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Dongchuan Red Land

Dongchuan Red Land

Dongchuan Red Land
4.5
Nature & Wildlife AreasGeologic Formations
12:00 AM - 11:59 PM
Monday
12:00 AM - 11:59 PM
Tuesday
12:00 AM - 11:59 PM
Wednesday
12:00 AM - 11:59 PM
Thursday
12:00 AM - 11:59 PM
Friday
12:00 AM - 11:59 PM
Saturday
12:00 AM - 11:59 PM
Sunday
12:00 AM - 11:59 PM
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The area

Address
Xintian Town,Dongchuan District, Kunming 654109 China

Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.

Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.


4.5
4.5 of 5 bubbles168 reviews
Excellent
98
Very good
56
Average
13
Poor
1
Terrible
0

AnandakumarKrishnan
Dharmapuri, India1,548 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
May 2018 • Solo
Just back from Red Soil lands
I m a budget traveller
From kunming airport to North coach bus station
Taxi 80 yuan
By subway 6 yuan approx
The Bus station opens by 6 am
Got ticket for Huashitou Village
45 yuan
Bus boarded on gate number 10
Dep Time 7.50 am

I reached around 12.15pm with a stop for snacks
The Bus driver stoped at Huashitou Village
There are plenty of guest houses
But I stayed in Red ground Family guest house
The guest house owner is so helpful
He offered me a Room for 50 yuan
And also for sightseeing for Sunset and next day Sunrise
I paid for 200yuan
Huashitou Village is one of the Beautiful place not to be missed in life
Best season is from May to first week of June
Or
October to first week November
Next day the same bus comes Huashitou Village on 9.40 am
And reach Kunming North bus Station by around 2pm
Bus contact number
13529079138
13808715628
Guest house contact number
13170612242
13211612477
Written May 11, 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.

cecilia98
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia164 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
May 2014 • Couples
We were there at the beginning of May - 2 May, which was also the golden weekend. I'll sidetrack a bit and talk about the accommodation before I proceed to the attractions. We stumbled upon this guest house called 红土情缘(Hong Tu Qing Yuan, Tel: 0086-13170612242, 0086-13211612477) while looking for a place to call "home" for two nights. This place, I must say, is the most awesome home stay we've had and the hosts are the most hospitable ones we've met throughout our six years of backpacking experience in Asia and Europe. We loved the genuine hospitality of the hosts and, as cliche as it may sound, this is definitely a home away from home. I've attached a picture of the business card here and this place is so good that I feel I obliged as a traveller to recommend it to fellow travellers.
Okay, back to the sights now. Dong Chuan Red Land is a must on everyone's itinerary to Yunnan. The colours that unfolded before our eyes were just amazing and stunning. It was the season where hulless barley and potatoes were planted. Therefore we got a mix of red (from the land), yellow and green (from the matured and newly planted hulless barley) and a dash of white (from the potato flowers) in the picture. The weather was a mix between sunny, cloudy and slightly rainy when we were there. Luoxiagou (落霞沟)is famous for sunset; however, weather was slightly foggy when we were there. Hence, the view was so so for us only. As for sunrise, again lady luck was not with us (as it was drizzling and there was thick fog) and we did not manage to see anything at Damakan (打马坎)(the famous spot for sunrise). Nonetheless, despite not being able to see the signature sunrise and sunset at these spots, we were rewarded with breathtaking views at Yuepuao (乐谱凹),Luosiwan (螺蛳湾), 锦绣园 (Jinxiuyuan), Dawotang (大窝塘) when the day cleared in the afternoon. The views and the wind literally blew us away! The sunset at Dawotang was just magical (seemed better than Luoxiagou) ! Just a note though, the area is generally quite cold (except for the warmer summer months); hence a thick sweater or reliable windbreaker is a must!
Transportation wise, as mentioned by another traveller, there were two direct buses (7.50 am and 8.30 am) from Kunming North Coach Station - you have to mention to the counter staff that you want a ticket to Hong Tu Di (红土地), not Dong Chuan (东川) - and the bus basically stops you right in front of the guest house (you just have to let the driver/conductor know which guest house is that - they know all guest houses in the area :-)).
The guest house hosts told us September would be a great season to visit too as there would be plenty of white canola flowers (which are distinctive to this area).
All in all, it's a slice of heaven and you have to be here to experience China's rural charm at its best!
Written July 24, 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.

