Yuanyang rice terraces

Hani farmers have kept up to 3,000 terrace steps per slope watered from forest springs for 1,300 years.

• Landscapes
• Villages and old towns

What you do there

• Sunrise over Duoyishu terraces, sunset at Bada or Laohuzui.
• Walk among 82 Hani villages with thatched 'mushroom' houses between forest and terraces.
• See red rice grown in a system with buffalo, ducks, fish and eels.

When to go

1. Jan
2. Feb
3. Mar
4. Apr
5. May
6. Jun
7. Jul
8. Aug
9. Sep
10. Oct
11. Nov
12. Dec

The terraces hold water from after the harvest until planting in April; January to March is the classic time for the mirror view.

Getting there and permits

Getting there

Kunming is about 300 km north; direct buses take about seven hours to Old Yuanyang, or about a 5.5-hour drive. There is no direct train; rail goes to Jianshui, then a bus.

Permits

Not confirmed in our sources; ask the operator before you book.

Tickets

The Duoyishu, Bada and Laohuzui viewing platforms each charge an entrance fee; ask the operator for current prices.

Altitude

Old Yuanyang town (Xinjie) about 1,570 m; the terraces visitors see lie between 1,000 and 2,000 m. Hani villages sit at 1,400-2,000 m.

Page last checked 28 Oct 2026. Rules, roads and ticketing change; the operator confirms everything before you book.