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Yucatán and the South

The Yucatán Peninsula is a region of southeastern Mexico, consisting of the Mexican states of Yucatán, Campeche, and Quintana Roo. The adjacent states of Tabasco and Chiapas are also considered part of the Yucatan region on Wikivoyage.

The Yucatán was the home of the Maya civilization before it was conquered by the Spanish Conquistadors in the 16th century. Much of the population is part or all of Maya descent, and in many places the Mayan language is still spoken, usually in addition to Spanish, the main language of business.

Until the mid-20th century, most of the Peninsula's trade with the rest of Mexico was by sea, and the culture, cuisine, and traditions developed different flavors from other parts of Mexico. Starting in the late 20th century the Yucatán has become more integrated into Mexico, especially such areas on the Caribbean coast as Cancún and Chetumal, where many people from other parts of the nation have moved to take advantage of the economic opportunities of development. The Mayan Riviera stretching south from Cancún has seen the most growth related to tourism and the Caribbean coast south of Sian Ka'an is now being referred to as the Costa Maya and is seeing interest from cruise lines as well as beach lovers seeking solitude (which can still be found in southern Quintana Roo, but for how long?).

Cities

 * - moderately sized city with Spanish ruins
 * - a city built in the 1970s as a resort; it is a modern tourist resort with pristine Caribbean beaches
 * - capital of Quintana Roo, located on the Caribbean coast, close to the Belizean Border with a nice Mayan Cultural museum
 * - small mostly Maya city with large colonial convent and remains of large Maya pyramids
 * - small coastal town and cruise ship destination called the Costa Maya
 * - colonial city, the metropolis of the Yucatán
 * - was a nice fishermen's town, now has lots of resorts
 * - port city with beaches and seafood north of Mérida
 * - small colonial city

Natural wonders

 * - an island with beaches and ruins, popular base camp for scuba divers
 * - the stretch of coastline between Cancún and Tulum (which includes Playa del Carmen), it is a quickly-developing resort area that still maintains a relaxed atmosphere in contrast to the city of Cancún
 * - unique underground cave systems with unique snorkeling and scuba diving opportunities (another system of underground caves is at Lol-Tun)
 * - huge coral reef system along the Mexican caribbean coast, famous scuba diving and snorkling sites
 * - mangrove swamps, salt marshes, islands, cenotes, beaches, and lots of wildlife

Archaeological sites
Extensive Mayan ruins are found throughout the region, some of which are easily accessible by bus or car. Mayan sites include:

 * Becan - large ruin in the lower center of the Peninsula, little restored
 * Calakmul - large ruin in jungle preserve, off the tourist trail
 * Chichen Itza - the largest, most restored, and most visited of Yucatán's Maya ruins
 * Coba - large ruin that has undergone little restoration
 * Dzibilchaltún - moderately sized ruin with only a few buildings restored, worth a look on the road between Mérida and Progreso
 * Edzna - discovered in the 1950s, the well preserved site an hour's drive from Campeche
 * Kabah - medium-sized ruin south of Uxmal
 * Mayapan - historically important, and related to Chichen Itza culture
 * Palenque - dramatic ruins in the southwest of Mexico's Mayan region
 * Tulum - the tropical beach backdrop is the main attraction of this picturesque, much-visited small ruin on the shore of the Caribbean Sea
 * Uxmal - one of the most beautiful of all Maya ruins, a large, well-preserved site with fine architecture

Understand
The Yucatán has a rich cultural history. Yucatán is famous for ancient Maya ruins such as Chichén Itzá. Contrary to what some people may think, Mayan culture never "disappeared" and is still very much alive, with most of the Yucatán still predominantly being ethnically Maya. Referring to locals as Mexican rather than Maya, may risk offending them. During colonial rule and after independence, the Yucatan remained culturally distinct from the rest of Mexico because of its isolation. With the first railway and highways only linking it with the rest of the country from the mid-20th century. Before that most trade was by sea with Cuba, Spain and the rest of Mexico.

The region has had a turbulent history. The Maya civilization flourished in the Yucatán Peninsula for more than a thousand years before the Yucatán was conquered by the Spanish in the 1500s. After the Spanish conquest, the region had a colonial caste system with Spanish-born Europeans on top of the social ladder, and pure Mayans coming last. Independence was declared in 1821 before joining Mexico in 1823. Independence was declared for the second time in 1841, with the region remaining independent for seven years, and even flirting with annexation by the United States (the bill even cleared the House of Representatives). In 1847, a caste war broke out between the Mayans and European-descended Criollos. After the war, an independent Mayan state controlled a large part of Quintana Roo, roughly stretching from Tulum to the Belize border. This area was reincorporated into Mexico at the beginning of the 20th century.

The Yucatan has a distinctive ecosystem as a vast limestone peninsula. Ecologically, it's very different from the rest of tropical Mexico, and more similar to Northern Guatemala and Belize, being all on the same peninsula and in geographical Central America. One of the unique features of the landscape are Cenotes. Cenotes are caves or pools of stagnant water that were formed by erosion of limestone. These can range from tiny water wells to huge natural caves. They were one of the few reliable sources of water for the Maya during their heyday. While their exact role is still open to some debate, objects and remains (both animal and human) found in some of them indicate an important religious role. While some Cenotes are closed due to their religious, cultural, or archaeological significance, there are many that you can swim or dive in, with or without guides.

Near Merida is also the place of the Chicxulub meteor impact, that is (according to whom you ask) partly or entirely to blame for the end of the dinosaur age, 65 million years ago. While hardly anything of it can be seen today, the location of some cenotes (see below) is a good indicator for the size of the crater, as they still form a circle segment that, when followed to the ocean, gives you the full size of the impact crater.

Talk

Spanish is the main language. English will be understood in most tourist locations and resorts. Knowing a few phrases of basic Spanish will help away from the main tourist resorts and can often help you find better deals. Yucatecos are generally tolerant of visitors who do not speak Spanish fluently but appreciate the effort to learn Spanish.

In much of the Yucatán some Maya is spoken. Except in a few small villages, almost everyone will have at least a working knowledge of basic Spanish.

Maya place names are usually accented on the last syllable, otherwise generally pronounced the same as in Spanish. The letter "X" in Yucatán is used for the sound in the Maya language that's the same as "Sh" in English. For example, "Uxmal" is pronounced "Oosh-MAL".

By plane
; ,   , and   are the most popular entry points to the Yucatan peninsula from all over Mexico. There are direct international flights from Canada, Cuba (handy for unofficial visits to Cuba), Europe, Central America, the United States and South America into Cancun and only from the United States and Canada to Merida and Cozumel. There are also alternative airports with connections from Mexico which may be closer to your final destination in:
 * in Tuxtla Gutierrez is the largest airport in Chiapas state closest to San Cristobal de las Casas, Comitan, Chiapas de Corzo and Cañón Sumidero.
 * Smaller airport south of Campeche with domestic flights from Mexico City only.
 * Smaller airport in Chetumal with domestic flights from Mexico City and international connections from Belize City with Tropic Air. It is also another transit point for onward travel to Flores, Guatemala (Tikal) and to Belize from Mexico City as it may be less expensive to fly to Chetumal from Mexico City (or elsewhere in Mexico) and continue by bus or shuttle to Belize City then flying into Belize City from Mexico City.
 * in Villahermosa is the largest airport in the state of Tabasco and the nearest commercial airport to Palenque town and ruins which are 2-3 hr east of Villahermosa in the state of Chiapas.
 * Nearest airport to Tapachula, Puerto Chiapas and the Guatemalan frontier towns of Cd Hidalgo/Cd Tecun Uman; and Talisman/El Carmen. It is also another transit point for onward travel to Guatemala from Mexico as it may be less expensive to fly to Tapachula from Mexico City (or elsewhere in Mexico) and continue by bus or shuttle to Guatemala then flying into Guatemala City from Mexico or the U.S.
 * Not in the Yucatan Peninsula or Chiapas, but it is the hub for most major airlines in Mexico with connections from China, Japan, USA, Canada, Europe and South America from foreign flag carriers. Some of the smaller airports in the region are connected only from Mexico City. Average flight times from Mexico City to most places in the region are 2 hr.

By car
Driving is the least common way to reach the Yucatan Peninsula. From Mexico City, it is over 1,300 kilometers to Merida and the drive takes 18 hours. Federal highway MEX-180 (MEX-180D toll road) is a good highway going the entire distance.

By bus
The following bus company serves the eastern and southeastern regions of the country in different route combinations and into Belize via Chetumal: It is possible to take a bus all the way from Mexico City to the Yucatan, however most often this is not or only marginally cheaper than a flight and you'd be in for 20 hours or more of continuous travel.

The following are first class (pullman) buses from Tapachula to Guatemala. Passengers transfer in Guatemala City to continue to other parts of Guatemala and to Honduras and El Salvador. Addresses and phone numbers given are from Guatemala City:

By train
Passengers traveling on the Ferrocarril Interoceanico from Coatzacoalcos. Veracruz or Salina Cruz, Oaxaca can use the FA line to arrive at Palenque, where they can transfer to the Tren Maya for continuing service throughout the Yucatan Peninsula.

By car
The Yucatan is the easiest part of Mexico to drive around in. Aside from Cancun and Merida, there are few real urban areas. Car rentals are easy to arrange in major airports and resort areas, and the only real worry is making sure that you observe local traffic laws (especially speed limits).

By bus
Many different class buses are available to/from all the major and many of the minor cities. Mexican first class buses are excellent value and remarkably comfortable - comparable to European train services. Many cheaper services are also available - from second class (little noticeable difference really) to very basic minibus and truck services. Safety seems to decrease with price, however - second class and below may lack seatbelts. Major differences between first and second class is that first class use toll highways where available and make limited or no stops en-route. Second class buses operate on shorter routes along 'libre' highways through every hamlet, village, town and city; with stops anywhere along the road to pick up and drop off people. Beware of the excessive air conditioning that seems to be a feature on most services - the bus may be many degrees colder than the outside air, and being stuck on a twelve hour journey without adequate clothing can make a journey singularly unpleasant. Travelling second class is not recommended for taller people. As second class buses hold more seats than first class ones do, there is almost no leg room. The major first class bus line is Autobuses del Oriente (ADO). Most of the smaller lines (Mayab, for example), are owned by ADO.

By combi
Combis are collective-taxis (colectivos) in form of mini vans (Toyota Hiace, Chevy Express, Ford Econoline, Ford Transit, Dodge/Mercedes Sprinter) offer services to many of the small towns & villages from a bigger town or city and between the small towns. Cheaper than a taxi and usually faster than a bus since it makes fewer stops.

By taxi
Available for hire even in small towns. For long distances however, like the caves at Lol-tun, be sure to agree on a price before boarding, or you might get ripped off.