NYfromNC
NC, USA52 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Aug 2016 • Couples
also called: Dongchuan Red Land, Dōngchuān hóngtǔdì, 东川红土地), Dongchuan red soil.

There are few different ways to tour the place. This one is simple.

We did this trip in August 2016. The scenery is mostly green terraces with some red soil. It is nicer in the spring and fall seasons. We did not get to see the sunrise due to cloudy morning.

From Kunming we took subway line 2 to the northern bus terminal (the last station of subway line 2 to the north). It takes about 30 minutes from the junction of lines 1& 2.
From there the 8:30AM bus to Fǎzhě, 法者 (there is also 7:50AM bus). There was no need to buy a ticket a day in advance. The bus left the station with 3 passengers and got full later by picking up more people along the way. The trip took about 5 hours and the driver dropped us off at Huāshítou 花石头 (he knew at what spot to do it). This bus does not pass thru Huāgōu 花沟.
We checked with the driver and confirmed that he will pick us up the next day at 8:50AM. As we got off the bus, the lady that owns the hotel at the north east side of the intersection of the bus drop off was waiting for us (seems like she is coordinated with the bus people). She offered a double/twin room for 60 yuan, lunch and dinner together 20 yuan per person, and offered to drive us at the afternoon and at sunrise to the viewing spots for 200 yuan per car. The next day the bus was 1/3 empty and picked us up as planned.
There are several accommodation places there and all seems to have the same price.
This hotel and it's kitchen is not so clean. I do not know if the other hotels are better. However, the lady owner is charming and a good photographer.
Written September 12, 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.

Bar T
Misgav, Northern District, Israel4 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jun 2015 • Family
First of all i would like to say that this place is breathtaking! Absolutely beautiful!
far from any noise of cities and towns.

You should go there as soon as possible, as there is lot of work over there on the mountain with some heavy tools.

I did a day trip from Kunming, i wanted to share so you know what to do.
Day trip from Kunming without any guide (which is also expensive), is definitely possible. Not easy though.
that's what i did and it go like this: first bus from Kunming to Dongchuan (7:50, north bus station, 49¥), you'll arrive around 11:00 to dongchuan and from there just take a ride with one of the guys with the motorcycle outside the station (1.5 hours, around 100¥ one way). Then you'll have around 3.5 hours to go around the fields (for me it was good enough). Then you have two options of going back to Kunming - going back to dongchuan and catch the last bus to Kunming (18:20, 49¥) or take a bus to another city (forgot the name, sorry) and from there to Kunming. I did the first option, which in that case, i would recommend to buy the bus tickets as soon as you are coming to dongchuan from Kunming.

For those who want to spend more then few hours over there, stay the night on the hills, get some.pictures with the sunset /sunrise.

That's all, hope you find it helpful :)
Written June 23, 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.

Jude T
Hong Kong, China59 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jun 2014 • Couples
There are only 2 buses a day at 7:50am and 8:30am. There is another way to get to Dongchuan with a more flexible schedule however it will require a taxi ride to Redland after arriving in Dongchuan. I took the 7:50am bus to Fahze from Kunming North Passenger Bus Station. You can only purchase tickets on the day so punctuation is crucial. Dongchuan Redland bus tickets costs ¥38 one way. The coach had plenty of stops. Journey took 3 hours which isn't too bad.

I stayed at the Hong Tu Ren Jia Jiu Dian. For my full review of the guesthouse check out: http://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Review-g298558-d6833238-Reviews-Hongtu_Renjia_Hotel-Kunming_Yunnan.html

I don't remember the names of each scenic spots. But we covered most spots in one half of an afternoon and one morning. We had plenty of rainfall during our visit however according to the locals after raining is the most beautiful time of Dongchuan red land. After raining the clouds disperses while the sun shines casting light and shadow on the red earth; what's beautiful is that it is always changing; every second is an entirely new picture. The sky also becomes incredibly blue!

Check out my blog for more details of my stay: www.judetsang.me/dongchuan-redland/

Here are some essential tips:

1. Day trip from Kunming is not recommended, unless you are on a tight schedule and do not care for taking many pictures. Hire a driver from Kunming for day trip.

2. Dongchuan Redland is free; no entrance fee.

3. There is nothing to do at night. Apart from stargazing.

4. Bring food and beverages before heading to Redland. There are hardly any stores.

5. Redland has an altitude of 1800-2600, so be careful not to do too many strenuous exercises.

6. No banks or atm in Redland. Guesthouses only accept cash, so bring enough!

7. Be careful not to step on farmlands as local farmers may charge you for trespassing.

8. It's a good idea to have all the names and addresses in Chinese script written down to make it easier for communicating if you're not fluent with Mandarin.
Written November 21, 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.

