Yuanyang Rice Terraces
Yuanyang Rice Terraces
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Josée M
1 contribution
Jul 2020 • Friends
This review is more specifically about guided tours/hikes with Jacky. We did an amazing personalized hike through the rice terrace fields with Jacky. He speaks fluent English and will personalize your visit according to what you want. We wanted a good long hike with great photography and he definitely delivered. Spending the day on a guided tour with Jacky was very interesting. On the one hand, he has traveled all over the world and knows a lot about international culture, and on the other hand, you can definitely feel the love he has for his culture and his land. As we walked through the local towns and rice fields, we learned about local customs, religious beliefs, food, languages, clothing customs, and much more. Jacky seemed to know a lot of the locals and it was charming to walk through the villages as he greeted and chatted with them. At some point, we got stuck in rain, and he helped us find shelter at a kind elderly man's summer cabin in the middle of the rice fields. We ended up spending a good hour out of the rain with this 90 year old man, his dog and his chickens, and we kept warm by the fire as he smoked his big bamboo pipe (quite common in the region). It was a very charming and authentic experience. We also learned about local plants (he would get us to sniff different herbs and explained how the locals used them in food and medicine). Keep in mind that the villages in Yuanyang differ a lot culturally from the rest of Yunnan and China, and having lived in China for 2 years, it was really nice to learn about the cultural diversity present in Yuanyang. We had one full day to spend in Pugaolao and we left feeling like we had seen and lived it all after our guided tour with Jacky. Jacky was recommended to us by our hotel (we did not stay at his guesthouse). I HIGHLY HIGHLY HIGHLY recommend him as a guide, even if you stay somewhere else in Pugaolao or in another neighboring town. His guided tour was worth every penny and more!
Here's his info:
WeChat ID: jacky981221
Phone number: 13529732170
** I'm unable to add pictures to this post because the pictures on my phone are too big and I'm not sure how to make them smaller, but the views were breathtaking during the entire guided tour**
Here's his info:
WeChat ID: jacky981221
Phone number: 13529732170
** I'm unable to add pictures to this post because the pictures on my phone are too big and I'm not sure how to make them smaller, but the views were breathtaking during the entire guided tour**
Written July 28, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
anya77
Singapore, Singapore259 contributions
Dec 2023 • Solo
I’ve seen beautiful rice terraces in Bali and the Philippines. Vietnam has them too. What sets this apart is really the unique conditions in the winter season. From December to March the fields are water filled and reflect the light from the sun as well as the clouds. The place is very foggy which is why the Hani people chose the area. The fogs provide moisture. When conditions are perfect, you get an ocean of clouds but also sunlight which creates orange and reddish hues in the water at sunrise and sunset. On other days you just get fog or sunlight. The first day I was there it was foggy. The second day we had beautiful weather. Some photographers will stay a week to try and get perfect conditions. At minimum I would stay 2 nights to ensure a chance of better weather. I was told it’s nice in Autumn as well but in spring or summer it’s probably not very different from other rice terraces.
Written December 4, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thomas
Oldenburg, Germany5 contributions
Dec 2020
the bus loads of people that you would normally expect there (and you can see on the view point platforms that they facilitate busloads) were not there, hence we had a very quiet and extremely great holiday in true nature in Yuanyang rice terraces. quite difficult to get to at the moment(december 2020) , but manageable. we took train from Kunming to Jianshui - 10:30 bus to Xinjie and another minibus to our hotel. arrived in the early afternoon.
Written January 13, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
LG_Kay
Singapore, Singapore7,512 contributions
Mar 2017 • Solo
When I was there in late March, the weather was very foggy, totally no view of the surrounding. As recommended by the hostel, I joined a group of fellow travelers to hike about an hour, 5km, from Douyishu (多依樹) to the mushroom village. Village was rather quiet and deserted, met only a few other tourists and hardly any locals. Spent an hour or so to explore the old houses, whose tops were mushroom shaped. There was a small bar, where we had coffee (25rmb) or tea (10rmb), rather expensive.