By train
The Mexican government is nearing completion of an enormous high-speed train project called Tren Maya that will operate a 1,525 km loop route through the Yucatan Peninsula, opening up fast, comfortable transportation between Mexico's most popular beach resorts and some of its largest Mayan archaeological sites.

The northern side of the loop runs from Palenque to Cancun. The entire northern leg was open by the end of 2023. The eastern side of the loop runs along the Quintana Roo coast through the Maya Riviera to Chetumal and the Belize border, where it loops westward via the southern leg. The section from Cancun to Playa del Carmen opened at the end of February 2024 and additional stations will open throughout 2024 with all of the eastern and southern stations slated for completion by the end of 2024.

Some of the Mayan sites that will be opened up to visitors include Calakmul and the seldom visited Ruta Rio Bec sites, along with Izamal, Edzna, and Palenque. Increased tour services and bus transportation is planned between Palenque and sites at Yaxchilan and Bonampak. Although some of the sites are already popular among international travelers, the train will also boost attendance at Chichen Itza and Tulum, both of which will have stops on the route. Shuttle service will be available to Coba from the Tulum station.

Major cities on the new train route will include Merida, Chetumal, and Campeche.

Tickets can be purchased at ticket windows in stations or through the Tren Maya website. Ticket prices depend on distance, fare class, and residency. Local residents of the 5 Yucatan Peninsula states pay the lowest fare, Mexican nationals from other states pay a mid-tier fare, Foreign travelers pay the highest fare (roughly double the local price). As of early 2024, foreign visitors can buy tickets in tourist class or premier class. Sample fares are:
 * Cancun to Merida - M$735 (Tourist class), M$1173 (Premier class)
 * Cancun to Palenque - M$2123 (Tourist class), M$3391 (Premier class)

See

 * Mayan archeological sites. Yucatán is home of several famous Mayan archaeological zones. The best known and most widely visited by tourists is Chichén Itzá, the site of the Kukulcan Pyramid, the Maya Observatory, and the Sacred Cenote. A contrasting cultural style, more ornamental, can be observed at Mayan sites along the Ruta Puuc. The most famous Mayan sites in Quintana Roo are located at Coba and Tulum. Temple of the warriors chichen itza.jpg
 * Equinox: The period when the Earths sun is directly above the equator, about Mar 20 & Sep 23 of each year. Mayans were very dependent on astronomy as reflected in their art and Temples. At Chichen Itza, during sunset on the Equinox, the shadows of the serpent-god Kukulcan, moves down along the pyramid, a very impressive sight! Other structures have Equinox related events that take place on those days also, like Tulum.
 * Ecological parks: The Yucatán Peninsula is site of several Ecological Parks, like Xcaret, Xel-Há and Garrafón; aimed for the conservation of the flora and fauna of the region, which serve as well as tourist attractions. At these parks you can know more about the Mexican culture, and also enjoy several activities as swimming with dolphins and snorkeling.

Itineraries

 * Cenotes of the Yucatán are complexes of sinkholes and caves in the Karst geological landscape of the Yucatán. Some cenotes contain spectacular cave formations, while others are important archeological sites, and several were considered sacred by the Mayans. A few are open to the public for swimming and diving. The states of Yucatán and Quintana Roo have established a "tourist corridor" called La Ruta de los Cenotes along which many of the most spectacular or famous cenotes are situated.
 * Ruta Puuc is an itinerary developed by the Mexican tourism department (SECTUR), which has placed signage along the highways in the Puuc region (Yucatan hill country) to guide travelers to the Mayan archaeological sites that best exemplify Mayan Puuc architecture.
 * Ruta Rio Bec is an itinerary developed by the Mexican tourism department (SECTUR) that spotlights Mayan archaelogical sites that exemplify Rio Bec architecture. The route formally runs from Chetumal to Escárcega, but the sites cluster near the town of Xpujil

Do

 * Reef diving and snorkeling. The Mesoamerican Barrier Reef, the second largest coral reef system in the world, lies offshore in the Caribbean east of the Yucatán. It extends all the way to the Bay Islands of Honduras.

Eat
Yucatecan food has its own culinary traditions developed from the long mix of native Maya and Spanish traditions. While some dishes can be very spicy, many others are not. Genuine Yucatecan salsas are prepared with habañero chiles and can be quite spicy. The ubiquitous El Yucateco brand is served throughout the region (and is exported to other countries). Chiltomate is a salsa prepared with fire-roasted tomatoes.

Common meats are turkey, chicken, pork, and deer. Yucatecan venison is quite good and not "gamey" tasting.

Typical dishes include:
 * Pibil dishes, such as "cochinita pibil" (suckling pig) and "pollo pibil" (the chicken version), rubbed with achiote (also known as annato), marinated with sour orange juice, wrapped in a banana leaf, then slow cooked in a pit barbecue. This is one of the region's emblematic dishes and is a recipe and process used by Mayan cooks since ancient times. Very tender and tasty. Typically served as a taco and topped with pickled red onion.
 * Poc Chuc is another traditional Mayan dish that is still served throuighout the Yucatan Peninsula. It is lean pork, marinated in sour orange juice and then slow-roasted over charcoal coals. Served with red pickled onions, avocado and salsa or chitomate.
 * Sopa de lima, tasty lime-based vegetable soup with bits of corn tortilla. This is another regional specialty that originates with the Mayan community.
 * Huevos Motuleños are eggs on tortillas with black beans and cheese, often with other ingredients such as ham, peas, and tomato sauce. The dish originated in the town of Motul but is served everywhere in the Yucatan.
 * Pollo Motuleño, a chicken dish cooked with orange juice, achiote and plantains.
 * Salbutes - like a tostada, but with a fresh corn tortilla that's freshly fried then topped with cochinta pibil, a relleno (turkey topping available in black (negro) and white (blanco) variations, among other meats or toppings. Topped with salsa, avocado, cheese or anything you might normally put on a taco
 * Panuchos - "sopes" with pork (cochinita pibil) or more commonly, black beans
 * Marquesitas - popular dessert from street food vendors, a crispy crepe is filled with fruits, cream, cheese, cajeta or other sweet flavors. Chocolate and Nutella are popular flavors.

Seafood is also very important, especially in Campeche. Pulpo (octopus), cazon (shark), camaron (shrimp) and various other tropical fish are very popular. Lobster is a widely available in the Yucatan. It is normally a spiny lobster, which is a smaller variety than the Maine lobsters preferred in the U.S.

Contrary to the advice of many guides, the food served in all-inclusive resorts may have been prepared in far less safe conditions than that available in local establishments away from the major tourist zones. Poor refrigeration, retaining food beyond safe time limits and poor hygiene have been reported from many resorts - whereas street vendors patronized by locals have little choice but to maintain high standards, as everything is on view and their business is dependent on their reputation, not passing foreign visitors. Street vendors cooking for a local clientele are also far more likely to adhere to authentic (often time-intensive) processes and far less likely to substitute cheap mass-market processed ingredients.

A good approach for regular restaurants is to note those with a lot of locals and to patronize them.

Drink
Tap water is not generally advised for drinking in Mexico, particularly for visitors. In many places (particularly backpacker-friendly resorts) water containers can be filled with drinking water for a few pesos - so a reusable container is both an environmentally and financially better option.

The water system in Mérida is unusually good for Mexico; for some visitors it is the only Mexican city where they will drink the tap water. Outside of this city the situation is different. In small towns the local water can be very bad, and bottled water is recommended.

It would be difficult for anyone visiting this area not to sample the Tequila, which should be used in moderation. For those more adventurous souls, Absinthe is legal in Mexico and also, moderation is suggested. Fresh fruit juice is very popular in The Yucatán and freshly squeezed OJ can be found in most markets. Dairy products, including cheese, should be avoided, unless you are positive they have been made with pasteurized milk.

Respect
Away from beaches and tourist hotels going around in a bathing suit or short shorts is considered improper and rude.

Stay safe
Strict drug possession policy exists in Mexico. Be very careful even with "greens". Local police are hopelessly corrupt and love to catch unwary tourists with small quantities of marijuana. Threatening long prison terms, whether this is a likely outcome is a moot point, their main aim seems, unsurprisingly, to exact bribes: in some areas a fairly standard 50% of all the traveller's money.

There have been several cases of young European and U.S. visitors getting shot when they approached local drug dealers to make a purchase. Yucatan is not a dangerous region, but stupid foreigners getting into trouble sometimes make it seem so.

Caution is also advised on long bus journeys, particularly across state lines, as police or military checkpoints exist and passengers may be asked for identification or searched. In general, however, these checks seem to be aimed at locals, particularly in the Zapatista homeland in Chiapas.

Go next
The Yucatán is a good launching point for going to Belize, Cuba and Guatemala.

title: Yucatán and the South


text:
Yucay

Yucay is a village in Peru.

license: Creative Commons - Attribution Share-Alike - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/

title: Yucay


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Yufu

Yufu (由布市) is a city in Oita Prefecture. The northwest section of the city contains the Yufuin (湯布院) district, which is famous as one of the best hot spring resorts in Japan.

Understand
A hot spring town with a difference, Yufuin's claim to fame is not just lots of hot water (the town claims the second highest outflow in all Japan), but its arty vibe with avant-garde galleries, traditional crafts and fancy cafés. Consciously planned on European spa towns, there's a frisson of fashionable foreignness to it all and the town is often compared with Karuizawa, the favorite retreat of Tokyo's elite. Add in a scenic location in a lush green valley, with steam bursting from the hillsides and the double-peaked Yufu-dake (1584m) volcano overlooking it all, and it's not hard to see why Yufuin welcomes more than three million visitors annually.

Tourist information center
The Yufu City Tourist Information Center (84-2446; 09:00-17:30) beside the train station has some information in English, including a detailed walking map.

Tourist information sites

 * The local tourist associations has a Japanese-only portal site.
 * Tsukahara Highlands area in it has a bilingual guide site.

 * The city site's tourism section contains a guide book in English.

Get in
Yufuin is in the center of Oita Prefecture, 25 km from its comparatively downmarket spa town twin Beppu. It can be visited as a day trip from Beppu or Fukuoka, or en route to Mount Aso in Kumamoto Prefecture.

On arrival in Yufuin, there are large luggage lockers at the front side of the station, and opposite it. However, these are fairly popular and might fill up quickly. Another option is to drop your bags at the Yufuin Chikki in the Tourist Information Center, which will deliver them to any hotel in town (and later back to the station) for ¥500 a pop. It also functions as a baggage storage service for ¥300-500 per bag per day.

By plane
The nearest airport is in Oita, 55 minutes away by direct bus (on airplane arrivals, ¥1,550). Oita has flights to Tokyo, Osaka, Nagoya and Seoul. The nearest major airport is Fukuoka, which also has direct buses to Yufuin (1:45, 11 times/day, ¥2,880).

