Staying in a riverside courtyard in Gasa Town, Xinping, the charm of the Flower-Wa Dai people made me never want to leave.
After I wrote my post about Ailao Mountain, so many of you asked how to explore Gasa Town at the foot of the mountain, so here it is!
Honestly, I had never heard of this hidden gem, Gasa, before, but after visiting, I immediately added it to my "must-visit every year" list. 🤯 The Flower-Wa Dai culture is so unique—completely different from the Dai people in Xishuangbanna. Coming here this summer was such a win.
🗺 Where is Gasa? How do I get there?
Gasa Town is in the southern part of Xinping County, at the foot of Ailao Mountain, right next to the Red River (Yuanjiang). If you're driving from Kunming, it takes about 3 hours via the Kunming-Mohan Expressway, and it's another hour's drive from Xinping County.
The town isn't big, but it's lively. The streets are lined with flamboyant trees. Although August isn't the peak blooming season, the scattered red flowers still make for great photos. The whole town stretches along the river. Walking along the river in the evening, feeling the warm breeze and watching the sunset, gives you an indescribable sense of relaxation.
🎭 Flower-Wa Dai culture—the people who "tie the rainbow around their waists"
The Flower-Wa Dai are a branch of the Dai ethnic group, but they are very different from the Dai people in Xishuangbanna. Their most distinctive feature is the colorful belt they wear around their waists. It's said that each belt takes several days to weave by hand.
The Huayao Tianjian Folk Culture Village was the highlight of my trip: you can see the entire process of traditional Flower-Wa Dai brocade weaving, from spinning and dyeing to weaving—the focused look in the artisans' eyes at the loom is truly moving; the village preserves traditional earth-roof houses with yellow mud walls and flat roofs that are warm in winter and cool in summer—the architectural wisdom of the ancients is incredible; if you're lucky, you might catch a folk song and dance performance, and the sound of the sanxian (three-stringed lute) accompanied by the tinkling of silver bells is addictive after just one listen.
🌊 The First Bend of the Red River—a severely underrated, stunning river view
It takes about a 20-minute drive from Gasa Town to reach the viewing point for the First Bend of the Red River. Honestly, I didn't have high expectations before going, but I was stunned when I arrived—the river makes a huge bend between the reddish-brown mountains, the water glitters in the sunlight, and the vegetation on both sides is lush and green.
There are almost no tourists at this viewing point!! I was the only one there when I arrived. It was quiet and peaceful, like I had the whole place to myself. I recommend going between 4:00 PM and 5:00 PM when the light is softest, giving your photos a natural warm-toned filter.
🏞 Mopan Mountain—frolicking on the alpine meadows
It takes about a 40-minute drive up the mountain from Gasa to reach Mopan Mountain National Forest Park. At an altitude of over 2,000 meters, the average summer temperature is only around 20 degrees. The thousands of acres of meadows are as green as a carpet, covered in unknown wildflowers.
I walked on the meadow for nearly two hours, and when I got tired, I just lay down to watch the clouds. In the distance, Yi herdsmen were grazing their livestock, and occasionally I could hear their shouts. That kind of vastness and tranquility is something you absolutely cannot experience in the city.
Mopan Mountain also has a forest lake where you can go boating or just sit by the shore and zone out. There are some old trees with unique shapes by the lake, their twisted branches reaching toward the sky, which look amazing in silhouettes.
🌳 Guzhou Wild Forest—an overlooked, niche secret spot
This attraction is in Xinhua Township, about 30 kilometers from the county seat, and very few people know about it. The entire forest is divided by nature into three areas: broad-leaved forest, coniferous forest, and ancient vine forest. The most amazing part is the ancient vine forest area, where some vines are as thick as an arm and others as thin as a hair, wrapping around towering trees. Some wind and extend for several meters, forming all kinds of strange shapes.
Walking inside feels like entering a fantasy forest. The ground is covered in thick moss, which feels soft and squishy underfoot, like walking on clouds.
🏡 About accommodation
This time, I found a small courtyard near the river in Gasa Town. It had a traditional residential style with white walls and gray tiles, and several mango trees planted in the yard. Sitting on the stone bench in the courtyard in the evening, listening to the sound of the river flowing in the distance, with the evening breeze occasionally carrying the scent of flowers, the sense of leisure made me forget to even look at my phone.
📋 Practical tips
Item Details
Transportation Driving is highly recommended; public transport is very limited
Duration 2 days is enough; you can plan for 4–5 days if combined with Ailao Mountain
Sun protection The UV rays in the river valley are very strong; bring sunscreen, a hat, and sunglasses
Best time to visit Summer (abundant water + flamboyant trees in bloom)
Notes Respect local Flower-Wa Dai customs; it's best to ask before taking photos
Gasa is the kind of place where you think "what's there to do?" before you arrive, and after you get here, you think "I don't want to leave." The gentleness of the Flower-Wa Dai people and the grandeur of the Red River Valley are intertwined. This August, give it a chance~🌺