9-Day Winter Self-Drive Tour of Southeast Yunnan: Exploring Fuxian Lake, Yuanyang Rice Terraces, and Jianshui Old Town

During the 2023 Spring Festival, while tourists from all over China flocked to Xishuangbanna, I chose a less-traveled route with my family—the Southeast Yunnan loop. Starting from Kunming, we journeyed through the azure waters of Fuxian Lake, the red-brick fairy tale of Mile, the karst landscapes of Puzhehei, the thousand-year-old rice terraces of Yuanyang, the century-old train of Jianshui, and finally arrived at the French-style station in Mengzi. This was a deep dive into nature, culture, and cuisine—and an invaluable time spent with family.

The Departure: A Long-Awaited Family Trip

After the National Day holiday in 2022, I booked flights to Yunnan for the Spring Festival. At that time, COVID policies were still uncertain, and I didn't dare reserve return tickets or hotels. But in December, restrictions were suddenly lifted. My husband, our older child (nicknamed Dabao), and I all caught the virus one after another. Our younger child (Xiaobao) escaped infection while staying at grandma's house. To protect his health, we had to cancel his ticket—leaving the three of us to embark on an unexpected journey. Dabao was secretly thrilled.

This was my fourth trip to Yunnan. The previous three covered the Kunming-Dali-Lijiang-Shangri-La route and Tengchong. This time, Xishuangbanna was the ultimate goal, but I decided to first drive through Southeast Yunnan before heading south. I split the 16-day itinerary into two parts: 9 days in Southeast Yunnan and 7 days in Xishuangbanna. If the latter interests you, check out my other travelogue. For now, let me share the story of Southeast Yunnan.

Itinerary Overview: 9 Days, 6 Destinations, 1,200 Kilometers

• Day 1 Shanghai → Kunming → Fuxian Lake (Sakura Valley, Sun Mountain Town)
• Day 2 Fuxian Lake (Luchong Scenic Area, Star Fish Cave, Night Market)
• Day 3 Fuxian Lake → Mile → Puzhehei (Dongfengyun Town, Willow Leaf Boat)
• Day 4 Puzhehei (Green Dragon Mountain, Three Lives Three Worlds Filming Location, Puzhehei Village)
• Day 5 Puzhehei → Mengzi (Fairy Cave Village, Bisezhai)
• Day 6 Mengzi → Yuanyang (Bisezhai Morning Light, Yuanyang Rice Terraces Sunset)
• Day 7 Yuanyang (Aichun Blue Terraces, Azheke)
• Day 8 Yuanyang → Jianshui (Meter-Gauge Train, Twin Dragon Bridge)
• Day 9 Jianshui → Pu'er (Jianshui Old Town)

Pre-Trip Preparations: Flights, Car Rental, and Accommodation

Flights and Car Rental

Spring Festival airfares skyrocketed, with direct flights to Xishuangbanna costing a fortune. We chose to fly in and out of Kunming, saving a lot. For car rental, I recommend using a major platform to ensure vehicle performance and safety. I booked a Buick Excelle (1-year-old) on Ctrip for 16 days, including full insurance, for about 4,300 RMB. The trunk fit two 24-inch and two 20-inch suitcases, but the 1.5T engine struggled a bit on steep climbs and overtaking.

Accommodation Recommendations

Hotel prices doubled during Spring Festival, so booking early was key. Here are the high-value guesthouses I personally tested:

Fuxian Lake · Sanyou Inn (★★★★★)
Located near Guanglong Town's Night Market, quiet and convenient. Rooms are spacious, and staff are friendly. A 10-minute walk to the lake; the Red Sand Beach was empty in the early morning, offering a slice of solitude.

Puzhehei · Youran Yushe Lakeview Guesthouse (★★★★)
Situated by the lake in Puzhehei Village, a 15-minute walk to Green Dragon Mountain Pier. The host is warm and provides route suggestions. Rooms are clean, and you can park right outside. Strolling along the lake at dusk was pure bliss.

Mengzi · Fanjian Humanities Art Hotel (★★★★★)
Just across the street from Bisezhai, this hotel is built on a Yi ethnic minority residence, blending French charm. Guests can drive into the scenic area, avoiding crowds. The breakfast rice noodles with chrysanthemum petals were unforgettable.

