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AhPek Biker - Riding Adventures
Laos & China 2025
Day 9 : Jingmai Mountain To Pu'er City
Laos-China 2025 Day 9: 12th December (Friday)
This is page 9 of a 12-page blog. Click Here To Go To Title Page.
< D8: Jingmai Mountain 02 | Go to Other Days | D10: Pu'er 02 >
< D8: Jingmai Mountain 02 | Go to Other Days | D10: Pu'er 02 >
Route recommendations, here are some tips on travelling to and around Laos:
1. Traffic Directions!
China, is left-hand drive, and vehicles drive on the right side of the road. So do bear this in mind when crossing the road OR when sitting at the front passenger seat. I made this mistake several times and boarded the car at the driver's side with the driver giving me a surprised look 😂.
We flew AirAsia from KLIA Terminal 2 to Vientiane's Wattay International Airport; buying tickets earlier to get cheaper fares. Considering the potential difficulties with luggage storage during the later train journey in Laos, we also packed light (20kg checked-in luggage for two people). Together with carry-on luggage, we each had 17kg per person. Fare was MYR407 per pax.
We booked our train tickets from Vang Vieng to Luang Prabang to Xishuangbanna through the LCR App. For the Luang Prabang to Xishuangbanna leg, electronic train tickets need to be changed to physical paper tickets at the Luang Prabang Train Station (at a counter of the ticketing office, so arrive earlier to do this).
We booked our train tickets from Vang Vieng to Luang Prabang to Xishuangbanna through the LCR App. For the Luang Prabang to Xishuangbanna leg, electronic train tickets need to be changed to physical paper tickets at the Luang Prabang Train Station (at a counter of the ticketing office, so arrive earlier to do this).
3. Getting from town to town in China.
For China, getting between major cities is easy using the China HSR trains (for us, it's from Pu'er City to Kunming). Tickets can be booked via www.12306.cn OR Trip.com; electronic tickets need to be changed to physical paper tickets.
For China, getting between major cities is easy using the China HSR trains (for us, it's from Pu'er City to Kunming). Tickets can be booked via www.12306.cn OR Trip.com; electronic tickets need to be changed to physical paper tickets.
For travel between cities not served by the trains, we pre-booked a private driver contacted through WeChat - from Jinghong, Xishuangbanna to Jingmai Mountain (Wengji Village & Nougan Village) to Pu'er City).
4. Getting around towns and cities in China.
In China, install the Didi ride-hailing app, which is extremely convenient to use, especially in major cities, and English can be selected as the preferred language. Just type in the destinations in English, and a list comes out for selection. There is a need to bind the app to a credit/debit card. Rides are relatively cheap, as most riders use e-vehicles.
In China, install the Didi ride-hailing app, which is extremely convenient to use, especially in major cities, and English can be selected as the preferred language. Just type in the destinations in English, and a list comes out for selection. There is a need to bind the app to a credit/debit card. Rides are relatively cheap, as most riders use e-vehicles.
From Jingmai Mountain we travelled to Pu'er City by a van, pre-booked via WeChat.
Note: Touch 'n Go e-Wallet doesn't seem to work in Laos. It works well in China and Thailand.
Note: Touch 'n Go e-Wallet doesn't seem to work in Laos. It works well in China and Thailand.
5. Immigration & Customs Requirements
For China, Malaysians can enter, exit, or transit the country without a visa for up to 30 days per visit, with a maximum cumulative stay of 90 days within any 180 days. Permitted purposes include tourism, business, family visits, exchanges, private affairs, medical treatment, and international transportation (such as airline crew duties). The travel passport must be valid throughout the whole period of stay or 180 days from the day of first entry.
Click here for China visa-free policy for other countries, and here for China Visa application.
Click here for the China China Arrival Card for phones. Do note some scams regarding these online forms. OR one can alternatively fill in paper forms, which are available at the train stations or during the flight.
Click here for China visa-free policy for other countries, and here for China Visa application.
Click here for the China China Arrival Card for phones. Do note some scams regarding these online forms. OR one can alternatively fill in paper forms, which are available at the train stations or during the flight.
