My real feelings about the four cities in Honghe Prefecture, Yunnan, the least popular travel destination
This trip to Yunnan was actually to visit some cities I had never been to before. So, the first stop was Honghe Prefecture. After passing through Mile, Mengzi, Gejiu, Jianshui, and Yuxi, I would like to share my most direct impressions of each city.
1️⃣
A very comfortable small city, but it lacks distinctive features. The biggest highlight is the hot springs, which are comfortably warm, attracting many elderly people to come here for retirement. During the off-season, accommodation costs only 80 yuan a day, including two meals, which shocked me when I heard the elderly talking about it on the bus.
The city is not big, and its reputation as a city of gourmet food online didn't surprise me. The braised chicken rice noodles are okay, and you can eat chicken heads as you like. The taste of old Mile is not amazing, just normal. Ximen Restaurant offers affordable local flavors. Buddha City Mall is average, not as good as Mengzi's prices. The artificial lake in the city is far inferior to Erhai Lake. I didn't get to soak in the hot springs this time; maybe I'll try next time.
2️⃣
The capital of Honghe Prefecture, this place is a multi-ethnic gathering spot. I visited Dashuizhai Night Market and Haifengzhai Sunday Market, which are very original and make one want to stay a few more days. Additionally, you can really enjoy fruit freedom here, it's super cheap❗The Pioneer Bookstore in the old city center and a few old streets still have some charm.
As for the attractions, I visited Bisezhai, the station where Feng Xiaogang filmed 'Youth'. To be honest, it was just average. Having traveled a lot and seen various beautiful sceneries, it's hard to get excited.
Personally, I think Mengzi is more suitable for a residence life, with cheap living costs, a nice environment, and ethnic minority customs.
3️⃣
Famous as the 'Tin Capital' of Honghe Prefecture and one of the wealthiest cities. I just passed through and had a brief look during the day; it's indeed very bustling and lively. This liveliness is not only in urban construction but also in the fireworks of the farmers' markets.
4️⃣
Probably the most suitable city for travel in Honghe Prefecture, a book about Jianshui has shown many people this small cultural city in the south of Yunnan.
Upon seeing the towering Chaoyang Tower, you know this is an ancient city with history. The main street in the city has been completely commercialized, but if you go deeper into the alleys, you will find many of them still preserve the most original appearance of Jianshui. Here, there are 10-yuan buffets, unimaginably cheap❗
I like the various alleys and vegetable markets here, as well as the locals who love to gather around the stove and eat tofu. In the ancient city, there are 128 ancient wells, and the tradition of using well water to make tofu is still preserved, all of which are the most original features of the local area.
Overall, the prices in Southeast Yunnan are relatively cheap. But personally, I feel that Mile, because of its hot springs, has more elderly people and lacks vitality; Mengzi is suitable for living, with cheap prices, not many tourists, and a comfortable environment; Jianshui is the most suitable for travel, the ancient city is not too commercialized, and it's also very comfortable to stay in.
Bisezhai is located in Mengzi City, Honghe Prefecture, Yunnan Province. It is one of the oldest railway stations in China and a prosperous place 100 years ago. It has a long history. Bisezhai is located 10 kilometers north of Mengzi County, southeast Yunnan, and the Tropic of Cancer passes through the border. It is near the Pearl Lake Changqiao Sea in the southeast of Liao. The scenery is beautiful. The surrounding residential areas are Bisezhai Village. There are 174 households, living in Han, Yuan, Miao, Hui, Zhuang and other ethnic groups. There are many attractions. Bisezhai Station is a key cultural relics protection unit in Yunnan Province, which has important historical value for studying the history of the Yue-Yue railway and the history of China's railway. The Bisezhai area basically maintained its original appearance when it opened in 1910, with more than 30 historical buildings, unique local residential styles, and high protection and tourism development value.
This place is good, there are not many tourists, and there are not many commercial development. Many historical relics remain: Chase, water tower, station room, train station clock, police station, French staff's dormitories, Coles hotels, Redlands tennis courts, and even a vine planted by the French.
