What I concern is when they can connect Kunming with Singapore,it's good for the local economy and tourism.And will add sort of exotic appeal to Yunnan.

thanks lulu, the necessary correction has been made

i love this article.

only one small error: it's actually World wide Fund for Nature or World Wildlife Fund, not world wildlife foundation.

thanks,

Are Shanghainese so scary?

I think the railway is a great thing. If people have to go there for business, it will much easier.

And here I thought I had escaped the Shanghainese.

Sure is vandalism in one way, Chinese people tend to capitalise on and destroy their own cultural heritage and has absolutely no respect for nature and the untouched... but Pushingeast has some good points though...

Having dated a Mosuo girl for a while I think the airport will bring more good than bad for the people of the region. There is no denying that the majority of the people there are now dependant on the tourist dollar for survival, so a few extra plane loads of cash from the richer coastal areas and the rest of the world to this impoverished inland area can only be a good thing in my eyes.

Everybody has a trump card they rely on for survival and it is only lucky that the Mosuo have one as a society. As modernism reaches all corners of the globe, I believe that the people would have likely eventually bowed to the status quo and lost their traditions, for if anything, fear of exclusion and extinction from the modern world. At least now they are encouraged and get paid for keeping up their traditions.

What one can only hope for then is that this extra wealth gets properly distributed for improving quality of life for all in the area, promoting sustainable tourism and protecting the pristine environment.

太可惜了！

Cultural vandalism.

No!!!!!!!

please confirm that your flight Luang Prabang to Kunming is still operating on Saturday 21st February 2009 at 17.00hrs.troyle@aol.com

great article and photos! i've saved your directions and will make this expedition one day when i return to china.

Silver lining indeed. Now us mere mortals can start stocking up on the good stuff...

I'd love to visit TW, but that's crazy expensive!!!! Should be good for KM economy anyway.

Next step an Indian consulate Please!