6. Places & Things of Interests
Enroute were several places of interest, some of which we visited and others we did not for lack of time (Note: click on GPS coordinates for a directional map to respective places):
a. Wengji Bulangzu Ancient Village (翁基布朗族古寨) (GPS: 22.17120, 100.00006).
a. Wengji Bulangzu Ancient Village (翁基布朗族古寨) (GPS: 22.17120, 100.00006).
b. Nougang New Town (GPS: 22.21389, 99.99413).
c. Nuogang Daizu Water Village (糯岗傣族水寨) (GPS: 22.21348, 99.99963).
d. Nougang Temple (GPS: 22.21310, 99.99997).
e. Jingmai Village (景迈村) (GPS: 22.20081, 100.02838).
f. Jingmai Bridge (景迈大桥) (GPS: 22.2206, 100.06211) spanning over the Lancang River.
g. Nuozhadu Yiyi Fruit Market (GPS: 22.57580, 100.27022) in Nuozhadu.
h. Chama Ancient City Travel Town (茶马古城旅游小镇) (GPS: 22.81965, 100.98833)
c. Nuogang Daizu Water Village (糯岗傣族水寨) (GPS: 22.21348, 99.99963).
d. Nougang Temple (GPS: 22.21310, 99.99997).
e. Jingmai Village (景迈村) (GPS: 22.20081, 100.02838).
f. Jingmai Bridge (景迈大桥) (GPS: 22.2206, 100.06211) spanning over the Lancang River.
g. Nuozhadu Yiyi Fruit Market (GPS: 22.57580, 100.27022) in Nuozhadu.
h. Chama Ancient City Travel Town (茶马古城旅游小镇) (GPS: 22.81965, 100.98833)
7. Food
a. Breakfast
Crossing-the-bridge Noodles (Mixian Noodle) at the roadside stall in Nougang New Town (GPS: 22.21389, 99.99413). Here they also sell Clay-pot Herbal Milk Tea, Drift seed, and Banana Flowers.
b. Morning Tea
Pu'er Tea at Yi Yong Tea Shop (GPS: 22.21400, 100.00097) in Nuogang Daizu Water Village (糯岗傣族水寨) (GPS: 22.21348, 99.99963).
b. Morning Tea
Pu'er Tea at Yi Yong Tea Shop (GPS: 22.21400, 100.00097) in Nuogang Daizu Water Village (糯岗傣族水寨) (GPS: 22.21348, 99.99963).
c. Lunch
Yunnan Fare at Jingxiangyuan Restaurant (GPS: 22.203660, 100.025250) in Jingmai Town: Stir-fried green pepper with Yunnan Air-cured Smoked Bacon (Xuanwei Ham), Tilapia in Spicy Sour Sauce, Tomato Omelet, and Tofu Choy Sum Soup with white rice.
d. Dinner
Mince Pork Pancake, Leek Pancake, and Thousand Layers Pancake (千层饼, Qiāncéngbǐng) at Old Beijing Flavours (GPS: 22.81944, 100.98877) in Chama Ancient City.
8. Accommodations
First of two nights at Nanling
Inn (GPS: 22.81996, 100.98932) in Pu'er City. Two 2-pax rooms at RM379.68 for two nights (No Breakfast) booked via Trip.com (Breakfast not included).
9. Communicating with Each Other
Before we left, we purchased online the Happy China Sim Card and got the 8-Day 8GB and 16GB cards for RM25.29 and RM40.03 respectively. The cards were only inserted when we entered China.
For China domestic flights, international flights from China, and connecting flights with China legs, only China 3C-certified power banks with a capacity of no more than 20,000 mAh are allowed. They must be taken out of the cabin luggage space and placed in the seat pockets. The power banks have to be switched off and cannot be used during the flight. Click here for more power-bank restrictions. Alternatively, it would be a good idea to rent a power bank in China.
For China domestic flights, international flights from China, and connecting flights with China legs, only China 3C-certified power banks with a capacity of no more than 20,000 mAh are allowed. They must be taken out of the cabin luggage space and placed in the seat pockets. The power banks have to be switched off and cannot be used during the flight. Click here for more power-bank restrictions. Alternatively, it would be a good idea to rent a power bank in China.
10. Communicating with Locals
Except for those in the travel industry, in China, most locals speak Mandarin, or the local Yunnan languages, like Dai, Naxi, Yi, and Bai, etc. To get by, it will be good to speak some basic Mandarin.
