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Major city · China

Benzilan

Spend half a day for the river bend walk and East Bamboo Forest Temple; add a night if you want a quiet riverside stay.

Not yet checkedSourcesWhat these labels mean

Benzilan is a tiny riverside town in extreme north‑western Yunnan. The main attractions are a short walk to the first bend of the Jinsha River and the East Bamboo Forest Temple 15 km away. A single night in a basic hotel lets you see the river, the temple and the traditional houses without rushing.

basic guide: no trip line yet
More
3 pages, for the metro and roaming-off days
Map
Google Maps Apple Maps Street View
More ways in
Print / PDF guide
Local time, weather, currency, airports
Weather
see forecast
Currency
CNY
Best months
Oct–May (check)
avoid Jul–Aug (check)
Airport
KMG
Nights
1

Not a trip line yet

This is a basic guide for Benzilan: no airport-to-bed path, walking clusters or day plans yet. Fares and schedules here are unverified. What this page does cover
Rules in force · 7
  • East Asia ↗Every border in East Asia is a full international border, Hong Kong and Macau included: an entry permission for one never covers the next.
  • East Asia ↗Ferries between Korea, Japan and China cancel in rough seas and typhoons; keep a flight or a spare day behind every sea leg.
  • China ↗Most nationalities need a visa, a unilateral visa-free entry (the list and end dates change) or the transit exemption below. Confirm your route on the official sites before you buy a ticket.
  • China ↗Transit stay without a visa: up to 240 hours (10 days) for citizens of about 55 listed countries who pass through China to a third country or region, with a confirmed onward ticket and a stay inside the permitted area (Beijing, Tianjin and Hebei count as one area). It replaced the 144-hour rule in December 2024, which some older pages still quote. Use the transit lane at immigration, show the onward ticket, and check the current nationality list. Hong Kong and Macau count as separate regions; check whether your ticket qualifies.
  • China ↗Foreign visitors must register their address with the police within 24 hours; hotels do it at check-in with your passport. Carry the original passport at all times: hotels, trains, museums, Tiananmen Square and police checks ask for it.
  • China ↗Set up Alipay or WeChat Pay with a foreign card before you fly. QR payment is the default in shops, taxis and many stalls, and some places refuse cash or a foreign card. Carry cash as a backup.
  • China ↗Google, WhatsApp, Instagram, Facebook, YouTube and many news sites are blocked. Use an eSIM with roaming (it routes through your home network) or install and test a VPN before you fly; VPN sites and app stores are hard to reach inside China, and only government-approved VPNs are officially permitted.

Entry rules depend on your passport. Full visa guide

Checking your follows…
What is in this basic guide9 covered · 4 not yet ▾

Not in this guide yet

  • Walking areas with bag rules
  • Day plans checked against opening hours
  • Airport-to-bed timings and the last safe connection
  • Field-checked times and prices
Emergency numbers for Benzilan110 ▾
  • Police110
  • Fire and ambulance119

Tap a number to call from your phone. These are the numbers listed in this guide; a row marked check has not been verified.

EssentialsQuick answers and what things cost

Essentials

Quick answers and what things cost

Quick answers

The questions people ask first about Benzilan, one line each. Tap a card for the full answer.

Show all 12 answers
DecideWhat it is known for, and when the weather works

Decide

What it is known for, and when the weather works

At a glance

What the city is known for, how you fly in, and where to find the phrases.

First bend of the Jinsha RiverEast Bamboo Forest TempleTraditional river‑bank houses
Airports
KMG Kunming Changshui International Airport

Best months at a glance

From the guide's best and avoid lists

  1. Jan

    Best

    12°C (54°F)

  2. Feb

    Best

    14°C (57°F)

  3. Mar

    Best

    18°C (64°F)

  4. Apr

    Best

    22°C (72°F)

  5. May

    Best

    26°C (79°F)

  6. Jun

    not flagged

    28°C (82°F)

  7. Jul

    Avoid

    30°C (86°F)

  8. Aug

    Avoid

    29°C (84°F)

  9. Sep

    not flagged

    26°C (79°F)

  10. Oct

    Best

    22°C (72°F)

  11. Nov

    Best

    16°C (61°F)

  12. Dec

    Best

    13°C (55°F)

Best: Oct–May. Avoid: Jul–Aug. Month by month →

Warmest Jul (30°C (86°F)), coolest Jan (2°C (36°F) low), wettest Jan (8 rain days), driest May (4). Averages, not a forecast.

Weather and climate

Forecast from Open-Meteo · averages rounded

Benzilan: next 7 days

Loading forecast…

Forecast: Open-Meteo (CC BY 4.0), model data for this point.

Air quality

Loading…

Model estimate (CAMS via Open-Meteo), not a street-level station; readings near busy roads run higher.

