Yunnan Self-Drive Road Trip | Lost in the Land of Colorful Clouds, Give Yourself a Moment Beyond Time

📍 Kunming · 👁 1 reads · ❤️ 118 likes

Yunnan was once a utopia in many people's hearts, but in recent years the media has hyped it into something pretentiously artsy and clichéd.

Yet for me, every place is special. As you say, every place you haven't been is a paradise worth visiting.

I'm not sure why I suddenly decided to go to Yunnan. Maybe it was a discounted plane ticket, but I know that was just the trigger for this escape. I've been to Yunnan many times before, and each time I left I knew I would definitely set foot on this land again. The reason to set off can always be simple—as long as your heart wants to go, your feet will arrive one day.

Amid the busy, restless rhythm of life, you have to give yourself a stretch of time to live beyond time itself. This Yunnan self-drive road trip, from Kunming to Dali to Deqin Meili Snow Mountain—

Let me slowly tell you about the heart-fluttering surprises I encountered along the way.

On this road trip, I brought my Huaxia Bank credit card. Right from the start, from airport VIP lounges and fast-track security, to booking flights, hotels and routes on the Ctrip app during the trip, and using the card on the go—so many convenient perks!

Come on, take Huaxia Bank card and explore Yunnan for a smoother journey.

Days with seas and flowers~

Probably few people can resist the healing power of Dounan Flower Market. My first visit was truly like a country bumpkin seeing the world.

It's said that seven out of every ten fresh-cut flowers nationwide come from Yunnan, and Dounan accounts for over 80% of the province's fresh-cut flower trade.

The market buzzes with vibrant, down-to-earth energy.

I found hydrangeas more beautiful than 'Endless Summer' varieties, bought some with roots to send home. A bunch of sunflowers for five yuan can buy all the happiness. Legend says you could fill a car trunk with flowers for less than 100 yuan—probably right!

Happiness overflows here as abundantly as the flowers. Today's puzzle: how to spend 100 yuan here. My arms can barely carry it all.

———— I N F O ————

【A minute to understand why you should play at "Dounan Flower Market"】:

Dounan Flower Market is the largest in Asia and the second largest flower market in the world. Seven out of every ten fresh-cut flowers nationwide come from Yunnan, and the Kunming Dounan Flower Industry Park handles over 80% of the province's fresh-cut flower trade.

Yunnan's uniquely favourable climate and geography make it one of the country's biggest flower producers. The sheer scale and variety of Kunming's flower markets are dazzling. "Kunming flowers sold by the kilo" is one of Yunnan's 'Eighteen Oddities'. Dounan Flower Market in Dounan Village, Chenggong County, Kunming, has become a famous wholesale flower hub. Just 18 kilometres from Kunming, it's the heart of the national fresh-cut flower market, now "China's and even Asia's largest fresh-cut flower trading market" – a renowned flower capital.

【Recon report】:

> Main hall:

Dounan Flower Market really has several buildings, each selling different things.

The one with "China Kunming Dounan Flower Market" written on it is the main hall. Most girls travelling here check in right here.

Dounan is open day and night. Daytime mostly features succulents, potted plants, and some retail cut flowers.

The flowers are mainly targeted at tourists, but they're genuinely cheap.

> Trading culture:

Goods start arriving around 5pm, and suddenly lots of vendors set up stalls outside the market entrance, selling both cut flowers and foliage.

It's quite a spectacle – worth witnessing in person.

The trading hall opens at 8pm. Flowers are graded from A to F. Great for soaking up the market's cultural vibe.

> About prices:

Prices vary within the same variety. For sunflowers, common ones are 5 yuan a bunch, while the best-looking ones go for 15 a bunch.

A huge bunch of sunflowers for 5 yuan, baby's breath 3 bunches for 10 yuan, ranunculus 10 yuan a bunch, mimosa 10 yuan a bunch...

(Hands itching to buy wildly; sorry, you simply can't carry it all)

【Address】: Flower Avenue, Huahuashijie, Chenggong District, Kunming

Self-drive: Best, because you'll definitely buy a lot – "a trunk full of flowers" is no longer a dream.

Metro: Line 1 to Dounan Station (Exit C). Turn left at the intersection, then right, and you'll be there in ten minutes~.

【Opening hours】: 9:00 - 17:00

【Best season】: March to October, when flowers vie for beauty.

