China-Laos railway to bring bounty for all

KUNMING — After arriving at the Wild Elephant Valley station on the China-Laos Railway and enjoying playful interaction with the giant creatures, tourists usually walk to Manzhang village about a kilometer away for a cultural experience.

The village in the Xishuangbanna Dai autonomous prefecture in Yunnan province is attracting visitors by offering a number of experiences that involve intangible cultural heritage.

"Visitors can experience traditional Dai culture such as slow-wheel pottery making, palm-leaf scriptures and brocade making," said Yu Fahan, a villager whose father is an inheritor of Dai slow-wheel pottery making.

"In summer 2021, about 20 people came to my home every day to experience pottery making. Last summer, the number of tourists doubled thanks to the opening of the China-Laos Railway," she added.

The village has 13 restaurants and 24 inns to cater to the growing number of tourists.

Much like Manzhang, a number of once-obscure villages along the line have gradually become popular tourist destinations. "The villagers sensed the opportunity brought by the railway and turned their courtyard homes into hostels," said Ai Hanpeng, a resident of the Dai village of Chengzi.

Located in Mengla county, Chengzi is rich in culture. Leveraging its proximity to the line, it is developing rural tourism so that villagers can enjoy the dividends of the China-Laos railway.

"We plan to hold folk festivals to encourage more tourists to spend the night," Ai said, noting that the rail line is the foundation of the village's development.

Nakeli village, part of Hani and Yi autonomous county in Pu'er city, was once an important stop on the Ancient Tea Horse Trail. Today, it has become a popular tourist town along the China-Laos Railway.

Zhang Honglei, the village head, said more and more people have come to Nakeli to start businesses, live or just visit since the China-Laos Railway opened, adding that it has finally brought rail service to Xishuangbanna and Pu'er.

The China-Laos Railway, which began operation in December 2021, stretches for over 1,000 km and links Kunming, the capital of Yunnan province, with Vientiane, the Laotian capital.

"Special trains between the snowcapped mountains of Lijiang and the rainforests of Xishuangbanna have been launched to promote the integration and development of the railway and tourism," said Chen Pei, deputy general manager of China Railway Kunming Bureau Group.