After 4 years, I went to Mengzi Bise Village, Yunnan, and found that there were too many changes, some buildings were demolished, and new things were built. For example, this Bisezhai Railway Art Sculpture was built later, and it had the altitude of Yunnan Railway at that time. Also, the small yellow building is old, but some houses around it have been demolished.
Bisezhai is located in Caoba Town, Mengzi County, Honghe Hani and Yi Autonomous Prefecture, Yunnan Province. It is one of the earliest railway stations in China's modern history. It has infiltrated the blood and sweat of many Chinese laborers and witnessed a period of history. The station still retains the French railway room, hanging on the station wall with the weather-beaten clock, the English Paris (Paris) is still clearly visible, reminiscent of the bustling of the year. The 1903 Constitution of the Sino-French Association for the Rule of Railways in the Vietnamese Republic gave France the right to build and manage the railway. Construction of the Yue-Viet Railway began in 1903. The railway crossed the alpine valley of Yunnan and penetrated the blood and sweat of many Chinese laborers. It was opened to Bisezhai in 1909 and opened to the whole line in 1910. Bisezhai is a century-old station of the Yue-Viet Railway. This side railway station is a must-see for train fans and photographers. In addition to the yellow old houses on the side of the railway, there are many old buildings on both sides of the railway, including the cattle house of the former Frenchman, the stationmaster, the staff canteen, and the bar. This place was not only busy, but also a place where foreigners gathered. Now there is a wooden map showing the remains of the day in the villages on both sides of the railway. You can search for the imprint of the year in the villages according to the map. At present, Bisezhai Station is still in operation, and there is a chance to chat with the staff here. This is one of the earliest railway stations in China's modern history. The train can reach Kunming from the north and Vietnam from the south. Bisezhai Station is located on the mountain beams of Bisezhai Village, Caoba Town, 10 kilometers north of Mengzi County, which is located in Shandong Province, covering an area of 2 square kilometers. Bisezhai Station is a railway built by France according to the 1903 "China-France Association Orders the Fuyue Railway Charter" after the Opium War. Bisezhai Station used to be "thriving" for a while, and now the station building is from the Yue Railway Station Room, a Bishi Railway Station Room, Huotong Company, an inch rail locomotive garage, a Gothic Hotel, the Yue Railway - Branch, a Bishi Railway - Branch, the Meiyu (Sanda) Water and Fire Oil Company Warehouse, Jiabo Company, Mengzi Customs Bisezhai Branch Warehouse, Mengzi Customs Bisezhai Branch Staff Canteen Building, European style, rice rail station platform area 520 square meters, inch rail station platform area 226 square meters. Bisezhai Railway Station is one of the earliest railway stations in China, the construction scale is large, The preservation is intact, the style is unique, rare in the history of China Railway, is an important physical data for studying the history of China's railway development. It is also a clear proof of "Yunnan 18 Monsters, the train does not pass to the country, first pass to the foreign". In May 2013, Bisezhai Railway Station was announced as the seventh batch of key cultural relics protection units nationwide. Address: Honghe Hani Yi Autonomous Prefecture, Mengzi City, Bisezhai Village, Bisezhai Village, Shanliang Type: Historical Building Play time: It is recommended to open 1 hour: Open all day Ticket information: No tickets are required.
Walking up the mountain, of course, I didn't follow the shuttle bus line, so I went to the last side of Bisezhai, which was a village. I saw that there were many parking spaces below, and I felt that I could still come here. If I knew the road, I didn't have to buy a ticket to take the shuttle bus. The house in this village is obviously rebuilt with stones. It should be included in a part of the scenic spot, even the Guanyin Temple of Bisezhai.
If you go to Bisezhai to travel by yourself, there is naturally no problem, but if you want to go alone, what kind of transportation can you go? You can go to the bus station to take the car in the direction of Caoba. This car will stop at the door of the occlusion station. Basically, you don't have to walk much. It is very convenient for transportation.
Bisezhai is the most famous attraction in Mengzi, Yunnan, because the movie "Fanghua" was filmed here, which was originally a station of the Fuyue Railway, and now still retains rails and trains.