Nu Fairy Festival

For more than two centuries Lisu families from up and down the canyon have gathered at the Denggeng hot springs 登埂澡塘 north of Liuku in the first days of the lunar year, bathing to wash away the old year's ills and camping by the river between soaks, with singing contests and food stalls.

How to join: Come by day from Liuku, where rooms are easier to find, and bring swimwear and a towel. The hidden Nujiang Canyon route passes the springs on Day 1.

Etiquette: Wear swimwear, keep to the public pools, and ask before photographing anyone in the water.

Yunnan has hundreds of rhododendron species, and in spring whole hillsides turn pink, red and white. The bloom climbs with altitude: Zixi Mountain 紫溪山 near Chuxiong flowers from April, the upper slopes of Cangshan above Dali follow, and the meadows and forests around Shangri-La, including Pudacuo National Park 普达措, peak from late May into June.

How to join: Walk rather than just stopping at a viewpoint: the Cangshan cable car takes you up to the high slopes, and the Pudacuo boardwalks pass through rhododendron forest. Bring rain gear, as the rainy season starts in June.

Etiquette: Don't pick flowers or break branches.

The Zhuang's spring festival honors ancestors and the new season with call-and-response singing, bronze drums, five-color sticky rice and shared meals. In Wenshan it is kept in Zhuang villages around Guangnan 广南, including Bamei 坝美, and in Funing 富宁.

How to join: County towns often hold public singing contests and markets on the day. For a village celebration, go with a guide or host who knows the families.

Etiquette: Accept the five-color rice when it is offered, and join the listening crowd rather than pushing to the front to film.