【Money-saving tips】:

Cultivate the habit of paying by card in your travel life. All kinds of points and spending perks can instantly earn you a bunch of sunflowers~

Huaxia Bank runs monthly "Spend Monthly, Win Monthly" and "Swipe for Great Buys, Win Big with Spending Threshold" campaigns with different lucky draw perks based on the number and amount of transactions.

A few days in Kunming, with a morning shower and the sun fond of coming out in the afternoon.

Arriving at Qianxun Mowen just at 2pm, autumn sunlight climbs the branches, under the eaves and on the roof tiles.

Wind chimes tinkle under the maple tree, playing with light and shadow.

I delighted in the courtyard's flowing stream, murmuring along with the insects' chirping.

Hidden in the city, from mountains to a study.

An afternoon nap, in the small courtyard beyond the floor-to-ceiling windows, hawthorn fruit drop onto the wooden planks with a thud.

The room's courtyard has its own private hot spring pool. In the dark night, the warm mountain spring water, milk and flower petals, with a candle's warm glow in the slightly cool air.

At night, cricket sounds rise and fall in my ears.

Not knowing what day or night it is, time itself makes a sound without a stir.

———— I N F O ————

【About "Qianxun Mowen Zen Hotel"】:

Qianxun Mowen is a hotel meticulously crafted over two years by Mr. Li Yapeng together with many like-minded renowned masters.

Inside the Expo Garden, it's a great hermitage in the city.

【Hotel review】:

> Style:

Both public areas and rooms are exquisite and grand, blending Han and Tang dynasty culture with modern understated luxury, classical and fashionable, graceful and sumptuous.

The decor skews heavily towards Han-Tang style, but facilities are well above super-high star standards, with a restaurant, long bar, wine cellar, and tea room.

> Private courtyard hot spring pool:

Natural hot springs wash away the day's fatigue and troubles at night.

The room provides milk and rose petals. In your own private courtyard, listening to crickets in the crisp autumn night, an open-air soak~

> SPA area:

There's a dedicated SPA area that can serve outside guests.

In-house guests can enjoy spa treatments in their rooms, which have a private spa room – a truly distinctive feature. You can relax comfortably without leaving your room.

> Exclusive dining:

Sitting in a room steeped in zen, eating a bowl of crossing-the-bridge noodles – so comforting.

The traditional zen crossing-the-bridge noodles are visually stunning. From the vessels to the presentation to the ingredients, everything is excellent. The noodles are brought in a basket, garnished with chrysanthemums – very zen.

Timing: Order two hours ahead because the earthenware pot needs preparation time. But it's worth it for the taste and looks!

Price: 168 RMB per person.

> Slow life with tea:

In your spare time, you can sip tea in the tea room. Friends from all over become like family. You can meet the warm-hearted owner inviting everyone for tea – I love afternoons and nights tucked away in this paradise.

> About photos:

The hotel itself is like a painting. The lines of the architecture and gardens make for effortless photoshoots.

Kimono and Hanfu are available; props like paper umbrellas and brocade pouches can be borrowed at the front desk.

【Address】: Inside the Expo Garden, No. 439 Bailong Road, Panlong District, Kunming

【Booking】: Ctrip Hotels

【Money-saving tips】:

Using a Huaxia Bank credit card with the Ctrip app to book hotels really saves a lot~

> When booking flights or hotels on the Ctrip Travel mobile app and paying with a Huaxia Bank credit card, orders over 20 RMB enjoy a random discount of 20–666 RMB.

> From 10:00 am on the first day of each month, cardholders purchasing domestic travel packages on the Ctrip Travel app or mobile website (https://m.ctrip.com) get 300 RMB off single orders with actual payment of 3000 RMB or more (maximum 300 RMB off), limited to 350 offers per event period. First come, first served while stocks last. Each cardholder is limited to once per month during the entire campaign.

BTW, if you have a Huaxia Bank UnionPay QuickPass themed card, every Tuesday and Saturday on the Ctrip app, paying with the QuickPass themed card via QuickPass payment widget, you can enjoy 30 RMB off when spending over 62 RMB.

Old street at dusk, light and shadow shuttling between past and present.

Wandering every corner of the old street, vaguely tracing its original look.

The city is being torn down and rebuilt on a massive scale, and people's lifestyles are changing. Old buildings are layered against modern high-rises, strikingly vivid as the city darkens.

Sometimes I don't know what I'm searching for, but wherever I go I always want to uncover its preserved origins. Perhaps I'm a nostalgic person; things that live in the past inexplicably feel comfortable and endearing to me, with their distinct personalities bringing me a tranquillity that lets me pause.

