2025 National Day Road Trip: A Family Adventure on the Yunnan Southeast Loop

When life doesn't give you the perfect plan, you find the most beautiful way to move forward. This National Day happened to fall on my daughter's birthday, and instead of picking out yet another generic gift from a mall, I decided to give her a journey through mountains and waters. With her aunt joining us, after some deliberation, we set our sights on Yunnan—a place that never fails to surprise. This was already our third trip to this land this year, and probably our last dedicated vacation for a while (work trips don't count). But every time, Yunnan has new stories waiting for us.

Itinerary at a Glance: 8 Days, 7 Nights, 2,300 Kilometers of Romance

• Sep 30: Chengdu → Huize (overnight stay)
• Oct 1: Huize → Fuxian Lake Red Sand Beach → Starry Night Market
• Oct 2: Mingxing Fish Cave → Fuhaiwan Wetland Park
• Oct 3: Fuxian Lake Persimmon Garden Farmers Market → Jianshui Seventeen-Arch Bridge → Xianghui Bridge → Purple Clay Street
• Oct 4: Jianshui Ancient Town → Mile Wenchang Street → Splendid Flower Street
• Oct 5: Dianxi River Wetland Park → Jinping Mountain Maitreya Buddha
• Oct 6: Mile → Yibin
• Oct 7: Yibin → Chengdu

Day 1: From Chengdu to Huize, a Brief Goodbye to Our Cat

To avoid the National Day exodus traffic, I took a half day off work. Before leaving, I dropped off our cat "Jelly" at the pet boarding facility. Seeing her pitiful look tugged at my heart—but we couldn't take her on the road, nor leave her home alone, so I had to steel myself and entrust her to the staff.

The road was smooth sailing all the way. The price for missing the rush? A toll of 410 yuan from Chengdu to Huize. It started drizzling along the way. Originally, we planned to stop in Zhaotong for some authentic Zhaotong grilled meat skewers (昭通小肉串). But our driver, Yong, was in good spirits and drove all the way to Huize. By 8 PM, we checked into the Huize Tianyuan Meiju Hotel—right off the highway with easy parking. The front desk recommended a local favorite, "Xiao Hui BBQ," and the food was genuinely impressive, full of that smoky, lively street-food energy.

Day 2: First Encounter with Fuxian Lake, Red Sands and Rainbows

The next morning, we made a detour into Chenggong District in Kunming for a wild mushroom hotpot. At this place called "Jun Gu Gu" (Mushroom Mushroom), the mushrooms were so fresh they moved me—the staff washed them on the spot, and we waited half an hour for the pot to arrive. The four of us ordered a four-person set meal and added a plate of 牛肝菌炒饭 (porcini mushroom fried rice). We ate until we could barely move.

From Chenggong to Fuxian Lake took less than 40 minutes. We checked into the Lemon Season Sea Hotel (柠檬季海酒店) in Guanglong Town. The hotel sits above the Starry Night Market, and it's just a ten-minute walk to the lake. We booked a two-bedroom suite with a 270-degree lake view. Sitting on the balcony's hanging chair, feeling the breeze and watching the shimmering lake—this is what a vacation should feel like. There were occasional showers, but rainbows appeared afterward, so beautiful it took your breath away.

In the evening, we strolled to Red Sand Beach. The sand here is a soft brick-red, and the lake water shifts through gradient colors under the sunlight—too bad no camera can truly capture that depth. My daughter collected stones on the beach, and we had a contest throwing pebbles into the water, our laughter carried away by the lake breeze. Back at the Starry Night Market, food stalls lined up endlessly, and we couldn't stop sampling. We packed a mountain of snacks to take back to the hotel, leaving some mystery for the next day.

Day 3: Mingxing Fish Cave and Fuhaiwan, Birthday Rituals

We slept in. The breakfast shop downstairs served a braised rice noodle (卤味米线) that was unforgettable. My daughter ordered tomato and beef rice noodles (番茄肥牛米线), which were also good, but she didn't like the mint leaves and picked them out one by one, like she was performing delicate surgery.

In the morning, we drove to Mingxing Fish Cave (明星鱼洞). I originally wanted to revisit Lucheng Scenic Area (禄充风景区)—I stayed there on my first trip to Fuxian Lake eight years ago—but the road was jammed, so we changed plans. Admission to Mingxing Fish Cave was 15 yuan, free if you rent a boat. The water was crystal clear like glass, but none of us felt like rowing, so we found a café and just sat staring at the lake.

Next stop: Fuhaiwan Wetland Park (抚海湾湿地公园). Yong dropped us off at the entrance and went back to the hotel to rest. We walked slowly along the lakeshore. By afternoon, the sun came out—blue skies, white clouds, flower fields, and the lake. Every snapshot looked like a wallpaper. My daughter kept picking up stones and challenged me to throwing contests. Kids' happiness is so simple, it makes you envious.

