Terraced rice fields of Yunnan, China Overall Impressions. The Yunnan terraced rice fields span a vast area centered around the historic mountain town of Xinjie, (formally Yuangyang Xinjiezhen), and in the Honghe region. The terraces were constructed by hand by the Hani people during the last 1000 years and now cover entire slopes of the southern mountains close to individual villages. They are on massive scale and during the winter months when the fallow fields are filled with water the terraces form irregular glassy patterns which reflect the colour of the sky. Add to this occasional mists which form during February and March and there is the opportunity of seeing truly spectacular vistas at dawn and dusk. Getting to Xinjie from Kunnming . It is some 300Km from Kunming to Xinjie taking about 6 to 9 hours by road. It can be done by bus or by private vehicle through a chinese travel agent. Note that there are two towns known as Yuanyang separated by 25km or about 1 hour apart. (1) Yuanyang Xinjiezhen known as Xinjie or as Yuanyang Old Town and (2) Yuanyang Nansha. By Bus . i) Most popular route: Kunming >> Jianshui >> Yuanyang Xinjiezhen 元阳新街镇 Bus Leaves from Kunnming South Station 南部客运站. Takes about […]
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Li River Guilin Yangshuo China The Li River near Guilin mimicks a Chinese watercolour with Karst mountains hugging either side and all bathed in soft pastels of pink and blue. Many visitors take the Li river cruise from Guilin to Yangshou ( see Li River map Fig1), but this area is so photogenic and visually so exciting that it demands a wider and more intimate exploration by bicycle or car. We hired a car with driver and guide through CITS Guilin (China International Travel Service, http://www.guilincits.com/en/, and drove through the countryside from Guilin to Yangshuo, staying the nights in Guilin and various places around Yangshou.The driver was a member of the local photographic society and thus well familiar with the best photographic locations. . He drove us to a landlocked fish farm Fig2 where just after dawn, the still waters reflected a pale sun rising above the karst pinnacles, as a farmer with his buffalo walked past. The guide was able to hire a small boat with a cormorant fisherman Fig6, from the fishing village of Xingping, fig3. We then motored a short distance upriver to a prominent bend in the Li river, where the Karst formations towered over the river. […]
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