By train

Yufuin Station (由布院駅) is the main train station and serves as a central point for starting off in Yufuin. The best way to arrive is by the JR Yufuin no Mori limited express, a destination in itself with retro-styled wood and brass fittings and a buffet car with panoramic windows — book ahead. The train runs 3 times/day to/from Fukuoka (2 hr 15 min, ¥4,550) and once daily to/from Oita (50 min) and Beppu (1 hour). There are additional direct services on the more ordinary Yufu DX and Yufu expresses, and cheaper local trains (change in Kurume required).

By car
Get off at the Oita Expressway Yufuin Interchange. In peak tourist seasons, the most direct route to Kinrinko Lake (Route 206) often experiences severe traffic. Due to this, it's advisable to detour to Minami Yufu and head toward the center of Yufuin instead. Specifically you'll want to get off the Interchange, take Route 210 towards Oita, and get on Route 11 in Minami Yufu.

Due to Yufuin's high elevation, you're required to use chains on the highways and mountain roads when there is snow.

By bus
Yufuin's major bus hub is the Yufuin Ekimae Bus Center (由布院駅前バスセンター), tucked away behind a souvenir shop in front of the station.

 * If coming from Beppu: From Beppu Station's west exit, take the Kamenoi Bus "Yufuin" Liner. It takes approximately 1 hour. It also picks up from the Ferry Port (where ferries come in from Kansai) and takes approximately 1 hour and 15 minutes.
 * If coming from Fukuoka: Take the Kamenoi High Speed Bus "Yufuin". It's about 2 hours from Tenjin and 2 hours and 20 minutes from the Hakata Bus Terminal.
 * If coming from Kumamoto: Take Kyushu Sanko Bus, the "Kujũ" Ōdan Bus. It's about 4 hours from Kumamoto Station and about 2 hours and 15 minutes from Aso Station.

Get around
Public transport options in Yufu are limited. For the average visitor, the most useful is the roughly hourly Kamenoi bus route 36, which serves the train station, Yufumi-dori, Yunotsubo and the start of the Mt. Yufu hiking trail (由布登山口) on its way to Beppu and back.

By train
The JR Kyudai Line lazily loops through the city, but aside from Yufuin station itself does not come close to the hot spring area.

By horse or rickshaw
Horse carriages (辻馬車 tsujibasha) leave Yufuin station from March to December. Starts 10 times per day from 09:30 to 16:00 (8 times to 14:30 in December). The tour takes about 50 minutes and costs ¥2200 (child \1650). Rickshaws (jinrikisha) also operate around Yufuin station and Lake Kinrinko.

On foot
Yufuin can fairly easily be covered on foot. It's a leisurely 1.5-km stroll from the train station to Lake Kinrinko via Yufumi-dōri and Yunotsubo Kaidō. The surrounding area boasts many beautiful rural landscapes, and there are many walking routes you can take through them. The Tourist Information Center publishes maps that you can refer to as you walk.

 * Yufumi-dōri (由布見通り) - The name of the street that continues from Yufuin Station to Yufu-dake. You can see Yufu-dake from almost anywhere on this street.
 * Yunotsubo Kaidō (湯の坪街道) - An attractively retro-styled shopping street that goes from Yufumi-dōri to Lake Kinrinko, this is one of the prime attractions in town and packed during the day with tour groups. There are many restaurants and souvenir shops, including a Ghibli store.

See

 * Yufuin Art Museum (由布院美術館)
 * Norman Rockwell Yufuin Art Gallery (ノーマン・ロックウェル湯布院美術館)
 * Tenso Shrine (天祖神社)
 * Tenso Shrine (天祖神社)
 * Tenso Shrine (天祖神社)

Do

Hot springs:

 * Yufuin Station Footbath (由布院駅の足湯)
 * Yufuin Onsen (由布院温泉)
 * Yunotsubo Onsen (ゆのつぼ温泉)
 * Shitanyu (下ん湯)

Eat
Yufuin is famous for yuzukoshō (柚子胡椒), literally "yuzu pepper", a condiment made from fragrant yuzu citruses and green chilli peppers. Originally a dipping condiment primarily for nabe stews, a brief nationwide boom in the 2000s saw it applied to anything and everything. The frenzy has since died down, but you'll still see plenty of the stuff in town, and it's a very popular souvenir since it travels well and a little jar goes a long way.

 * Rampusha (洋灯舎)
 * Tenjousajiki (天井棧敷)
 * Corbeille (コルベイユ)
 * Corbeille (コルベイユ)

Go next

 * Beppu
 * Oita
 * Kokonoe
 * Kusu
 * Hita
 * Bungoono
 * Taketa
 * Aso
 * Usa

title: Yufu


text:
Yukon

 * For the town in Oklahoma see Yukon (Oklahoma)

The Yukon is the westernmost of Canada's three northern territories. It is an area larger than Sweden, but with a population smaller than that of Sweden's 55th largest municipality. It is a wildly beautiful region, with extremely long, warm summer days and extremely short, extremely cold winter days. Exploring this region can be expensive, but very rewarding. Many of the visitors in the Yukon are travelling to Alaska on the Alaska Highway.

Towns
As this area is sparsely populated, populations that barely register as a "spot on the map" elsewhere are "major towns" in Yukon terminology.
 * — the capital and largest city of the Yukon
 * — historic Klondike gold rush town, now a National Historic Site
 * — the Yukon's most southern community, and home of the famous Signpost Forest
 * — gateway to the Kluane National Park and Reserve
 * — home to the Teslin Inland Tlingit First Nations, it has one of the largest native populations in the Yukon
 * — world-class mountain biking on the near-by Montana Mountain, and access to Carcross Desert, often referred to as the "world's smallest desert"
 * — a small village in the north, and the only community in the territory without road access
 * — Canada's westernmost community
 * — a place to see Dall's sheep and Stone's sheep, a species of mountain sheep almost unique to the surrounding area, and it has a golf course running through the main part of town
 * — home of the First Nation of Na-Cho Nyäk Dun
 * — a traditional stopover for travellers between Whitehorse and Dawson City
 * — at the northern end of Tagish Lake
 * — a former mining town, home of the Ross River Dena First Nation

Other destinations

 * — the Yukon's only offshore island, and a possible future UNESCO World Heritage Site because of evidence of settlement by the Thule culture a thousand years ago. Roald Amundsen wintered here in 1905.
 * — hiking, and rafting on the Firth River, which drains into the Beaufort Sea, and is considered one of the great rafting rivers of the world.
 * — generally accessible only via a flightseeing tour or on a serious mountaineering or ski touring expedition.
 * — rugged peaks, permafrost landforms and wildlife, including sections of the Blackstone Uplands and the Ogilvie Mountains.
 * — very undeveloped, no roads or developed trails, fewer than 25 human visitors a year, but more than 200,000 Caribou pass through annually.

Understand
The Yukon is very sparsely populated, as the whole territory has a population of about 41,000 people. This is less than many small cities in southern Canada. Its population is about 68% European Canadian, 19% First Nations, 8.5% visible minority, 3% Métis, and less than 1% Inuit (formerly called "Eskimos", a term that is now offensive to many people).

History
Long before the arrival of Europeans, central and southern Yukon was populated by First Nations people, and the area escaped glaciation. Sites of archaeological significance in Yukon hold some of the earliest evidence of the presence of human habitation in North America. The sites safeguard the history of the first people and the earliest First Nations of the Yukon.

The volcanic eruption of Mount Churchill in approximately 800 AD in what is now the U.S. state of Alaska blanketed southern Yukon with a layer of ash which can still be seen along the Klondike Highway, and which forms part of the oral tradition of First Nations peoples in Yukon and further south in Canada.

Coastal and inland First Nations had extensive trading networks. European incursions into the area began early in the 19th century with the fur trade, followed by missionaries. By the 1870s and 1880s, gold miners began to arrive. This drove a population increase that justified the establishment of a police force, just in time for the start of the Klondike Gold Rush in 1897. The increased population coming with the Gold Rush led to the separation of the Yukon district from the Northwest Territories and the formation of the separate Yukon Territory in 1898.

Climate
While the average winter temperature in Yukon is mild by Canadian arctic standards, no other place in North America gets as cold as Yukon during extreme cold snaps. The temperature has dropped down to −60 °C (−76 °F) three times, 1947, 1952, and 1968. The most extreme cold snap occurred in February 1947 when the abandoned town of Snag dropped down to −63.0 °C (−81.4 °F).

Unlike most of Canada where the most extreme heat waves occur in July, August, and even September, Yukon's extreme heat tends to occur in June and even May.

Tourist inforamtion

 * Travel Yukon website

Talk
English and French are the official languages of the Yukon, though French is the mother tongue of only around 1500 people, under 5% of the population. The territory's indigenous languages range from Tlingit, spoken by a couple of thousand, to the critically-endangered Hän, with only one native speaker recorded in 2022.

A number of terms are commonly used in the North:
 * cheechako — someone who has spent less than a full year in the North.
 * ice bridge — a road that crosses a river on ice.
 * outside — anywhere below the 60th parallel, which is the southern border of Yukon
 * parka — a very bulky jacket, a necessity in the winter.
 * sourdough — someone who has lived in the North for a number of years.
 * tree line — the northernmost extent of trees, north of which trees do not grow. The exact extent depends on elevation.
 * winter road — a road that can only be used in the winter. Usually too wet and muddy in the summer to be passable.

By plane
The only "significant" airport in the Yukon is in Whitehorse. Air Canada offers daily direct flights from Vancouver. Air North offers flights from Vancouver, Calgary, Edmonton, Victoria, Kelowna, and, seasonally, Ottawa and Yellowknife.

Additionally, Air North connects Vancouver, Nanaimo, Kelowna, and Prince George, with both Whitehorse and Watson Lake in the Yukon.

In summer, Condor previously offered nonstop flights from Frankfurt airport (FRA), Germany though the route has been suspended until at least 2026.

There are also seasonal flights between Juneau in Alaska and Whitehorse offered by Alaska Seaplanes.

By car
Most goods arrive in the Yukon by road. However, distances in Yukon are bigger than almost anywhere else in the world. It is not uncommon to go over 200 km between very small towns.

The majority of the people travelling through Yukon are driving on their way to Alaska. There are 2 highways into the Yukon from Southern Canada:

 * Highway 97 (in British Columbia) / Highway 1 (in Yukon), known as the Alaska Highway, comes from Dawson Creek in the northeast of British Columbia.
 * Highway 37 (Stewart-Cassiar Highway) connects with the Highway 16 (Yellowhead Highway) in Kitwanga between Prince George and Prince Rupert in Central British Columbia. Highway 37 terminates at Highway 1 (Alaska Highway) near Watson Lake.

