Backpacking in China: Yuanyang Rice Terraces in Yunnan Province
Posted: October 6 2023 | Tagged: China
The Yuangyang Rice Terraces are one of the most visited scenic destinations in China. I was there in 2014. This post has been rewritten for Nomadic Backpacker.
This was my 2nd time in China. I had crossed from Laos and ended up in Jinghong then a night in Luchun and finally to Xinjie/Yuanyang. And it was my first time to see the infamous rice terraces. I later visited the Longsheng Rice Terraces in Guangxi Province.
As ever, getting to Yuanyang involved some fun and games though. There is always confusion in China. And looking back at my adventures there, I am amazed at what I achieved.
Yuanyang refers to the county. Then there is Yuanyang New City, aka Nansha but sometimes Xinjie, and Yuanyang Old Town, aka Xinjie and sometimes Xinjiezhen.
I knew all of this. I bought what I thought was a ticket from Luchun to Xinjie but ended up only getting as far as Nansha and in my confusion, I bundled into a nice hotel and asked for help.
I opened up my laptop, to get the number of Belinda who runs the Ying You Lian guest house in Xinjiezhen, the very nice people there called her for me.
This is how I travelled China. I can't read Chinese and getting the pronunciation right is a nightmare. But, I knew how to travel. That and someone always jumping in, at the right moment, to save my ass.
The receptionist and Belinda were friends.
Belinda explained the situation but I had worked it out by then, that I was not where I should be. A guy at the hotel, would take me on his motorbike, up the road and find me a minivan going to Xinjiezhen.
Finally, on arrival, Belinda gave me a single room at a cheaper than normal price as I said I'd stay a few days and then she gave me a map and scribbled something in Chinese on it, that in English translated as 'I don't want to pay the entrance ticket'. I would then have to show the map to the minivan driver and was assured he would know what to do.
To visit the terraces you have to pay a whopping 100RMB £10/12€/16$ but minivan drivers, if asked, will avoid stopping at the ticket office and you get in for free. They are only obliged to stop there for non-locals. The fare for the ride would be 5RMB and for his services, another 15RMB. Seemed like a good deal!
On my first day, I just relaxed; getting my bearings, and finding an awesome cafe where I would eat my 3 meals a day for 5 days. Rice and tofu, with all manner of veggies, or noodles and quite a few things that I didn't even know what they were but boy was it always yummy and dirt cheap, even for humungous portions, not to mention the super efficient service from the ladies. Dinner was always washed down with a couple of beers.
Nights were always cold. Room temperature was down to 10 degrees in the morning but under heavy blankets, I was as cosy as and with a down jacket from a local store, I was set for the cold.
On my 2nd morning, I took the minivan, my driver obliging, avoiding the ticket booth, welcoming his 15 RM fee and dropped me at the first viewpoint:
As ever, getting to Yuanyang involved some fun and games though. There is always confusion in China. And looking back at my adventures there, I am amazed at what I achieved.
Yuanyang refers to the county. Then there is Yuanyang New City, aka Nansha but sometimes Xinjie, and Yuanyang Old Town, aka Xinjie and sometimes Xinjiezhen.
I knew all of this. I bought what I thought was a ticket from Luchun to Xinjie but ended up only getting as far as Nansha and in my confusion, I bundled into a nice hotel and asked for help.
I opened up my laptop, to get the number of Belinda who runs the Ying You Lian guest house in Xinjiezhen, the very nice people there called her for me.
This is how I travelled China. I can't read Chinese and getting the pronunciation right is a nightmare. But, I knew how to travel. That and someone always jumping in, at the right moment, to save my ass.
The receptionist and Belinda were friends.
Belinda explained the situation but I had worked it out by then, that I was not where I should be. A guy at the hotel, would take me on his motorbike, up the road and find me a minivan going to Xinjiezhen.
Finally, on arrival, Belinda gave me a single room at a cheaper than normal price as I said I'd stay a few days and then she gave me a map and scribbled something in Chinese on it, that in English translated as 'I don't want to pay the entrance ticket'. I would then have to show the map to the minivan driver and was assured he would know what to do.
To visit the terraces you have to pay a whopping 100RMB £10/12€/16$ but minivan drivers, if asked, will avoid stopping at the ticket office and you get in for free. They are only obliged to stop there for non-locals. The fare for the ride would be 5RMB and for his services, another 15RMB. Seemed like a good deal!
On my first day, I just relaxed; getting my bearings, and finding an awesome cafe where I would eat my 3 meals a day for 5 days. Rice and tofu, with all manner of veggies, or noodles and quite a few things that I didn't even know what they were but boy was it always yummy and dirt cheap, even for humungous portions, not to mention the super efficient service from the ladies. Dinner was always washed down with a couple of beers.
Nights were always cold. Room temperature was down to 10 degrees in the morning but under heavy blankets, I was as cosy as and with a down jacket from a local store, I was set for the cold.
On my 2nd morning, I took the minivan, my driver obliging, avoiding the ticket booth, welcoming his 15 RM fee and dropped me at the first viewpoint:
The network of paths was confusing. I was looking for a sign to Bada.
I walked down the hill, scanning the terraces. I walked along the hillside, asked various people, was directed this way and slipped up to my knees in squidgy rice paddy water a few times before being redirected back up the hill and then suddenly finding the sign.
View from the point where I was searching for the path to Bada. Somewhere near the white hut was where I slipped in for the first time, the trees to the right, the second time:
I walked down the hill, scanning the terraces. I walked along the hillside, asked various people, was directed this way and slipped up to my knees in squidgy rice paddy water a few times before being redirected back up the hill and then suddenly finding the sign.
View from the point where I was searching for the path to Bada. Somewhere near the white hut was where I slipped in for the first time, the trees to the right, the second time:
And finally the view from Bada where I sat for nearly 2 hours just marvelling at the sight and trying to comprehend the effort involved in the construction:
Map of Yuanyang rice terraces, thanks to china-discovery with new and old towns both noted and the viewing area at Bada:
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- Jiangtouzhou Ancient Village
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- Danxia Landforms in Gansu Province
Do you want to visit China? read how to get a Chinese Visa in 2024 to make that dream happen.