The Yuanyang Rice Terraces are the Hani ethnic minority's masterpiece of ingenuity. In unique shapes and sizes with thousands of years of history, they form a mosaic of colorful fields — a manmade landscape of breathtaking beauty.
Learn about the best times to visit them, how to get to the Yuanyang Rice Terraces from Kunming, and other useful travel information, such as what Yuanyang's various scenic areas are popular for and photography tips there.
- Things to do: hiking, photographing, and exploring ethnic Hani villages
- Suited to: nature lovers and photographers
- Recommended time for a visit: 1–3 days depending on the weather, when you stay, and how many beautiful pictures you want to take
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Top Platforms to Visit at Yuanyang Rice Terraces
The Yuanyang Rice Terraces form a large scenic area. Here, we will introduce the best platforms at the Yuanyang Rice Terraces for a sunrise, a sunset, and blue terraces.
Duoyishu: Best for a Sunrise
Duoyishu is considered to be the best place to take pictures of a sunrise over the terraces. There's a charge for this platform.
The best time to watch a sunrise is from 6:30am to 7:30am. The platform opens at 6am. If you want to secure a good spot, you'd better arrive before it opens and wait.
The platform is built down the slope of the mountain. The first level you enter has the best view.
Duoyishu is one of the most popular platforms, so expect it to be crowded. If you don't want to be surrounded by people or if you don't want to make the early effort and simply want to see a sunrise, you could choose to stay in a hotel near the terraced fields where you could view the sunrise from your balcony.
Sunrise in DuoyishuAichun: Best for the Blue Terraces
The Aichun Blue Terraces are close to Duoyishu.
The reason they are called blue terraces is that they reflect the blue of the sky very easily.
The best time to view the blue terraces is before 10am. On a sunny day, you could see a mosaic of terraces that resemble blue glass.
It is a free platform. However, if you want to go down to the terraces, the villagers would charge you a fee.
Bada: Best for a Sunset
There are more than 3,700 tiers of terraces there, on a grand scale.
The optimal time to watch a sunset is at about 6:30pm. Bada has three platforms, and numbers 2 and 3 are highly recommended. There is also a fee for these platforms.
Next to platform 2, there is a café where you could enjoy a drink while waiting for the sunset.
SunsetLaohuzui: Best for a Sunset
Laohuzui is also best for watching a sunset. It requires an entrance fee.
The terrain there is higher and more precipitous. The terraces have a stronger sense of depth and vivid layers of color, making them more popular among photographers. It's also great for capturing the evening glow.
It has two platforms, an upper and a lower one. The upper one is recommended as it is easier to access and offers a broader view.
The lower one takes about 20 minutes to walk down to and the return trip also takes about 20 minutes climbing back up, which requires some physical effort.
Azheke: Best for Walking
While Bada, Duoyishu, and Laohuzui are places for viewing the terraces from a distance, Azheke is ideal for walking onto the terraces and traversing the ridge.
Azheke is a traditional Hani village that has been in existence for 200 years. Ancient mushroom-shaped houses are scattered amid the terraces. Some corners of the village offer the best views of the terraces.
There, you could also learn about the lifestyle and cultural traditions of the Hani people.
Other Free Platforms
- Dawazhe: Best for sunsets, it is a "wild" platform where you would find your own angle along the roadside. The terraces are smaller in scale but the advantage is that it's free and less crowded.
- Quanfuzhuang: This is best for seeing the blue terraces, especially at about 9am.
- Jingkou: The blue terraces could be seen at about 5pm.
- Malizhai Tea Factory: This is best for capturing the blue terraces and a sunset. When Bada is covered by a sea of clouds and the terraces are obscured, you could go to Malizhai Tea Factory, which is just a 2-minute drive from Bada.
- Huangcaoling: This is best for a sunrise. If the weather is good, you could also see the blue terraces after the sunrise.
Sunset glowTips on Photography in Yuanyang
1. Choose a suitable season for photography: spring's sowing season and autumn's harvest season are generally preferred. Comparatively, pictures taken in spring are much better because the lines between the water in the terraces and the ridges of the fields are clear and beautiful.
2. Allow enough days for photography. The highlights to capture at the Yuanyang Rice Terraces are a sunrise and sunset. It's best to stay there for at least 3 days to ensure that you have plenty of time to take photos. Make sure that you get to the right platform 2 hours earlier to get a good angle to photograph from.
3. Take a wide-angle lens as you would use it most of the time. Only 20% of photos tend to be taken with a telephoto lens.
4. If possible, take a drone. Aerial shots are clearer and more impressive than views from platforms when looking at the terraces.
Best Times to Visit the Yuanyang Rice Terraces
Yuanyang enjoys a mild climate without seasonal extremes. Most of the rain is between May and October. The temperature varies greatly between day and night, so it is best to take a warm coat, especially for capturing a sunrise with an early start.
