There are four major attractions in Yuanyang: to watch the sunrise in Duoyishu, watch the sunset in Laohuzui, see the “wonderland in the cloud” in Qingkou and watch the sunrise and cloud sea in Bada.
Best time to go: After irrigating in December to April in the next year, the best time is before and after the Spring Festival with clear sky.
♦ Tips
►1. Accommodation: don't live in Yuanyang new town (Nasha Town), where the Nasha town is in the down of hill; and don't live in the old town of Yuanyang (Xinjie Town, where the Xinjie town is in the mountain. From Nasha Town to Yuanyang old town (Xinjie town) takes more than 40 minutes, and if you want to going to Duoyishu to see the sunrise it will costs an hour and a half to two hours. So the best is live in the Duoyishu, you just need to walk out to see the sunrise. Shengli village can also watch the sunrise, twenty minutes to drive there, but it is dark in the morning which is bad for driving car.
Accommodation in Duoyishu: there are many online introductions and recommendations of Mr Ma's inn; standard room costs 80 Yuan a night. Duoyishu Youth Hostel which is new, charges standard rooms of 110 Yuan, four rooms for 30 a person. If you stay at the Youth Hostel, you need to reach the scenic spot at 07:30 in the morning, probably sun rise at the 08:00, and 10 minutes to walk there. If you are photographer, you need to get up early to find the good location, maybe at 06:00.
►2. Attractions:
Bada to watch the sunset and sea of clouds: from Duoyishu to Bada to watch the sunset and sea of clouds, flag down a taxi on the road to get there needs 10 Yuan. Sunset: generally begin to go at 04:30 in the afternoon, probably sun set at 06:30, during this period of time the rice terraces’ colors change the most. In addition, to see the sea of clouds in Bada, you can go at any time.
Laohuzui to watch the sunset: Laohuzui can only be watched the sunset, and the Laohuzui is in a different direction with the other three attractions, better to charter a bus for a organized group of people at the inn, from the Duoyishu to the Xinjie town are more than forty minutes, or you can call a taxi aside the road. Unless you only have one day to spend there, the chartered bus is not recommended. Because going to anywhere from Xinjie town normally cost 20 Yuan at the most by flag down a car, usually is 15 Yuan.
Notice: the day generally goes to Qingkou and Bada to watch the sea of clouds. If you can only watch the sunset for one time, then go to Laohuzui. If the itinerary will be arranged for one day, it is suggested that live in Duoyishu, charter a car costs within 300 Yuan per day. Now there are buses back and forth between the scenic spots for 80 Yuan. If the time is tight, charter car is convenient, and can go to some places where attractions parked car can't.
►3. Temperature: The weather forecasts are not correct, because they are climate forecasts of Nansha town. The temperature on the mountain is much colder.
►4. About Sunset: Sunny day is not a good day for watching sunset, when there are clouds onto the rice terrace then we can see the sunset, and in the greasy day or sunny day we cannot see the sunset.
►5. Transport: Passenger buses are to Nasha Town commonly, if you want to go to Duoyishu, you need to transfer vehicle to Xinjie Town. Xinjie town has bus back to Jianshui and Kunming. The latese buses to Jianshui are 4 o’clock in the afternoon. From Kunming to Yuanyang takes around 7 hours and a half, from Jianshui to Yuanyang takes around two and a half to3 hours.
►6. Tickets: 100 Yuan for 4 attractions, valid in two days, but you can only enter into for one time. 180 Yuan is valid in a week.