Ruili Information

"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.