An old street, sifting through a city's cultural imprints?

Searching for marks left by time?

———— I N F O ————

Address: Old quarter west of Zhengyi Road, Wuhua District, Kunming

Time: All day; dusk to evening recommended, when light and shadow give the old street more spirit.

Old street recon notes:

> Old buildings:

Kunming old street is a highly photogenic spot. Every flagstone path, every old building with white walls and black tiles, is a memory worth cherishing.

This house, resembling those on Wukang Road in Shanghai, is bilaterally symmetrical, and many people stop here for a picture.

> Jianxinyuan:

Jianxinyuan in the old street, a century-old restaurant, needs no introduction for the taste in Kunming people's memories. Boss, a bowl of crossing-the-bridge noodles, and a glass of papaya water.

> Dongfang Bookstore:

Dongfang Bookstore is also a must-visit on the old street. This century-old bookstore gives you a time-travel illusion the moment you step inside.

There's a distinctive handmade rice noodle roll shop, recommended items: cold rice noodle rolls, fried tofu, braised pork intestine noodles.

Strictly speaking, Kunming Old Street isn't on the outskirts of Kunming, but historically it was once marginalized.

Just as every city has its history and origins, Kunming is no exception. With over nearly 2000 years of history, Kunming Old Street has become a unique cultural imprint for Kunming people.

This street is called Yongdao Street, right in the city centre. In 1983, Yongdao Street already had Kunming's earliest bird-and-flower market. Over time, vendors who set up iron-sheet stalls selling flowers, birds, fish and insects on Yongdao Street made a fortune and expanded outward, gradually forming the Jingxing Jewelry, Bird and Flower Market. Moreover, these small businesses representing urban street character even spread to Guanghua Street and Wenming Street. Now that Yongdao Street's renovation and upgrade is complete, those once-relocated businesses have returned with upgraded goods.

The restored Kunming Old Street is now a core part of Kunming's historical and cultural city, an authentic old quarter. In terms of both tangible and intangible cultural heritage, it has become an indelible cultural imprint for modern Kunming people.

On the sixteenth day of the eighth lunar month, the night of the full moon.

A moon over Erhai Lake.

———— I N F O ————

Shooting location: Cai Village Wharf, Dali

BGM: Crystal Valley

Equipment: Sony a7m3 + Sony FE200-600mm, f/5.6-6.3

【Moon shooting tips】:

> If you use a regular lens, no matter how you zoom, you'll only see a white dot, let alone capture the textures on the moon. Generally, the longer the focal length the better for moon shots. But if you don't have a 'super telephoto' lens, at least use a 200mm lens or add a teleconverter.

> Use full manual mode.

When shooting the moon, we're usually in a dark environment. So if you use semi-auto or priority mode, the camera might be misled by the surrounding darkness, thinking the light is insufficient and slowing the shutter or opening the aperture. The photo would then be overexposed. Therefore, it's best to set the camera to full manual mode, take a few test shots and fine-tune according to the environment. Here's one commonly used setting: aperture f/8, shutter 1/125, ISO 100 – of course this is just a reference; adjustments must be made based on actual conditions.

Early October in Dali, with its touching sunlight, I couldn't help running into the old-time ambience again.

A few years ago when I came to Cai Village, you could drive right up to the lakeside, with the lakeside highway and Erhai's water rippling beside you. Now it's become Cai Village Wharf, and the road from the village entrance to the wharf bustles with activity.

Turning into an alley, I suddenly felt it was still the slowed-down time from my memory, living beyond the low-noise, beyond-time, the colours and images imprinted in Yunnan.

I love Erhai Lake blue, from dawn to night, changing saturation endlessly.

In the afternoon, direct sunlight hits Erhai. Walking a few steps to the water's edge, the sparkling starbursts are an intimate surprise.

Stepping onto Dali's land again, another road trip around Erhai Lake.

When the mood is good, you can hitch a ride on a local's boat and drift for a while in Erhai's deep blue, feeling the sky-blue water clear, and the wind blowing across Erhai, sometimes with a faint fishy lake smell, but definitely not an off-putting one.

At noon, with direct sunlight on Erhai, walk to the water's edge for a close encounter. The sparkling starbursts are an intimate surprise.

Driving up the winding mountain road, look at the small town where you slept last night from a different angle, even foolishly searching for the house you stayed in. Trips are full of such seemingly silly little moments that make the whole journey endearing.

