From a general view of geographical location, Yunnan is against the vast Asian Continent in the east and north, and the Indo-China peninsula in the south. Yunnan is an inland province, with Guizhou province and Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous region on the east, Tibet Autonomous region on the northwest, and the Qinghai - the roof of the world: the Tibet Plateau - on the northwest. Besides, it shares the Yangtze river as a common boundary with Sichuan province in the northeast. Furthermore, Yunnan borders on Burma in the west, and Laos and Vietnam in the south. Under the influence of the southeast pacific monsoon, the southwest monsoon from the Indian ocean an the influence of the Tibetan Plateau, Yunnan boasts a varied natural climatic environment.

Yunnan borders on three countries, Burma, Laos and Vietnam, with a length of 4,060 kilometer boundary line. In Yunnan, the China-Burma boundary line is 1,997 kilometers long, the China-Laos boundary line 710 kilometers, and the China-Vietnam boundary line 1,353 kilometers. Simao Prefecture in Yunnan is connected to all three foreign countries. It is notable that 16 of the 25 ethnic minorities in the Yunnan province also live across the borders in the neighbouring countries or provinces. Ever since the ancient times, close economic and cultural ties have long been established between Southeast Asia and Yunnan. 

The Shushendudao (the passage from southwest China to ancient India) - which is now called the South Silk Route - existed even before 2 BC when Zhan Qian found the passage from the territory of the Han Dynasty to the Western Regions. In other words, its more than 2000 years ago that Yunnan was the land gateway from China to Southeast Asia and India and that it was the passage for the Chinese people to developed relations as well as economic and trade ties with the people in that countries.

Bordering Chinese provincial-level divisions are Tibet, Sichuan, Guizhou and Guangxi. Starting from the east and working clockwise, bordering countries are Vietnam (Hà Giang, Lào Cai, Lai Châu and Điện Biên provinces), Laos (Phongsaly, Oudomxay and Luang Namtha provinces), Burma (states of Shan and Kachin). The main border crossings are:

Hekou–Lào Cai, by road and rail, is the only Sino-Vietnamese land border crossing open to non-Chinese/non-Vietnamese.

Sino-Laotian at Boten

Ruili–Muse is the only Sino-Burmese border crossing open to non-Chinese/non-Burmese.

Eight years ago, China suspended several overland border crossings into neighboring countries. As of this week, thirteen of those once-popular waypoints have reopened in efforts to increase trade and boost international tourism, People's Daily is reporting.

Tourist traffic to Southeast Asia through Yunnan was once a booming business for several small border towns. The issuance of one-day tourist visas led to hundreds of thousands of mainland tourists a year queuing up to visit other countries. All of this traffic contributed tens of millions of yuan to local economies. It all fell apart, according to People's Daily, when concerns over high stakes gaming came into play:

Initiated in the early 1990s, cross-border travel was harmed by concerns over gambling in the border areas. The [Chinese] government cracked down on cross-border gambling activities in 2004 and officially closed the [border crossing] business on Nov 2, 2005.

The lifting of travel restrictions was approved by China's Ministry of Public Security (MPS) on December 16. It allows for Chinese citizens and foreign guests to apply for visas valid for between two and eight days, dependent upon destination. Although specifics were not spelled out in the People's Daily article, it did mention visas will be available at the "exit and entry authorities in five border prefectures and cities" referenced below.

Gambling may have played a large roll in the suspension of cross-border travel, but concerns over the rising influence of organized crime and drug-running most likely kept the prohibitions in place. Despite the closure of many international entry points in 2005, tourists and workers from Yunnan have intermittently run into serious trouble when venturing across borders.

Dozens of Chinese students were held for ransom in Myanmar in 2009 after being lured across the border with promises of high-paying jobs. That situation led the Chinese Foreign Ministry to issue an uncommon edict warning its citizens not to visit Myanmar.

Strained relations between China and its neighbors reached perhaps their most troubled point in 2011 when 13 Chinese sailors were murdered by a Burmese drug syndicate on the Mekong River. The killers were eventually apprehended, extradited to China and sentenced, largely due to cooperation between Chinese, Burmese, Lao and Thai law enforcement agencies.

Such international cooperation, bolstered by the establishment of four-country joint patrols of the Mekong, have calmed former tensions. Yunnan is also enjoying its best year ever in terms of trade with Southeast Asia. The lifting of travel restrictions may be an attempt to take further advantage of an already lucrative situation. To allay any lingering fears Beijing may have over gambling, tour agencies assisting travelers can now face the loss of their operating licenses if tourists in their care enter foreign casinos and gamble

Below is a list of all 13 ports of entry and exit in Yunnan followed by the arrival country and city. Destinations are followed by the maximum length of stay noted in parentheses. Unless otherwise noted, all travel is overland. Tourists are advised to apply for short-term visas at least 24 hours in advance of their scheduled departure date.

• Baoshan, Tengchong — Myanmar, Myitkyina (three days)

• Dehong, Ruili — Myanmar, Bhamo (three days)

• Dehong, Ruili — Myanmar, Mandalay (six days)

• Dehong, Ruili (Wanding) — Myanmar, Lashio (three days)

• Honghe, Hekou — Vietnam, Quảng Ninh Province and World Heritage Site Hạ Long Bay (eight days)

• Honghe, Hekou — Vietnam, Sapa (two days)

• Wenshan, Malipo — Vietnam, Hà Giang (two days)

• Xishuangbanna Gasa Airport (flight) — Luang Prabang (four days, ground return)

• Xishuangbanna, Jinghong — Laos, Luang Prabang (five days)

• Xishuangbanna, Jinghong (by boat) — Laos, Luang Prabang (four days, ground return)

• Xishuangbanna, Jinghong (by boat) — Laos, Luang Prabang (four days, air return)

• Xishuangbanna, Menghai — Myanmar, Mong La Township (two days)

• Xishuangbanna, Mohan (overland) — Laos, Luang Prabang (four days, air return)