In the evening, we picked up a cake from "Chu Lu Bakery" (初炉烘焙). Today was my daughter's lunar calendar birthday, and travel rituals matter. May my little one: year after year, be safe and smooth, and get everything she wishes for. After the cake, we headed back to the Starry Night Market for dinner—noticeably more tourists than the day before, making it even livelier.

Day 4: Persimmon Garden Market and Chasing Trains in Jianshui

In the morning, we visited the local Persimmon Garden Comprehensive Farmers Market (柿花园综合农贸市场), which is only open in the first half of the day. It's full of local energy. I recommend "Xue Yun Tu Huang Niu Mi Xian" (学云土黄牛米线)—a halal old-timer with generous beef and silky noodles. Small bowl: 7 yuan, large bowl: 9 yuan, and adding a portion of braised beef costs just 5 yuan. Fruits are sold by the kilogram, and the prices are so low they make you emotional.

In the afternoon, we drove to Jianshui to start our "train-chasing adventure." First stop: Shuanglong Bridge (双龙桥), commonly known as the Seventeen-Arch Bridge. There are only two such bridges in China—the other is in the Summer Palace in Beijing. This one reflects beautifully in the lake, like a painting. Small stalls lined the bridge, and we bought some oddly shaped gourds as decorations.

Xianghui Bridge Station (乡会桥车站) is the most exotic stop along the narrow-gauge railway. The station building is a yellow structure blending Chinese and Western styles, with flowers blooming all over the platform. At 3:30 PM, the little train stops here for half an hour—perfect for photos. First, we went to "Gu Shan Qiu" (故山秋) for coffee and wood-fired bread. A little cat followed us around, begging for pastries. After the train departed, we headed back.

That night, we checked into the Xiwei'er Hotel (希维尔酒店) on Jianshui Purple Clay Street, just a ten-minute walk from the street itself. Purple Clay Street is themed around Jianshui's purple clay pottery culture, with food, flowers, and exquisite ceramic pieces. For dinner, we followed the front desk's recommendation to "Qingzhen Yang Yishou Meishiguan" (清真杨一手美食馆)—they serve rice noodles and BBQ, and the pickled chicken feet (泡鸡脚) were especially good. Locals even brought jars to take some home.

Day 5: Jianshui Ancient Town and Mile, Disappointment and Surprise

We slept in again and walked to Jianshui Ancient Town. Honestly, I was a bit disappointed. The streets looked like most old towns, but every single attraction charged a separate admission fee—tens of yuan each. Compared to other ancient towns that are free or charge just 10 yuan, this felt a bit greedy. We quickly exited through the West Gate. Along the way, there were many purple clay pottery shops where you could try your hand at crafting. One creative shop sold plush toys shaped like Jianshui tofu, and the young woman running it had amazing energy—she introduced each tofu's name, and my daughter picked one called "Lai Cai" (Come Fortune). Then, just like grilling real tofu, she flipped it, sprinkled chili powder, went through the whole routine, and handed it over in a paper bag. It was hilarious.

After leaving the ancient town, we went to Yongzhen Road to accompany Yong on his pottery shopping trip (he hadn't gone the night before and got jealous seeing my sister-in-law's purchases). We had lunch at "Yi Jia Yi Jiachang Caiguan" (壹加壹家常菜馆). Recommendations: wild vegetable peanut soup (野菜花生汤), stir-fried pork tripe (爆炒肚头), grass shoot stir-fried with meat (草芽炒肉), mint fried ribs (薄荷炸排骨), and chicken shreds cold noodles (鸡丝凉面).

In the afternoon, we checked into the Lishang Hotel (丽尚酒店) on Mile Wenchang Street. Great location, spacious rooms, and they even gave my daughter a little duck-themed toiletries set. The hotel is right behind Wenchang Street; cross through it and you hit Fountain Old Street, and a few hundred meters further is Splendid Flower Street—three attractions within walking distance.

In the evening, we explored the Splendid Flower Street night market. It's not big, but full of character. The Luxi chicken feet (泸西鸡爪) at the flower market's right entrance were especially popular and tasty. Grilled oysters, grilled gluten skewers, grilled Yunnan mini skewers, and DIY stir-fried noodles were all decent. We bought too much and ended up packing leftovers.

Day 6: Dianxi River Wetland Park and Jinping Mountain, Hiking Under the Buddha's Gaze

We slept in, then drove to Dianxi River Wetland Park (甸溪河湿地公园). For 20 yuan, you get a round-trip ticket on a little train that takes you to the foot of Jinping Mountain. Along the way, you enjoy the breeze and park scenery, including a waterfall. The park follows a small river—more like a creek—and it would be a lovely place for cycling.