In any case the distance from Vancouver to Whitehorse is about. That is approximately the same distance as driving from Vancouver to San Diego.

In winter, the Alaska Highway is far more travelled than the Stewart-Cassiar Highway. There are not enough charging stations along either highway for most electric vehicles to reach the Yukon by road.

By boat
Many also come to the Yukon as part of a tour with an Alaska Cruise. Generally as part of the package it is possible to include a bus tour of parts of the Yukon. In some cases it may be possible to stay over in the Yukon for one or two weeks and return on the next cruise.

Others may arrive into Yukon through the Alaska Marine Highway system which operates a ferry from Bellingham, Washington to Skagway in Alaska.

By bus
There is no scheduled coach service from the South to the Yukon. In summer, some bus tours from Alaska may be available.

By car
If you are not bothered by driving long distances, exploring the Yukon by road can be a great way to see this territory's natural beauty. The distances between service stations can be vast; make sure your vehicle is in good condition, and prepare for the worst. Drive for the conditions and expect to see large animals in the middle of the highway. Obtain a good highway map of the territory as soon as possible. A free map titled "Canada's Yukon Highway Map", found at visitor centres and some service stations, classifies roads into primary (90-100 km/h), secondary (70-90 km/h), and local (50-80 km/h), as well as paved, dust treated, and untreated. This information will be of great use when selecting a route suitable for you and your vehicle. Be sure to check road conditions at 511 Yukon as seasonal flooding and road construction may delay or disrupt your travel.

Gasoline is expensive. Users can save a bit by using "cardlock" gas stations. While elsewhere in Canada they are usually reserved for truckers ("commercial cardlock"), many in Yukon are open to anyone ("public cardlock"). Pay in the kiosk, and follow the posted instructions carefully.

By plane
If the thought of driving such long distances doesn't thrill you, consider crossing some distances in the sky (but this can be quite expensive). Air North is the major regional carrier in the Yukon. It serves Dawson City, Old Crow (the Yukon's only community without road access), and Whitehorse in the Yukon, as well as, in the Northwest Territories, Inuvik, and, seasonally, Yellowknife.

Charter flights on Alkan Air take you to more than 20 aerodromes in the Yukon. Additionally, a number of seaplane and helicopter companies provide services across the territory.

By bus
Three times a week, a shuttle bus runs from Watson Lake via Teslin to Whitehorse in the morning and back in the afternoon.

See

Many of the visitors in the winter come to the North specifically to see the Northern Lights. In the summer, the days are very long (up to 24 hours when north of the Arctic Circle). If you can't see them outside, see them inside at the Northern Lights Centre in Watson Lake, which features a northern lights multimedia presentation in a theatre.

Dawson City is the place to go to get a taste of the history of the Gold Rush. The "Dawson Historical Complex" is a National Historic Site encompassing the historic core of the town. Diamond Tooth Gertie's Gambling Hall is a touristy relic with can-can shows and gambling. The Paddle Boat Graveyard has a collection of old paddle boats that you can crawl around in and on. In Whitehorse, you'll find sternwheeler paddleboat, turned into a museum, the MacBride Museum of local history, and the Beringia Interpretive Centre about the land bridge from Asia to North America. The Tage Cho Hudan Interpretive Centre in Carmacks and the Da Kų Culture Centre in Haibes Junction showcase the past and present culture of the territory's First Nations.

The Signpost Forest, at the intersection of the Alaska and Robert Campbell Highways, in Watson Lake has over 80,000 signs to cities and towns around the world.

Seeing the caribou migration near Old Crow is not an easy thing to do, but would be an amazing experience.

Do
Yukon is sparsely populated, and has wide-open spaces under a great big sky, ready for outdoor recreation. You'll be on your own more than in other places as there are fewer tourism businesses, but with some research and planning, Yukon can provide a top-notch adventure experience.

In summer, there is hiking, camping, canoeing on wild rivers, and cycling. There is rafting on the Alsek River in Kluane National Park, and diwn the Firth River through Ivvavik National Park to the Arctic Ocean. You can hike the Yukon sections of the Trans Canada Trail.

In the winter, alpine skiing at Dawson City, Whitehorse or Watson Lake, cross-country skiing, ice skating, snowmobiling, dog sled rides, and ice fishing, and fat bike cycling.

"Flightseeing" over Kluane National Park, or tours by airplane, is expensive, but can be an excellent way to appreciate the vastness of the Yukon wilderness.

Eat
Food has to travel a long way to get to the Yukon, so you will not find quite the variety of fruits and vegetables you would in the south, and the prices are significantly higher.

Historically hunting is a way of life in the North and Yukoners still tend to eat a lot more meat, especially wild game, than Southerners.

Whitehorse is a major supply centre and therefore despite the small size you will find several chain restaurants, and many very nice local restaurants that have diverse menus.

Drink
The legal drinking age in the Yukon is 19. The Yukon Liquor Corporation operates 6 liquor stores in the territory. These are in Whitehorse, Watson Lake, Dawson, Haines Junction, Faro, and Mayo. Alcohol is also available from "off-sales" of bars. There is a 30% premium for purchasing from off-sales. The liquor stores in the rural communities also operate as government agents and provide services such as driver licences, fishing licences, motor vehicle registrations, property taxes, business licences and court fines. If you require all of these in a single trip you receive a Yukon Yoddeller award.

Some communities in the North are officially "dry" communities. In these communities alcohol is not available and bringing in alcohol may be illegal.

Go next
From the Yukon you can get to Alaska at either the Beaver Creek border crossing on the Alaska Highway, or the Little Gold border crossing on the Top Of The World Highway west of Dawson City. You can also travel to Skagway, Alaska by heading south from Whitehorse and through the north-western tip of British Columbia.

The community of Atlin in the northwest corner of British Columbia is a very interesting little community that can only be accessed from the Yukon.

The Dempster Highway is the northern-most highway in the North America. It begins near Dawson City, goes to Inuvik in the Northwest Territories and ends in Tuktoyaktuk on the Arctic Ocean. The Dempster is famous for causing tire failures, so come prepared.

title: Yukon


text:
Yukon (Oklahoma)

Yukon is in the Frontier Country region of Oklahoma.

title: Yukon (Oklahoma)


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Yukon - Charley Rivers National Preserve

Yukon - Charley Rivers National Preserve is in Interior Alaska along the border with Canada. It encompasses a portion of the Yukon River and the entire Charley River basin.

Understand
The preserve encompasses 130 miles (208 km) of the 1,800-mile (3,000 km) Yukon River and the entire Charley River basin. The preserve protects the undeveloped Charley River and a significant portion of the upper Yukon.

History
Evidence from other portions of northern Alaska indicates that people lived in the area as early as 11,000 years before the present. Northern Athabaskan speakers moved into the region by about 1500 years ago. The inhabitants of the upper Yukon valley just prior to historic times were the Hän people, descendants of the Athabaskan migrants.

In 1886 gold was discovered on the Fortymile River, drawing prospectors to the Yukon. The influx of newcomers caused the Hän to resettle in towns, in many cases working for miners. Circle City was established in 1893, Seventymile in 1888 and Mission Creek, now Eagle, in 1895, all as mining camps. A number of sites in the preserve were developed for mining during this period. The boom died down by 1902, but two large dredge operations continued at Coal Creek and Woodchopper Creek, with smaller claims at scattered sites.

Landscape
The majority of the preserve is taiga, or boreal forest, primarily black spruce, white spruce, with alder, willow, birch, cottonwood and poplar. The preserve environment is a fire-dependent ecosystem, with a mosaic of burned and unburned lands. Hot summer temperatures and dry weather allow lightning strikes to start fires which maintain a diverse ecosystem.

Flora and fauna
The chief salmon species in the portion of the Yukon that runs in the preserve are chinook, coho and chum. Other fish include Arctic grayling, northern pike, sheefish, burbot and whitefish. The best fishing is found along tributaries of the Yukon or near their mouths, where the brown, muddy water of the Yukon is more clear.

Large mammals in the preserve include wolf, black bear, moose, caribou, and Dall's sheep.

Climate
The interior Alaskan region experiences extremes of weather, with temperatures that can vary from −50 °F (−46 °C) in winter to 97 °F (36 °C) in summertime.

Visitor information

 * Park website

Get in
Access to the preserve is limited to water or air travel during the summer season, and air or various means of adventurous options (including snowmachines) during the winter months.

Driving a vehicle or flying into Eagle and floating the Yukon is a good option. Air carriers to return the visitor to the site of the "put in point" are available. You could drop your gear and vessel and other party members in Eagle, and drive to Circle in order to have your vehicle at the end of the journey.

There is no direct highway connection to Yukon-Charley Rivers National Preserve, but you can access the preserve by airplane from Fairbanks, or water or air travel from two small towns on the road system, closer to the preserve:
 * The Taylor Highway begins at Tetlin Junction on the Alaska Highway, and ends later in Eagle on the banks of the Yukon River, 12 miles upstream from the preserve. It is a mostly gravel road usually open from mid-April to mid-October. It is suitable for cars, trucks, and small RVs.
 * The Steese Highway begins in Fairbanks and travels 162 miles to Circle, Alaska, 14 miles downstream of the preserve boundary. It is also mostly gravel, but is open year round, depending upon snow and drifting conditions in winter months.

From Eagle, you can float down the Yukon River to access the preserve. From Circle can get to the preserve by taking a powerboat 14 miles up the Yukon River.

You can charter an air taxi from Fairbanks or Tok and fly into the headwaters of the Charley River to travel down the rapids of this National Wild River.

Fees and permits
No permit is required to enter the park, but it is recommended that you attend a backcountry orientation at one of the park's visitor centers. This orientation will inform you about current weather, fire and wildlife alerts, backcountry safety, bear safety and Leave No Trace camping techniques. You can borrow bear-resistant food containers at the park visitor facilities.

The use of drones is prohibited in the reserve.

Get around

The National Park Service provides a resolution-adjustable pdf map.

See
Numerous rustic cabins and historic sites can be found in the preserve:
 * Slaven's Roadhouse, at Coal Creek, was built by prospector Frank Slaven in 1932. Slaven lived there until 1938, after which Gold Placers, Inc. used the cabin as a bunkhouse and supply drop for their gold dredging operations on Coal Creek. In the summer the cabin serves as a bunkhouse for visitors and Park Service personnel.
 * The Coal Creek Historic Mining District encompasses a number of structures associated with coal dredge mining on Coal Creek. The district's centerpiece is the Coal Creek dredge, floating in the creek.
 * Biederman's Cabin is nearby, where mail carrier Ed Biederman boarded dogs for miners and trappers during the summer, using two fish wheels to catch enough salmon to feed the dogs.

