Yunnan in southwest of China owns an expansive geography that simultaneously borders the Qinghai-Tibetan plateau as well as sub-tropical Burma, Laos, and Vietnam, and thus represents China's most varied ecosystem within a single province. It is a kaleidoscope of intoxicating scenery and intriguing minorities It is also home to a diverse range of natural habitats, including the dense Xishuangbanna subtropical rainforests, snowy alpine vistas of “Shangri-La”, vast river valleys formed by a network of parallel rivers such as Nujiang Gorge, and Tiger Leaping Gorge, one of the deepest gorges in the world. Ethnic minorities in Yunnan are also as diverse as its terrain. These include tribes like the Bai with their distinct white homes in Dali, Hani with their glittering rice terraces, the matriarchal Mosuo, and the Thai-influenced Dai. All these groups still retain much of its individual identity, including customs, dialect, and a way of dress that is as fascinating as it is colorful. Yunnan is also well known for various historic villages, including Dali, Zhongdian (Shangri-La), and the World Heritage Site of Lijiang.