Cascading out of the Tibetan Mountains and vibrantly coated in green and red, Southwest China is the region most suited for backpacker travel and offbeat adventures. While it's undeniably Chinese, there's also a strong sense of Southeast Asia's exoticism as well as the overlap of Tibetan culture from the mountains. Southwest China is more akin to traveling in northern Laos and Thailand than traveling in ChinaThe experience is less about sightseeing and more about absorbing local culture, the region offering an exquisite natural backdrop for intrepid journeys and lazy days in cute mountain villages. Transport is slow, smiles are ubiquitous, and many a traveler came for three days and stayed a month. If time is on your side, this could easily be your favorite region in China.
