The highlight of this trip is the famous rice terraces, reputedly the biggest in China and slated to be China's latest UNESCO World Heritage site. January is probably the best month of the year to visit because of the waters in the fields. It is currently frequented by local photographers. Apart from the rice terraces, we visit seven different minorities groups on this trip.
Note that this trip involves travel by public buses and hired buses on some days. We stay in a mix of 2 star hotels with
attached bathrooms in bigger towns and guesthouses with common or shared bathrooms
in smaller places. As with most Yongo trips, you pay for your own meals, entrance
fees, bicycle hire and other activities.
Minorities of Yuanyang
Day
1 16Nov Sat KLIA to Kunming: We fly to Kunming on Malaysian Airlines departing 9AM arriving 1240PM. and have the rest of the day free. Overnight (ON) Kunming.
Day 2 17Nov Dongchuan : The brilliant red soil, the yellow buckwheats and the dramatic skies make the region around Dongchuan a paradise for photographers. Speaking of Red Soil, the scenery is in fact centralized around Huagou(means colorful valley) of Xintian Township, which is about 50km away from Dongchuan County seat. Those locations are too small to have a name. Locals simply call it 109, 110...the number on the kilometer marker along the road. 109 is almost the highest point on the road, which branches here to another small hamlet. From all around 109 glorious vistas stretch to Guizhou and Sichuan. Dongchuan, as the crow flies not more than 20 kilometres away, is barely visible in the valley far below. ON Dongchuan.
Day 3 18Nov Dongchuan: We stay 1 more day to get good weather for pictures at red soil, visit more view point around HuaGuo village. ON Dongchuan.
Day 4 19Nov Kunming : leave Huashitou village after breakfast In the morning 4hrs drive to Kunming we visit Kunming's Bird and Flower Market and have the rest of the day free for shopping. On Kunming.
Day 5 20Nov Jianshui: Jianshui, SE of Kunming 220km 5hr, is a charming, friendly town on the becoming an important tourist destination. It has a history of over 1,180 years and is home to the Hani and Yi minorities. We visit the Chaoyang Gateway Arch built in 1389, also known as the "Miniature Tiananmen" and also Wen Miao - the second largest Confucian Temple in the country after QufuShandung. ON Jianshui.
Day 6 21Nov Swallow Cave: Located 30km east of Jianhui and covering an area of 100,000 square meters, it is home to thousands of swallows. It's also an important souce of the expensive bird's nest. We move on to Yuanyang 120km 3hr south of Jianshui for our overnight stay.
Day 7 22Nov Rice Terraces: We visit the famous rice terraces build by the Hani minorities some 1000 years ago. ON Yuanyang.
Day 8 23Nov Local Villages: We trek to some local villages with more views of the spectacular rice terraces. ON Yuanyang.
Day 9 24Nov Kunming: We have a long day drive back to Kunming. ON Kunming.
Day 10 25 Nov Fly Home: We transfer to the airport for flight home at 140PM arriving 525PM Sunday Nov 25 2012.
