Yunnan is a faraway place -- "south of the clouds" is its magical sounding name. Just below the Tibetan plateau, it neighbours the Southeast Asian nations of Myanmar, Laos, and Vietnam. In all of China, it seems to be the most exotic -- a place of natural beauty as well as cultural diversity.

From snow capped mountains to tropical rain forests, from wild rivers running in the deepest gorges to strange rock formations resembling a forest, from modern cities to picturesque old towns reminiscent of ages past, Yunnan has a truly varied landscape. Equally fascinating is its ethnic diversity -- the population is made up of more than 20 ethnic groups, each with a unique culture. Of all this fascinating variety, we saw only a tiny fraction. Still, we were impressed by the beauty and grandeur of the landscape and the warmth and friendliness of the people.