Asterix goes to Yunnan

[asterixsg]

All,

Earlier this year, in Feb, in between business trips, I managed to squeeze a week off work and went to Yunnan. A trip that I had been planning for the last 4 years finally materialized. It was now or never, as I didn't know if I would be able to make it in the future.

This was a solo trip. I rented a 4WD with a driver in Kunming and went to Dongchuan, Luoping, Yuanyang and Honghe. The Weather Gods are still a bit pissed with me (I must've committed a lot of sins). The rapeseed flowers at Luoping hadn't blossomed fully, it was raining and misty when I was there. So, improvised plans and decided to spend more time at HongHe towards at the end of the trip. Mother Nature took pity on me and by fluke, happened to witness a huge farm near MiLe where the rapeseed flowers were in full bloom. Spent couple of hours climbing a hillock and shooting the farm.

The best time I had was at Duoyishu village at Yuanyang.

By the end of the trip, I was quite jaded with no mood to photograph. Maybe it was just physical and mental fatigue...

Anyways, won't talk too much. Have loads of photos, but no time to even pick and post.

Two websites that are extremely useful and those that I used in my research are :
www.chinabackpacker.info
www.chinatrekking.com

Please spend some time in browsing these two websites, they contain a wealth of information on travelling in China.

1. Luoxiagou at DongChuan

 

[asterixsg]

Reserved for later...

 

[asterixsg]

2. Sunrise at DongChuan

3. Rapeseed flowers

4. Farmers

 

[asterixsg]

5. Magical sunrise

This would go down in my memory as one of the most magical sunrises that I've ever witnessed. The only thing that spoilt it was the crowd of more than 200 odd 'wannabe' photographers yapping away non-stop instead of making the most of this gift that Mother Nature had presented.

PS : No Filters used to get this effect...

6. Rice terraces at Bada

7. Sunset at Laohuzui

8. Rice terraces filled with red duckweed

No, its not Longshuba. I trekked some 40 mins or so past some unknown villages to reach this place

 

[asterixsg]

9. Red duckweed

This is what gives the colour to the terraces that are red in colour.

That's all for now.

Cheers.

 

[timlim]

Great shots! Love the reflections in the sunrise shot. Thanks for sharing!

 

[ClemC]

AsterixSG.. Thanks for sharing .... Great work of Nature and a great attempt to record it Down.. :thumbsup:

I guess I am also one of those that have delayed, delayed my plans.. I will want to make this trip in the very, very future!!.. (maybe feb/mar next year).. I just dont want to miss seeing such views with my own eyes in my lifetime

5. Magical sunrise

This would go down in my memory as one of the most magical sunrises that I've ever witnessed. The only thing that spoilt it was the crowd of more than 200 odd 'wannabe' photographers yapping away non-stop instead of making the most of this gift that Mother Nature had presented.

PS : No Filters used to get this effect...

1. Luoxiagou at DongChuan

 

[divinemoment]

5. Magical sunrise

This would go down in my memory as one of the most magical sunrises that I've ever witnessed. The only thing that spoilt it was the crowd of more than 200 odd 'wannabe' photographers yapping away non-stop instead of making the most of this gift that Mother Nature had presented.

PS : No Filters used to get this effect...

This is it. Don't think such moment can come by anytime. I believed if you go there again the very next day, you may not get the same transformation. Indeed magical. Love the pinkish lines.

 

[lkkang]

5. Magical sunrise

excellent shot :thumbsup: :thumbsup: :thumbsup:

 

[limwhow]

This is it. Don't think such moment can come by anytime. I believed if you go there again the very next day, you may not get the same transformation. Indeed magical. Love the pinkish lines.

Can't agree more. Can't agree more!
Lovely, magical colours of a most divine moment, Asterixsg!

 

[Zichar]

Beautiful photos!
A magical sunrise indeed
Though I was alarmed to see the whole mountain almost levelled off - that's a lot of rice terraces!

 

[SK1968]

Absolutely beautiful! I love #5 most for now More please. I missed the chance in Feb this year, must go soon

 

[asterixsg]

Great shots! Love the reflections in the sunrise shot. Thanks for sharing!

Thanks for your comments. Glad you liked the photos...

