Puer(Simao)

Simao, once being one of the famous silk roads in the south in ancient times, is a wide area providing the land of thirty two mu per person (mu is a traditional unit of area, equaling to 1/6 acre). Due to the 98.3% mountain topography with the altitude from 376meters to 3306 meters and the location of the tropic of cancer, this area features with the vertical climate.

Simao used to be an important stop of the “Tea Road”, a road for people who transported tea by horses. Influenced by the subtropical monsoon climate, seldom frost falls here which makes Simao a main producer of the famous Pu Er tea, as well as one of the largest tea producing area of China.

With ten items of provincial relics protection unit and forty-nine items of county-level ones, Simao is increasingly attractive and impressive in the eyes of the experts, learners and tourist both at home and abroad with its mystery landscapes and interests, featured customs, famous people, precious animals and plants, special local food, convenient transportation, etc. Simao is also famous for its thirty-six minority peoples with the population of 1,440,000 which accounts for 60% of the total number of the Simao area. There are fourteen long-inhabited ethic groups here, including Hani, Yi, Dai, La ku, Wa, Bu lang and Yao minorities which form the brilliant local custom.

Location: Situated in the northwest of Yunnan Province, Puer has an important location in China's southwestern boundary, neighboring Laos, Vietnam and Burma and sharing a 486 kilometers (302 miles) boundary line with these three countries. Kunming is about 550 kilometers (342 miles) from Puer.  

History: Puer is in an important location linking roadway and waterway transportation between the China hinterland and Southeast Asia. Since 1896, it has been opened up as a commerce port, being one of the three towns of trading importance in Yunnan. Puer City was originally called,'Simao City' and, is famous for its Puer Tea.  

Physical Features: As to the terrain, Puer lies at the southwest edge of the Yunnan-Guizhou Plateau, which is in the south section of the Hengduan Mountains. Within the city, mountains and rivers run southward, alternating with each other frequently in the north and gradually dispersing to the southeast and the southwest. Medium sized mountains and valleys between them constitute nearly ninety percent the city's territory.

Climatic Features: Enjoying a plateau monsoon climate at low latitude, Puer is affected by the Indian Ocean and the Bay of Bengal. Therefore, the main features of its weather are mildness and humidity without strong winds. It has a wet season and a dry season. November is the rainy season, and the temperature is high. The annual average temperature of the city is usually between 15.3℃ (59.5℉) and 20.2℃ (68.4).

When to Visit: all the year round

Local Highlights: Puer consists of many ethnic minorities, such as Lahu, Hani, Wa and Yi. Varied customs make it a colorful city. Eating habits, ceremonies, costumes and folk legends can all be a strong attraction for people who are visiting. In addition, Puer City is the hometown of the well known Puer Tea, and Puer people have diversified ways of handling tea, such as bamboo tube tea, cold tea dish, earth-pot tea and baked tea; all of which you should try.

Special Local product: Puer Tea, bamboo shoot, edible fungi, purple rice, mango

 Attractions:
China Puer Tea Exhibition Garden: Tea culture is an attractive tourist factor of Puer City. The exhibition garden is built on the Yingpan Mountain, 29 kilometers (18 miles) from downtown Puer. Against the background of a vast tea garden, it is made up of Puer Tea Museum, Puer Tea making workshop, tea-picking zone, tea appraisal garden and some other facilities which comprehensively show the history of Puer Tea, and of how to plant and produce as well.  

Awa Mountain: Sea clouds in winter and spring is the most fascinating scene of the Awa Mountain in Ximeng County. After the clouds disperse, bamboo houses in villages, terraced fields and Musa trees are exposed and the Awa Mountain looks even more tranquil and beautiful.

Travel Tips:
1. The Simao Airport lies at the south foot of the Wuliang Mountain, 2 kilometers (1.2 miles) west of the city outskirt. At present, direct flights to Kunming, Xian and Jinan are provided. If travelling to or from other cities, visitors should transfer to Kunming first. It is 40 minutes to Puer.

2. Puer does not have train stations; buses are the main vehicle for transportation. Puer is about four to five hours' drive from Kunming. There are mainly two bus stations in downtown Puer. One is in Wuyi Lu and the new one is located in Zhenxing Nan Lu.