In the print dialog pick “Save as PDF” to keep it on your phone. A5 makes a pocket booklet; A4 suits a desk printer.
Voykit pocket guide · China
Gongshan
巩山
Spend 1–2 days in Gongshan as a hiking base; add a night if you want to explore nearby villages or attend the Derung dance ceremony.
Gongshan is a remote county seat in western Yunnan, surrounded by the Hengduan mountains and the Salween/N'Mai rivers. The town is walkable, with cheap hotels and taxis, and serves as a launch point for hikes and cultural visits such as the Dulongjiang and the Derung "Piao Niu Wu" ceremony.
- Country
- China
- Local name
- 巩山
- Best months
- Apr–Jun (flowers, milder weather)
- Avoid
- Jul–Aug (summer landslides)
- Stay
- 1–2 nights
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- CNY
- Money
- Alipay and WeChat Pay accept Visa, Mastercard, JCB and Amex cards; single payments over ¥200 carry a fee of about 3% on a foreign card (smaller ones are free), and per-payment and yearly caps apply — check the app. Keep a second way to pay.
- Daily spend
- Budget ¥80–120 excl. bed · Mid ¥120–180 excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- A roaming eSIM from outside China routes traffic through its home network, so Google, WhatsApp and Instagram work without a VPN — the simplest setup.
- Emergency
- Police 110 · Fire and ambulance 119
- Plugs
- Types A, C, I · 220 V · 50 Hz · Many sockets take flat two-pin (A), round two-pin (C) and angled three-pin (I) plugs; UK plugs need an adapter.
- Tipping
- Restaurants: No tip; upmarket hotels add 10–15% service.; Taxis and DiDi: No tip.; Tour guides and drivers: Expected on organised tours: about ¥100–200 a day for a guide, ¥50–100 for a driver.; Hotel porters: Not expected; ¥10–20 in luxury hotels.
- Water
- Not for drinking from the tap; bottled water ¥2–5, and kettles and free bottles in hotel rooms. Restaurants serve hot water or tea.
- Toilets
- Public toilets are frequent and free; squat toilets outside hotels and malls. Carry tissues — many have no paper.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Taxi circle ride (day) | ¥3–5 |
| Taxi circle ride (night) | ¥5–10 |
| Beer (local bar) | ¥12 |
| Hotel double room | ¥60–150 |
| Bus Liuku → Gongshan | ¥71 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- LJG · Lijiang Sanyi Airport
- about 6 h by bus via Liuku; check connections
- DLU · Dali Airport
- about 7–8 h by bus via Liuku; check connections
Typical fares
- Bus Liuku → Gongshan
- ¥71, about 7–8 h (check)
- Taxi circle ride
- ¥3–5 day, ¥5–10 night (check)
Show 7 more sections and the pocket cardHideGet around, See and do, Sleep, Phrase card, Etiquette, safety and scams, One and two days, Sources, Pocket card
Get around
All attractions are within walking distance; taxis circle the one‑way road for ¥3–5 (night ¥5–10).
See and do
Known for
- Hiking in the Hengduan range
- Dulongjiang river
- Derung "Piao Niu Wu" ceremony
- Christian church
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Bingzhongluo | Hourly bus from Gongshan, about ¥12, 1 h ride | ≈1 h |
| Dulongjiang | Local minibus from Gongshan, about ¥60, 1.5 h ride | ≈2 h |
Sleep
- Hotels near bus station
- ¥60–150 per night for a double room
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Excuse me / Sorry | 对不起duìbuqǐ |
| Thank you | 谢谢xièxiè |
| How much is it? | 多少钱？duōshǎo qián? |
| Where is the bus station? | 汽车站在哪里？qìchē zhàn zài nǎlǐ? |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: Handshake and a nod; use surnames with a title; avoid: Hugs and cheek kisses
- Face: Disagree privately and indirectly; avoid: Correcting or embarrassing someone in front of others
- Gifts: Give with two hands; expect the gift to be refused once or twice and opened later; avoid: Clocks, umbrellas, white flowers, sets of four
- Business cards: Present and receive with both hands, read it, keep it on the table; avoid: Writing on it or pocketing it at once
- Queues and crowds: Hold your ground politely in scrums at buses and lifts; avoid: Taking pushing personally
- Temples: Walk clockwise around Tibetan stupas and prayer wheels; remove hats; avoid: Touching statues or photographing where signs forbid
- Politics: Listen; follow your host's lead; avoid: Raising Tibet, Taiwan, Xinjiang, 1989 or the party leadership
- Numbers and colour: Red and 8 are lucky; red envelopes carry money gifts; avoid: Writing names in red; the number 4
Scams and watch-outs
- Buses are uncomfortable and may be delayed by landslides in summer
- No foreign‑card ATMs; bring cash or use Liuku ATM
- Mountain weather is unpredictable; equip for cold and rain
Generally safe for day visitors; remote mountain routes need good preparation and a guide if inexperienced.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Gongshan yet. Suggested stay: 1–2 nights. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Hiking in the Hengduan range
- Dulongjiang river
- Derung "Piao Niu Wu" ceremony
- Christian church
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Gongshan official website: www.gongshan.gov.cn/
- Wikivoyage: Gongshan, revision 4774652 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=4774652
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Printed from Voykit (/gongshan). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.