Do

 * The Charley River can be floated from June through August. The majority of the river is rated at Class II, with some Class III and even Class IV during high water. Most of the rapids occur in the area of the bluffs where the river emerges into the main Yukon valley.
 * The Yukon River can be floated from May to September. The most popular trip is from Eagle to Circle, a 158-mile (254 km) trip, averaging 30 miles (48 km) per day.
 * The preserve includes part of the route of the annual Yukon Quest dogsled race, which runs every February.

Buy, eat, drink
There are no services in the reserve.

Sleep
There are public use cabins in the preserve for short-term recreational use and occupancy only. Reservations are not required for them: they are available on a free, first-come, first-served basis. If you plan to use the cabins for a combined total of more than ten days in a 30-day period, you can apply for a permit from the Preserve's Superintendent.

Stay safe
Check locally about road conditions before beginning your journey. Bring sufficient emergency supplies with you: water, food, and warm clothing.

If you are traveling the Taylor or Steese Highways, take two spare tires. Road condition reports are available and updated regularly.

There is no cell phone service and there are no amenities or services in the preserve.

Bears pose a danger to humans and pets in the preserve. Learn about bear safety, and borrow bear-resistant food containers from one of the visitors' centers listed above.


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Yuksom

Yuksom is a small village in Sikkim it serves as the starting point of the Dzongri - Goechala Trek. The 8 - 9 day trek is the most popular in Sikkim and leads to the base of the third highest mountain in the world, Kangchenjunga. It is said that it was the first capital of Sikkim. It is very calm and peaceful, a real get-away for those who want to avoid the tourist crowd.

Understand
Yuksom means “meeting place of the three learned monks”. According to the legend, three monks from Tibet selected Phuntsog Namgyal as the first King of Sikkim and gave him the title Chogyal, meaning “religious King” or “the king who rules with righteousness”. Yuksom is part of Demazon (valley of rice), the sacred landscape consisting of four religious sites which have been blessed by Guru Padmasambhava and which are considered to be the four plexuses of the human body, in which Yuksom represents the 'third eye'.

By jeep or taxi
Reach here in 5 hours from Geyzing using shared or private jeeps. There are no buses to Yuksom, there are taxis to Yuksom from Geyzing (₹70), Tashiding (₹30), Pelling (₹60) and Gangtok (₹140). It might be difficult to find shared jeeps after 1PM.

By train
The nearest railway station is New Jalpaiguri (NJP) which is about 150 km from Yuksom. From NJP, one could book a taxi to Yuksom for ₹2000, in 2009. Be careful to leave NJP by 11AM as it takes around 6-7 hours to reach Yuksom via Jorethang. The road to Yuksom is poorly lit and it is not advisable to travel at night.

By plane
The nearest airport is in Bagdogra, 12 km west of Siliguri and about 170 km from Yuksom.

Get around
It is a very small village so getting around is on foot.

Yuksom is the base camp for many treks in Sikkim. One can trek to Tashiding/Dzongri peak/Goecha La from here. You can also trek to Kachupuri lake from Yuksom. Its a relatively tough steep trek (10 km) if you not a high altitude trekker. There are no shared jeeps to/from Kachupuri lake, but it might be possible to join a tour jeep for this journey.

See
It is a very beautiful place. It is surrounded by majestic mountain peaks (some of them are covered with snow throughout the year). There is a village Buddhist temple where prayers happen every evening at dusk, a must to experience. The place is so beautiful that you can just be here and relax and gaze at the nature for one whole week and you will not know when the week was over because time would fly by.

Trekking

 * (4 to 5 days) the most popular trek in Sikkim, from Yuksom to Dzongri and Goecha La, with superb views of Kanchenjunga, reaching an altitude of 4.020 m (13.185 ft). The best season is March to June and August to November. The trek is rated easy to moderate. The trail follows the Rathong Valley to Bakkhim. After a steep ascent to the village of Tshoka it reaches Phedang and Dzongri, from where the trail drops steeply down to Thangsing (3.930 m). Dzongri offers a fascinating view of Kanchenjunga, Mt. Pandim and the Kyangla ridge. Goecha La is situated at an altitude of 4.940 m and offers extensive views of Pandim and Kanchenjunga. A sample itinerary for this trek is as follows:
 * Day 1: Yuksam to Bakkhim (5 to 6 hr, altitude 2.744 m): The  well-marked forest trail is winding high above the Rathong River.  After four to five hours it crosses a bridge upstream of the confluence of the Rathong and Prek Rivers. From there it is another one hour ascent to  Bakkhim (2.750 m). Overnight at the Rest House in Bakkhim or in a camp.
 * Day 2: Bakkhim to Phedang (3.700 m): The trail leads to the village of Tshoka, a villahge of Tibetan refugees. Then it ascends steeply through rhododendron forest to the grazing meadow at Phedang (3.700 m). Overnight at camp.
 * Day 3: Phedang to Dzongri (4.320 m): After an early start and a steep ascent of one hour you will encounter the first views Kanchenjunga (8.586 m) and Pandim (6.691 m). From there it is another two to three km across the open meadows to the camp at Dzongri (4.320 metres) with a splendid view of the peaks of the Singalila Ridge which divides Nepal from Sikkim. The panorama from Dzongri includes Koktang (6.147 m), Rathong (6.679 m), Kabru South (7.317 m) and Kabru North (7.338 m). Overnight at camp.
 * Day 4: Rest day for acclimatise at Dzongri. Overnight at camp.
 * Day 5: Dzongri to Tsokha (10 km, 4- to 5 hr): Return to Tsokha. Overnight at camp.
 * Day 6: Tsokha to Yuksam (14 km, 5 to 6 hr).
 * (8 days), leading to an altitude of 5.000 m. The best season is June to September and October to mid November. A sample itinerary is as follows:
 * Day 1: Yuksom to Tshokha (3.000 m/9.840 ft, 14 km, 5 to 6 hrs): The trail first climbs gently along the Ratong Chu River, then steeply to the settlement of Bakhim and for 3 km through forest of magnolia and rhododendron to Tshokha. Overnight at camp.
 * Day 2: Tshokha to Dzongri (4.030 m, 13.218 ft, 10 km, 5 to 6 hr): The trail climbs for 3 hrs through rhododendron forests to the alp of Phidang (3.650 m) and further to Dzongri. Overnight in tents.
 * Day 3: Rest day and acclimatise at Dzongri. From Dzongri Top there is a wide view of Kabru (7.353 m), Ratong (6.678 m), Kanchenjunga (8.534 m), Koktang (6.147 m), Pandim (6.691 m), Narsing (5.825 m) and the Singalila Ridge, which separates Sikkim from Nepal. Overnight in tents.
 * Day 4: Dzongri to Tangsing (3.800 m, 12.464 ft, 10 km, 4 to 5 hr): The path crosses the bridge over the Prek Chu river and after a climb of one hour from the bridge reaches Tangsiing (3.800 m) on the slopes of Mount Pandim. Overnight stay in tents.
 * Day 5: Tangsing to Samiti Lake (4.500 m, 14.760 ft, 7 km, 3 to 4 hrs): About one hour from Tangsiing Onglathang is reached with superb views on Kanchenjunga. The trail passes a series of glacial moraines and arrives at Samiti Lake. Overnight stay in tents.
 * Day 6: Goecha La (5.002 m, 16.406 ft, 12 km, 6 to 7 hr): The climb to Goecha La starts with half an hour of gentle gradient, a steep ascent through glacial moraine north-east and then drops to a dry lake at Zemathang. A scramble over rocks and boulders with a rise of 400 m leads to the top of Goecha La pass between Pandim and the Kabru mountains, overlooking Talung Valley and commanding an impressive view of Kanchejunga. Return to the Samiti lake. Overnight stay in tents.
 * Day 7: Samiti Lake to Tshokh (14 km, 6 to 7 hr): The trek leads back via Tangsiing and Kokchorung (3.800 m) to Tsokh. Overnight stay in tents.
 * Day 8: Tshokh to Yuksom (14 km, 5 to 6 hr)

 * (12 to 14 days) another popular trek in Sikkim, from Yuksom to Dzongri and Goecha La, with superb views of Kanchenjunga. There are only few trekking routes around the Kanchenjunga National Park which are open to visitors. The best season is March to June and August to November. The trek is rated moderate to challenging. A sample itinerary for this trek is as follows:
 * Day 1: Yuksom to Tshokha (3.000 m/9.840 ft, 14 km, 5 to 6 hr): The trail first climbs gently along the Ratong Chu River, then steeply to the settlement of Bakhim and for 3 km through forest of magnolia and rhododendron to Tshokha. Overnight at camp.
 * Day 2: Tshokha to Dzongri (4.030 m, 13.218 ft, 10 km, 5 to 6 hr): The trail climbs for 3 hr through rhododendron forests to the alp of Phidang (3.650 m) and further to Dzongri. Overnight in tents.
 * Day 3: Excursion to Laxmi Pokhari through rhododendron bushes and pasture land to Laxmi Pokhari, a big lake in a deep crater with splendid view of Kanchenjunga, Pandim, Narsingh, Kabur, Kabur and Koktang. back to Dzongri, Overnight at tents.
 * Day 4: Dzongri to Bikhbari (12 km, 4 to 5 hr). The trail first ascends gradually for about half an hour and then descends again, finallay it is a flat walk to Bikhbari. Overnight at camp.
 * Day 5: Bikhbari, excursion to Chaurikhang and Rathong Glacier (Kanchenjunga Base Camp). Gradual ascent to Kanchenjunga Base Camp with views of Frey's peak, Koktang, Kabur and Rathong from here. Return to Bikhbari. Overnight stay at camp.
 * Day 6: Reserve day for summit.
 * Day 7: Bikhbari to Dzongri: trek back to Dzongri. Overnight stay at camp.
 * Day 8: Dzongri to Thangsing (3.800 m, 12464 ft, 10 km, 4 to 5 hr:
 * The trail leads into the valley, crosses the bridge over the Prek Chu River and climbs to Thangsing (3.800 m) on the slopes of Mount Pandim. Overnight stay in tents.
 * Day 9: Thangsing to Samiti Lake (4.500 m, 14.760 ft, 7 km 3 to 4 hr: After an hour the trail reaches Onglathang with an excellent view of the south side of Kanchenjunga. The trail passes through a series of glacial moraines and leads to Samiti Lake. Overnight stay in tents.
 * Day 10: excursion to Goecha La (5.002 m, 16.406 ft): After a gentle ascent for about 30 min the trail ascends steeply, follows the glacial moraine and drops to the dry lake at Zemathang, Finally it leads after a rise of 400 m will bring us to the top of the Goecha La Pass, between Pandim and Kabru mountains, overlooking the Talung Valley with an impressive view of the south face of Kanchenjunga. Return to Samiti Lake. Overnight stay in tents.
 * Day 11: Samiti Lake to Tshoka (14 km, 6 to 7 hr). Descent via Thangsing and Kokchorung (3.800 m) directly to Tshoka. Overnight stay in tents.
 * Day 12: Tshoka to Yuksom (14 km, 5 to 6 hr)

Buy
Nothing fancy or touristy can be found here. It's not a regular tourist destination.