After hiking back and had lunch, it was already 2:30pm. We intended to share and hire a minivan to Laohuzui (老虎嘴), around 4:30pm, hoping for clear view of the rice terraces. Unfortunately, hostel owner called a friend and told us Laohuzui was foggy too. Such is life.
We had no choice but to rest in the hostel. Surprisingly, the fog cleared for about 45mins at Duoyishu, around 6:30pm to 7:15pm. My fellow tourists and I could enjoy the beautiful view of the rice terraces at the viewing square. Suggest to walk down to the fields for closer and better view. Extra caution needed as field was muddy and slippery. See my photos of the amazing views. I am thankful I could finally see this amazing and wonderful scenery.
Tips:
1. If you come by Kunming, the most straight-forward way is to take the 10:20am bus from the Kunming South Bus Station (昆明南部客运站) to final destination Yuanyang Xinjie (元阳新街). Fare is 140rmb. Journey is about 8 hours, 1 stop for toilet and snack break. Bus also stop briefly at Yuanyang Nansha (南沙) to drop off passengers. At Xinjie, fellow travelers heading to Duoyishu need to share a minivan, journey 1 hour, fare 20rmb. Minivan will first stop at the visitor centre, as tourists need to pay 100rmb entrance ticket, rather ridiculous.
2. For accommodation, I recommend Timeless hostel, popular among Western tourists. Owner is fluent in English. Greatest advantage is hostel is 50m from the Duoyishu viewing square. See my separate review.
3. We are very much at the mercy of the weather, which is never predictable. On foggy day, recommend to visit the mushroom village and the local market, if it is opened.
4. If your travel is flexible, give 1 or 2 days allowance to extend your stay, in the event the weather is foggy.
5. If weather is good, recommend to hike from Duoyishu to Bada (坝达) during the day, then hire a minivan to Laohuzui for sunset.
6. As there is no public transport in this remote area, it is best to share a minivan with fellow travelers to visit agreed places. Cost is about 100 to 150rmb per van, depending on places to cover.
7. If you are heading back to Kunmung, there are 3 direct buses at Yuanyang Xinjie: 09:05hr, 12:30pm and 17:00hr. I took the 09:05hr bus. Hostel owner will arrange a minivan to pick me and 3 other travelers at 07:00hr, to transport us from Duoyishu to Xinjie bus station. Cost is 100rmb, shared by 4 of us.
Overall, the view is amazing, despite the long and tiring bus trip. Pray for clear weather. If you find this post helpful in planning your trip, kindly click "Helpful". Thanks so much.
After hiking back and had lunch, it was already 2:30pm. We intended to share and hire a minivan to Laohuzui (老虎嘴), around 4:30pm, hoping for clear view of the rice terraces. Unfortunately, hostel owner called a friend and told us Laohuzui was foggy too. Such is life.
We had no choice but to rest in the hostel. Surprisingly, the fog cleared for about 45mins at Duoyishu, around 6:30pm to 7:15pm. My fellow tourists and I could enjoy the beautiful view of the rice terraces at the viewing square. Suggest to walk down to the fields for closer and better view. Extra caution needed as field was muddy and slippery. See my photos of the amazing views. I am thankful I could finally see this amazing and wonderful scenery.
Tips:
1. If you come by Kunming, the most straight-forward way is to take the 10:20am bus from the Kunming South Bus Station (昆明南部客运站) to final destination Yuanyang Xinjie (元阳新街). Fare is 140rmb. Journey is about 8 hours, 1 stop for toilet and snack break. Bus also stop briefly at Yuanyang Nansha (南沙) to drop off passengers. At Xinjie, fellow travelers heading to Duoyishu need to share a minivan, journey 1 hour, fare 20rmb. Minivan will first stop at the visitor centre, as tourists need to pay 100rmb entrance ticket, rather ridiculous.
2. For accommodation, I recommend Timeless hostel, popular among Western tourists. Owner is fluent in English. Greatest advantage is hostel is 50m from the Duoyishu viewing square. See my separate review.