Yuanyang · Yuanshe Mulaya Guesthouse (★★★★★)
Located in Hani Town, facing the rice terraces. Heating is excellent, and reading tea by the floor-to-ceiling windows was incredibly cozy. They offered a free fish-catching experience (too cold in winter to try) and local red rice. The breakfast rice noodles were stunning.

Jianshui · Shudetang Inn (★★★★★)
A 10-minute walk to Zhu Family Garden and Confucius Temple. Rooms are spacious, and parking is available right outside. They offered a free pottery-making experience and an electric scooter—riding it through the old town was fantastic. The owner helped us secure tickets for the meter-gauge train, for which I'm deeply grateful.

Day 1-2: Fuxian Lake—A Pool of Clear Water Soothes the Heart

First Impressions: A Surprise in the Cold Snap

At 5 a.m., little Joey was dragged out of bed, barely awake, and dressed. After a year away from the airport, he pressed his nose against the car window, fascinated by the planes taking off and landing. Our flight was on time, landing at Kunming Changshui Airport at noon. After a quick McDonald's lunch, the rental car staff picked us up.

An hour's drive brought us to Fuxian Lake. A cold snap had hit, dropping temperatures by 10°C. The lakeside wind made it feel even colder. But the excitement of seeing the water for the first time overshadowed the bad weather. Driving along a small lakeside road, we stumbled upon a wild beach. Joey dashed down to dig in the sand, using his hands since we had no tools, utterly content.

Sakura Valley and Sun Mountain Town

Fuxian Lake's circumference can be split into east and west routes. The east has Moon Bay, Sakura Valley, and Sun Mountain; the west has Guanglong Town, Luchong, and Star Fish Cave. We started with the east.

Sakura Valley (10 RMB entrance fee) is great value, with a white sand beach, swings, loungers, and seagulls in winter. Joey headed straight for the sand, digging until he forgot the world. Unfortunately, thick clouds blocked the sunset.

Sun Mountain Town, perched halfway up the east coast, features European-style buildings that are romantic and photogenic. Parking was tough during Spring Festival, but we found a spot after a wait. The town is just one street, mostly cafés and restaurants. On clear days, the views are incredible.

Food: Stone Pot Fish and Copper Pot Potato Rice

In Fuxian Lake, you must try stone pot fish and copper pot potato rice. The fish is freshly killed, cooked in a clear broth to highlight its natural flavor, then dipped in a secret sauce—incredibly delicious. The copper pot rice includes ham, corn, peas, and carrots, with crispy golden potatoes and soft, fragrant rice.

After dinner, we visited Guanglong Town's Night Market. Though smaller than Xishuangbanna's, it has a full range of snacks. Grilled beef skewers are cut and grilled on the spot; coconut hot drinks warm you up; and various chicken feet dishes leave you spoiled for choice. During Spring Festival, there were folk dance performances, adding to the lively atmosphere.

Day Two: Luchong and Star Fish Cave Under Sunshine

The next day, we slept in. Pulling back the curtains, the sun was shining. We decided to explore the west route.

Luchong Scenic Area (15 RMB entrance fee) is a classic Fuxian Lake spot. You must climb Brush Holder Mountain (Bijiashan) for a panoramic view of the lake, which looks as blue as the sea. The Guanyin Temple viewpoint halfway up is perfect for photos. Joey dug in the sand at the foot of the mountain, while I was drawn to the natural arch formed by ancient banyan trees. However, the area is overly commercialized, and lunch was overpriced—better to bring your own food.

Star Fish Cave (15 RMB entrance fee) reportedly has the clearest water in the lake, earning it the nickname "Fuxian Lake's Maldives." The sand is fine, the water is a vivid blue, and sailing and kayaking are the main activities. We wanted to kayak, but the wind was too strong, and we worried Joey might get soaked and sick, so we gave up. If you go, remember sunscreen—the UV is intense.

Day 3-4: Mile and Puzhehei—Red-Brick Fairy Tales and Karst Landscapes

Mile: The Red-Brick Magic of Dongfengyun Town

A two-hour drive from Fuxian Lake brought us to Mile. Dongfengyun Town is the "Provence of Central Yunnan," famous for its red-brick architecture. The Kaleidoscope Art Hall, Half Cloud, and Niu Duoluo buildings were designed by local artists, exuding exotic charm. The red bricks glow warmly in the sunlight, making for stunning photos. Entrance is 60 RMB, and I recommend 2-3 hours to explore.