Eat
Please be ready to have vegetarian food here. Although non-vegetarian food is available, since it is a remote place, meat supplies are rare.

There are a few restaurants: Yak Restaurant, Norling, and Gupta restaurant at the main junction, which serves Indian, Italian and Mexican food.

The restaurants open at 5:30AM and are closed by 10PM. Although the quality of food is not so great (try Yak restaurant) sometimes they have good food, especially the beef rice and morning alu parathas. But one may find decent pizzas and beer here.

You may also be lucky enough to encounter yak cheese momos. These are particularly good after a long day's trek. They taste like they are filled with a very strong feta cheese.

Most of these restaurants also serve tongba (bamboo drink). Try this. It's a juice of the fermented millet served in a bamboo container, and you will also be given a small straw made of bamboo to sip the millet wine from the bamboo container.

Drink
There are two brands of bottled beer available Hit and Dansberg. Dansberg is a wonderful mild beer brewed and bottled in Sikkim. Hit on the other hand is a strong beer.

The other option is to go for the local brew called "Bamboo". It consists of fermented millet grains in a broad bamboo stem cut to be used as a tumbler. Warm water is added to the container, within a few minutes it acquires the flavour of port wine. It is drunk through a narrow straw also made of bamboo. More water is added to the tumbler when it runs out. With time the flavour of the Bamboo gets milder.

The potency of the drink is dependent on the aging of the millet used. Millet fermented for ten to fifteen days result in a medium to mild drink. Up to three month old fermented drinks can result in a very strong brew.

Sleep
A very beautiful government guest house with two dormitories. total # of beds 6. ₹50 each in 2007. Three private hostels are also present.

Go next
There are several treks leading from this place. Also, there is a Khangchendzonga National Park close by (which is a kind of heaven on earth).

To get out of Yuksom, Jeeps are available but mostly they run in the morning, starts at 5:30AM. You need to book it one day in advance to be sure you get a seat. Goes to Pelling, Geyzing and Jorethang. (2012)

title: Yuksom


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Yulara

Yulara is the resort town just north of Uluṟu-Kata Tjuṯa National Park in the south of the Northern Territory.

Understand
Yulara, also known as Ayers Rock Resort, is a service town for Uluru, acting as an accommodation base for visitors to the park. It was constructed in the 1980s and is just outside the national park boundaries.

In 2010 the resort was purchased by the Indigenous Land Council who plan to have 50% of the resort's workforce made up of indigenous people by 2018.

Most people at Yulara would stay one or two nights, and many are on tours. Finding people who spend a week is unusual. The township tends to be very quiet during times when the tours are viewing the rock. The hotel swimming pools (what there are of them) and bars are empty during the mid-afternoons.

Get in
Get in the same way as you would to Uluru. There is a free shuttle service between the airport and Yulara meeting every flight.

Get around
The distances in Yulara are walkable for many visitors, the Yulara drive loop which comprises the entire resort is 3km (1.8mi) in length and there are paths across the sand dune in the centre of the loop. Heat in the middle of the day, or lack of nighting after dark, may stop you walking at some times of day but walking is very pleasant, with views of the rock, and opportunities for wildlife spotting. The paths on the sand dune in the centre are not paved and therefore not wheelchair/scooter-friendly but Yulara Drive itself is flat and paved.

There is a free shuttle that connects all the hotels and campground at Yulara. It arrives approximately every 15 minutes.

But you can't come to Yulara and leave without seeing Uluru and Kata-Tjuta. So, you need to have a plan as to how to do that. And each option has a substantial cost.

 * Avis and Hertz have car rental offices at the airport. Both also have counters in the tourist information centre in the shopping mall of the Yulara township. The roads connecting Yulara, Uluru and Kata Tjuta are all paved and maintained, so there's no real challenge to the driving. Car rental is the best option for independent travellers.  High season rates are around $100/day, but advance booking in the low season can bring the price down to half of that, which is excellent value.  Only 100 km per day is included, and you'll bust this limit if you drive to the Kata Tjuta.  You may be able to avoid this limit by booking through AutoEurope.

See Uluṟu-Kata Tjuṯa National Park for tours and other transport to the park.

See
For an idea of the wildlife in the national park, visit the visitor centre, located next door to the Desert Gardens Hotel.

You might also want to see Mount Conner, a plateau frequently mistaken for Uluru by travellers. It's about 120 km east on the Lasseter Highway, and takes about an hour.

Lookouts

Of course, the main thing to do is to get out to Uluru and Kata Tjuta, but the lookouts in the resort tend to be forgotten about - and at sunrise and sunset they have a different aspect for a photo.

Do

Arrangements can be made for helicopter tours of the area, ranging from quick, ten minute buzzes of Uluru to longer rides taking in Kata Tjuta and King's Canyon as well. For a more level perspective, visitors can try camel rides. There are also astronomy walks in the evening. Reservations must be made for all events, however. Offices are located throughout the resort.

Buy
At most places, being run by a monopoly and in the middle of absolutely nowhere, things in Yulara are expensive. Hotel rooms cost much more than in Sydney, restaurants charge at least twice what they would be elsewhere, and even groceries are inflated. Fuel, however is surprisingly cheaper than anywhere in the area, so this is the best place to fuel up for all directions.

Eat
Each of the hotels and campgrounds in the resort have a restaurant or two that is priced within the same range as the accommodation, although expect to pay a premium for the location. Kitchens are open only part of the day. All restaurants are within the ring road and thus within shuttle bus or walking distance of each other.

Budget
The only budget option is self-catering. Groceries can be purchased at the IGA supermarket for only mildly inflated prices. The Outback Pioneer has a kitchen for guests only.

Splurge

 * Rockpool. Served by the pool of the Sails in the Desert Hotel, great tapas, inexpensive option compared to hotel dining.  Great atmosphere outside.  Operates only in the high season.
 * Sounds of Silence Dinner. An extremely popular - albeit expensive ($159 per adult) - night under the stars. Advance bookings (e.g. 3-4 days) are essential even in low season. Coaches take diners from Yulara to one of a few dining areas out in the desert. Champagne (or beer, upon request) are served while the sun goes down over Uluru or Kata Tjuta and the inevitable didgeridoo plays. The clean, elegant dining area is lit by torches and table lamps. The food is served buffet-style, but it's cooked with the attention of a gourmet chef (considering the circumstances). Between the main course and dessert, an astronomer talks about the stars that are out that night, and telescopes are available afterward. There is also a bonfire. Reservations can be made at the various tour offices around Yulara. Ostensibly, reservations can be made over the internet as well, but it's a good idea to follow-up by phone, as coordination between the resort offices and the tour company are spotty at best.
 * Desert Awakenings, occasionally available, is a breakfast version of the aforementioned Sounds of Silence. It includes a guided tour around the base of Uluru and ends at the Cultural Centre.

Sleep
Yulara offers a variety of accommodation from camping through to 5-star. The village is split up into sections depending on the accommodation type. All the hotels, the campground, the lodge, and the hostel are managed by Voyages, +61 8 8957 7888, fax +61 8 8957 7615,, [mailto:travel@voyages.com.au].

Because of the remoteness, and the nature of the concession to a single operator, expect to pay a premium for accommodation. Don't expect large lagoon pools, or resort type activities at the hotels. The township can get quiet during the day as people take part in sightseeing activities within the park.

Budget

Splurge

From $300/night even in the off season, all other accommodations in Yulara are firmly in the splurge category in price, if not facilities.

A stone's throw away is one more option:

Cope
There is a shopping centre which has a supermarket (with some produce and baked goods), take-away restaurants, gift shops, newsagents, an ANZ bank and ATM, and a post office.

There is also a petrol station in the resort, it is not open 24 hours. Top-up your tank the night before if you plan an early morning departure. There is also a hairdressers that does beauty treatments as well.

Flies in Yulara are seasonal (and unpredictable), but when they're out in force, there can be lots. When you first arrive you may laugh at people looking stupid wearing full screens over their hats, but after a day out you may be joining them.

Medical

The nearest hospital is in Alice Springs.

Go next

 * Watarrka National Park is about 2.5 hours east and is dubbed "Australia's Grand Canyon"

title: Yulara


text:
Yuli

Yuli (玉里) is a township in central Huatung Valley in Hualien County. It is home to the Yushan National Park, one of Taiwan's nine national parks.

Understand
Yuli is in the valley that runs from north to south between Hualien and Taitung, and as such is flanked by mountains on two sides. It is mostly a farming area.

Get around
The best thing to do is to rent a bicycle or scooter around the train station, because many sights are out of town and in the surrounding area.

Do

 * The main attraction here is the Walami trail, a historic hiking trail once used by the Japanese to keep on eye on aboriginal villages in the mountains. Many sections have been wiped out, you can do the first part as a daytrip, or go to the highest accessible point in one day where there is a cabin to spend the night. In the latter case you will need to apply in time for a permit and register with the police station.
 * Rent a bicycle or scooter and explore the surrounding area, because many sights are out of town. There are at least two waterfalls, one hot spring and several short hikes nearby. Best consult the tourist map in front of the railway station. The hot spring is 6 km out of town from the large bridge southeast, where you will also find a sign for it.

Eat

 * Yuli noodles (Yuli mian) are the local specialty, although you might be left wondering how different they are from noodles elsewhere in Taiwan.
 * Straight out of the railway station, some shops are selling delicious and mostly not sour/bitter grapefruits and pomelos, which are a great treat during the hot weather.

Go next

 * Hualien – Touristic centre of the Hualien County and base for exploring the nearby Taroko Gorge.
 * Taitung(台東 or 臺東) – The youngest city in Taiwan and was developed by Japan as a base for Pacific expansion. Taitung's population is strongly Aboriginal, Hoklo and Hakka. It is by far one of the most laid back, relaxing, and beautiful of Taiwan's cities.
 * Also see the nearby Hualien County and Taitung County attractions.

title: Yuli


text:
Yulin (Shaanxi)

Yulin (榆林 Yúlín) is a city in Shaanxi Province.

Understand
Yulin was a garrison town along the Great Wall of China. The town now survives on the extraction of oil found locally.

Yulin is a prefecture-level city in the Shanbei region of Shaanxi province, China, bordering Inner Mongolia to the north, Shanxi to the east, and Ningxia to the west. It has an administrative area of 43,578 km2 (16,826 sq mi) and as of the 2020 Chinese census had a population of 3,634,750.

History
Yulin played host to the 11th CHIME (European Foundation for Chinese Music Research) conference in August 2006. In 2017, 26–29 August, the 1st IGU-AGLE Commission's conference on 'Global Rural Development and Land Capacity Building.' was held in Yulin University.

