- Information
- Traveler Advice
- Forums
48HourVisit.com
Planning a short visit? Check out 48HourVisit.com, your online guide for short stays and weekend getaways. Ad
The Glossary
"Anything goes in Ruili," so the saying goes. This border town on the fringes of China and Myanmar used to capitalize on its Sin City appeal, drawing moneyed youths by the bulk because of its many casinos, karaoke bars, and drugs and prostitution dens brought about by the city's economic boom during the height of the Chinese-Burmese trade. After a massive clean-up, modern hotels and shopping malls were placed in lieu of the dance clubs and gambling halls, while the streets were returned to sarong-wearing Burmese vendors selling silk and jade, leaving no room for mafias.
A part of the southern route of the ancient Silk Road, Ruili today may not physically reflect its denotative meaning of "fortunate" (rui) and "beautiful" (li), yet it is still worth a bicycle paddle for its lively jade, furniture and trinket markets, ethnic villages, well-preserved Buddhist stupas, and a generally laidback Southeast Asian atmosphere.
Ruili is a bus or a minibus ride away from Wading, Mangshi, and Zhangfeng. This town in Yunnan Province is home to lowland and highland ethnic groups such as Han Chinese, Jingpo, Dai, Deang, Achang, and Lisu. The Dai are related to the people of Laos, Thailand and Cambodia; the Deangs are known for their colorful woven silk and Buddhist temples; while the Jingpos have oval-shaped dwellings and clothes that include silver ornaments and turbans. The Achangs are known for their historical and oral traditions narrated through music and songs, while the Lisu people have their own musical instruments like che-ngoh-che, a guitar with no fret board.
Ruili's charm also lies to the fact that is just a few kilometers away from Muse, a town in Myanmar. Accessing Myanmar through Ruili is now made easier since border-crossing restrictions are becoming lax, and new roads are also on the way of being made to shorten the five-day travel.
User blogs:
Baguio: City of Pines
This is SM City Baguio. The biggest mall in the city. I never imagine to live here in Baguio for a long time. But becuase of studies, I prefer to take my college course here than in Manila. After a two year long of staying in here I am learning to appreciate what Baguio has to offer to its tourists and locals. But seeing its changes from its foundation last 1909, Baguio grew a lot faster ... Read full Blog post
Vietnam Holiday Choice
Vietnam might have been late Vietnam might have been late to Southeast Asia’s beach party, but it was worth the wait. The country boasts more than 3400km of coastline, with infinite stretches of powdery sand, hidden coves, lovely lagoons, impossible boulder formations and tropical islands ringed with yet more beaches. Help! Too many choices! iThe country boasts more ... Read full Blog post
In our Magazine
When Mother Nature wields terror
Some places are made dangerous by the conflicts brought about by humans. But in these towns and cities—most of them heavily populated—it is Mother Nature which is always on the verge of wrath, wrecking havoc of unimaginable proportions.
Slaughter of dolphins comes to cinemas
Ric O’Barry once captured and trained dolphins in amusement parks and made the character Flipper world famous. Now, he is the animals’ unlikely champion, exposing the savage ways they are hunted in a small town in Japan. This time, he wants the dolphins swim free.
The new Bollywood fever
As one of the major film production centers in the world, Bollywood churns out about 1,0000 movies, most of which cater to India’s masses. They precariously enact their lives through the characters, escaping to a world where everything in the end gets resolved in song and dance.