One can also use Google Translate or Papago (delivers higher accuracy and better pronunciation for East Asian content like Korean, Japanese, and Chinese).
10. Weather
The average day temperature in Lancang Jingmai Airport (the nearest weather station to Jingmai Mountain) was 25°C. The average day and night temperatures in Pu'er City were 21°C and 10°C.
A useful weather forecast site for China is AccuWeather. For more detailed weather, including cloud cover and wind speed, use Weatherspark and Ventusky.
11. Navigation
Geo-tagging of places of interest was via FaceBook or Google Maps.
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PRELUDE
A day earlier, we had a full day in Jingmai Mountain, starting with a view of the Sea of Clouds followed by visits to attractions like the Princess Banyan Tree, Mangjing Bulang Mores Garden, etc. We also tried out some localised food like Crossing-the-bridge Noodles and Pineapple Sticky Rice.
Today, we will leave the highlands and the tea plantations to head for Pu'er City, one of the larger cities in Yunnan. Let's see what it will hold for us.
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DAY 9: JINGMAI MOUNTAIN TO PU'ER
Most of the posts below are linked to my Facebook postings during the trip and are embedded here with some comments. (NOTE: Click on respective posts to link to the FB post to read more details. If you can't see the posts, please log out of your Facebook first. FB has recently changed its approach, and as such, all relevant links are now inserted in the comments.)
Good morning from Wengji Ancient Village. We will be leaving the village for Pu'er City, but will make a short detour to Nuogang Village, another quaint, old village nestled in Jingmai Mountain.
While waiting for Xiao Shieh, our driver-guide, we observed local tribal ladies getting ready to start their day, too. They are probably Blang people who have stayed in this village for a thousand years. The Blang people are one of the earliest tea cultivators in Yunnan, and their expertise in tea cultivation is well-recognized.
Good morning from Wengji Ancient Village. We will be leaving the village for Pu'er City, but will make a short detour to Nuogang Village, another quaint, old village nestled in Jingmai Mountain.
While waiting for Xiao Shieh, our driver-guide, we observed local tribal ladies getting ready to start their day, too. They are probably Blang people who have stayed in this village for a thousand years. The Blang people are one of the earliest tea cultivators in Yunnan, and their expertise in tea cultivation is well-recognized.
Leaving Wengji Village, we noticed that on the highland slopes at the outskirts were tea plantations with tall old tea trees, many of which are centuries old. We gathered that many of the villagers own plantations here. Each of them has their own individual way of manually processing the tea leaves, thus creating their own individual and often single-origin brand. It is akin to distinct wine production from different micro vineyards.
Further along was a stretch of road lined with cherry blossom trees. These are winter cherry blossoms, different from the usual spring cherry blossoms. Planted in between the tea trees, they will bloom in two to four weeks, just in time for Chinese New Year. These are different from the usual cherry blossom, which bloom in spring.
Here's a video by Chinese Master, of cherry blossom blooming at Jingmai Mountain, showing how spectacular these hillsides look when the winter cherry is blossoming
The hillside literally turns a beautiful pink among the tea trees.
Approaching Nougang New Town, here the houses are made of concrete, while at Nuogang Ancient Village (which we will be at later), the houses are built of wood.
Breakfast: at a roadside stall at Nougang New Town, our favourite food here, Crossing-the-bridge Noodles.
These noodles come with a plain, basic chicken or pork soup with minimal flavour. At a side table are a large variety of condiments (such as blanched pea sprouts, chives, coriander, shredded green onions, shredded Juncus effusus stems, shredded ginger, shredded dried bamboo shoots, chilli oil, chopped garlic, spring onion, and blanched tofu skin etc. are be added to spice up the flavours to one's personal taste.
At this stall on sale were the following:
1. Banana Flowers, a favorite veggie among the Dai locals here. It can be sliced and stir-fried with minced pork/chicken; roasted or used in soup or salads.
My previous experience was eating banana flowers and leaf stems in a salad accompanying Bún Bò Huế Pho Noodles at Mỹ Tho during a 2018 Vietnam cycling tour.
2. Clay Pot Herbal Milk Tea, in small individual clay pots, Pu'er Tea is brewed in fresh milk together with Red Dates, dried red apples, tea-marinated flowers, and other herbs.
