Top Ten China Classic Adventures

Ireland Photos: Walking the Western Isles

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It may not be Eden, but it may be the closest you'll ever get. Located in the southernmost tip of Yunnan, near the borders of Burma and Laos, Xishuangbanna is a tropical paradise peopled by the Dai tribe. Picture book villages rising from the early-morning fog are set among rice paddies and tea plantations and separated by towering rain forest canopy. The best way to see the area—if you don't mind the humid tropical climate—is to walk between villages along the jungle trails that meander through the forest.

To get here, hop a boat from Thailand's Golden Triangle, or grab a flight to Xishuangbanna from Kumning.