China’s Yunnan province has a county situated right in the valley between two mountains and on either side of the nan chi river. This place stretches quite far. It’s considered to be the narrowest city in the world.
Yanjin county is connected by a few bridges and has many impressive colorful buildings among the riverbank in the upper levels of the town. A bit away from the river, many shops and restaurants are pinned side to side, both traditional and modern looking. You can walk along the road with the river right below you and know that you’re standing in the middle of the city.
Well, sort of technically the middle of the city are the bridges the county is 37 miles north to south and 25 miles east to west including the mountains the population is almost half a million people. The territory is more than 770 square miles. Two rivers are split into three parts. If you’re standing on either side of the river, you’ll notice how close the other side of town is despite the length of the city.
There aren’t that many bridges around the central hub is located down by the river, Which is at 1100 feet. The highest elevation goes up to 7 200 feet because the city is built uniquely.
The weather pattern is specific to the county. The summers are really hot, especially by the river.The winters are very wet. That’s all thanks to the geographical location.
To put that in perspective, the town is 100 feet at its thinnest and 1000 feet at its widest. The widest is around seven of those the city is almost impossible to get lost in. The narrowest part is shorter than an Olympic pool.
It even has a railway system to transport people out of town. From one end to another, it’s situated slightly above the river towards the mountains and goes through a small tunnel. You can catch some fantastic views in one of them while relaxing on a smooth train ride.
Because the town is so narrow and real estate so limited, most apartment buildings are concentrated along the riverbank.
You can dive from any balcony and swim in the river, but some of those spots aren’t safe for swimming since the river isn’t smooth. The buildings have pillars in the foundation to prevent any potential river.
Flooding in case the water levels rise, the river doesn’t exactly flow in a perfectly straight line but rather a series of jagged turns and corners, so from an aerial point of view, the whole town resembles a slithering snake depending on where the buildings are the first floor will sometimes be found on the fifth the bottom four floors are just pillars supporting the structure
Some buildings are pretty tall, so you can get some fantastic views while others are closer to the ground. Either way, you have to admire the creativity put into the engineering to build a whole town in such a place isn’t easy besides the town is charming as it is the cultural aspect.
Another reason to visit this place once a year is the dancing flower festival takes place a group of locals dresses up in traditional clothes in a particular space where the dancing.
There’s also the old town of ducha. Even though most of the city adopted modern ways of living, they still keep the ancient traditional architecture around this charming little spectacle.
More than 2 200 years old and was an important passage linking Yunnan province and central china.
During the 3rd century, the entrance to the old town combines the ancient architecture with modern designs at the entrance of the town is the famous old pavilion walking along its roads makes you feel like you’re in the ancient times they’re all rugged.
Yet still well preserved since they built them centuries ago and nearby is the mountain scenery which has limestone peaks covered with flowers and herbs.
You can get lost in a natural maze of trees and rocks. This place is an escape from the hustle and bustle of the main town and isn’t so far away either.
The town has a deep history and has been populated for hundreds of years.
The county was famous for its salt trade since it’s strategically one of the best routes for caravans and traders, but sadly the economic situation isn’t easy for imports today.
Since there’s only one access road to the town, trucks bringing in goods are always limited. It does well on tourism for foreigners and local Chinese too.
The old town of Lijiang is another charming town in the same province as yanjin. The city was built on an uneven landscape but adapted to it perfectly in ancient times.
The location served as a strategic point for trade between surrounding provinces and even connected with the silk road.
It was also a cultural melting pot between different ethnic groups in the region for over 800 years, so most of the traditions and architecture result from all those years of trading and sharing and mixing different cultures.
It’s also a good location that gives access through the mountains. The rivers and springs flow down to the town through ancient canals that are still used today. The city is divided into the Diane old town vaisha and shuya Dayan old town was considered the commercial center.
For lijan it has amazing architecture that feels like you’re in some kind of movie. Many buildings have unique tiled roofs and arch gateways, all carved with murals. This part of town still has some of its old landmarks even today. They even preserved some of the utensils from the past. The baisha isn’t that far north.
The day-old town comprises housing units that are centuries old. The shuye housing is located northwest of the old village and is arranged in the mountains surrounded by water.
The water system is distributed very neatly and keeps the town’s charm here. You can find a blend of many cultures and traditions collected throughout the centuries.
The old town of Lijiang is a unity between people and nature they utilize.
The mountains, trees, rivers, and architecture create perfect harmony for living. The water originally comes from the snowy mountains, flows to the town, and supplies the farms. The whole town itself is built around the water, which influences the style landscape urban layout, and everything else in between many canals is linked.
The buildings and alleyways to make sure the town doesn’t go dry.
Yangzhou is famous for its bamboo cruise boats for fishing and transportation, and it’s surrounded by broad expanses of land and mountains in the background. These boat tours can have an up-close experience of the traditional village life and how they fish to sustain themselves.
You can even find some unique wildlife lurking around besides.
The river town is located in the center of the mountains, with the river not too far away, and the marketplace is buzzing with local artisans displaying their works and art for tourists to bring home.
You can find cycling trips in various places and let the cheerful atmosphere sink in. Moon hill is famous for the fantastic panoramic view of the mountain peaks and the rest of the province.
You can also check out the water cave if you have an extra taste for adventure, and while you’re at it, you can go climbing, kayaking, and trekking to get an even better view of everything.
You can catch a ride on a hot air balloon that’ll float you to the top and immerse yourself in the beautiful landscape.
You can get a view of the stone village perched on top of a hill surrounded by walls dating back centuries.
The place is around 1400 years old and is also a mix between different ethnic groups adding richness to the culture.
Many locals have kept the same festivals and customs, but even though the place has deeply rooted cultural traditions, it’s adapted to modern life.