Geography
Yulin is the northernmost prefecture-level city of Shaanxi, and borders Ordos City (Inner Mongolia) to the north, Xinzhou and Lüliang (Shanxi) to the east, Yan'an to the south, and Wuzhong (Ningxia) to the west. To the north and northwest of the city lies the Ordos Desert, though the countryside is very green due to the many small shrubs which have been planted to slow the process of desertification. The city is based in a valley which extends north–south, which rises to a large vantage point to the north east, from which there are views of the west and northwest.

Yulin Yuyang airport (UYN IATA )
There is daily flight connection to Beijing, Xi'an, and a new Airport has been in place since 2007 which is around 17 km to city center. You can take shuttle bus (¥25) or Taxi (¥40+) to go to city center.

By train
Direct train is connecting to Beijing, Xi'an, Shanghai and surrounding cities now.

By bus
Location - corner of Yuyangzhong Road and Xinjian South Road.

 * Shenmu - takes about 3 hours
 * Xi'an - takes about 8 hours
 * Yan'an - takes about 4 hours
 * Yinchuan - takes about 8 hours

Get around

 * By bike. There are communal shared bikes everywhere, so if you'd like, you can try to take a ride, using WeChat to scan the code, which is basically $2. (updated Dec 2023 | edit)
 * By bus. As of 2020, there are more than 20 bus routes in Yulin, covering basically all urban areas, and bus drivers stop at every stop to pick up and drop off passengers.

See

 * Nomad Theater Xiangshawan.jpg
 * Nomad Theater Xiangshawan.jpg
 * Nomad Theater Xiangshawan.jpg
 * Nomad Theater Xiangshawan.jpg
 * Nomad Theater Xiangshawan.jpg

Buy

 * Donkey sandwich, Hejian style (20160220143311).jpg

Visas

 * 🇨🇳 China

Go next

 * Shenmu
 * Yan'an

title: Yulin (Shaanxi)


text:
Yuma

Yuma is the largest city and county seat of Yuma County, Arizona. It is in the southwest corner of the state, across the Colorado River from California and near two Mexican states of Baja California and Sonora.

Understand

Yuma bills itself as the "Sunniest City on Earth", with weather (and weather records) to match: of any populated place in the contiguous United States, Yuma is the driest, the sunniest, and the least humid, has the lowest frequency of precipitation, and has the highest number of days per year – 175 – with a daily high temperature of or above. Within the U.S., perhaps only Death Valley rivals it for extreme weather. Mix in tropical storm (Hurricane Nora, 1997), rare dusting of snow (Dec 1932, Jan 1937, Dec 1967) and along a fault zone (the Algodones fault zone in the Yuma Desert; record magnitude 7.1 in 1915), and it's not much of a stretch to claim that Yuma is a place of extremes.

The weather makes it a draw for out-of-state visitors and temporary winter residents (called "snow birds") and a year-round agricultural center. The Yuma area grows over 175 types of crops, ranging from citrus, alfalfa, cotton, wheat and other grains, dates - and the largest of which is lettuce. Yuma County grows 90% of all leafy vegetables in the U.S.

Aside from agriculture and tourism, there also is a large military presence, rounding out the top three industries for Yuma.

A number of movies have been shot in the area, most utilizing the desert landscapes.

By car

 * I-8.svg Yuma is at the mid-point of Interstate 8, half way between San Diego and Casa Grande, each about, about a 2 hour 45 minute drive from Yuma. Interstate 8 terminates at the junction with Interstate 10 at Casa Grande, between Phoenix and Tucson.
 * US 95.svg U.S. Route 95 (US 95) runs from the Arizona-Sonora border in San Luis south of Yuma, and north to Quartzsite, Kingman, crossing over the Colorado River by Hoover Dam and into Nevada, to Las Vegas and beyond.

By plane

The nearest full service airports are in:
 * Phoenix and San Diego, in the U.S.
 * Mexicali and Tijuana, in Mexico.

By train
Yuma is served by Amtrak via its triweekly Sunset Limited route between New Orleans and Los Angeles. Additionally, the Texas Eagle provides services to and from Chicago. Westbound trains arrive around 3AM, while eastbound ones arrives late evening around 11:30PM. Delays are quite common. , at 281 Gila Street, is an unmanned platform with no shelters or restrooms. It is a block from downtown.

Do

Eat
Yuma is a good place to get Mexican food if not accustomed to the region.

Stay safe
Yuma is the last freight train stop before California and the Colorado River. This results in a lot of transients in this small, relatively conservative town. The police, in line with other places in Arizona, are quick to arrest 'loiterers'. If you are traveling with a backpack and don't look like a college student, be prepared to be rousted and harassed.

For more information, see: Arizona: Stay Safe > Arizona / Mexico border

Go next
Yuma is next to the Mexican border, but getting to Mexico is not quite as easy as it seems due to the Colorado River. There is no access bridge from any part of the city. Due to a geographic oddity, Mexico is both to the west (closer) and south (further). The shortest way is to go into California on I-8, then south on Algodones Road (Exit 166/California State Route 186), and cross the border into metro Mexicali. (The first town is called Los Algodones.) You can also go south on US-95 from Yuma for just over 20 miles, and cross the border into San Luis Rio Colorado.

North – Western Arizona and Northern Arizona — for more of "Old West" Arizona, cooler temperatures, Route 66, Las Vegas or the Grand Canyon:
 * Quartzsite and Kingman, Arizona.
 * Historic Route 66.
 * The Grand Canyon – one of the Seven Wonders of the Natural World.
 * The bright lights of Sin City, Las Vegas.

South – Western Arizona, Northern Mexico and Baja California — for more of the Sonoran Desert, stretching to the sea in Rocky Point:
 * San Luis, Arizona.
 * San Luis Rio Colorado, Sonora.
 * Puerto Peñasco, Sonora (also known as Rocky Point) – the beach: sun, sand and sea.

East – Western Arizona, Greater Phoenix and South Central Arizona:
 * Dateland and Gila Bend, Arizona – more history of southern Arizona.
 * Phoenix and Tucson, Arizona – if you're done with the desert or want night light more than just the stars overhead.

West – California Desert:
 * Algodones Dunes and Old Plank Road, California – for a different type of desert, with dunes you can play on.
 * El Centro, California – another agricultural desert community.
 * San Diego, California – the beach: sun, sand and surf.

title: Yuma


text:
Yumthang Valley

Yumthang Valley is in North Sikkim.

Get in
Yumthang is 140 km from Gangtok. 1 night 2 days and 2 night 3 days packages are available from Gangtok. Route 1 (Yumthang-Katao-Yumesamdong) Gangtok 24 km, Phensang, 16 km, Phodong, 30 km.

Route 2 (Lachen-Chopta-Gurudongmar) Gangtok 100 km, Chungthang 26 km, Lachen 30 km (3 hr) Chopta Valley.

Get around
The roads are not in a good condition. You will have to hire private vehicle from Sikkim and need permission beforehand to visit Yumthang.

See

 * Sikkim Valley of Flowers sanctuary
 * Tashi View Point
 * Kabi Lungtsok
 * Naga Waterfalls
 * Seven Sister Falls
 * The Holy Rock at Chungthang
 * Confluence of Lachen & Lachung Chu
 * Bhim Nala Waterfalls
 * Lachung Monastery
 * Cottage Industry
 * Helipad
 * Dzumsa House (Handicraft & Handloom Centre)
 * Natural Snow Hill View at Yumthang.
 * Rhododendron flowers

Eat and drink
There are several small coffee shops run by local inhabitants serving tea, coffee and breads. The coffee is worth trying.

title: Yumthang Valley


text:
Yuncheng

Yuncheng (运城; Yùnchéng) is a city in Shanxi Province in China.

Get in
Yuncheng is connected to the China high speed rail network via Yuncheng North station. There are frequent services to Xi'an, Taiyuan and Beijing. Daily direct services connect Yuncheng with Chengdu (and on to Kunming), Chongqing, Qingdao, Jinan and Lanzhou. Those wishing to travel south via Zhengzhou will need to change in Xi'an or take a bus to SanMenXia station to connect with the high speed rail network there. There is also Yuncheng railway station which caters for the regular trains which travel generally overnight to other destinations. If you are travelling onwards to Luoyang, taking a bus is recommended as the only direct trains take 6 hours and the bus is just over 2½ hours.

From Yuncheng North Station, you can take a local bus (number 7) to the center of Yuncheng, it passes the central bus station (if you need to go to SanMenXia) and on to the regular slow train station. Number 14 will take you to Nanfeng Square via Walmart (both have Western food options). There is no direct bus link between the North Station and the airport, however a taxi will cost around ¥20.

Yuncheng Guangong Airport (YCU) has flights from Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou and several other key cities with at least a once a day service. Its popularity has waned in view of the increased long-distance services using the high speed rail network but it is a good option if time is critical.

Bus service number 2 will take you from the airport bus station (across the road from the airport arrivals) to the main bus station, it is ¥2. A taxi will cost around ¥30.

Get around
There is an efficient local bus service covering the majority of tourist attractions. Fares generally are ¥1-2 depending on the distance. Taxis are plentiful, although it helps to have the destination in Chinese and ensure the driver uses the meter.

See

Do
Guan Di Temple and the Yuncheng Salt Lakes are the major attractions.

Eat
There are many restaurants in Yuncheng, the majority cater to the local market, however there is a McDonald's and numerous KFC outlets. A Starbucks is being built. Nanfeng Square is where the majority of these establishments can be found. There used to be a western restaurant catering to expats but that has now closed, although there are other offerings if you need a fix of western food.

Sleep
There are numerous hotels ranging in price and quality. Most will not accept foreign guests, so check first. A good choice is the Green Tree Inn which is opposite the main bus station. Reasonably priced and very central.

Connect
Yuncheng North Station is on the China high-speed rail network. See the comments in the get in section.

Go next
Depending on your travel direction, either Pingyao, Luoyang or Xi'an.

title: Yuncheng


text:
Yunlin County

Yunlin County (雲林縣) is a county in western Taiwan. Yunlin County is divided into 1 city, 5 urban townships and 14 rural townships.

Understand
Agricultural products of Yunlin County include pomelo, tea leaves, suan cai, papaya, and muskmelon. Yunlin's rivers give it potential for hydroelectricity. Yunlin is one of the least developed counties on the West coast, and suffers from emigration.

By car
National Highway No. 1 and No. 3 pass through Yunlin County.

See
Douliu City is covered in its own page, and so this list will exclude attractions there and focus on the rest of the county.

title: Yunlin County


text:
Yunnan

Yunnan (云南; Yúnnán) is a province in southern China, bordering Myanmar (Burma), Laos and Vietnam as well as the Chinese provinces and regions of Guangxi, Guizhou, Sichuan and Tibet.