3. Drift Seeds, locals grind these Petai-looking beans to take for constipation after eating spicy food.
9:45am - Xiao Shieh dropped us off at the start of a hiking trail, telling us to follow the trail for a nice surprise. We trekked along the trail that skirted the green hillside, enjoying the cool morning mist. It was an easy walk as the trail wasn't steep.
But what's the surprise that's in store for us?
Almost at the end of the trail, from a high point was a good view of Nuogang Daizu Water Village!
"Nuogang Village is home to 98 households with a population of approximately 352 people (as of 2021). The village is famous for its traditional Dai-style stilt houses, which are made from wood and raised on stilts. These homes are typically two stories high, with the ground floor used to house animals and store goods, while the upper floor is where the family resides."
"Nuogang Village is home to 98 households with a population of approximately 352 people (as of 2021). The village is famous for its traditional Dai-style stilt houses, which are made from wood and raised on stilts. These homes are typically two stories high, with the ground floor used to house animals and store goods, while the upper floor is where the family resides."
THIS IS TEA COUNTRY!
As we walked down towards the village, we saw many trays of fermented Pu'er tea leaves left out to air dry. It's too early to see the local processing of the tea.
Perched halfway up the hill is the Nougang Buddhist Temple, overlooking the village, and it can be conspicuously seen from afar. We went in to say some prayers too.
12:00 noon - We walked around the village, observing life among the quaint timber houses. There were many tea shops, which were usually at the lower level of the double-storey stilt house.
We stopped at Yi Yong Tea House, attracted by the warm, charming smile of Ah Mei, its young Dai lady owner. It was a good Pu'er Tea drinking session, slowly sipping the warm tea within the warmth of her timber house.
I bought a slab for a friend, a tea connoisseur, back home. He really appreciated it, knowing that it's the real deal - REAL JINGMAI PU'ER TEA. Feedback was that it was very it has a fruity underlying base.
Ah Mei patiently explained the different types of tea she was serving us, and also the different types of tea that she was selling.
Old Tea (black label) 2017, soothing, calming, good for sleeping. New Tea (red label) for energy.
2017 Black Label old Pu'er Tea is soothing, calming, and good for sleeping. While the Red Label Pu'er Tea is new tea, full of energy! Click here to read more about old vs new Pu'er Tea.
Pu'er White Tea (Pu'er Bai).
There is only one type of tea that could be called White Pu-erh in theory. It comes from leaves harvested from old white tea trees – as locals call them (which are distinct from regular tea trees). Its front flavor resembles regular white tea sweetness, but also carries the characteristic “hui gan” sweet aftertaste and the “shen jing” sweetness on the sides of your tongue. This type of tea is extremely rare and rarely enters the Chinese tea market, let alone foreign pu-erh tea stores. It is usually shared only among tea farmers and their close friends.
There is only one type of tea that could be called White Pu-erh in theory. It comes from leaves harvested from old white tea trees – as locals call them (which are distinct from regular tea trees). Its front flavor resembles regular white tea sweetness, but also carries the characteristic “hui gan” sweet aftertaste and the “shen jing” sweetness on the sides of your tongue. This type of tea is extremely rare and rarely enters the Chinese tea market, let alone foreign pu-erh tea stores. It is usually shared only among tea farmers and their close friends.
2:00pm - Lunch of Yunnan Fare at Jingxiangyuan Restaurant in Jingmai Town:
Stir-fried green pepper with Yunnan Air-cured Smoked Bacon (Xuanwei Ham), Tilapia in Spicy Sour Sauce, Tomato Omelet, and Tofu Choy Sum Soup with white rice. Our favourite was the Xuanwei Ham, with its smoky saltiness adding to the bite of the green pepper. I would highly recommend this place, the dishes were very localised style, simple yet very good.
Stir-fried green pepper with Yunnan Air-cured Smoked Bacon (Xuanwei Ham), Tilapia in Spicy Sour Sauce, Tomato Omelet, and Tofu Choy Sum Soup with white rice. Our favourite was the Xuanwei Ham, with its smoky saltiness adding to the bite of the green pepper. I would highly recommend this place, the dishes were very localised style, simple yet very good.
Passing through Jingmai Town. It's a small town, looking more like a rustic village.
After that was a long stretch of winding road along the hilly route.
