Encountering the Grandeur of China: Savoring Poetry and Faraway Places – Roaming the Land Series II: Yunnan (2) Yuanmou Earth Forest and Luliang Colorful Sand Forest

📍 Dali · 👁 1 reads · ❤️ 76 likes

Yunnan - Yuanmou - Yuanmou Earth Forest

Yunnan - Luliang - Colorful Sand Forest

Yunnan’s unique geological wonders – a self-drive guide to Yuanmou Earth Forest and Luliang Colorful Sand Forest

Yunnan’s Yuanmou Earth Forest, Luliang Colorful Sand Forest, and Lunan Stone Forest are collectively known as the “Three Forests of Yunnan,” representing the province’s distinctive geological tourism landscapes. Among them, Lunan Stone Forest, due to early development, convenient transportation (about 80 km from Kunming), and the boost from the hit movie “Ashima” many years ago, gained widespread fame and became a calling card of Yunnan tourism, a must-see on tour groups’ itineraries. The other two, Yuanmou Earth Forest and especially Luliang Colorful Sand Forest, have only gradually emerged on travelers’ radars in recent years. So even today, not many people know about these two attractions, and fewer have visited and seen them.

Yunnan - Yuanmou - Yuanmou Earth Forest

Yunnan - Luliang - Colorful Sand Forest

Actually, although Yuanmou Earth Forest and Luliang Colorful Sand Forest are still relatively niche, their unique and colorful natural scenery is breathtaking when revealed.

In May 2019, during our self-drive trip in Yunnan, we visited both scenic areas one after the other and left with wonderful memories. A visit here doesn’t require too much time, effort, or money to appreciate nature’s incredible masterpieces in this unique landscape – it’s well worth it and a trip not to be missed. Their distinctive beauty is very much worth sharing. If you travel to Yunnan and are interested, do go and take a look; you’ll surely have your eyes opened and be greatly delighted.

Yunnan - Yuanmou - Yuanmou Earth Forest

Yunnan - Luliang - Colorful Sand Forest

Yuanmou Earth Forest is a general term for the earth forests in Chuxiong, usually referring to Yuanmou Wumao Earth Forest. Yunnan’s earth forests are widely distributed, with the best being Wumao Earth Forest, Banguo Earth Forest, and Langbapu Earth Forest in Yuanmou County. The earliest developed is Wumao Earth Forest (also known as Hutiaotan Earth Forest; when people say “Yuanmou Earth Forest” they usually mean this one), followed by Langbapu Earth Forest, while Banguo Earth Forest remains the most pristine. Yuanmou Earth Forest is a group of columnar landforms shaped from earth deposits, named because they resemble a forest from afar. It is one of the great natural wonders in China and even the world. After millions of years of crustal movement, the gods of wind and rain have sculpted Yuanmou’s earth into countless bizarre shapes. Stepping into the earth forest, the varied forms seem to transport you into a new, strange world. The scenic area is filled with towering earth pillars, like massive clusters of artistic sculptures; minerals embedded in the pillars reflect strange and brilliant colors in the sunlight, creating a rich and ever-changing spectacle that makes you marvel at nature’s uncanny workmanship.

Yunnan - Yuanmou - Yuanmou Earth Forest

Yunnan - Luliang - Colorful Sand Forest

Luliang Colorful Sand Forest is located 18 km southeast of Luliang County, Qujing City. It is a scenic spot mainly featuring natural sand pillars and peaks. Formed by weathering and erosion, it presents a landscape of layered peaks. Because its main tones are red, yellow, and white, mixed with cyan, blue, black, and gray, and because the colors shift with seasons, climate, sunlight, and viewing angles, it produces a splendid palette – hence the name Colorful Sand Forest, a famous geological tourism site. Its unique geological structure, scoured by wind and rain for thousands of years, has created a dreamlike world of vibrant colors and myriad shapes. The sand forest is formed by the weathering of mineral-rich sandstone. Looking closely, you’ll see the sand forest change hues – red, white, yellow, gray, black – as the sunlight shifts, and photos can capture endless variations. Especially in the evening, the layered beauty of the sand forest under the sunset becomes even more pronounced and rich.

Yunnan - Luliang - Colorful Sand Forest

1. Yuanmou Earth Forest and Luliang Colorful Sand Forest lie in two different directions from Kunming. Yuanmou Earth Forest is about 220 km from Kunming; Luliang Colorful Sand Forest is about 130 km from Kunming.

2. Neither scenic area is far from cities, and there isn’t much climbing up and down during your visit; the walking intensity is low, suitable for most people. However, public transportation is still not very convenient, so self-driving is best. Both have large parking lots for easy parking.

3. Weather conditions are important, especially for Luliang Colorful Sand Forest; overcast or rainy days will greatly diminish the scenery.

4. Yuanmou Earth Forest is located in Yuanmou County, Chuxiong Prefecture, 32 km from the county seat. It’s a paradise for photographers and also a popular film and TV location. Driving from Kunming takes about 3 hours.

Yunnan - Yuanmou - Yuanmou Earth Forest

Yunnan - Luliang - Colorful Sand Forest

5. When visiting Yuanmou Earth Forest, you can take the scenic area’s electric cart straight to the summit viewing platform, then follow winding stone steps and trails downward. Along the way are earth forest landscapes, letting you get up close to the formations. Enjoy the views as you walk, and you’ll gradually reach the exit – this makes for a more relaxed visit.

6. Luliang Colorful Sand Forest is in Luliang County, Qujing City. A self-drive from Kunming takes no more than 2 hours. If you visit Lunan Stone Forest first and then head over, it’s only about half an hour’s drive. It’s not as famous as Lunan Stone Forest, so there are fewer tourists – a place for quietly enjoying the scenery.

7. The Luliang Colorful Sand Forest scenic area has undergone large-scale infrastructure development in recent years, and tourist facilities have been steadily improved.

8. The sand sculpture zone of Colorful Sand Forest hosts an international sand sculpture competition every year, and some outstanding works from past competitions remain on site. These diverse sand sculptures are preserved in nature, blending natural and cultural landscapes and enriching the visitor experience.

Yunnan - Yuanmou - Yuanmou Earth Forest

Yunnan - Luliang - Colorful Sand Forest - Sand Sculpture

Yunnan - Luliang - Colorful Sand Forest