Self-driving Tour of Southeastern Yunnan
After a long preparation, we finally set off from October 28 to November 9, a total of 13 days. We flew to Kunming and visited Dianchi Lake (Haigang Dam), then started from Stone Forest -> Puzhehei -> Yuanyang -> Jianshui -> Dali -> Fuxian Lake -> Dongchuan Red Land -> Jiaozishan Snow Mountain -> back to Kunming (Cuihu Park). Later we heard there was no snow on Jiaozishan, so we skipped it, but we added two more spots along the way: Bisezhai Railway Station and Lijiang Ancient Town. The trip was about 2,500 kilometers. After arriving in Kunming, we picked up cars from "eHi Car Rental" — three SUVs for 12 people to travel comfortably.
Dianchi Lake, also known as Kunming Lake, is a fault lake formed by tectonic subsidence. Its surface is at an altitude of 1,886 meters, with an average depth of 5 meters and a maximum depth of 8 meters. Rivers such as Panlong River flow into it. Dianchi Lake is known as the "Pearl of the Plateau." Haigang Dam lies along the lakeshore, and the natural Haigang Park is an ideal place for leisure and vacations. Painted pavilions, stone boats, a sea-viewing promenade, lush lawns, gorgeous cherry blossom forests, luxury yachts, a seaside leisure square, and thousands of gulls flying in during winter and spring create a harmonious and romantic blend of humans and nature. Immersed in this scene, you will feel delight, relaxation, beauty, and the desire to stay.
Shilin Yi Autonomous County is known as the hometown of Ashima and is home to the famous Stone Forest scenic area, hailed as "the No. 1 wonder of the world." People of Han, Yi, Miao, Zhuang and other ethnic groups live here, with an average altitude of 1,730 meters. The Stone Forest area is a scenic spot dominated by karst landforms. Within an area of 400 square kilometers, there are hundreds of huge stone groups resembling black giant forests. Some stand alone as individual scenes, while others crisscross and connect into large patches covering tens or even hundreds of mu. The Stone Forest boasts the oldest, most widely distributed, most complete, and most unique Paleozoic karst landform communities in the world, earning it the title "No. 1 wonder of the world." Stone peaks rise abruptly from the ground, presenting a variety of postures and shapes, as if carved by supernatural forces. The Greater and Lesser Stone Forests are the central areas of the Stone Forest scenic area. In the Greater Stone Forest, attractions are concentrated, including the majestic Jianchi Peak, the thrilling Lotus Peak, and many oddly shaped stone peaks such as "Peacock Preening Feathers," "Elephant Sitting on a Stone Platform," and "Two Birds Sharing Food." The Lesser Stone Forest, connected to the Greater Stone Forest, is less steep but more elegant. The famous giant stone called "Ashima" stands here.
The Stone Forest scenic area is a mature, early-developed attraction with a huge flow of visitors. Famous spots are crowded with people, no less than the Bund in Shanghai during National Day. So safety should be a priority when visiting!
Qiubei's "Puzhehei" is a national key scenic area. "Puzhehei" is a local Yi language term meaning "a lake full of fish and shrimp." Among scattered solitary peaks, the area boasts a 40-li waterway winding through, thousands of mu of wild lotus, endless peach orchards, and the world's largest karst wetland. It is praised as "a rare and unique karst pastoral landscape in China." Visitors can also experience the simple and colorful ethnic customs of the Zhuang, Yi, Miao, Yao, and others. The best time to visit Puzhehei is summer, when thousands of mu of lotus are in full bloom — a spectacular sight! Puzhehei has rich ethnic cultural heritage, with the strong folk cultures of the Zhuang, Miao, and Yi forming the mainstream of its tourism culture. The scenic area now offers many tourism products such as sightseeing, vacationing, health preservation, leisure, cycling, sketching, photography, fishing, bird-watching, and wetland experiences, along with seasonal views: spring for mountains and water, summer for lotus flowers, autumn for fields, and winter for birds. For accommodation, we recommend staying in Puzhehei Village, where there are many inns at various prices. We stayed at Pinxiang Shuixie Inn; the owner and his wife were very hospitable, and the accommodation was very satisfactory. The main advantage was that it was very close to the filming site of "Dad, Where Are We Going?" — just a few minutes' walk. However, visiting the filming site requires a fee (a small token fee). Puzhehei scenic area itself does not charge an entrance fee, but some individual spots and optional activities have separate charges. There are also two small caves (Huoba Cave and Guanyin Cave) with tickets; visiting one is enough as they are similar, and both are small caves without anything spectacular. Qinglong Mountain is a good place to watch sunset and sunrise. It is located in the center of the scenic area with no other mountains blocking the view, so it is suitable for watching sunrise and sunset and the panoramic view of Puzhehei. During sunrise and sunset, there are many people; it is advisable to arrive early to get a comfortable spot. The Eternal Love (Three Lives Three Worlds) outdoor filming location is not far from Qinglong Mountain. With the TV series becoming popular, this place has become the hottest spot. It is recommended to go in the morning or evening, when the light is best for photos.