Seagulls usually arrive at Little Putuo Island in October and leave by mid-March the next year. This migration brings a special scenery to Wase Town. Erhai's fish and nutrients can't meet all the gulls' needs. Local villagers welcome this migration, offering food as gifts so they can see their return next year.

You've surely seen blue skies and soaring eagles, giving you an impression of freedom. Does this Erhai blue and the seagulls give you the same feeling? It seems blue and flight, combined, always stir the heart.

Circling the lake, as sunset arrives, the soft sunlight melts into this deep blue, sparkling ripples on the lake surface. The villages slowly shed the sunlight. Stop and quietly watch it change. This is Erhai blue, from dawn to night, with unmissable moments—sunrise, noon, sunset, stars—you're sure to find your favourite view.

At the foot of Cangshan Mountain, flower seas, rice paddies, birch groves... They overlap with many similar memories of past autumns, yet add more charm.

Coming back, this time I finally brought my mum to a place I love, hoping she'll like it.

「Self-drive trip」 Money-saving tips:

> Car rental: Book on the Ctrip app with a Huaxia Bank credit card. Orders over 20 RMB enjoy a random discount of 20–666 RMB.

> Huaxia Changxing Card perks: Up to 6% fuel rebate per month on petrol. Bring it on self-drive trips—convenient and money-saving~

Autumn in Dali, with growing day-night temperature swings and gentle, moving sunlight during the day, gives plenty of reasons to savour Erhai Lake.

In the afternoon with sunlight streaming, self-driving around Erhai, street-shooting through coastal towns with lovely names, searching for low-noise images beyond time.

34 kilometres from Dali's Xiaguan, Xizhou, facing Erhai Lake to the east and nestled against Cangshan Mountain to the west, still has Bai culture as vivid and distinct as its architecture, letting you feel a touch of light clouds and breezy calm.

Xizhou Town—towns along Erhai Lake all have names so beautiful they're unforgettable. The collision of colours always brings out something better, just like the deep lanes and red doors still visible everywhere in these towns, which always seem especially beautiful when framed in a composition.

The people I meet on my journey always make me curious, guessing at their lives. Thinking about human encounters feels magical and endearing. As an outsider, gazing at their lives, there must surely be ordinary yet moving stories.

Cities are being torn down and rebuilt on a massive scale, and the Bai people's lifestyle is also changing. The original markets now see tourists, naturally giving rise to images of vendors selling things. I try to walk into every corner of the village, wanting to see its original appearance. Sometimes I don't know what I'm searching for, but wherever I go I always want to uncover its preserved origins. Perhaps I'm a nostalgic person; things that live in the past inexplicably feel comfortable and endearing to me, with their distinct personalities bringing me a tranquillity that lets me pause.

The villages around Erhai Lake were originally small fishing villages. You can imagine they were places where people lived by the sea, rising with the sun and resting at sunset. From the abandoned fishing ports with many rusty boats moored, you can picture the locals' past lives. Now Erhai bans fishing except for whitebait. Driving around Erhai, such scenes of Bai people can still be seen, though perhaps rarely a few years from now.

One lap around Erhai Lake is not enough, especially the coastal road from Shuanglang to Wase. It holds such appeal for me that waking up in Shuanglang in the morning, I couldn't resist driving that stretch again to see its early-morning face. Villagers rise with the sun, their hard work as grounded as this land, bringing everyone rich rewards.

People living in Dali lead romantic lives, living up to the reputations of wind, flower, snow and moon.

At the foot of Cangshan Mountain, I encountered Jizhao Nunnery, with succulents filling the front and back yards~

Wandering along the ancient Tea Horse Road, left behind after eons of change, even I forgot myself beyond time.

Autumn in Dali, with growing day-night temperature swings and gentle, moving sunlight during the day, gives plenty of reasons to savour Erhai Lake.

Going up the mountain and down to the lake with Mum~

Picking tea halfway up Cangshan Mountain, overlooking the distance, the entire small city around Erhai is spread before you.

Early autumn, the waters of Erhai, the nearshore water weeds starting to yellow. Rowing on Erhai is an intimate surprise. Feeling the sky-blue water clear, and the wind blowing across Erhai, a faint fresh-sweet smell, an occasional water caltrop picked up is a small afternoon serendipity.

