Another positive was making friends with the China Daily staff members who were happy to discuss every aspect of the country and its culture. In particular, our guide, Tammy, was outstanding — she went out of her way to satisfy my curiosity. At one point, she even knocked on doors in the backstreets of a village, so I could meet local families and glimpse their lifestyle.

Although I have visited other regions in China since 1977, it was particularly interesting to return to Yunnan in 2025. People were friendly and polite, hotels comfortable and well-run, and the organization faultless. The region is beautiful, still quite rural, and well worth exploring.

My personal highlight of the trip was exploring a cave network in Xishuangbanna — with the only light coming from my helmet, I had to crawl on my hands and knees through tiny passageways on slimy mud. This was a true Yunnan adventure.

The author is a travel journalist, writer, photographer and TV producer from the UK. His special interests are food, wine and outdoor adventure.