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Lincang Prefecture, population 2.3 million, is 372 miles from Kunming in southwestern Yunnan. Lincang is primary home to the Wa people who inhabit the border areas close to Burma on the Southwest. In addition to the Wa, Yi, Thai, Bulang, Deang and Lahu people are also well represented. To the east of Lincang is the Lacang River also known as the Mekong River. The Lacang River should not be confused with the town of Lacang in neighboring Xishuangbanna.
Though still mostly invisible on the radar of foreign tourists, Lincang is attracting increasing numbers of people for its mountain scenery, tea plantations, ancient cliff paintings Wa culture and simple and relatively undisturbed cultural life and historical relics.
Rising up above 9,000 feet, both Yongde and Lincang Snow Mountains are areas you will want to visit. Within the scenic area that defines Lincang Snow Mountain you can find the Snow Mountain River, the Azalea Forest and the Master Stone. The area around Yongde Snow Mountain is home to the cliff paintings of Cangyuan, the Sleeping Buddha, Guanyin Cave and the Hot Spring Cave. The cliff paintings of Cangyuan are among the oldest ever discovered in China, possibly dating back 3,000 years to the Neolithic Age. It is said that they change colors several times in a day depending on light and weather conditions. The 1,000 images are spread between eleven different villages, usually 6-30 feet above the ground and depict an ancient life of hunting and gathering, containing images of trees, the sun and the moon, caves, animals and tribal people. Other attractions include Laojun Temple, Heijian Mountain and Mifeng Village. The Guang Yun Mian Temple with its Thai influence, many murals and unique 3-foot high base is also a popular attraction. These areas can be reached by public bus from Lincang. If you choose to take a taxi costs will range from 300-500 Yuan for the 100-kilometer plus trip.
For the more intrepid, the border jungle areas are populated by a wide variety of plant life and medicinal herbs. Elephants and other wildlife still roam in some of these areas.
Lincang can be reached by bus from Kunming. A new road recently opened has cut the travel time down to 6 hours. The area has a definite rainy season from May to October. Lincang Airport (LNJ) is located in Boshang Town about a 30-minute ride southwest of Lincang. Weather can play an important role in actually landing if you decide to fly in. Delays of 2-3 hours are very common and if the weather in Kunming is bad you are probably in for a longer day than expected. The telephone area code is 883.
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