Regions
Administratively, Yunnan is divided into 16 prefectures. Some of those are autonomous prefectures for various ethnic groups. For the traveller, Yunnan can be divided into seven regions:

Cities

 * - the provincial capital, nicknamed "Spring City"
 * - backpacker central, hippie's heaven; ancient walled city
 * - ancient town of Naxi Minority, an UNESCO World Heritage site
 * (formerly Zhongdian) - largely Tibetan, with a famous Buddhist monastery
 * - largely Tibetan, at 3,500 meters, close to Meili Snow Mountain
 * - center of Xishuangbanna, an area packed with cultural diversity at the edge of Laos and Myanmar
 * - border town, next to Myanmar

Other destinations

 * – the Stone Forest, a national park full of spectacular stone pillars carved by erosion

Understand
Its name literally means south of the clouds. The province is one of the most diverse in China. The Northwest of the province is heavily influenced by Tibet, with whom it shares a border, and has a large ethnic Tibetan population. The South is influenced by its proximity to Laos and Myanmar. The province is famed for its multitude of ethnic groups, whose diverse customs can still be seen today. Of China's fifty-five officially recognized ethnic minorities, twenty-five can be found in Yunnan: about one-third of the population is not ethnic Han-Chinese. The region is renowned for its Eighteen Oddities, distinctive traits promoted in tourist materials. While not as numerous as the diaspora from Fujian, Guangdong or Hainan, a significant portion of the ethnic Chinese in Thailand and Myanmar trace their ancestry to Yunnan.

Talk
As everywhere in mainland China, the official language of Yunnan is Standard Chinese (or Putonghua as it is known). The region is home to a plethora of dialects from Chinese, Tibetan and Thai language families. Yunnan is home to many minority groups who each have their own different language.

Local towns will often have their own version of Mandarin which are sub-dialects of the South-Western dialect of Mandarin common to Yunnan, Guizhou and Sichuan. Despite a heavy accent, the local dialect of Chinese is very similar to Northern Mandarin with only minor regional differences in grammar and pronunciation.

By train
Until 2003, Kunming was accessible by rail from Hanoi, Vietnam via a narrow-gauge railroad built by the French. The Chinese section of this rail route has since closed for passenger transport, but a new railway along a similar route has been opened in December 2014. One can now travel from Kunming to the border town of Hekou by bus or train (to the Hekou North 河口北 Station); from Hekou you can cross the border to Lao Cai and take the train to Hanoi.

It is also possible to travel from Kunming to Hanoi by train via Nanning, Guangxi. There is a railway from Hanoi to Nanning, and one with some spectacular scenery from Nanning to Kunming.

A railway link to Kunming from Vientiane, Laos was opened in 2023. This train takes about 10 1/2 hours to complete the journey, passing through the popular tourist destinations of Vang Vieng and Luang Prabang, and stopping at Boten and Mohan for Lao and Chinese border formalities respectively.

Another rail route reaches Kunming from central China via Guiyang, Guizhou, and a third one comes South to Kunming from Chengdu, Sichuan. All of these train routes offer spectacular scenery, with long stretches of bridges and tunnels.

By plane
The new airport "Kunming Changshui International Airport", now in service, is 22 km outside the urban area. The subway will be the most convenient way to get downtown for many. Bus services and taxis are also available. Travel times to and from the new airport are longer than they were for the old one.

Kunming has non-stop service from Beijing, Shanghai, Xiamen and other Chinese cities. There are also flights to Southeast Asia — Hanoi, Bangkok, Vientiane (Laotian airlines have an office the Camellia hotel.), Mandalay, Yangon — and some to other Asian destinations such as Seoul, Dhaka and Kolkata.

Bus, by thumb
There are multiple roads from Laos into Yunnan. It's not too hard to hitchhike, but it will take some time because of the often abysmal road conditions and inept drivers. If coming from Luang Namtha, Laos, bus services are available to JingHong in Xishuangbanna, Yunnan. From Luang Prabang, Laos, a daily bus leaves at 7:00am for around 400,000 Lao kip. It arrives at the long distance bus station in Kunming very early in the morning the next day (around 5 or 6am depending on the driver). The road conditions on the Laos side both from Luang Namtha and Luang Prabang are at times sketchy and definitely mountainous to cause some people discomfort but get smoother on the China side and are much improved from awhile ago.

From Vietnam, the border crossing is from LaoCai, Vietnam, to HeKou, China. The rail route from HeKou to Kunming remains closed, so the only public transport option is by bus. The ride lasts roughly 10 hours, tickets cost around ¥135 and departure times are as following: 8:45am, 10:50am, 12:30pm, 1:00pm, 5:50pm, 5:55pm, 6:00pm, 6:05pm.

By boat
Golden Peacock Shipping company runs a speedboat three times a week on the Mekong river between Jinghong in southern Yunnan and Chiang Saen (Thailand). Passengers are not required to have visas for Laos or Myanmar, although the greater part of the trip is on the river bordering these countries. Be aware that shipping can be halted when the river levels are too high or too low which is often the case. Due to piracy the transport on the river was closed for some time in late 2011 and early 2012.

By bus
Everything and everywhere is accessible by bus from Kunming. Dali takes about four hours, Lijiang seven, Zhongdian twelve. Generally, the transport network is built as hub and spoke, so the easiest way of getting to a smaller place is to travel to next biggest town near it, change and maybe change again. You can now reach most larger towns in Yunnan by day bus. There are a lot of night bus services as well. There is a large collection of bus schedules, taken at bus stations all around the province, found here.

By plane
Within Yunnan, there are planes to Jinghong, Dali, Lijiang, Zhongdian as well as lesser known destinations such as Dehong, Tengchong, Wenshan and Zhaotong. A new airport of interest to tourists is under construction at Lugu Lake.

By train
Kunming is also the hub of train transport in Yunnan. Day and night trains now go both to Dali and Lijiang. Trains heading to east stops by Stone forest. Otherwise trains are of little importance to tourists inside the province.

By bicycle
Bicycle touring in Yunnan is a very good way to explore the local landscape and many cyclists from world have done this. The Dian-Zang highway (Yunnan Tibet highway) is one of the best cycling routes in China, and many cyclists gather together to explore the landscape and ethnic minority culture. You can hire bicycles in some cities, like Lijiang and Dali. It is possible to delivery your bike by train (which takes a few days, as it travels as an unaccompanied baggage) or bus.

See

 * The Caves of the Liujng (Wenshan region)
 * The (Kunming region)
 * The Earth Forest of Yuanmou
 * The colorful karst landscape of Puzhehei in Eastern Yunnan.
 * The diversity of minority ethnic groups throughout the province, especially the Yi and Bai in Central Yunnan, Tibetans in Northwestern Yunnan, and southeast Asian ethnic groups in Xishuangbanna. Eastern Yunnan is home to several ethnicities including the Yi, Miao, Yao and Zhuang.

Itineraries

 * Around Erhai Lake by electric scooter
 * Tiger Leaping Gorge
 * Yunnan tourist trail

Do

 * See Yunnan tourist trail

 * Hike into mythical Yubeng in the Three parallel rivers region
 * Hike along the Tiger Leaping Gorge on the upper Yangtze river
 * Soak in the hot spring waters in Anning 34 km from Kunming or Huangguaqing (黄瓜箐) in Tengchong
 * Swim in one of deepest and cleanest lakes of China - Fuxian lake by Yuxi

Eat
Yunnan people eat lots of spicy food, nearly each dish you order in a restaurant is very spicy, so if you don't like spicy food, you should tell the waiter or waitress first, in Mandarin: wo bu chi la (我不吃辣), which means I don't eat spicy food or wo bu xi huan la cai (我不喜欢辣菜), which means I don't like spicy food.

 * Guo Qiao Mi Xian (过桥米线), meaning "Crossing the bridge noodles", is a local style of steamy rice noodles with a variety of vegetables, meats, and usually a raw quail egg. The price of Guo Qiao Mi Xian is ¥3-15 or higher, which determines what types of dishes you are given to add to the mix.
 * The tofu in Shi Ping county /石屏/ is very famous. The sauerkraut in Xinping county is famous. Xinping is a Yi Nationality Autonomous County in Yuxi city.
 * RuBing, Yunnan goat cheese, is one of the two cheeses (the other being Yak cheese) traditionally produced in China. Its quite soft and doesn't taste as strong as Western ones. It is usually served fried with vegetables, mushrooms, or meat.
 * LaoNaiYangYu (Grandmother's Potatoes) are another Yunnan favorite. While potatoes are usually called Tudou in the rest of China, Yunnan calls them Yangyu (Yang 洋 is a term often designating imported or foreign things, so supposedly potatoes were called 'yangyu' because they were not originally part of Chinese agriculture and diets but were a food choice adopted from foreigners).  Laonaiyangyu are like a spicier version of mashed potatoes with green onions mixed in.
 * SuHongDou is a kidney bean dish. The beans are deep fried to the point of being crispy and are a great vegetarian option for any travelers in Yunnan.

A variety of locally grown tropical fruit is available in the southern part of the province.

Drink

 * Yak butter tea
 * Yunnan coffee
 * Puerh Tea
 * Yunnan red wines. Some, such as Shangrila brand, are quite good.
 * Beer Lao, imported from Laos. Local brands, the usual Chinese brands, and other imports are also available, but Beer Lao is very popular with travellers.
 * Sanchi is a famous health drink made from the buds of a plant that is widely grown in Wenshan in Eastern.

Sleep
Accommodation in Yunnan is generally less expensive than in the coastal provinces. As of 2016, in many Yunnan cities a decent hotel room can be found for under ¥100. This usually gets you a basic room with a private bathroom, a desk, an electric tea kettle, a TV set, and free WiFi access.

Stay safe
Keep bags nearby in public places. Like everywhere else, thieves can be a problem. Especially in night buses, one should take care of one's belongings.

Due to rampant drug smuggling, roadblocks are set up throughout motorways and highways among Yunnan, aiming to intercept drug smugglers and mules. Police searches may be lengthy and intrusive (to vehicles), including inspecting everything inside the vehicle, your personal belongings. If suspected, your vehicle may be partially dismantled for inspection, and you may be required to go through X-ray screening.

At regions of Yunnan bordering Myanmar, there may be infrequent cannon shells straying into China due to ongoing civil conflicts within Myanmar. During periods of heightened tension, there may have a larger military presence. Follow the instructions of the military and civil defense services in case of emergencies.

Connect
In an attempt to eradicate fraud via telephone, local police are bulk-blocking telephone numbers and social media accounts, and there are plenty cases of mistaken blocks. Dial +86-0871-63054338 or 96110 to appeal should you are affected by the block.

title: Yunnan