德宏傣族景颇族自治州

Why this place

Dehong is the Dai and Jingpo autonomous prefecture on the Myanmar border, and it is a genuinely transnational region — Buddhist temples in the Burmese style, wet markets selling both countries' goods, and the Ruili border crossing, one of the busiest trade gates with Southeast Asia.

What to see

• Ruili, the border city, with its jade and commodity markets and the Myanmar gate
• The Dai temples and the 'tree-wrapped' and 'golden pagoda' sites of the prefecture
• The Jingpo villages and the mountain country along the border
• The Nanding River and the tropical forest

What to eat

• Dai cuisine — very similar to Xishuangbanna's, sour and grilled
• Dehong is famous for its 'shaqiu' and its Dai fish dishes; the local 'mengmao' mushrooms in season

Best time

November–April