Every November, as temperatures drop across much of China, Li Yongyuan and her husband pack their bags in Chengdu, Sichuan Province, and head south—to Mengding Town in Lincang, a city in neighboring Yunnan Province. Here, they settle in for several months of gentle warmth, a "snowbird" rhythm they have kept for five years.

So fond are they of this borderland haven that they have bought a home here, joining a growing community of retirees who migrate each winter from colder regions to Mengding's sunny embrace.

What calls them back, season after season, is a combination of a year-round temperate climate, with an average annual temperature of 21.7 degrees Celsius, and a low cost of living. Just steps from their residence lies a lively farmers' market, where each morning vendors lay out fresh, affordable produce, bringing the rhythms of local life pleasantly close.

"My husband waits by the window every morning for the sunrise and takes a photo of the dawn," Li told Xinhua News Agency. Daily life here unfolds at a leisurely pace: Mornings see neighbors gathering for table tennis competitions, group exercises or practicing calligraphy; afternoons are for chatting in the sun, and evenings often end with communal singing.

"With no bitter cold in winter nor sweltering heat in summer, an abundance of fruits and vegetables, affordable prices, rich ethnic culture and picturesque scenery, Mengding has naturally become a preferred winter destination," Mengding Mayor Huang Deping said.

He added that the majority of those choosing Mengding to spend winters are middle-aged and elderly people. To better serve them, the town is actively building senior-friendly communities, enhancing health management services and innovating recreational programs. Supporting facilities are steadily improving, forming a convenient "15-minute living circle" tailored to the needs of winter residents.

Deeper exploration 

With its agreeable climate, rich culinary culture and affordable living, Yunnan has long been a favored destination for extended-stay travelers.

According to the Yunnan Provincial Department of Culture and Tourism, long-stay visitors to the province exceeded 3.89 million in 2024, generating 42.56 billion yuan ($6 billion) in spending and staying on an average of 80 days. From January to November 2025, that number rose sharply to more than 4.98 million—a year-on-year increase of 54.9 percent—with the average stay lengthening to about 85 days. Full-year spending is projected to exceed 50 billion yuan ($7.11 billion). Demographically, nearly 70 percent of long-stay visitors are between 25 and 60 years old. Notably, many have launched businesses in the province, especially in the cultural, creative and digital industries.

Beyond marquee destinations like Dali and Lijiang cities, a growing number of travelers are venturing into small towns and ancient villages.

One such place is Leju, an over-600-year-old village belonging to people of the Yi ethnic group on the outskirts of Kunming, the capital city of Yunnan. It is home to China's best-preserved complex that blends Han and Yi traditional architectural styles. Characteristically centered around a courtyard, these square or nearly square dwellings are perfectly adapted to the local climate and daily life. More than 80 such structures remain, some centuries old.

By the late 1990s, however, as villagers moved into newly built housing, Leju's old homes were left idle. The ancient settlement slowly decayed into a cluttered, nearly forgotten "hollow village." In recent years, though, it has been revitalized as a tourist destination featuring boutique inns, teahouses, bars, wilderness camping sites and restaurants serving ethnic minority cuisines—attracting visitors who come not just to sightsee, but to stay and immerse themselves.

Lang Lan, Secretary of the Communist Party of China Committee of Longtan Community, which administers Leju, explained that the transformation began with the protective renovation of old houses, followed by the introduction of over 20 new ventures spanning from intangible cultural heritage workshops and creative studios to cafés, designed to meet the needs of both villagers and visitors.

The old courtyards now house homestays, bakeries, coffee shops and restaurants. Local residents and newcomers alike are collaborating to build what many call "a poetic rural home." Visitors today can taste bread baked in traditional earthen ovens, explore Yi cultural heritage and experience firsthand the living landscape of multiethnic harmony.

Yunnan's diverse ethnic tapestry itself serves as a deep well of resources for long-stay tourism, inspiring locally rooted programs that offer visitors meaningful cultural immersion. In Shuangbai County in Chuxiong Yi Autonomous Prefecture, for example, the local government has drawn on the area's rich Yi medicinal heritage to create specialized wellness retreats. Here, visitors can forage for fresh ingredients and prepare their own healthy, farm-to-table meals—blending tradition, wellness and sustainable living into the rhythm of their extended stays.

A foundation for home 

To support the development of the long-stay tourism market, governments at all levels in Yunnan have offered assistance.

Zhong Peng, project manager of the long-stay tourism initiative in Tuguachong Village in Qujing City, first conceived the idea in 2022, while working in agricultural cultivation there. At the time, however, village houses were aging and infrastructure was lacking. Further assessment revealed that renovation would require substantial funds.

Just as Zhong was weighing his options, he received a boost. As part of broader rural development initiatives, the local government invested in upgrading the village's infrastructure and reinforcing existing houses. Additionally, local banks began offering low-interest loans to long-stay tourism projects. With previous hurdles cleared, Zhong turned his full attention to operations. In Tuguachong, his team renovated 77 refurbished houses, equipping them with appliances and furniture to deliver a "ready-to-move-in" experience for long-stay visitors. They also arranged dedicated concierge services to assist with daily needs and provided transportation to and from the train station.

Over the past three years, Zhong's company has launched five long-stay tourism projects in Qujing, with plans to expand to 19 across Yunnan within the year.

Meanwhile, in Manhai Village of Pu'er City—a multiethnic community—the local government repaired water and electricity networks and roads, repurposing 28 idle houses into rural lounges, long-stay guesthouses and intangible cultural heritage experience centers, aiming to showcase the traditional culture of the local Hani ethnic group. The village also tapped into local intangible heritage practices such as bamboo weaving, transforming them into study programs and cultural products.

Xiong Xiangui and Zhao Faying, a couple in their 60s from Sichuan, were captivated by Manhai during their first visit in 2023. In early 2025, they decided to settle there and opened a café-bookshop in the village. Today, this cozy, artistic space has become a popular social media check-in spot.

"The scenery is beautiful, life is peaceful, and it's incredibly comfortable living here," the couple told newspaper Yunnan Daily. "Manhai feels like our second home."

Copyedited by G.P. Wilson 

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