Tengchong

Tengchong (腾冲) is a county-level city in Yunnan, South-West China.

Understand
Tengchong is administratively part of the city of Baoshan (保山), but is otherwise a city in its own right. The main urban area of Baoshan is approximately 170km from Tengchong.

Tengchong is popular with Chinese tourists, but sees relatively few foreign tourists. It is best known for its volcanoes and hot springs. The ancient town of Heshun, also a popular tourist destination, is 4 km from downtown Tengchong.

Previously known in English as Tengyue or Tengyueh, it was at one time a British trading base when British-occupied Burma had ambitions of increased trade volumes with China.

By train
The nearest train station is in Baoshan. A bus service operates between Baoshan Railway Station and Tengchong.

Get around
Taxis or didi dache (Chinese Uber) are probably your best bet. The areas outside the city may be too distant to casually bicycle.

Buses are also a good option. Besides regular buses, there are also special express buses to major tourist attractions such as the Tengchong Volcano Cluster and the Rehai Geothermal Field.

See
Tengchong suffered heavy damage during World War II and the impact of the war can be seen in many parts of the city. For instance, the old British Consulate building includes bullet holes visible from WWII when the Japanese used it as a stone bastion during the Battle of Tengchong. The old city wall was sadly obliterated during the battle, but the north gate has since been rebuilt. The iconic pagoda on Laifeng Hill in the city's south has also been rebuilt. A famous seasonal wetland lake area north of the city is a great attraction for migratory birdlife. Two traditional Qing Dynasty villages near the city are preserved, one to the southeast and one to the southwest. The latter features the first ever private museum in Yunnan. Both feature significant amounts of traditional Qing Dynasty aristocratic architecture including murals, wood and stone carvings and other significant Chinese architectural features.