Xiaojuan
Lijiang, China108 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jul 2012 • Friends
I went to Dongchuan on July, the scenery is not very good. Best time to visit March to May, October. I will go there on this April, hope can see the most beautiful scenery. There is only one hotel on the scenery spot, it is very convient for sunrise photograph. If you need the hotel information, you can contact me.
Written January 25, 2013
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.

kent k
Winter Park, FL71 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jun 2012 • Family
Below is the email that motivated me to go to that remote location. By the way, I am eighty years old.

We stayed overnight in Kunming, flying in from Xian. It was the best hotel of the entire trip. It is the better part of a whole day’s drive from Kunming up to Dongchuan over a narrow, sometimes crowded road. Our driver was expert. There is now a hotel up there and we were one of two parties staying there. It was new and clean, but certainly not luxurious. We did not expect it to be. The color of the crops will depend heavily on the season of the year you travel. We were there in the last week of June and the crops were either green (corn), white (potato blossoms), lavender, or yellow (rape) but certainly not to the extent or intensity of the pictures below. Nevertheless, it was one of the scenic highlights of our trip. Photographers are the main visitors, and we had one in our group. She will be glad to share her experiences with her equipment with you if you wish. It was overcast the day we visited, so we did not get a sunset shot. We stopped at about a half dozen strategic spots and either took pictures from there and/or hiked short distances to get better vantage. There are very few roads, so I believe that one tour’s path would not vary much from any others. China Odyssey’s guides spoke very understandable English and were very knowledgeable, being of local upbringing in their area. None had ever been abroad.

This two day trip is probably not for the typical casual tourist, but all of us have lived and traveled extensively. I have lived seven years in Europe including one year in Newbury, Berks. My ancestors were English and Scottish. The food on our tour was outstanding. The tour paid for our breakfasts and lunches, and we bought our own dinners mostly at restaurants chosen by our guides based on our desires. We did not eat in a Western restaurant while on tour. We suffered one person’s upset stomach one day on the whole trip! Our party of eight traveled in mini busses throughout. They were air conditioned and comfortable. The only substandard hotel was in Lijiang, the Wangfu Hotel. The front desk operation was outstanding, but almost none of the staff spoke English, the breakfast was not up to par, and my room had a moldy smell. We apprised our guide of this, but it did not spoil our time there. The rest of the hotels were world-class four- star, so we did not feel slighted.

Overall, we feel that we got more than our money’s worth and had a marvelous time. I would recommend China Odyssey Tours to anyone. Please feel free to reply with more questions or comments. I will put you in touch with Barb (our photographer if you like)

Best regards,

Kent Kelley

A place in south west of Kunming , Capital city of Yunnan Province . Because of remoteness and lack of infra structure and lodging etc. This place is not listed in the tourist map of China .

The red land of the eastern river is a place where one almost can not find it in China 's tourist maps. Even if there is, it has only a few words to introduce it.

It is located in the southwestern part of KUNMING , 2600 ft. above sea level, a remote area. Because of its lack of infrastructure, transportation problem, inadequate lodging facilities.
Ordinary travel agency would not think of going there. Even the people living there are not so aware or familiar with its existing beauty.

But for those who have seen the pictures of the Red land , no one can resist being attracted to its beautiful scenery! Just like a painting of a great magnificent landscape.

Because the soil contains such components as oxidized Iron, etc kind of metallic minerals. after a long period of oxidation , gradually added and mixed in the soil that produced this extra-ordinary reddish brown soil.

Here in this place, Mountains and hills , every inch of land are cultivated and planted to the maximum by the inhabitants, Consequently causing unwanted damage to the place... erosion.

Just like Taiwan , How long could this magnificent phenomenon exist? We do not know. That's why there is an advocacy of returning to forestry.

Dongchuan Red Land represents Yunnan mountain valley most attractive colors.

Excursion is the soul's relaxation and banquet.

Multicolor Waves----five, six kinds of color mountains look like multicolor waves, so magnificent.

Crops on the Red Land such as ; potatoes, oats, corn, oil flower vegetables, Different color crops so arranged ,when looking from afar it seems like God painted them on a cloth so full of gorgeous color.

