Summer

Put on your boots and join a local expert in the damp summer pine forests, learning to hunt and identify Yunnan's elusive, highly-prized wild mushrooms.

Escape the midday sun in a cool, historic kiln, sinking your hands into millennial clay to mold and carve your own personalized purple pottery.

Wander the ancient, uncommercialized streets in the cool summer evening breeze, observing the slow, authentic lifestyle of the locals cooling off outside.

Gather around a steaming, umami-rich broth to taste the true flavor of summer—a seasonal miracle harvested straight from the wet mountains.

Revitalize your summer appetite with an explosively flavorful Dai meal served on banana leaves, mastering the use of fresh lime, herbs, and extreme spice.

Beat the tropical night heat by diving into chaotic, vibrant night markets to hunt for exotic fruit smoothies, iced local jellies, and cold beers.

Surrender to the primal energy of the summer night, dancing around massive bonfires with the Yi people in a fierce celebration of fire and life.

Walk the ancient field ridges when the rice paddies are at their most vibrantly green, engaging with Hani farmers tending their summer crops.

Embrace the glorious mess of the Monihei festival, smearing sacred mud on friends and strangers alike in a chaotic, laughter-filled summer blessing.