First Glimpse of the Distant Mountain Terraces
On January 7, Kunming's COVID cases cleared. On the 8th, I immediately booked tickets, called to inquire about the pandemic prevention policy, and departed on the 9th. In the afternoon, I arrived smoothly at the hotel and reunited with my daughter.
They say Yunnan is a kind of affliction—once you've been, you can't forget it.
In the evening, I rented an SUV through an online platform. Due to the pandemic, car rental was very cheap: six days including insurance cost just over 1,400 yuan.
The weather in the Spring City (Kunming) in January was pleasant, neither cold nor hot, with flowers blooming all year round as always.
On the morning of the 10th, I picked up the car and navigated to Haigeng Dam. (Details in the previous travelogue.)
Due to the pandemic, we chose off-the-beaten-path destinations for this Yunnan trip, which naturally helped with epidemic prevention.
On the 11th, we departed Kunming at 10 a.m. and arrived in Mile City, Honghe Hani and Yi Autonomous Prefecture, shortly after 2 p.m. We navigated straight to Dongfengyun.
There were very few people, giving us the feeling of having the place almost to ourselves. The architecture with ethnic characteristics and the flower sea typical of Yunnan—our cameras couldn't stop clicking!
Two kilometers from Dongfengyun there is a winery. When we drove there at past four in the afternoon, it was already closed, so we returned with regret.
In Mile, I recommend the Taiping Lake Forest Cabin Hotel. Also due to the pandemic, we chose a lakeside cabin. The wind at night was very strong, but everything else was truly nice, and the breakfast was good too.
When in Mile, you must visit the hot springs. There were quite a few people soaking. The pools are divided into various small ones, including flower pools, angelica pools, and mugwort pools.
Because time was limited, we only soaked in four pools before leaving, carrying the fragrance of flowers with us.
On the morning of the 12th after breakfast, we asked the hotel butler to drive us around the forest park in an electric cart. We shot a video; it was beautiful, but I don't know why I can't upload it.
At 11 a.m., we drove to Yuanyang County in the Honghe Hani area. January to April is the best time to see the rice terraces. It took us six hours to reach our booked B&B, winding along mountain roads. The higher we climbed, the thicker the clouds grew. The Hani people's characteristic is that wherever there's a bit of flat land on the mountain, they carve out terraces and build houses, living by the mountainside. From their viewpoints, you can see the settlement customs of the Hani.
The B&B we stayed at was called 'First Glimpse of Distant Mountains.' We initially only booked one night, planning to go down the mountain after sightseeing the next day. The moment we arrived, we asked to extend for another day. The design style of the B&B was amazing! Let me share a few photos.
It's the kind where you can lie in bed and watch the distant mountains wrapped in clouds.
The next day, it drizzled, and the wind was too strong to fly the DJI drone. The distant mountains were shrouded in mist and clouds, making a sunrise impossible, so we went back to bed to catch up on sleep.
After lunch, the rain stopped, and we set off to Duoyishu. The best spots for photographing the Hani Terraces are Laohuzui (under renovation and closed), Duoyishu, Bada, and Jingkou. There are many roadside terraces too, but the photos didn't turn out well. Because of the rain, we couldn't capture the colorful, shimmering effect. Yet the swirling clouds gave a fairyland feeling—homes nestled deep in the white clouds!
On the morning of the 14th, the weather cleared up. As we descended the mountain, we drove to Bada to take photos. The terraces at Bada are even larger and more spectacular.
The Hani Terraces display different color schemes depending on the weather and light—truly the extraordinary workmanship of nature.
The Hani Terraces reflect the diligence and hardships of the Hani people.
Coming down from the mountain, we bypassed Yuanyang County, passed through Jianshui County, and arrived at Fuxian Lake Resort in Chengjiang City, Yuxi. Our Yunnan road trip experience was that everywhere—on the roads, at scenic spots, and at hotels—the fragrance of flowers filled the air!
On the second day in Chengjiang City, it drizzled. Without sunlight, the waters of Fuxian Lake looked gray and hazy. Perhaps after days of traveling, we were a bit tired. That day, we drove to the free market and bought a lot of fresh vegetables, beef, red wine, strawberries, blueberries... The fruit here is so cheap, especially blueberries at 60 yuan per kilogram. The fish from Fuxian Lake were also delicious. We returned to the resort with a pile of goodies, and the family warmed up by the fire, eating and drinking, or just staring blankly at the lake.
On the morning of the 16th, it rained lightly. We first drove our daughter to Kunming Changshui Airport, then hurried to the Kunming train station to return the car. The plan to buy one hundred roses at the flower market fell through. A local told me roses cost 2 yuan for ten stems. I had planned to buy a hundred to give to friends who were concerned about my trip. Another regret.
Every time I travel, I try to stay in B&Bs for the freedom. Nowadays, many B&Bs have communal spaces where, after meals, you can sit and chat. If you find kindred spirits, you add each other on WeChat. Through Moments, I get to see scenery from parts of the world I haven't visited. Lucky me, I've also added photography masters, so occasionally I enjoy their landscape masterpieces. The B&B owners also post local seasonal views. The relaxed and happy interaction among travelers is like seeing their figures in my Moments...