Local people plant seedlings in May, harvest them in September, and irrigate the fields in December. You may choose your travel dates according to what you'd like to be in your pictures.
However, the best time to photograph the terraces is from January to March. Yuanyang presents the most beautiful views after the terraces have been irrigated and the water in the fields reflects the sunshine, creating many colors.
The scenery is extremely spectacular in early spring (from late February to March), with seas of clouds, wild cherry blossoms, wild kapok, pink peach blossoms, and white pear blossoms.
Yuanyang Rice Terraces in winterThings to Do Beyond the Terraces
Besides watching a sunrise, a sunset, and the terraces, there are also the following activities and experiences.
Explore Local Markets
Yuanyang has three markets, each with its unique characteristics. These markets are very local and not touristy, offering insight into the authentic local lifestyle.
- Niujiaozhai: This market is known for its barbecues. First, select a piece of meat at a stall and the vendor would slice it for you. Then, you could take it to a nearby grill stand to have it cooked.
- Shengcun: This is renowned for its mountain produce. You could purchase fresh items, such as lilies and other herbs, which have been dug up by villagers. Local vegetables are also a great choice.
- Xinjie: This is the largest market with a wide variety of goods.
Note that these markets operate in the mornings and each has different operating days. You could ask at your hotel or inquire with locals to find out which market is open on which day and visit accordingly.
Go Hiking
If you love outdoor activities, hiking is an excellent choice. You could admire the magnificent terraced fields while hiking.
The usual route starts after watching a sunrise at Duoyishu, with a 2-hour hike to Azheke, followed by a visit to Bada in the afternoon to catch the sunset.
The weather in Yuanyang is unpredictable and sometimes dense fog could obscure the views. Therefore, it's best to choose the optimal route based on the day's weather conditions to ensure the best viewing experience.
For a better hiking experience, we recommend being guided by a local guide who is familiar with each trail and the local weather.
They would plan your itinerary and take you to stunning locations that would be difficult for you to find on your own. If you have any hiking needs, feel free to contact us.
Hani people farming in spring How to Get To/Around the Yuanyang Rice Terraces
The Yuanyang Rice Terraces are about a 5½-hour drive from Kunming. Since transportation to Yuanyang is not very convenient and there are no direct trains, it is more suitable for self-driving.
For foreign tourists, we recommend choosing a private tour with a private transfer.
If you prefer to go on your own, you could refer to the following options.
How to Get to Yuanyang from Kunming
You could take a long-distance bus from Kunming to Yuanyang County Bus Station, and then transfer to a minivan to reach the terraces.
Alternatively, you could first take a train from Kunming to Jianshui, and then take a shuttle bus from Jianshui County Bus Station to the Yuanyang Rice Terraces.
If you prefer a more convenient and hassle-free option, a private transfer is certainly the best choice.
How to Get Around Yuanyang
Due to the Yuanyang terraces' large scale and no tourist buses running between the villages and platforms, it's best to take a private vehicle to make full use of your limited time there.
Itinerary Suggestions
For most people, visiting the terraces is primarily for sightseeing. Therefore, we recommend allocating 1 to 2 days for your visit to the Yuanyang Rice Terraces.
Given the long distance between Kunming and Yuanyang, to make your trip more relaxed and reduce the fatigue of prolonged travel, we suggest making a 1-day stop in Jianshui. Jianshui is famous for its ancient architecture.
Here is a suggested itinerary:
- Day 1: Kunming arrival
- Day 2: Visit the Stone Forest and transfer to Jianshui
- Day 3: Visit Jianshui Confucius Temple and the Zhu Family Garden, and transfer to Yuanyang
- Days 4–5: Visit the Yuanyang Rice Terraces and then return to Kunming
- Day 6: Kunming departure
All our tours can be adjusted or customized based on your requirements and interests. Just contact us.
Jianshui Confucius TempleWhere to Stay in Yuanyang
The hotels within the terraced scenic area offer higher quality and better views of the terraces, so we recommend staying within the area.
If you want the best terrace views, especially for sunrises, we suggest staying in Duoyishu. Part of the platform area in Duoyishu is designated for hotels, allowing you to see a sunrise directly from your balcony, although the prices are relatively higher.
If you are seeking better value-for-money accommodation, consider staying in the Hani town, which is a 10 to 20-minute drive from Duoyishu. Hotels there still offer views of the terraces. Oness Resort Yuanyang Terrace is recommended.
What to Eat in Yuanyang
The dining options in Yuanyang are somewhat limited and there is no Western cuisine available.
Restaurants mainly serve local specialties, such as braised fish (fish fed in the rice fields), chicken with spicy dipping sauce, and stir-fried fresh vegetables.
Red rice is a unique feature of Yuanyang. Having steamed red rice with dishes is the most common way to eat it.
There are also many dishes made with red rice, such as red rice noodles and red rice cake, which are definitely worth trying.