3. We are very much at the mercy of the weather, which is never predictable. On foggy day, recommend to visit the mushroom village and the local market, if it is opened.
4. If your travel is flexible, give 1 or 2 days allowance to extend your stay, in the event the weather is foggy.
5. If weather is good, recommend to hike from Duoyishu to Bada (坝达) during the day, then hire a minivan to Laohuzui for sunset.
6. As there is no public transport in this remote area, it is best to share a minivan with fellow travelers to visit agreed places. Cost is about 100 to 150rmb per van, depending on places to cover.
7. If you are heading back to Kunmung, there are 3 direct buses at Yuanyang Xinjie: 09:05hr, 12:30pm and 17:00hr. I took the 09:05hr bus. Hostel owner will arrange a minivan to pick me and 3 other travelers at 07:00hr, to transport us from Duoyishu to Xinjie bus station. Cost is 100rmb, shared by 4 of us.
Overall, the view is amazing, despite the long and tiring bus trip. Pray for clear weather. If you find this post helpful in planning your trip, kindly click "Helpful". Thanks so much.
Written April 1, 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Lavendar_1107
Singapore, Singapore470 contributions
Apr 2014 • Friends
From Kunming South Bus Terminal, we took a 6hr bus ride, reaching 元阳 in the evening. Upon alighting from the big bus, we are required to take another 1hr to the village, via their minivan.
The best season to see Yuan Yang Rice Terraces is when the plantings begin in April and that the terraces are filled with water. At 6am, we were already at the best viewpoint (多依树梯田景区) for sunrise. It was totally magical to see the sun rose among the fog and the reflection of the rice terraces.
Yuanyang County lies at an altitude ranging from 140 along the Red River up to nearly 3000 metres above sea level in the Ailao mountains and situated about 50 km north of the border with Vietnam. It covers an area of 2,200 km2 (850 sq mi) and 95% is associated with agriculture. We met a young Chinese couple and decided to sight-see as a group of four.
After sunrise and breakfast, we rented a minivan at RMB700 for a day, to bring us to different scenic sights in Yuan Yang. First stop, we went to Aichuan (爱春). It was said that around late morning, the Aichuan's rice terraces are blue in colour due to the reflection of the sunlight. Obviously, I did not manage to capture that.
Thereafter, we headed to the village town for lunch. This is a rural village hence, only the simple noodles & BBQ street food.
After lunch, we visited 麻栗寨梯田. She stands between 950 metres – 2,000 metres above sea level.
After 麻栗寨梯田, we headed towards 老虎嘴梯田. The locals describe “多依树梯田 as a beautiful, young lady” while, “老虎嘴梯田 as the majestic and masculine man”. He has more than 850km of magnificent rice terraces.
After 老虎嘴, we drove to take a look at Qingkou Folk Village (青口民俗村). The village maintains a “forest, water, cottage & terraces” four factors to complete the ecosystem and upholding the Hani folk customs. Yuanyang Hani minority tribe is proud to cultivate terraces with such mountain topography.
We went to the last scenic point for sunset at 坝达梯田. She is sexy and beautifully contoured, with an area of 950 km and 3,700 flights of rice terraces. This is definitely the best spot for sunset. I was so mesmerized watching the sun setting and transforming rice terraces into a sea of gold.
As the dusk falls, we went to have our dinner. Yuanyang is famous for its smoked beef and red grain rice. They taste absolutely delicious. Apparently, the red grain rice is only sufficient for the entire Honghe prefecture. I wish I had bought few kilos back to Singapore.
We left the apartment and intended to take a bus back from Yuanyang to Kunming. Upon reaching the bus stop, due to insufficient people, the route was closed. With that, we had no choice to take a mini bus to JianShui (建水).
She is a town with buses, connecting us to Kunming. The amazing thing about China is that when the seats are full, there are stools for us on the walkway. It was quite challenging for me to balance on a mountainous dirt roads. Hahaha ...
Once we reached Jianshui, we were too tired by the road trip and decide to pay more to take a taxi (RMB600) back to Kunming from Jianshui.