I especially want to introduce a spot called "Shecao Grassland," which is said to be the secret realm of Qingqiu — the boundary between the Wing Realm and the Heavenly Clan in the TV series "Eternal Love (Three Lives Three Worlds, Ten Miles of Peach Blossoms)." It is where the immortal Siyin was loved by Princess Yan. Unfortunately, when we went, the weather was bad — drizzling rain and white mist, which was really unpleasant!
On the way to Yuanyang, we decided on the spot to visit Bisezhai Railway Station. This place became famous because of the movie "Youth" (Fanghua), where a scene of troops gathering at a railway station was shot. Bisezhai Railway Station was also the first station on the Yunnan-Vietnam Railway within China, so its tracks are narrow gauge. Bisezhai is a place in Mengzi. Mengzi's cross-bridge rice noodles (Guoqiao Mixian) are authentic, and we each had a bowl there for lunch. It's no exaggeration to say: "Absolutely worth it." One friendly reminder: friends who want to visit in the future should expect a fee, as a parking lot is under construction, meaning private cars will no longer be allowed into the scenic area; visitors will have to take scenic shuttle buses.
There are many landscapes in the world, some as natural as high mountains and great rivers, some as cultural as pavilions and towers. As the saying goes, "The benevolent love mountains, the wise love water." Some prefer nature, others prefer culture. But there is indeed a third kind of landscape — the Hani Rice Terraces in Honghe, Yunnan, a perfect combination of natural creation and human endeavor. No matter who you are, you will find your own emotion here.
Amid the lofty mountains, thousands of terraced fields cascade down the slopes. The intersections of planes and lines, lines and faces, are like a palette carefully overturned by God. This magical land is the Yuanyang Rice Terraces in the southern part of the Ailao Mountains in Yuanyang County, Yunnan Province. They are "earth sculptures" carved by the Hani people over thousands of years. From November to April each year, the unremarkable Yuanyang county town attracts a large number of tourists and photography enthusiasts. After the autumn harvest, the terraces need to be irrigated and maintained, and at this time they show the most layered beauty of the year, making them the most popular. At dawn, sunlight filters through the clouds gradually dispersing the morning mist over the fields. The layered terraces are bathed in golden light. The Hani and Yi villages nestled in the mist appear dreamlike. As the thick fog slowly lifts, the terraces reveal their true appearance, like unfolding flowing scroll paintings. After the sun rises, the terraces change colors with the light — red, green, blue, yellow blend together like a giant palette, with extremely rich color layers.
Unfortunately, we came at the wrong time — it was a foggy day. We arrived at the scenic spot early in the morning, but could see nothing. The thick fog shrouded the beautiful terraces. Fortunately, after a while, we caught a glimpse of light and took a few not-so-good photos to somewhat console our depressed mood.
I must mention the local government management here — it was terrible! There was virtually no management at all. Cars were parked randomly, and the restaurants were smoky and chaotic. During our two days there, we didn't see a single city management officer. "Dirty, messy, and disorderly" is the most accurate description. So I advise friends planning to travel to Yuanyang to be mentally prepared!
The Shuanglong Bridge in Jianshui is located on the Lujiang River and the Tachong River, 3 kilometers west of Jianshui city. Named because the two rivers meander like dragons, it is commonly called the "Seventeen-Arch Bridge." It is a three-pavilion, seventeen-arch large stone arch bridge, 148 meters long and 3-8 meters wide. It is one of Yunnan's famous historical sites, considered the largest and most artistically valuable multi-arch stone bridge in the province, and has been recorded in Chinese bridge-building history. Three pavilions with flying eaves are built on the bridge — one large central pavilion and two smaller ones at the ends. The pavilions and bridge complement each other, creating a magnificent sight, making it a precious masterpiece in Chinese bridge construction. The central pavilion is particularly grand, earning it the title "Grand View Pavilion in Southern Yunnan." Since we were in a hurry to continue our journey, we couldn't stay long in Jianshui; we only stopped here briefly to take photos.
