Nannuoshan, Xishuangbanna: A 10km "Slow Roll" Through Tea Country

"Nothing is more beautiful than the tail of a golden peacock, nothing is better than the oxygen bar of Nannuoshan." This is the heartfelt praise from visitors to Nannuoshan. Nannuoshan Village, part of Gelanghe Hani Township in Menghai County, serves as the eastern gateway to Menghai and the first stop on the "Seven Sons Cake" tea cultural tourism route. It enjoys the reputation of being the "World's First Ancient Tea Village," the "First Mountain of Ancient Tea," and the "Place Where the Climate Turns." 1. With an average annual temperature of 17.9°C, Nannuoshan boasts a beautiful and pleasant ecological environment, rich in ancient tea tree resources. Here you'll find an 800-year-old cultivated tea king tree and 12,000 acres of contiguous ancient tea gardens. You can also visit the former site of Menghai Tea Factory No. 1, the first mechanized tea processing factory in Yunnan Province, built in 1938. The area is also rich in ethnic culture, with well-preserved Hani traditions such as clothing, ancient dwellings, original ecological songs and dances, and unique festivals. Nannuoshan's long history of tea cultivation and production has shaped a profound Hani tea culture. 2. The Nannuoshan viewing platform is located along the route from Guniangzhai to Duoyizhai. Stepping onto the platform with the morning dew, you can enjoy the beautiful scenery of the distant, brightly lit Jinghong City (the "state capital") and the nearby, quietly sleeping Hani villages. After a rain or in the early morning, you can watch the vast white fog rise from the valley, sometimes light and ethereal, sometimes surging and powerful, like ocean waves rolling between the mountains. 3. Among the sea of clouds, the Hani villages appear and disappear, like fairy islands hidden in the clouds, creating a stunning scene that transcends the mundane world. The tea king tree is located in the Banpo Old Village. Walk along the bluestone plank road to the ancient tea garden of Banpo Old Village. The path is lined with ancient tea trees, dappled sunlight filtering through the branches, creating an interesting interplay of light and shadow. Occasionally, you can hear the sounds of wind, birds, and insects intermingling. 4. Continuing on, you'll see the 800-year-old cultivated ancient tea tree standing quietly on the hillside. Having endured centuries, this ancient tea tree is still lush and green, budding, branching, and flourishing throughout history, exuding a unique vitality and beauty. Rest at a small pavilion in the mountains, sit with the locals, drink tea, chat, listen to the gurgling water, and savor the rich aroma of tea. 5. Following the Banpo Old Village Tea King Tree plank road, you can reach the villages of Yakou Old Village, Yakou New Village, and Duoyizhai. Visit a nearby Hani restaurant and order some "sour, spicy, fresh, and fragrant" traditional Hani dishes. Enjoy a unique culinary experience with delicious and delicate chicken porridge, fragrant smoked dried meat, wild salted chili pepper fish, and tea-fried eggs. 6. Climb to the highest peak of Duoyizhai, the Heiniao Ancient Tea Garden. Carry a bamboo basket and join the Hani people in picking tea, feeling the natural power of growth with your fingers. Experience the tea-frying and sun-drying process, feeling the tea leaves turning and jumping in your hands. Close your eyes and take a sniff; the fresh tea aroma fills your nostrils, leaving you feeling refreshed. 7. The former site of Menghai Tea Factory No. 1, the first mechanized tea processing factory in Yunnan Province, built in 1938, is located in Shitou New Village. Its blend of Chinese and Western design, solid stone foundation, and thick walls record the historical changes and the Hani people's deep connection with tea cultivation and production.