Simao
Simao is located southwest of Yunnan Province, about 500 kilometers from Kunming.It takes 40 minutes to get there by plane. There are 10 counties under its jurisdiction, which are inhabited by 14 distinct ethnic minorities, such as Hani, Yi, Dai, Lahu, Wa, Bulang and Yao. The total minority population in the region numbers well over one million.

Simao borders Laos, Myanmar and Vietnam with a border of over 600 kilometers. More than 43% of its land area is covered by forests, which host a mild climate that receives plenty of rainfall. 

Lancangjiang (Mekong River) originates in the Tibetan plateau. It runs through 6 counties within the Simao Prefecture. Lancangjiang consists of the upper branch of the Mekong River, which connects Xishuangbanna Prefecture, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam and finally flows out into the South China Sea. The river is 4,880 kilometers long and is called "the Danube in the East ". The opening of a water channel and of the Simao Port has made it possible to travel along the Lancang - Mekong River, enabling one to visit Laos, Myanmar and Thailand by boat.