing a coffee, or catching a movie is accessible to all. Additionally, 86% of locals rated Bangkok’s food as “good” or “excellent”.

      One urban expert described Bangkok as “a city of contrasts”, where the scent of sizzling street food fills the air, Michelin-starred restaurants thrive, and the majestic Chao Phraya River flows past luxury hotels.

      The city’s temples such as Wat Arun and the Grand Palace stand as timeless cultural icons, while modern parks like Benjakitti Park provide much-needed green spaces.

      Beyond affordability, the city exudes happiness and warmth. The famous Thai hospitality, vibrant night markets, and world-class nightlife districts like Thonglor and Ekkamai offer endless excitement.

      Time Out has previously recognised Bangkok’s nightlife, listing it among the coolest neighbourhoods in the world. The growing BTS and MRT public transport networks have also made exploring the city more convenient than ever.

      Bangkok’s diverse culinary scene is another highlight, from the bustling Chatuchak Market to the legendary street food in Yaowarat (Chinatown).

      Whether it’s a bowl of boat noodles or an extravagant fine-dining experience, food is an undeniable part of Bangkok’s appeal.

      The No 1 city this year is Cape Town, South Africa, known for its breathtaking landscapes and cultural vibrancy. Following Bangkok in third place is New York City, while Melbourne, London and New Orleans round out the top six. Mexico City, Porto, Shanghai and Copenhagen complete the top 10.

      Thailand’s rising global status is further reflected in Chiang Mai, which secured the 28th spot, adding to the country’s reputation as a must-visit destination.

      With its blend of tradition and modernity, Bangkok is more than just a tourist hotspot – it’s a city where people genuinely love to live. Whether you’re exploring hidden street-food gems, temple-hopping, or dancing the night away, Bangkok remains a city of endless possibilities. -The Nation ,January 20, 2025

      FACTS —

      Tourism helps in:

      👉Reducing poverty

      👉Reducing Inequalities

      👉Promoting gender equality

      👉Fostering decent work and economic growth

      World Tourism Day 2021: ‘Tourism for Inclusive Growth’

      In 2019, Travel & Tourism’s direct, indirect and induced impact accounted for:
      -US$8.9 trillion contribution to the world’s GDP
      -10.3% of global GDP
      -330 million jobs, 1 in 10 jobs around the world
      -US$1.7 trillion visitor exports (6.8% of total exports,
      28.3% of global services exports)
      -US$948 billion capital investment (4.3% of total
      investment)

      Best Tourism Villages 2024

      ” Nihao ! China ” Silk Road Tourism