Park of China
Overview
| Designation | National Park of China (third batch) |
| Province | Yunnan |
| Location | Western Yunnan on the Myanmar border |
| Mountains | Gaoligong Mountains |
| Latitude, longitude | 25.0, 98.4 Google Maps |
| Highlights | Hot springs and volcanoes |
| Top sights | The Hot Sea |
| Wildlife | Rhododendrons, camellias |
| Area | 130 km² |
| Highest point | 3,374 m |
| Nearby cities | Tengchong (Yunnan), Baoshan, Dali |
| Nearby sites | Ruili River and Daying River 89km, Dali Scenic Area 191km, Three Parallel Rivers of Yunnan 263km, Jade Dragon Snow Mountain and Lijiang 298km, Cultural Landscape of Old Tea Forests of the Jingmai Mountain in Pu’er 347km Search nearby |
| Themes | Geothermal, Volcano, Spring, Mountain, Stream, Plant, Stamp, Hot springs, Fossils & geological sites |
About
The Tengchong scenic area lies in western Yunnan on the Myanmar border at the foot of the Gaoligong Mountains of the Hengduan range, 130 km². It has boiling springs, steam vents, fountains and hot-spring groups, China’s second largest geothermal field, and more than 90 volcanic cones with pumice, volcanic bombs and lava caves.
The core sight, the Hot Sea (Rehai), 10.5 km south of the town, covers 8 km² with seven kinds of feature: fumaroles, steaming ground, boiling springs, fountains, hot springs, hot-water explosions and poison-gas vents. Its main springs are the Great Boiling Pot at Liuhuangtang, the Huangguaqing steam gully and the boiling springs of the Zaotang River.
The Great Boiling Pot at Liuhuangtang, 16 km south-west of the town, is a round pool about 3 m across and over 1 m deep in the middle of a terrace in a mountain hollow, bubbling and spouting everywhere at 96 °C. The Huangguaqing steam gully 2 km to the south has a steaming stream at 95 °C in a small valley. Between them the Zaotang River valley winds with lava like a great black python, the “volcano snake”; its boiling springs are 95 °C, with the Toad Mouth fountain and the Lion Head spring, and in winter and spring the stream itself is about 40 °C.
The Gaoligong Mountains, up to 3,374 m, grow rhododendrons, camellias and magnolias; one rhododendron over 280 years old, 25 m tall and 2.6 m round, is called the king of rhododendrons.
The Ming traveller Xu Xiake described the Hot Sea and the Great Boiling Pot: steam rising like smoke in the gorge, and water spouting and roaring in pulses, as if driven by a bellows, its scalding spray blown far by the wind.
It is in the third batch of national parks of China (national scenic areas) named by the State Council in 1994.
Travel tips
Getting there: Tengchong Tuofeng Airport has flights from Kunming and elsewhere. By rail, go to Baoshan and take a bus; drivers come by expressway from Baoshan.
Hot Sea: the core site, about 10 km south of town, with boiling springs, steam vents and hot pools in one park that is toured on foot; some areas smell strongly of sulphur.
Big Boiling Pot: the symbol of Hot Sea; the water is near boiling point, so keep away from the edge. Many visitors buy eggs here to cook in the springs.
Volcanoes: Tengchong has more than 90 volcanic cones, and some, such as Maanshan and Dakongshan, can be climbed on paths with steps. Allow another half day.
Hot springs: hotels around Hot Sea have spring baths; wash first and do not stay in too long.
Time: two days is comfortable for Hot Sea and the volcanoes; three if you add Heshun old town.
Season: October to April is the dry season with clear weather and suits a trip; May to September is the rainy season, wetter but greener.
Where to stay: hotels in Tengchong town and near Hot Sea; spring hotels are mostly in the Hot Sea area.
Stamps
On 18 August 2007 China Post issued 2007-23 “Tengchong Geothermal Area and Volcanoes”, three stamps: the Hot Sea, the volcano group and Shenzhu Valley.
Photo credits: The Great Boiling Pot at Rehai: Han Lei (CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons)
The fifth stamp of the 2013 set 2013-12 “Ancient Towns of China (I)” shows Heshun in Tengchong, Yunnan.
Nearby
| World Heritage | Three Parallel Rivers of Yunnan 263km, Jade Dragon Snow Mountain and Lijiang 298km |
| National parks | Ruili River and Daying River 89km, Dali Scenic Area 191km |
| AAAAA attractions | Heshun Ancient Town Scenic Area 61km, Three Pagodas of Chongsheng Temple Cultural Tourist Area 191km |
| AAAA attractions | Baoshan Tengchong Western Yunnan Anti-Japanese War Memorial Hall (National Martyrs' Cemetery) Scenic Area 10km, Dehong Lianghe Nandian Pacification Commissioner's Office 21km, Tengchong Jiangdong Ginkgo Village Scenic Area 39km, Peacock Valley 50km |
| UNESCO Global Geoparks | Dali-Cangshan UNESCO Global Geopark 177km |
| Historical sites | Qiluo Wenchang Palace 7km, Site of the Heshun Library 7km, Former Site of the Western Yunnan Military Government and Diyuan Inscriptions 10km, Guoshang Cemetery 10km |
| Nature reserves | Yunlong Tianchi National Nature Reserve 133km |