Yanjiazhuang Village is tidy and lush with greenery. Photo taken by Zhou Fan.

Ma Mengxi is preparing food. Photo taken by Ma Fengcui.

Amid the trend of sojourning away from home, the Yunnan Dian Zhong New Area attracts an increasing number of people seeking a mild climate and a slow-paced life with its unique locational advantages, livable ecological environment, and increasingly complete supporting facilities. Here, the convenience of the city and the tranquility of rural life blend perfectly, allowing sojourners to find a new life of their own...

Evian Base: An Immersive Experience of Sojourning Life

Sojourning elderly are playing chess.

"You're back! How was today's trip to Fuxian Lake?" "We ate the local copper pot fish and potato rice, and it was so comfortable walking by the water while listening to the sound of waves hitting the shore." On September 25th, organized by Kunming Xingjiafu Commercial Operation Management Co., Ltd., seven "sojourning guests" traveled from the Happy Sojourning Kunming Evian Base to Fuxian Lake for a visit. After returning, they shared their travel experiences, talking over each other.

Sojourning life centered on "immersive" experiences is gradually gaining favor. "Sojourning guests come from all over the country, mostly 'migratory bird-style retirement' groups and slow-life enthusiasts. Compared to 'check-in-style' tourism, experience-driven Sojourning life allows guests to more delicately experience the local life. July to mid-September is the peak season for Sojourning, with monthly accommodated numbers exceeding a hundred people," said a staff member of Kunming Xingjiafu Company.

Zhang Lixue, an elderly man from Shijiazhuang City, Hebei Province, told reporters that earlier this year, after learning about Yunnan's sojourning situation through videos on his phone, he was very excited and checked into the Evian Base in early September. This allowed him to balance travel and leisure seamlessly, and to more fully experience Kunming's lifestyle. He said, "I am very satisfied with Yunnan's climate, culture, and cuisine. I hope to experience different cultural charms in multiple cities in Yunnan and then choose one city as my long-term retirement destination." Mr. Zhang from Qinghai Province said that he had previously worked in Yunnan, and returning here in the form of sojourning made him feel a sense of belonging.

The radius of the sojourning lifestyle, which "starts with landscapes and returns to daily warmth," is continuously expanding, with broader and more diverse life choices constantly attracting sojourning guests. A staff member of Kunming Xingjiafu Company said, "To continuously enrich the sojourning life, the company has also launched innovative experience projects such as 'sojourning + self-driving,' 'sojourning + cuisine,' and 'homestay + healing.' In the future, we plan to expand more local cultural experience projects, deepen cooperation with surrounding scenic spots, improve transportation convenience, and create a comprehensive sojourning destination that is 'livable, travel-friendly, and recuperative,' attracting more people to come and settle down and experience it."