Nujiang

Nujiang is one of the rivers within the Three Rivers Natural Reserve, a world heritage site listed by UNESCO. It is located throughout southwest China's Yunnan Province and flows into Myanmar, where it joins the Salween River and ends its journey at the India Ocean.

The Nujiang Gorge running from northwest Yunnan to Tibet lies in a narrow strip of land bordering Myanmar, sandwiched to the west by Gaoligong Mountain range and the Biluo Mountain range on the east. It runs through one of China's remotest areas, with carved canyons running through it. However, due to its inaccessibility, the Nujiang River has never been a popular tourism destination.

Clinging to impossible places on the slopes hundreds of meters up from both sides of the river, farms belonging to the Lisu and Nu people dot the landscape. One cannot imagine people living on such steep inclines. Most mountain inhabitants live in wooden sheds and huts built on the side or even the top of the mountain.

Villages on the other bank of the river are accessed either by narrow hanging bridges constructed with small wooden planks strung together with rattan tied to trees; or by sliding on overhead cables that span the river. The cables are tied to trees on either side of the river and to cross, one is suspended from a rope loop attached to a harness worn around the waist. The scenery between Fugong and Gongshan is awe-inspiring with many cliffs, clear green river-water and water falls. The first hairpin bend came into sight near Bingzhongluo.

Catholicism, Tibetan Buddhism and local religions are very popular and co-exist peacefully in the region. Members in one family may have different religions.

Best times to visit: October ~ April of the next year, but Feb. is the idealest, when the gorge is dotted with rape seeds and ceiba flowers.