Mt. Awa

In the southwest border areas of China, a mysterious Wa nationality live in the depths of the beautiful Awa Mountain, mainly located in the Pu’er and Lincang Cities. Primitive villages scatter all over the rolling hills and Wa people still preserve their old customs and cultures. This seems like an ideal world with beautiful scenery and tranquil environment. Fascinated by the Sea Cloud, the original Wengding Village, the Heavenly Lake and the Cliff Mural in Cangyuan Wa Autonomous County, a great many tourists come here every year.

Sea Cloud and Heavenly Lake
The Sea Cloud in the Awa Mountain is a unique natural spectacle. In spring and winter, thick clouds are formed at midnight, covering the sleeping deep valleys and high mountains. The sunrise glorifies the sea cloud, providing a magnificent spectacle. In the broad area, it looks like surging waves while taking on the appearance of white silk in the narrow places. Some peaks pass through the light clouds and tower skyward forming imposing high towers. The ice-cream cloud and mist dissipate near noon.

The Heavenly Lake, a nature reserve, is situated on the top of the mountain, with the altitude of 2,000m (6,562ft). It’s formed due to the rainfall and a spring on the top of the mountain. The limpid water makes fascinating scenery together with the nice surroundings.

Wengding Village – A Primitive Village of Wa Nationality
The Wengding Village is situated in the Cangyuan Wa Autonomous County preserving some old customs and cultures, such as ‘pulling the wooden drum’ and ‘bullfighting’. It is the last primitive village of China, and is regarded to be the cultural capital of the Wa nationality. The Wa people live in bamboo stilt-houses with grass roofs. The Awa Mountain’s totem, genitals and flagpole of Theravada, stand tall and upright in the only flat ground of the village. Many terrified ox heads hang from peg stakes around the original village as ox are considered sacred by Wa nationals.

In Cangyuan Wa Autonomous County, tourists can also visit the Guangyun Buddhist Temple, the great holy object of Wa nationality - a hundred-year wooden drum, the mysterious cliff painting engraved 3,000 years ago. In addition, the natural scenery here offers many picturesque views, including tropical rainforest, omniform woods constituted by a tree, green wild plants, charming virgin forest park along with high mountains and clear lakes.

 Tips:
1. Local Festivals: Monihei Carnival falls during Chinese Labor’s Day (May 1st) and Wa Wood Drum Festival falls around April 10-12 every year.
2. Local snacks: Mengsa steamed tea, Menyong earth pot, Menglai fragrant rice, and Cangyuan cured beef, as well as Puer tea

Best Travel Time	October to the Mid April of the next year
Transportation	1. Take a bus at Lincang Passenger Station to Cangyuan Wa Autonomous County. 2. At Pu’er Long-distance Bus Station, there are direct buses to Ximeng Wa Autonomous County. 3. There is one direct long-distance bus from Kunming South Bus Station to Ximeng Wa Automomous County every day, departing at 16:30 and it takes 10-11 hours.