Flavours of Yunnan: Travels Through China’s Hidden Culinary Gems

The trip began in Dali, where Diana was immediately struck by the vibrancy of the markets. "I’m Asian, and I’ve travelled extensively around Southeast Asia," she said, "and yet I was still able to encounter and taste fruits and vegetables I’d never seen or eaten before." For Diana, the market captured the town’s spirit more than anywhere else. Locals lined up at food stalls selling everything from generations-old rice noodle recipes to chicken feet that had at least 10 different choices of flavour to choose from. "Not for everyone," she laughed, "but it was a highlight for me, and we were lucky to be able to try it before it sold out.”

After indulging in all the food, she stopped by a local coffee shop run by a passionate barista, where she sampled freshly roasted beans grown right in Yunnan. The Tea Horse Road may be steeped in history, but Yunnan’s growing coffee culture is the new story taking shape.

There was also time to cycle around Erhai Lake, with its serene, mirror-like waters offering a calming counterpoint to the buzz of the market.

Shaxi was Diana’s favourite stop on the journey. Smaller and more serene than Dali or Lijiang, this ancient town once sat on the old Tea and Horse Road. "It just felt so magical, and you really get a sense of what it was like in ancient times," she said. "Especially in the evening, when the stream that runs through the village reflects the moonlight, the lanterns light up, and the town begins to settle for the night. The morning was even more serene, before the day-trippers arrive to visit the town."

The village’s history of female-led households was particularly interesting: while men joined the trade caravans, often away for months at a time, the women kept the town running. Diana loved walking its cobbled streets, visiting handmade crafts shops, and stopping in at tea houses run by local families.

It was also wild mushroom season, and she recounted a memorable dinner at a local restaurant with direct links to trusted foragers. "They kept a sample of our soup in case anyone got sick… so it was a high-stakes dinner!" she said. "And that mushroom hot pot was sensational: simple, honest, and so local – rivalling any elaborate tasting menu."

Diana also sampled pork-stuffed lima beans, cured meats, foraged tree moss with eggs, and lemongrass-rubbed ribs – each one distinctive to the season and deeply connected to the land around Shaxi.

The final stop was Lijiang, home to a well-known old town with cobbled lanes and hillside views. Though more bustling than the other ancient towns she visited, Lijiang still had its charms.

"When you look down over all the sloping rooftops, it’s so beautiful," Diana said. "As you walk through the winding alleys, you are greeted with unique shops, cafés, restaurants – and plenty of snacks to sample along the way. It’s definitely one of those places where you can lose yourself for hours, just exploring."

She spent her time visiting the markets, taking part in a Naxi minority cooking class, and, of course, eating. Meals here included Naxi hot pot with cured pork ribs grilled on a hot stone slab, along with roast pork belly with mint, fried eggplant, and spicy fish.

"At this point, I was worried I’d get tired of Yunnan cuisine, but we kept eating and were constantly surprised by how unique and delicious each meal was."