Puzhehei: Willow Leaf Boats and Three Lives Three Worlds

We arrived in Puzhehei in the afternoon and checked into Youran Yushe Guesthouse. The host enthusiastically suggested routes, and we chose an evening ride on a willow leaf boat (Liuye Xiaozhou). The boat glided through karst peaks, with clear water and pastoral scenery on both sides. Joey excitedly splashed the water, his laughter echoing across the landscape.

The next morning, we climbed Green Dragon Mountain (Qinglongshan) for sunrise. From the summit, Puzhehei lay spread out below, shrouded in mist like a fairyland. After descending, we visited the filming location of "Three Lives Three Worlds, Ten Miles of Peach Blossoms" —the peach blossoms were fake, but the backdrop of mountains and water was breathtakingly beautiful. In the afternoon, we explored Puzhehei Village, soaking in the local Yi ethnic culture.

Day 5-6: Mengzi and Yuanyang—A Timeless Station and Earth's Palette

Mengzi: French Charm at Bisezhai

A three-hour drive from Puzhehei took us to Mengzi. Bisezhai is the filming location for the movie "Youth," a French-style train station frozen in time. We stayed at Fanjian Humanities Art Hotel, just across the street. In the evening and early morning, when the crowds had gone, the station was eerily quiet. Yellow walls, green windows, and a French clock tower made it feel like stepping back a century. The breakfast rice noodles with chrysanthemum petals were a highlight—the broth was savory, and the noodles were silky.

Yuanyang: Terrace Sunsets and Sunrises

The drive from Mengzi to Yuanyang was winding, but the scenery was worth it. We arrived in the evening and headed straight to Bada Viewing Platform for sunset. The setting sun cast golden light on the terraces, reflecting layer upon layer like an earth-toned palette. The next morning, we went to Duoyishu Viewing Platform for sunrise. Mist swirled around, and the terraces appeared and disappeared like a dream.

Azheke is a traditional Hani village with mushroom-shaped houses. Few tourists visit, allowing you to quietly appreciate the harmony between terraces and the village. In winter, the terraces are flooded, making it the best time for photography.

Day 7-8: Jianshui—Old Town, the Meter-Gauge Train, and Twin Dragon Bridge

Jianshui Meter-Gauge Train

A two-hour drive from Yuanyang brought us to Jianshui. The meter-gauge train (Miguai Xiaohuoche) is a must-do, taking about four hours round trip, passing Seventeen-Arch Bridge, Tuanshan Folk Houses, and Twin Dragon Bridge. The train is a retro green carriage with wooden seats, offering views of pastoral scenery. Twin Dragon Bridge is Jianshui's iconic landmark—a seventeen-arch bridge spanning the Lujiang River, stunning at sunset.

Jianshui Old Town

After checking into Shudetang Inn, we took the complimentary electric scooter to explore the old town. Zhu Family Garden is a Qing-dynasty merchant's mansion, with exquisite pavilions and courtyards. Confucius Temple is grand in scale, second only to Qufu's. Lin'an Government Office recreates an ancient government scene. In the evening, we found a small alley and ate Jianshui grilled tofu (Jianshui Shao Doufu)—crispy on the outside, soft inside, dipped in chili powder, leaving a lingering taste.

Conclusion: Southeast Yunnan—Worth Taking Slowly

Nine days, 1,200 kilometers—from Fuxian Lake's azure waters to Yuanyang's terraces, from Puzhehei's landscapes to Jianshui's old town. Southeast Yunnan is like an endless book, each page hiding a surprise.

Practical Tips: - Car Rental: Choose a major platform. A 1.5T engine struggles on climbs; I recommend 2.0T or above. - Accommodation: Book 1-2 months in advance for Spring Festival—prices double but are worth it. - Photography: Use portrait mode on your phone for people, a camera for landscapes. Bring a telephoto lens for Yuanyang terraces. - Food: Don't miss Fuxian Lake's stone pot fish, Jianshui's grilled tofu, and Mengzi's rice noodles with chrysanthemum petals.

Finally, thank the brave self who set out. Many dream together, but few walk together. May your next journey, too, be with family, discovering your own winter wonderland in the mountains and waters of Southeast Yunnan.