In the Wa language, "Simola" means "a place of happiness."

Exploring Simola, Encountering the Homeland of Happiness In the Wa language, "Simola" means "a place of happiness." When you set foot on this land, you'll deeply understand the beauty contained in these words. Today, let's follow this guide to explore Simola Wa Village and discover its unique charm ✨ I. Basic Information to Know in Advance 📍 Location: Simola Wa Village, easily accessible via navigation. 🎫 Admission: Completely free, though if you want to take the sightseeing car, it's only 20 yuan/person round trip. 🅿️ Parking: The village has a large free parking lot, so you don't need to worry about parking at all, as spaces are plentiful. ‼️ Helpful tip: The parking lot is 2.5 kilometers uphill from the village entrance, and private vehicles cannot drive in. You'll be stopped at the road near the parking lot. Therefore, it's strongly recommended to take the sightseeing car, which you can purchase tickets for at the parking lot. II. Exploring the Featured Attractions One by One (1) Rice Terrace Farming Culture Experience Area Viewing Platform As soon as you get off the sightseeing car, you arrive at the viewing platform. The terraced fields before you are delicate and compact. Though not large in scale, they have a unique charm. It's said that in the future, this area will be transformed into a venue for the Wa people's traditional "mud-smearing" activities. Imagine participating in that - it would surely be great fun. (2) Village Gate Entering the village gate, you're surrounded by trees with the characters "Middle Village" clearly visible. Along the stone-paved path, the Wa people's distinctive bull head totems hang high, instantly transporting you to an ancient and mysterious atmosphere, as if traveling through time to explore the historical context of the Wa people. (3) Sacred Tree Here, ancient trees reach toward the sky, creating dense shade. In Wa culture, banyan trees are regarded as "sacred trees." Walking among the banyan grove, you can truly feel the Wa people's reverence and worship of nature, and your spirit seems to undergo a purification. (4) Wooden Drum Square As the cultural activity center for villagers, the Wooden Drum Square is full of vitality. The passionate Wa people showcase their unique charm here, with the famous "hair-swinging dance" being particularly captivating. If you're lucky enough to catch a traditional cultural activity, it's an unexpected delight that allows you to gain deeper insight into Wa customs. (5) Simola Folk Museum Want to learn about the history and culture of the Wa people? The Folk Museum is the best place. The rich exhibits and detailed information inside comprehensively showcase the development and unique culture of the Wa people, offering visitors a wealth of knowledge. (6) Simola Hall (Wa King's Palace) Unfortunately, the Wa King's Palace is not yet open to the public, adding a touch of mystery to the place and creating something to look forward to on your next visit. (7) Experience Freshly Baked "Rice Cakes" Rice cakes cost 4 yuan each, and you can place them on charcoal fire to bake yourself, taking about 15 minutes. While the taste might not be amazing, the process of everyone sitting around the fire pit waiting is incredibly beautiful. Strangers easily chat about their travel experiences, and even introverts can comfortably join in - this kind of atmosphere is truly rare. III. Authentic Impressions of Simola Simola Wa Village cleverly balances being a primitive village with tourism development. The smoke-blackened beams of the fire pits preserve traces of the years gone by, while clean stone paths and signposts bring convenience and comfort. The villagers' faces radiate proud smiles, and even if you don't make purchases in the pretty shops, you can still enjoy free tea while everyone chats warmly with you. Here, you can truly feel the profound meaning of "making a happy place even happier." As the village elder says: "We Wa people believe all things have spirits. What you city folks call 'slow living,' we simply call 'living life.'" On the way back, seeing the preserved meat catching time drop by drop under the eaves, I suddenly realized that the answers lost in modern civilization are actually hidden in the creaking hinges of this village gate.