This is my first night in Shuanglang. In the northern hemisphere's autumn and winter, Erhai's stars fill the night sky as soon as it darkens at 7pm. If you avoid the restless lights, slip into a desolate alley, step onto an unlit terrace, or drive out into the wilderness, while feeling solitude, this land will generously bestow upon you a vast starry sky.

Many years ago, I had forgotten what the starry sky looked like, let alone seeing a shooting star. In my memory, the starry sky belonged to childhood. Slowly, the starry sky became unfamiliar to us city dwellers; it's written into songs, poems and movies, and restless life has also spurred so many star chasers.

How wonderful it is that a starry sky, a glance of azure blue, a city's lights—those brief moments of them—can become profound and unique amid the clutter of memories.

In autumn and winter in the northern hemisphere, the Milky Way becomes less bright.

At 3am, lying in bed unable to sleep, I simply went up to the rooftop. The Milky Way had risen above Erhai Lake. Sleeping Shuanglang made the starry sky even more desolate. The pitch-dark terrace was initially quite frightening, but the darkness made every star seem to glow. Occasionally looking up to see a meteor streak across the sky, I suddenly felt the entire starry sky over Erhai was mine. Time passing under such a sky, every second shimmered with faint light.

Beautiful things always come fleetingly. May every journey I take have my favourite images to accompany me in writing the next story, so in every unforgettable moment, I meet another self by chance.

Xizhou, a name I found so beautiful and unforgettable three years ago, still feels that way now. This time I finally stayed here?

Wandering the streets and alleys of Xizhou Town, every framing in the viewfinder captures a scene I love.

In the afternoon sun, the images here remain as low-noise as living beyond time; time itself has stopped in the old days.

Despite the passage of years, ancient memories live on forever.

Dali, Xizhou, Bai tie-dye, the Erhai blue dyed with indigo leaves.

Handmade tie-dye Get?

I love snowy mountains too much, and the starry sky too much. When the two come together perfectly, I'm willing to go on a whim for it.

Driving all the way from Dali to Deqin.

The city I live in has no visible stars. They appear in movies, songs, and memories.

Every night I meet you,

Like the stars,

Rising from the brightest star at night, stars linked to day and night, sunrise to sunset.

All the stories about stars are hidden in the deep blue night sky.

———— I N F O ————

【About "Meili Snow Mountain"】:

Meili Snow Mountain in Yunnan, also known as Snow Mountain Prince. Located in the middle section of the Hengduan Mountains, about 10 kilometres northeast of Deqin County, Yunnan Province, between the Nujiang and Lancang rivers, connecting to Adonggeni Mountain in Tibet to the north and Biluo Snow Mountain to the south.

The main peak, Kawagebo Peak, a name that alone prompts me to travel day and night.

【Shooting equipment】:

> Camera: Sony a7m3

(Prepare multiple cameras for simultaneous shooting to save time and capture the best starry sky moments)

> Portable slider

> Intervalometer shutter release (most cameras now have built-in time-lapse, so no need to prepare)

Day-night temperature differences are large; even in summer, shooting starry skies at night requires a down jacket and windbreaker.

【About refuelling】:

> National Highway 214 winds up the mountain all the way, fuel-consuming and with few petrol stations. During holidays, queues can be extremely long; make sure to fill up when setting off.

> Huaxia Changxing Card, a money-saving trick. Up to 6% fuel rebate per month. I always bring it on self-drive trips—recommended for you too.

The sunset sinking into Erhai Lake, returning to the hotel, trying to help the owner, tending the terrace with the same care as him, as if I'm genuinely stepping into a slice of life here.

Actually, travelling has never solved any real problems. It's just that with each departure and arrival, I can feel the weight of time more deeply, and it makes me understand and love life itself better after each return.

There's plenty of time ahead; let's journey on together.

Travelogue Contents

1. Travel video

2. Kunming｜Dounan Flower Market, days with seas and flowers

3. Kunming｜Qianxun Mowen, hidden in the city, sleeping with hot spring water

4. Kunming｜Old street at dusk, light and shadow shuttling past and present

5. Dali｜Under Cangshan Mountain, admiring a moon over Erhai Lake

6. Dali｜Cai Village, turning into an alley, back to the old days

7. Dali｜Road trip around Erhai Lake, searching for Erhai blue

8. Dali｜Town street-shooting day, towns along Erhai all have names so beautiful they're unforgettable

9. Dali｜Tea Horse Road, remnants from eons of change

10. Dali｜Picking tea on Cangshan, rowing on Erhai