Enjoying the daily grind: Visitors flock to Yunnan's coffee heartlands

How far would you go to make the perfect cup of coffee? Baobao Cafe in Baishapo at Nandaohe village in Pu'er, Yunnan province, is a good place to start.

At the cafe, the experience begins with visitors roasting their own coffee beans in a truly unique way.

The sound of the beans rattling and tumbling inside old-fashioned, hand-cranked domestic popcorn makers blends with the steady whir of the turning handles, while a rich aroma of the gently roasting beans fills the room.

Huang Yubing, the cafe owner and a local coffee farmer, modified the traditional popcorn machines through repeated trials, repurposing them to safely roast coffee beans, and has applied for a patent.

"I was eager to try something new, and Huang guided me patiently throughout," said Chen Yan, 28, a visitor from Kunming, Yunnan. 

"It's my first time having a full bean-to-cup coffee experience. It's relaxing and therapeutic, freeing me from the stress of work. Such a multisensory adventure amplifies the pleasure of my trip, making the memories more unforgettable," she said.

Before leaving, Chen took home a bag of the beans she roasted to share with her family.

During her visit to Baishapo, where coffee cultivation serves as the main industry, she tasted a variety of beans roasted to different levels and processed using differing methods to find the combination that appealed to her. 

Baishapo, which is also known as Beautiful Star Village — Youfeng Kagu (Windy Coffee Valley), has been transformed into a vibrant coffee community, thanks to a rural vitalization project supported by Shanghai-Yunnan cooperation and the Starbucks Foundation. 

At its 1,700-square-meter coffee experience center and cafes owned by villagers, visitors can immerse themselves in the full coffee journey, guided by baristas every step of the way. 

Yunnan was named one of the Top 10 Best Places to Visit in 2026 by The Wall Street Journal, celebrated for its mountain scenery, traditional villages, rare tea and coffee farms.

Amid lush coffee trees, Russian vlogger Aleksandra Antonenko picks bright red dewy cherries with care.

"I drink coffee every day and it's bitter, but I never knew the coffee cherries themselves taste so sweet," said Antonenko, who lives in Shanghai. "If you like coffee, you should come to Pu'er." 

With guidance from a barista, she carefully selects ripe red coffee cherries, submerges them in water, picks those that sink to the bottom and begins de-pulping them by hand to get at the precious beans inside. 

Once dried, she decides the roasting level, sets the temperature and puts the green beans into a roasting machine. She hears the clear, crisp cracking sound of the beans, just like popcorn, and the aroma gradually develops.

She then grinds the beans evenly, pours hot water gently over the grounds in a slow and circular motion to bloom the coffee, and finally savors her own handmade 'cup of Joe'.

"We're welcoming a growing number of visitors, including inbound travel groups. They love coming here to experience a close connection with coffee," said Dai Xiaoyan, general manager of Beautiful Star Village — Youfeng Kagu Pu'er Culture and Tourism Company. 

Pu'er, which is known for its tea, has also built a reputation as China's coffee capital. Its premium coffee manors provide a complete "from seed to cup" experience. 

At Elephant Coffee Manor in Nanbanghe village, visitors can sip freshly brewed coffee from a secure, fenced viewing spot while watching wild Asian elephants wander peacefully through their natural habitat — a breathtaking and one-of-a-kind experience. 

"Visitors are first drawn by elephants, yet after joining the coffee experience, they come to realize that the process of making coffee is surprisingly fascinating," said Chen Pingxian, founder of the coffee manor. 

Visitors can also turn leftover coffee grounds into lovely handmade crafts such as elephant-shaped scented charms. This eco-friendly practice allows travelers to create unique souvenirs while learning to reduce waste.

Contact the writers at xulin@chinadaily.com.cn