Zhuang Third of the Third

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 Dai New Year is three days of ceremony that end in a town-wide water fight. In Jinghong the first day brings dragon-boat races on the Lancang (Mekong) River, the second a riverside market and a costumed parade, and on the last morning water is ritually drawn from the river before the splashing begins. Mangshi and Ruili in Dehong hold their own programs in mid-April, on dates announced locally each year.

How to join: In Jinghong, watch the boat races from the riverbank on the 13th, then on the 15th head for Water-Splashing Square 泼水广场 and the streets around it from late morning with a bucket or water pistol. Book rooms weeks ahead, as Jinghong prices rise for the festival. With children: the main splashing on the 15th soaks everyone, and the crowd around Water-Splashing Square gets very dense, so younger children may do better on a quieter side street or at a hotel's own splashing. Dress them in quick-dry clothes and strap sandals, agree a meeting point, and put a card with your phone number and hotel name in Chinese in each child's pocket. Can't make 13–15 April? The Dai Ethnic Park 傣族园 in Ganlanba stages splashing every day.

Etiquette: Water here is a blessing, so take a soaking with a smile, but don't splash monks, the elderly or anyone clearly not playing. Carry your phone and passport in a waterproof pouch.

Each spring Kunming's jacarandas flower purple-blue, and Jiaochang Middle Road 教场中路, lined with them, becomes the most photographed street in the city. The bloom overlaps the May Day holiday, and many visitors time their Kunming stops around it.

How to join: Walk the road at 7–8 am on a weekday, before the photographers arrive.

Etiquette: It's a working street with traffic and residents: stay on the sidewalk and don't block doorways or driveways for photos.