Rest stop at Yiyi Fruit Market (GPS: 22.57581, 100.27022) at Nuozhadu. Most of the stalls here sell Loquat, which is renowned in this region. The yellowish-orange loquat fruit is lightly sweet with a hint of tartness.
After that was a long stretch of winding road along the hilly route.
Rest stop at Yiyi Fruit Market (GPS: 22.57581, 100.27022) at Nuozhadu. Most of the stalls here sell Loquat, which is renowned in this region. The yellowish-orange loquat fruit is lightly sweet with a hint of tartness.
Passing the Lancang Jiang (Lancang River) at the Jingmai Bridge. Beyond China it is known as the Mekong River. Watch an interesting documentary on the Mekong on Netflix by Sue Perkins (may not be available in all countries). It traces the river from its source in the Tibetan Plateau, across the various countries it flows through until its discharge into the South China Sea at the Mekong Delta, near Ho Chin Minch City in Vietnam.
Passing the Pu'er Toll Exit and entering Pu'er City a prefecture-level city in the southern Yunnan Province. The city is located within Pu'er County, with its administrative center at Simao District, which is also the former name of the city itself.
Pu'er tea has the name "Pu'er" because Pu'er was the distribution centre of the tea produced in Yunnan during the Ming and Qing dynasty. Pu'er tea became world-famous, and the city Pu'er also became famous as a result of the tea.
Pu'er tea has the name "Pu'er" because Pu'er was the distribution centre of the tea produced in Yunnan during the Ming and Qing dynasty. Pu'er tea became world-famous, and the city Pu'er also became famous as a result of the tea.
6:30pm - Arrived at Chama Ancient City, Pu'er City.
After 6pm, the roads into the inner section of the city are closed to traffic, so Xiao Shieh had to drop us off near the entrance. Fortunately, it was only a short walk to our hotel.
After 6pm, the roads into the inner section of the city are closed to traffic, so Xiao Shieh had to drop us off near the entrance. Fortunately, it was only a short walk to our hotel.
Our hotel, Nanling Inn, is set on a quieter side of Chama Ancient City and has a unique old Chinese-style architecture.
Chama Ancient City Travel Town is a tourism area built around the starting point of the Ancient Tea Horse Road, which is recognized for its rich tea culture and historical significance. The buildings here are fairly new and seems purpose built to cater for tourism. Visitors can explore traditional architecture, visit tea culture exhibition halls, and experience tea art performances and tastings. The town also offers handicraft shops selling local tea sets and souvenirs.
Chama Ancient City Travel Town is a tourism area built around the starting point of the Ancient Tea Horse Road, which is recognized for its rich tea culture and historical significance. The buildings here are fairly new and seems purpose built to cater for tourism. Visitors can explore traditional architecture, visit tea culture exhibition halls, and experience tea art performances and tastings. The town also offers handicraft shops selling local tea sets and souvenirs.
Our room at Nanling Inn, looks clean and cozy with a warm design. The only setback is the residual cigarette smell from previous patrons. Not sure whether they have non-smoking rooms, though.
Time to explore the Chama Ancient City neighbourhood. Here I am toasting with some old friends at a tea stall. Several artworks (sculptures & murals) like this dot Chama Ancient City.
Dinner at Old Beijing Flavours, it's quite early, and we were surprised that only a basic version of Jianbing Pancakes was available!
We had Mince Pork Pancake, Leek Pancake, and Thousand Layers Pancake (千层饼, Qiāncéngbǐng), an interesting dinner but nothing much to shout about.
As the night sets in Chama Ancient City, lit up colourfully like a fairytale town. At strategically located stages were traditional Chinese dance performances.
A beautifully performed dance within a lotus stage.
It has been a long and diversified day of mountain tea villages and an ancient tea trail.
在山间茶村和古老的茶道上度过了有趣的一天。
(That's "Zài shān jiān chá cūn hé gǔlǎo de chádào shàng dùguòle yǒuqù de yītiān." in Mandarin Chinese,
meaning "An interesting day of mountain tea villages and an ancient tea trail..")
(For more photos of Day 9, Click Here)
This is page 9 of a 12-page blog. Click Here To Go To Title Page.
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You are at - Jotaro's Blog /AhPek Biker-Footsteps /Laos-China 2025/ D9 : Jingmai Mountain To Pu'er City | Go to D1/D2/D3/D4/D5/D6/D7/D8/D10/D11/D12/
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