Yuanyang
Yuanyang, about 380 kilometers from Kunming, is located on the south bank of the Red River in Yunnan Province and is famous for Rice Terrace. Known as a Land « Sculpture », Yuanyang Rice Terraces, is the Hani and many ethnic minorities (Yi, Zhuang, Yao, Miao, Dai)’s masterpiece of ingenuity with a history of 1300 years.
In unique shapes and sizes, they form a colorful and breathtaking landscape of natural beauty, so the terraced fields have been officially acknowledged by UNESCO as a World Cultural Heritage Site.
ABC’s of Yuanyang
Area: 2 212 km2
Average annual temperature: 24.4 degrees
Geography: Located in the south of Yunnan province, in the southern part of the Ailao Mountains, and on the south bank of the Red River.
Population: 359,155 (2021) Ethnic minorities account for 89.7% of the total population
Elevation: 1 800 m
Ethnic minorities: Hani, Yi, Dai, Miao, Yao, Zhuang.
Economy: Tourism, Rice planting.
What Things to Do in Yuanyang?
The Main Viewpoints on the Rice Terrace
• Duoyishu Scenic Area
30 km from Xingjie county, you will find an astonishing concentration of rice fields and it is the best place to photograph the sunrise. As the sunrise up, the sea of clouds, and the refractions of the water are constantly changing, people would feel the dynamic beauty of nature and get grand impact visual.
• Bada Scenic Area
16 km from Xinjie county, Bada terraces are spectacular, with beautiful lines, and a strong sense of hierarchy. You could visit it on the way back from Duoyishu.
• Qingkou Village
8 km from Xingjie, to the left of the main road, a thatched portico marks the entrance to the village. Qingkou village is a typical example of the Hani village in the Yuanyang region. Even though the place quickly gets crowded with tourists, it is still a great visit. You can discover typical mud houses with mushroom-shaped roofs, covered with thatch. In the central square of the village, a small museum will show you the customs and traditions of the Hani.
The Colorful Markets of Yuanyang
Yuanyang is one of the few places in China where you can see local people still wearing traditional costumes, and the market is a great opportunity to meet them. We recommend that you visit at least one market when you stay here. Your eyes and camera will be not enough.
The local market date is based on the lunar calendar. We recommend that you would check the Chinese calendar before you visit so that would not miss it. In addition, our guide will be helpful to arrange the visit.
• Laomeng Market
Laomeng Market is held every Sunday, it is the largest market in the region, and one-way driving is more than 2 hours. You can meet many ethnic groups from neighboring regions (The Hani, Yi, Yao, Miao, and Dai, etc.)
• Xinjie Market
The old town of Yuanyang also bears the name Xinjie which means “New Street” which is located right next to the central town square.
• Shengcun Market
Shengchun Village is located halfway between Yuanyang Old Town and Duoyishu Village. You can stroll in this market where the Yi and Hani women gather after admiring the sunrise on the rice terraces in the village.
• Niujiaozhai Market
In Niujiaozhai is held the cattle market. Located 30 km from the Xinjie old town, access is via a picturesque, chaotic, and narrow road. One has to hire a small car from Xinjie to reach this isolated village. During the journey, you can admire villages clinging to the slope made up of houses with adobe walls with their characteristic mushroom-shaped roofs.
• Huangmaoling Market
The Huangmaoling market is held every Saturday.
• Huangcaoling Market
Huangcaoling Village is located south of Yuanyang Old Town (102km) on the road between Yuanyang and Luchun. If you plan to go to the south of the province via Luchun, why not visit this market which is held every Friday morning.
• Lengdun Market
Right next to Yuanyang (Nansha) New Town, on the bank of the Red River, this market is held every Friday morning. Ideal on the route between Mengzi and Yuanyang.
Tips: Because of differences in religion and customs, local ethnic minorities don’t like to take pictures. If you want to take pictures of local people, please ask for the consent of the other party.
Honghe
Less known than Yuanyang, Honghe County, is located in the south of Yunnan and named after the Red River, but its Samaba Rice Terraces, the Yisa Old Town, and the Jiayin market on Sunday are also worth visiting.
After visiting the scenic spots in Honghe, you can choose to stay in the Kangteng·Red River Valley Tented Camp to experience the local Hani’s rice culture such as pestle rice cake. Kang Teng Camp was reconstructed from village ruins, facing a large scale of terraced fields, including 17 tent courtyards with pools and 5 rammed earth public spaces.
You can either take a bus from Kunming to Yuanyang or from Jianshui to Yuanyang.