It was a tiring trip purely with 2 full days on the road, to get there.But, it is definitely worth it.
Tip: There is no train from Kunming to YuanYang. You can either join tour or take 6hrs of bus (like me). We took the 10am bus and reach at 5pm in the evening. It is a long & tiring bus journey, definitely not for the dainty.
The best season to see Yuan Yang Rice Terraces is when the plantings begin in April and that the terraces are filled with water. At 6am, we were already at the best viewpoint (多依树梯田景区) for sunrise. It was totally magical to see the sun rose among the fog and the reflection of the rice terraces.
Yuanyang County lies at an altitude ranging from 140 along the Red River up to nearly 3000 metres above sea level in the Ailao mountains and situated about 50 km north of the border with Vietnam. It covers an area of 2,200 km2 (850 sq mi) and 95% is associated with agriculture. We met a young Chinese couple and decided to sight-see as a group of four.
After sunrise and breakfast, we rented a minivan at RMB700 for a day, to bring us to different scenic sights in Yuan Yang. First stop, we went to Aichuan (爱春). It was said that around late morning, the Aichuan's rice terraces are blue in colour due to the reflection of the sunlight. Obviously, I did not manage to capture that.
Thereafter, we headed to the village town for lunch. This is a rural village hence, only the simple noodles & BBQ street food.
After lunch, we visited 麻栗寨梯田. She stands between 950 metres – 2,000 metres above sea level.
After 麻栗寨梯田, we headed towards 老虎嘴梯田. The locals describe “多依树梯田 as a beautiful, young lady” while, “老虎嘴梯田 as the majestic and masculine man”. He has more than 850km of magnificent rice terraces.
After 老虎嘴, we drove to take a look at Qingkou Folk Village (青口民俗村). The village maintains a “forest, water, cottage & terraces” four factors to complete the ecosystem and upholding the Hani folk customs. Yuanyang Hani minority tribe is proud to cultivate terraces with such mountain topography.
We went to the last scenic point for sunset at 坝达梯田. She is sexy and beautifully contoured, with an area of 950 km and 3,700 flights of rice terraces. This is definitely the best spot for sunset. I was so mesmerized watching the sun setting and transforming rice terraces into a sea of gold.
As the dusk falls, we went to have our dinner. Yuanyang is famous for its smoked beef and red grain rice. They taste absolutely delicious. Apparently, the red grain rice is only sufficient for the entire Honghe prefecture. I wish I had bought few kilos back to Singapore.
We left the apartment and intended to take a bus back from Yuanyang to Kunming. Upon reaching the bus stop, due to insufficient people, the route was closed. With that, we had no choice to take a mini bus to JianShui (建水).
She is a town with buses, connecting us to Kunming. The amazing thing about China is that when the seats are full, there are stools for us on the walkway. It was quite challenging for me to balance on a mountainous dirt roads. Hahaha ...
Once we reached Jianshui, we were too tired by the road trip and decide to pay more to take a taxi (RMB600) back to Kunming from Jianshui.
It was a tiring trip purely with 2 full days on the road, to get there.But, it is definitely worth it.
Tip: There is no train from Kunming to YuanYang. You can either join tour or take 6hrs of bus (like me). We took the 10am bus and reach at 5pm in the evening. It is a long & tiring bus journey, definitely not for the dainty.
Written June 18, 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
greenpandatracks
Berlin, Germany274 contributions
Apr 2015 • Couples
After a long driver with the bus from Kunming we got up quite early to see the rice terraces of Yuanyang and do a little hike. First I want to mention that you can organize this tour without a company or guide. Do it yourself, it's cheaper anyway. We got a lot of tips from our manager of the guesthouse.
You can have several marvelous views across the rice terraces and the mountain scenery without paying for a ticket. Just ask the management of your guesthouse or one of the drivers of the minibuses, some Chinese knowledge could be helpful.