Jinping Mountain admission: 30 yuan. Sightseeing car: 15 yuan one way, 20 yuan round trip. From the entrance to the Maitreya Buddha statue, there are 1,999 steps. We decided to hike up and take the car down—easier on the knees. My sister-in-law, due to health reasons, had vegetarian rice at the halfway point and descended.

First photo stop: "First Buddha Hand" (第一佛手)—a golden hand on the left side of the mountain, shining brightly and very photogenic. High-fiving the palm to wish us good luck. Behind the Maitreya Temple, we had a vegetarian buffet for 20 yuan per person—pretty good. Continuing upward, we reached the Grand Hall of Maitreya, with a wall inscribed with the character "佛" (Buddha). In front, there were red ribbons associated with different surnames—you can find your own and take a photo.

Along the way, there's a smaller Maitreya statue where you can touch its foot for good fortune. At the very top stands the Grand Maitreya Buddha—the world's largest seated smiling Buddha, 19.99 meters tall, radiant gold, absolutely stunning. Nearby, you can make a "Hundred Blessings Chart" (百福图): first stamp a seal, then press your handprint, and get it framed to take home.

After descending, we drove to Jinchen Times Square to buy the highly recommended Li Hongying chicken feet (李红英鸡脚)—3 yuan each, and truly delicious. Nearby, there were small stalls where people gathered around grilled potatoes and tofu. We tried it, dipping them in seasonings—very fragrant. Back at the hotel, we ordered delivery from "Zha Dian Dairy Fresh Milk Bar" (乍甸乳业鲜奶吧)—really good.

In the evening, we weren't hungry, but Yong wanted BBQ, so we went out again. We originally aimed for "Gejiu Zha Dian BBQ" (个旧乍甸烧烤), but the driver said it would probably have a long wait and recommended "No. 9 Road National Day BBQ" (九号路国庆烧烤). We ordered three-layer pork, pork skin, pig trotters, chicken tendon, ribs, grilled garlic, potatoes, mushrooms—plate after plate. The flavor was good, and the price was so cheap it made you question reality.

Day 7: Mile to Yibin, a Surprise on the Mid-Autumn Road

Today was Mid-Autumn Festival. We slept in and started the return journey. Originally, we planned to stay overnight in Zhaotong, but when we arrived there at 4 PM, Yong said, "Let's keep driving to Yibin—shorter drive tomorrow." Total driving time: 7.5 hours. By 6:30 PM, we checked into the Yibin Qianshuiwan S Hotel (宜宾浅水湾S酒店). The hotel had a cat named "Jelly"—same name as ours. What a coincidence.

Last Mid-Autumn Festival, we were also in Yibin and had fond memories—beautiful night views, great BBQ. Craving the pig nose tendon from "Lan Shao Zi BBQ" (烂扇子烧烤), we took a taxi there, only to be thoroughly disappointed. Prices were double those of Yunnan BBQ, and the taste was off. On the way back, our driver said they had changed chefs—no wonder! Lesson learned; never again. He recommended "Longwan Old Brand BBQ" (龙湾老字号烧烤) for next time.

After a whole day on the road, none of us felt like going to Hejiangmen Square for the night view, and there was no moon to admire anyway, so we just went back to the hotel to rest.

Day 8: Yibin to Chengdu, a Perfect Finish

To avoid the return traffic rush, we had breakfast and hit the road. The hotel's breakfast noodles (燃面) were especially tasty—better than what you'd buy outside. The road was clear all the way. We picked up our boarded cat Jelly, and the trip came to a perfect end.

Final Thoughts: Some Ramblings and Practical Tips

About Self-Driving: 2,300+ kilometers total. Yong powered through with coffee, energy drinks, alertness sticks, and stimulant candies—thank you for the hard work. I recommend preparing alertness aids and scheduling regular breaks.

About Accommodation: At Fuxian Lake, I recommend Lemon Season Sea Hotel—the 270-degree lake view room is truly unbeatable. In Mile, the Lishang Hotel has a great location, spacious rooms, and thoughtful service.

About Food: Huize's Xiao Hui BBQ, Fuxian Lake's Jun Gu Gu hotpot, Jianshui's Qingzhen Yang Yishou, Mile's Li Hongying chicken feet—all worth trying. Yibin's "Lan Shao Zi BBQ" is a bust—avoid it.

About Pet Boarding: Cat Jelly handled it well—she adapted to the pet shop in two days, even rolling over for belly rubs. None of the issues we worried about materialized.

About Reflections: Our Yunnan adventures are on hold for now. In the coming years, it's time to explore other provinces' cultures and landscapes. But Yunnan will always be the moonlight in our hearts.

When life doesn't give you the perfect plan, find the most beautiful pose and keep moving forward. This road trip was a birthday gift for my daughter, and a memory for myself. May we all find our own joy on the journey.