 

[asterixsg]

AsterixSG.. Thanks for sharing .... Great work of Nature and a great attempt to record it Down.. :thumbsup:

I guess I am also one of those that have delayed, delayed my plans.. I will want to make this trip in the very, very future!!.. (maybe feb/mar next year).. I just dont want to miss seeing such views with my own eyes in my lifetime

Even though Yuanyang is getting quite touristy, looking at the number of people visiting it, I think there is still some charm left. You can visit Yuanyang anytime between Dec and Mar if you want to see the fields filled with water (and to catch the reflection of the colours during sunrise and sunset). But if you want to club it with a visit to Luoping, then its between mid-Feb to mid-April. My recommendation is to visit in early March, just to be on the safe side so that the rapeseed flowers would've fully blossomed.

I would love to photograph the rice terraces when they are lush green.

 

[asterixsg]

This is it. Don't think such moment can come by anytime. I believed if you go there again the very next day, you may not get the same transformation. Indeed magical. Love the pinkish lines.

Yes, indeed. Since I stayed for 3 nights in a guesthouse in Duoyishu within 2-3 mins walking distance of the "official" viewing area, I went three mornings in a row to photograph the sunrise - twice from the main "official" viewing area and another which was 15-20 mins walk from the guesthouse. Every day, the magic was different. On the last morning, I got fog to add to the mystique

excellent shot :thumbsup: :thumbsup: :thumbsup:

Thanks.

Can't agree more. Can't agree more!
Lovely, magical colours of a most divine moment, Asterixsg!

Yes, a divine moment and I feel very blessed to have witnessed that moment...
Thanks for visiting this thread.

 

[asterixsg]

:thumbsup:

Beautiful photos!
A magical sunrise indeed
Though I was alarmed to see the whole mountain almost levelled off - that's a lot of rice terraces!

Thanks.

You should read the two websites that I mentioned earlier for information about Yuanyang and look up photographs on flickr. I am sure there are many more Chinese websites that would have more information of Yuanyang. These rice terraces are of a scale unimaginable. When I saw them first, I went "WOW !!!" The Hani people are extremely hardworking and wonderful people. They demonstrate how mankind should live in harmony and maintain an ecosystem without abusing the land that feeds us.

Absolutely beautiful! I love #5 most for now More please. I missed the chance in Feb this year, must go soon

Thanks bro.

I know you had plans to travel to Yuanyang and Luoping. I was quite unsure until the last few days whether I would be able to make it to this trip as I was away in UK. I don't want you all to suffer from an overdose of rice terraces, so will pick a few more and post when I find time...

If I am still alive next year, lets plan to go there in March. I believe its less crowded at that time...

Good luck for your Tibet trip :thumbsup:

 

[madmartian]

5. Magical sunrise

Superb shot! :thumbsup: :thumbsup:

 

[ClemC]

Even though Yuanyang is getting quite touristy, looking at the number of people visiting it, I think there is still some charm left. You can visit Yuanyang anytime between Dec and Mar if you want to see the fields filled with water (and to catch the reflection of the colours during sunrise and sunset). But if you want to club it with a visit to Luoping, then its between mid-Feb to mid-April. My recommendation is to visit in early March, just to be on the safe side so that the rapeseed flowers would've fully blossomed.

I would love to photograph the rice terraces when they are lush green.

Thanks bro.

I know you had plans to travel to Yuanyang and Luoping. I was quite unsure until the last few days whether I would be able to make it to this trip as I was away in UK. I don't want you all to suffer from an overdose of rice terraces, so will pick a few more and post when I find time...

If I am still alive next year, lets plan to go there in March. I believe its less crowded at that time...

Good luck for your Tibet trip :thumbsup:

AsterixSG - thanks for all the info you are providing in this thread. I would love to go.. Will plan for next year.. maybe end Feb (if it is not too early) or early Mar.. I will have to gather more information in the next few months.. AsterixSg, quite sure you will be fit and alive to travel to Yuanyang and Luoping for many, many, many years to come.. If there is a chance, will hope to join you lot.

I guess I should try and get on a SGTrekker's event soon..

Again :thumbsup:, will camp in this thread for more lovely pictures.