Sure, you need some luck concerning the weather but the area is nothing for a one day stopover anyway. Collect some information before you go there and you will know that the season is from November to April. In May starts the rainy season and you will hardly catch a good view across the valley.
We started from our Guesthouse in Pugao Laozhai. Bought some water and snacks in the little stores in the village and enjoyed the view from the village square across the terraces and the valley. Our hike through the terraces was very exiting though it was sometimes a bit slippery and foggy. We walk through 3 villages, meet some farmer working in the field, saw some cows and water buffalos. Just followed the cemented water channel thru the terraces parallel to the mountain. We did cross some other water channels which bring water from the top of the mountain to terraces in the valley. One of these channels were with a little waterfall. You can't get lost in the fields, if you walk the mountain upwards you will encounter the mainroad there you can catch one of the quite frequently driving minibuses for 5 RMB to your guesthouse. What we did after a hard walk the mountain upwards.
You can have several marvelous views across the rice terraces and the mountain scenery without paying for a ticket. Just ask the management of your guesthouse or one of the drivers of the minibuses, some Chinese knowledge could be helpful.
Sure, you need some luck concerning the weather but the area is nothing for a one day stopover anyway. Collect some information before you go there and you will know that the season is from November to April. In May starts the rainy season and you will hardly catch a good view across the valley.
We started from our Guesthouse in Pugao Laozhai. Bought some water and snacks in the little stores in the village and enjoyed the view from the village square across the terraces and the valley. Our hike through the terraces was very exiting though it was sometimes a bit slippery and foggy. We walk through 3 villages, meet some farmer working in the field, saw some cows and water buffalos. Just followed the cemented water channel thru the terraces parallel to the mountain. We did cross some other water channels which bring water from the top of the mountain to terraces in the valley. One of these channels were with a little waterfall. You can't get lost in the fields, if you walk the mountain upwards you will encounter the mainroad there you can catch one of the quite frequently driving minibuses for 5 RMB to your guesthouse. What we did after a hard walk the mountain upwards.
Written May 3, 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
wu1102
Hong Kong, China52 contributions
Mar 2016 • Friends
Since we depended on a lot of reviews here for our trip, we definitely want to share our experience and thank all the contributors.
First off, this is one of the most beautiful sites I've ever seen and I've traveled around the world a fair bit. It's a long drive but well worth it.
Time: the right time of year is important. We went at end of March so lots of water in terraces but often cloudy days. The overcast days provide their own unique beauty to the rice terraces but rare to have the amazing reflective quality that they're famous for. They said there is water year round but in the summer/early fall, a lot of it is covered by rice stalks that have grown out. The harvest is its own beauty though. The "best" time is during Chinese New Year but with the crowds and traffic jams, I would not want to go.
The trip: I traveled from Kunming and stayed at Jacky's guesthouse in Duoyishu (reviewed separately). It is about a 6 hour trip from Kunming only if weather is clear! We hit fog and clouds in the evening, so bad at points that we could barely see 2m in front, so it took us about 7.5 hours drive. Also, for last 1.5-2 hours, you're on mountain roads. For that reason, I'm very happy that we got a yuan yang driver. I think if I had a Kunming driver or were to do this trip again, I might stay overnight somewhere in the middle to take a break.
Trip time:
Day 1:
12pm Kunming arrival - 1.5 hours Kunming airport to shilin stone forest for 2 hour walk.
4pm departure from Shilin
8:00pm - dinner in town at bottom of mountain.
8:45-11:30pm - arrival at Jacky's
*if it's foggy, consider staying somewhere else and skipping sunrise as it will be foggy next morning as well.
Day 2:
Easy 3 hour drive around the mountain to see each of the viewing platforms. Foggy overcast day but occasional 5 minutes got lucky with sun. The clouds move quickly so truly, if it's not that bad, stay in one spot for up to an hour and you may be well rewarded. Bring snacks and have a picnic!
Day 3:
8-11:30am - easy drive down the mountain, stopping for last views of terraces. Stop for lunch.