Jan

12°C (54°F)

2°C (36°F)

8 rd

Feb

14°C (57°F)

3°C (37°F)

7 rd

Mar

18°C (64°F)

6°C (43°F)

6 rd

Apr

22°C (72°F)

10°C (50°F)

5 rd

May

26°C (79°F)

14°C (57°F)

4 rd

Jun

28°C (82°F)

18°C (64°F)

5 rd

Jul

30°C (86°F)

20°C (68°F)

6 rd

Aug

29°C (84°F)

20°C (68°F)

7 rd

Sep

26°C (79°F)

16°C (61°F)

6 rd

Oct

22°C (72°F)

12°C (54°F)

5 rd

Nov

16°C (61°F)

7°C (45°F)

7 rd

Dec

13°C (55°F)

3°C (37°F)

8 rd

High / low, both scales · rd = rain days

Arrive & moveAirports are listed under At a glance; this is how to move once you are in

Arrive & move

Airports are listed under At a glance; this is how to move once you are in

Getting around

Walk along the commercial road; micro‑van or bus to the temple (≈15 km, ~30 min).

See & doDay-trips, door to door

See & do

Day-trips, door to door

Day-trips

Door-to-door, not ride time

East Bamboo Forest Temple

go

Door to door: ≈45 min

Micro‑van or hitch‑hike 15 km (9.3 mi) northwest; about 30 min

Entry ¥30; temple founded 1667, notable paintings.

First bend of the Jinsha River

go

Door to door: ≈20 min

Walk 8 km (5 mi) northwest along the road; 15 min

Viewing platform free; ticket office optional.

Eat & sleepWhich area to sleep in

Eat & sleep

Which area to sleep in

Where to sleep

Areas, not hotels: pick the one that fits your arrival time and plans.

Local hotels on the main road

Double en‑suite ¥60–80 per night; Huan Ying Guan Lin ¥100 (holiday price).

PracticalWhat a day costs, what to watch out for, and the pocket card

Practical

What a day costs, what to watch out for, and the pocket card

Cost per day

2026 estimate, excluding the bed unless stated
Budget
¥80–120 (≈ US$12–17) excl. bed
Mid
¥120–180 (≈ US$17–30) excl. bed

Trip budget

2026 estimate · converts to your currency
Hotel double en‑suite1 × 1 night × CN¥60CN¥60
Food, local transport, entries1 × 1 day × CN¥100CN¥100
Bus Zhongdian → Benzilan (one way)1 × CN¥15 · Ticket bought at Zhongdian station.CN¥15
Micro‑van to East Bamboo Forest Temple (round trip)1 × CN¥30 · Check availability.CN¥30
Buffer 10%Price creep, a taxi you did not plan, one splurgeCN¥21
Trip total≈ CN¥226 per person per day, bed includedCN¥226≈ US$35

Check holiday pricing.

2026 estimate in CNY; transport and accommodation only.

Prices of common things

Meal at roadside restaurant¥30–50 (≈ US$5–7)
Bottle of water (500 ml)¥2–4 (≈ under US$1)
Bus ticket Zhongdian → Benzilan¥15–30 (≈ US$3–5)

2026 estimate; check locally.

Watch out

Safety

Generally safe; watch the steep riverbank steps and keep valuables secure on buses.
  • Steep drop‑off to the river bank; use the built‑in staircase.
  • No English spoken in most hotels.

Emergency numbers

Police
110
Fire and ambulance
119

Pocket card

One page · print or save as PDF

Fill in, then print or save as PDF

Stays in this browser only; nothing is sent anywhere.

BenzilanBenzilan

Pocket card · Voykit

My bed tonight

—

—

—

请到这个地址To this address, please

Emergency

  • Police110
  • Fire and ambulance119

Embassy

US consulate in Chengdu; other embassies in Beijing.

My embassy: —

Fare anchors (2026 estimate)

  • Zhongdian → Benzilan bus: ¥15 (≈ US$3) (check ticket office)
  • Micro‑van to East Bamboo Forest Temple: ≈¥30 round trip (check)

Say or show

  • 对不起 — Excuse me / Sorry (duìbuqǐ)
  • 谢谢 — Thank you (xièxiè)
  • 这个多少钱？ — How much is this? (zhè ge duōshǎo qián?)
  • 厕所在哪里？ — Where is the bathroom? (cèsuǒ zài nǎlǐ?)
Deep diveWhat this guide covers so far, and its sources

Deep dive

What this guide covers so far, and its sources

Not a trip line yet

This is a basic guide: no airport-to-bed contract, walking clusters or day plans are published for Benzilan. Airport, fare and schedule details are unverified; check the operators before you fly.

What we know, and what is coming

On this page

  1. Best months: Oct–May (check) · avoid Jul–Aug (check) · month by month →
  2. 1 airport and 1 area to sleep in
  3. Weather: a 7-day forecast and monthly averages
  4. Cost per day in 2 bands
  5. 2 day-trips, door to door
  6. 2 things to watch out for, with emergency numbers

Coming as the guide grows

  1. Add a night in Benzilan after a Zhongdian‑Deqin bus to break the long ride.
  2. Combine river walk with temple visit for a half‑day itinerary.

Meanwhile

Back to China

Sources

Ask about Benzilan

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