Wa Mountains (Ximeng, Cangyuan, Menglian) 阿佤山（西盟·沧源·孟连）
Remote border hills of the Wa and Dai peoples.
Far off the tourist trail near the border with Myanmar. For travellers who want to see a little-visited side of Yunnan, with ancient rock art, Wa villages and Dai towns.
What to see
Ximeng 西盟
A small town in the green hills of the Wa people near the border with Myanmar. Visit the sacred Mengsuo Dragon Pool and the Wa villages around it, where traditional thatched houses and drums are still part of daily life.
Cangyuan Cliff Paintings and Wengding 沧源崖画·翁丁
Near Cangyuan, red ochre paintings of people, animals and hunting scenes, around 3,000 years old, cover the rock faces. Nearby Wengding is a traditional Wa village with thatched houses on a hilltop.
Menglian 孟连
A quiet Dai town on the Nanlei River, with the wooden palace of the former local rulers (the Menglian Xuanfusi), Dai temples and a relaxed riverside.