12:15-4pm - arrive Jiuxiang caves. Jiuxiang is about 30 min further than Shilin and best to arrive before 5pm when most likely ticket office closes. Beautiful caves and 2 hours to walk through Jiuxiang. Some people say Jiuxiang take 4 hours. That's because it's 1 Hr off main highway, 2 hours in cave, 1 Hr back.
6pm - 8pm - drop off in Kunming hotel.
Round Trip car price: 3800 rmb. I was a bit shocked at the price initially but I did a bit of research and actually this is the normal price. First, it is a minivan (no regular cars we could find), which is nice and comfortable. Second, it is 4-5 days of using the driver as they usually come day before/leave day after. Third, if you want to see the area, you really need a car. From Jacky, no bus or really any group tour that I can find. Even though Jacky's has a nice location, it's still worthwhile to see the other rice paddies. This price includes a stop in Shilin/Jiuxiang. If direct, then may be as low as 3200 rmb.
Terraces:
There are 5-6 main viewing platforms of the terraces, some are free and some require a fee. Each are lovely and show a slightly different perspective. To be honest though, at the end of the trip was starting to fall into "another bloody rice terrace" syndrome. At this point, was very happy to go back to Jacky's and have a coffee on the terrace overlooking the rice paddies and enjoy peace and quiet. Even those with a fee, if you go a little further can get a similar view for free from the road but it won't be "the view". The "best" sunrise is from Duoyishu so for that reason, that's where we stayed. The best sunset is on the other side in Lao Hu zui. Basically, it's a circle around the mountain starting at Duoyishu and end at Lao hu zui, and then continue around back to Duoyishu. The main entrance to the mountain circuit is actually at the midway point however.
Recommendations:
1. Bring hiking boots/sneakers to get dirty to walk down amongst the rice terraces
2. Consider staying one night in Duoyishu to see sunrise, one night in Lao Hu zui to see sunset (also if you care, the rooms are cheaper in Lao Hu zui)
3. As these are the rice paddies, we asked to buy some local rice. They have limited stock since they usually just grow for personal use. Most of what is sold actually comes from somewhere else so need to ask locals where to get local rice, which tends to be a semi-red version.
4. The ride back to Kunming is also quite tiring and can be quite tight timing to make it to Jiuxiang. Since Jiuxiang is only 2 Hr drive from Kunming, I almost think can skip on the return and then come back as a day trip from Kunming. Actually, a number of people will do Shilin and Jiuxiang as a day trip together so it may be less tiring just to go straight. All depends on how much time you have.
5. The driver indicated the closest airport is Kunming while on the map, it shows the town Mengzi also has an airport. No idea who flies to Mengzi. Mengzi is about 3 hours away? The map also indicates that pu'er town (yes the place for pu'er tea!) has an airport but our driver indicated that pu'er is also about a 6 hour drive, most likely because no direct highway.
6. Time permitting, if it matters, give yourself at least 2 days in case one day is overcast. For such a long trip, it's worthwhile to give yourself time to try for the best weather. And have a good time relaxing and enjoying the local food or the local villages. We had some lovely stir fried local flower buds.
First off, this is one of the most beautiful sites I've ever seen and I've traveled around the world a fair bit. It's a long drive but well worth it.
Time: the right time of year is important. We went at end of March so lots of water in terraces but often cloudy days. The overcast days provide their own unique beauty to the rice terraces but rare to have the amazing reflective quality that they're famous for. They said there is water year round but in the summer/early fall, a lot of it is covered by rice stalks that have grown out. The harvest is its own beauty though. The "best" time is during Chinese New Year but with the crowds and traffic jams, I would not want to go.
The trip: I traveled from Kunming and stayed at Jacky's guesthouse in Duoyishu (reviewed separately). It is about a 6 hour trip from Kunming only if weather is clear! We hit fog and clouds in the evening, so bad at points that we could barely see 2m in front, so it took us about 7.5 hours drive. Also, for last 1.5-2 hours, you're on mountain roads. For that reason, I'm very happy that we got a yuan yang driver. I think if I had a Kunming driver or were to do this trip again, I might stay overnight somewhere in the middle to take a break.