Each family was distributed with different size and shape of land, Each has its own preference kinds of crops. That caused and produced this beautiful pieces of colors. During harvest time, the soil is shoveled up and makes this unusually red color.

I like the countryside farms' scenery.

In September , white color oil flowers are in bloom on the whole mountain, It is a pity they covered up the beautiful red color. The best time for sightseeing tour is middle of November .

The whole mountain is like covering with a beautiful colored cloth. How I wish to lie down enjoying the breeze and looking at the ever-changing clouds in the sky.

Early in the morning, donkey-ridden cart full of harvest transporting to the town, while a few of the children walking toward the different direction to school.

A melody kind of view.

Different seasons, different time, different sunlight, produce different kind of colors.

Just like a mixing colors plate so bright and splendid.

"Sunset is so beautiful but it is almost dark" The most dazzling color is before the sun sets.

Rare opportunity to see the burning clouds, I set up my camera and got it.

Bad temper donkey did not want to work with the bull , such uncoordinated working force., This is the first time I saw such kind of farming method and wondered why.

The poorer farmer used horse to take the place of donkey. later I knew that since different kinds of animals had different temperaments, they were used together to control each other. If one of them refused to move, the other one would force it.

That is to increase production. I think such ancient method could only be seen here only.

Good kid helping to harvest vegetables to bring home before sunset.

Clear sky with a rainbow after the rain.

This hollowed place is the most distinct part of the land. Later , in order to promote tourism it was named
Lexiaguo ( meaning--- the place where beautiful colors set)

A town in Lexiaguo.

Lexiaguo is full of crops that its curves and lines were made so beautiful by the sunlight.

The curve-like crops' lines enhanced more clearly by the red soil.

In life, sometimes we do not need to ask ourselves so many Why's.
Written July 30, 2012
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.

Daniel A
Fruit Heights, UT8 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Nov 2015 • Solo
Was planning on taking the bus straight from Kunming to the Red Lands but there are only two busses early in the morning and I got into Kunming 昆明 in the later afternoon so I decided to take the bus to DongChuan 东川 which is a little out of the way of the Red Lands. The bus ride took about 2 hours. When I got there, I got lucky and there was bus leaving straight from there to the Red lands (around 2 pm.) The ride took another hour or so. I wandered around the fields and there were people plowing and harvesting. The small towns were spectacular to walk through, this is an authentic piece of rural China!!! No commercialism at all and sometimes that is hard to find in China. I went in November and the fields were all sorts of colors, simply stunning. One of my favorite places in China.
Ended staying at a local hotel which ended up being only 80 RMB or so. Not the usual place that foreigners stay at but the place was new, clean, and cheaper than other places. Redland seven color folks (红土七彩人家) Address: 红土地镇花沟村石头小组13号。 15969498522
Saw both the sunrise and sunset which were spectacular. Got a lot of great photos of the locals and their farming.
If you want to experience rural China than this is the place for you. Take time to wander around the fields and enjoy the locals culture.
Written December 23, 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.

Priscilla D
Sydney, Australia81 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Oct 2014 • Solo
I am so glad not to have missed Dongchuan. The views in the area are superb and although it is recommended that travellers stay there overnight to see sunset/sunrise I did not have the time and still felt I saw a lot. The way there is beautiful, there is nothing to do once in the area except look around at the beautiful landscape and take photos. Not touristy at all. Some guest houses around but I didn't see any souvenir shops at all. I hired a car and driver, it was worth every cent. John Xie organised this- fantastic day!
Written February 27, 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.

clarencekoh
Shah Alam, Malaysia79 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Oct 2014 • Friends
Take the bus at NORTH COACH STATION, KUNMING. 7.30 OR 8.30 BUS, Call Mdm Zhao to ensure room available. Should reach by 12.00 noon, Bus stops right at the home stay hotel. Please note, only one room with seating toilet, The rest squatting toilet. You have your lunch there and Mdm Zhao will cook for you. Choose you food in the fridge. At 3pm, her husband will fetch you to visit lovely scenery and sunset scene. At night, nothing much to do, all darkness. You only need a night stay. Please get Mdm Zhao to arrange your bus back to Kunming, when you arrive there.
The next morning Mdm Zhao's husband will ferry you to see the sun raising scene. Its is all organised. Not worry and car, room stay and food very reasonable. Very kind and friendly couples. Unfortunately they don't speak english but message and sign language will be able to get what you want
Written October 30, 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.

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