The most convenient way is to take a private vehicle, which directly transfers from/to your hotel to save time and language troubles. Besides, in this way, the Stone Forest, and Jianshui could be visited on the way to Yuanyang and could further extend a tour to Xishuangbanna or Puzhehei. A private vehicle with a skillful driver is particularly important for a long-distance drive to the remote countryside without direct public transportation.
To travel in Yuanyang Terrace, the best time is from January to April, because the water-filled terrace reflects sunlight, white clouds, and blue skies like a smooth mirror and the terraces have a strong sense of hierarchy. Be mindful to avoid the Spring Festival in January or February and a large number of tourists has brought about the increase in transportation and accommodation prices.
If you come in June or October of the lunar calendar, you will catch up with the traditional Hani festival. The “Kuzhazha” festival of the Hani is generally dated around June 24th of the lunar calendar, with a period of three to six days. Sacrificial activities would be performed in the village, and it is also an opportunity for young people to form a new relationship.
The biggest festival of the Hani people is the “October Year”, which lasts for six days. Specifically, it is celebrated in the October of the lunar calendar. The Hani people call it “Zhalete”. According to their ancient calendar, the first dragon day of the tenth month of the lunar calendar is the beginning of the new year (equivalent to the first day of the new year of the Han people). During the festival, every village will hold a banquet in the heart of the street, and people gathered together to enjoy a good meal, dance, sing folk songs, and have fun.
Late December is not an ideal period to visit Yuanyang, for the heavy fog but it will give this place a feeling of mystery.
For information about Yuanyang climate and weather.
To know more about the climate in Yunnan: When to go to Yunnan.
Temperatures and precipitation of Yuanyang
To travel in Yuanyang Terrace, the best time is from January to April, because the water-filled terrace reflects sunlight, white clouds, and blue skies like a smooth mirror and the terraces have a strong sense of hierarchy. Be mindful to avoid the Spring Festival in January or February and a large number of tourists has brought about the increase in transportation and accommodation prices.
If you come in June or October of the lunar calendar, you will catch up with the traditional Hani festival. The “Kuzhazha” festival of the Hani is generally dated around June 24th of the lunar calendar, with a period of three to six days. Sacrificial activities would be performed in the village, and it is also an opportunity for young people to form a new relationship.
The biggest festival of the Hani people is the “October Year”, which lasts for six days. Specifically, it is celebrated in the October of the lunar calendar. The Hani people call it “Zhalete”. According to their ancient calendar, the first dragon day of the tenth month of the lunar calendar is the beginning of the new year (equivalent to the first day of the new year of the Han people). During the festival, every village will hold a banquet in the heart of the street, and people gathered together to enjoy a good meal, dance, sing folk songs, and have fun.
Late December is not an ideal period to visit Yuanyang, for the heavy fog but it will give this place a feeling of mystery.
For information about Yuanyang climate and weather.
To know more about the climate in Yunnan: When to go to Yunnan.
Temperatures and precipitation of Yuanyang
The large-scale excavation of terraces was made during the Ming Dynasty by the Hani who split the mountains to make fields. During the Ming and Qing Dynasties, the Hani terraces had a considerably large scale and the southern bank of the Red River at that time became an “Eastern Granary.”
Today, terraced fields are not only the basis for the survival of local minorities but also a precious agricultural cultural heritage in the world.
Yuanyang Twelve Manor 十二庄园酒店
From restaurant facilities, services to meals, it can be said to be the best in the local area
ADD:元阳县全福庄中寨48号
TEL: 13801322277
OPENING HOURS: 11:00 – 20:30
Local specialties are strongly influenced by the surrounding ecotope.
Renowned local specialties:
- the fish bred in the rice terraces
- frog soup
- fried bamboo worms
- glutinous rice dyed with edible plant dyestuffs
- pickled bamboo shoots
- simmered eels
You can find more detailed information on the gastronomy of Yunnan on this page: 10 unique Yunnan food.
Finding a Hotel in Yuanyang
Most hotels in Yuanyang are in the village, close to the rice terraces. Jack’s Guesthouse and Duoyiwan are economical types; Huawowo Inn has the best view of the rice land; Twelve Manor’s facilities and services are very excellent.
Discover our selection of the best charming hotels located in Yuanyang and its region, meeting all comfort and price ranges on the dedicated page of our site.
This selection is the result of our long experience and the positive feedback from our customers. Please take into consideration that in some more remote destinations, the choice of infrastructure and the range of comfort is sometimes limited. In this case, we do our best to retain the best establishments.