Trip time:
Day 1:
12pm Kunming arrival - 1.5 hours Kunming airport to shilin stone forest for 2 hour walk.
4pm departure from Shilin
8:00pm - dinner in town at bottom of mountain.
8:45-11:30pm - arrival at Jacky's
*if it's foggy, consider staying somewhere else and skipping sunrise as it will be foggy next morning as well.
Day 2:
Easy 3 hour drive around the mountain to see each of the viewing platforms. Foggy overcast day but occasional 5 minutes got lucky with sun. The clouds move quickly so truly, if it's not that bad, stay in one spot for up to an hour and you may be well rewarded. Bring snacks and have a picnic!
Day 3:
8-11:30am - easy drive down the mountain, stopping for last views of terraces. Stop for lunch.
12:15-4pm - arrive Jiuxiang caves. Jiuxiang is about 30 min further than Shilin and best to arrive before 5pm when most likely ticket office closes. Beautiful caves and 2 hours to walk through Jiuxiang. Some people say Jiuxiang take 4 hours. That's because it's 1 Hr off main highway, 2 hours in cave, 1 Hr back.
6pm - 8pm - drop off in Kunming hotel.
Round Trip car price: 3800 rmb. I was a bit shocked at the price initially but I did a bit of research and actually this is the normal price. First, it is a minivan (no regular cars we could find), which is nice and comfortable. Second, it is 4-5 days of using the driver as they usually come day before/leave day after. Third, if you want to see the area, you really need a car. From Jacky, no bus or really any group tour that I can find. Even though Jacky's has a nice location, it's still worthwhile to see the other rice paddies. This price includes a stop in Shilin/Jiuxiang. If direct, then may be as low as 3200 rmb.
Terraces:
There are 5-6 main viewing platforms of the terraces, some are free and some require a fee. Each are lovely and show a slightly different perspective. To be honest though, at the end of the trip was starting to fall into "another bloody rice terrace" syndrome. At this point, was very happy to go back to Jacky's and have a coffee on the terrace overlooking the rice paddies and enjoy peace and quiet. Even those with a fee, if you go a little further can get a similar view for free from the road but it won't be "the view". The "best" sunrise is from Duoyishu so for that reason, that's where we stayed. The best sunset is on the other side in Lao Hu zui. Basically, it's a circle around the mountain starting at Duoyishu and end at Lao hu zui, and then continue around back to Duoyishu. The main entrance to the mountain circuit is actually at the midway point however.
Recommendations:
1. Bring hiking boots/sneakers to get dirty to walk down amongst the rice terraces
2. Consider staying one night in Duoyishu to see sunrise, one night in Lao Hu zui to see sunset (also if you care, the rooms are cheaper in Lao Hu zui)
3. As these are the rice paddies, we asked to buy some local rice. They have limited stock since they usually just grow for personal use. Most of what is sold actually comes from somewhere else so need to ask locals where to get local rice, which tends to be a semi-red version.
4. The ride back to Kunming is also quite tiring and can be quite tight timing to make it to Jiuxiang. Since Jiuxiang is only 2 Hr drive from Kunming, I almost think can skip on the return and then come back as a day trip from Kunming. Actually, a number of people will do Shilin and Jiuxiang as a day trip together so it may be less tiring just to go straight. All depends on how much time you have.
5. The driver indicated the closest airport is Kunming while on the map, it shows the town Mengzi also has an airport. No idea who flies to Mengzi. Mengzi is about 3 hours away? The map also indicates that pu'er town (yes the place for pu'er tea!) has an airport but our driver indicated that pu'er is also about a 6 hour drive, most likely because no direct highway.
6. Time permitting, if it matters, give yourself at least 2 days in case one day is overcast. For such a long trip, it's worthwhile to give yourself time to try for the best weather. And have a good time relaxing and enjoying the local food or the local villages. We had some lovely stir fried local flower buds.
Written April 11, 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Applied1
San Francisco, CA702 contributions
Nov 2016 • Couples
Best season for photography: Nov to early March
Best time for photography: sunrise to early morning, and late afternoon to sunset
Best spot for sunrise: Duoyishu 多依樹
Best spot for sunset: Laohuzui 老虎嘴, Baida
Best hotel: Xiang Dian 十二
Best time for photography: sunrise to early morning, and late afternoon to sunset
Best spot for sunrise: Duoyishu 多依樹
Best spot for sunset: Laohuzui 老虎嘴, Baida
Best hotel: Xiang Dian 十二
Written November 20, 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
eeyoresenigma
Berkeley, California7 contributions
Nov 2015 • Couples
These terraces have recently received UNESCO world heritage status and unlike some sites in China, it actually deserves it. Rice terraces are as far as the eye can see and the mind can imagine. Real villagers living their lives, planting rice, tending their fields, plowing them with water buffalo. It is a side of China many don't see anymore. The weather wasn't cooperating during our visit, but our very knowledge hostel owner informed us that there is about 200 days of fog a year and that without this fog the rice wouldn't be able to grow. Yuanyang delights on many levels, you just have to look for more than the standard reflection pictures. TIP! DO NOT PAY FOR THE ¥100 OVERLOOK ACCESS FEES! You can see the terraces perfectly great from a million other overlooks. But go there now as there is a lot of development going on and this place is getting a couple of superhighway connections and an airport near to here soon.
Written November 6, 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
ianbartlett6621
St. Petersburg, Russia202 contributions
Jul 2018 • Couples
Visited at the end of July. Very quiet in the hotels. Lush, green rice terraces. The sunrise and sunset platforms are not all that great with limited views in some places due to trees and topography and sometimes man made fencing. Walking through the terraces gives better options and probably more unique photos. Hani women don't like having their photos taken but the farmers and water buffalo don't mind. Lots of photo opportunities everywhere you look.
Written July 25, 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
1) I plan to Yuanyang for the major purposes of photography on 27th-31st Dec 2018, wonder is it the right season? is it snowing there at that time?
Written November 6, 2018
What is the chances that the rice fields would be filled with water by end of November, 2018? Thanks
Written November 1, 2018
They have multiple harvest year round so I guess there will be enough terrasses filled with water. Have fun!
Written November 1, 2018
Hi, I will be in kunming this October 15-22. Is it worth it to see the rice terraces at this time?
Written October 5, 2018
Depending on what you want to see. If you want to see the rice terrace with water in it, then Oct is NOT the time. If you just want to see rice terraces, then you can go anytime
Written October 22, 2018
Hi! Am hoping to visit Yuanyang in early (6-8 November) this year but am afraid that the terraces might not be filled with water yet. Any advice?
Written September 24, 2018
I'm afraid not as I visited in August.
Written September 24, 2018
Hi! Can someone recomend a car guide to go to the rice terraces? Preferably who speaks english!
Written July 13, 2018
Sorry, it is difficult to find someone who can speak English there . You need arrange your trip with a travel agent
Written July 13, 2018
What month of the year, is the harvest time?
Written June 4, 2018
there are more moments of planting and harvesting the rice all year around but in general april/may (not to hot) and sept/oct are very good.
Written June 5, 2018
Is end of september a good period to be there ? What kind of weather in september ?
Written March 10, 2018
Is there a lot of mosquito at dusk and dawn and in between since we plan to go in August . Is there any hotel in area with AC ?
Written November 4, 2016
Most of the guesthouses have zircon. Shouldn't be a problem looking for one with zircon rooms.
Written November 5, 2016
How difficult is it to get around this area for an older tourist? Is there a lot of climbing required over steep terrain to get good views?
Written February 14, 2016
The thing is that the scope of walking depends entirely on you. You want to walk, you walk... You just want to see - you hire a local guide, eg. Belinda (a very nice, English speaking person) who can drive you arround and the only walking you do is when you stop and leave the car to take a few photos or go a few steps to the viewing platform. So the effort you take depends on your choice only...
Written June 27, 2016
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