#My2018# Fuxian Lake in Yunnan | A Five-Day Family Road Trip Under a Thousand Suns

Prologue: A Song, a Lake, a Journey

"What kind of night is this, so bittersweet and hard to forget? The autumn wind brushes the lake, leaving ripples in my heart..." Li Jian's song "Fuxian Lake" had looped through my earphones countless times—its melody flowing like water, its lyrics as gentle as poetry. It wasn't until I stood before that lake that I understood: Fuxian Lake's name is no exaggeration. It truly soothes the soul.

In early November 2018, our family of five—my wife Xiao Q, our 21-month-old son Chestnut, and his maternal grandparents—set off from Chengdu for a five-day road trip around Yunnan's Fuxian Lake. This was our first time taking Chestnut on an out-of-province trip, and our first real challenge traveling long-distance with a "high-needs baby." Before we left, we were a mix of excitement and anxiety: Would he stay calm on the train? Could he adapt to a new place? Did we pack enough? What if we forgot the sunscreen?

As it turned out, all that worry melted into smiles the moment we laid eyes on Fuxian Lake.

Why Fuxian Lake?

When people talk about Yunnan, they often think of Dali, Lijiang, or Shangri-La. But for us—"refugees from overcast skies" living in Chengdu—Yunnan's biggest draw is its endless blue skies and warm sunshine.

During the 2015 Spring Festival, Xiao Q and I took our first trip to Yunnan together, heading to Dali. After that trip, we posted our first travelogue on Mafengwo, and from then on, we connected with countless fellow travel enthusiasts. Yunnan became a seed planted in our hearts, always ready to sprout and call us back.

This time, it was Fuxian Lake's turn.

Fuxian Lake is located in Chengjiang County, Yuxi City, Yunnan Province. It's the largest plateau freshwater lake in China and one of the few large lakes that remain unpolluted. Its water is so clear you can see the bottom, earning it the nickname "Pearl of the Plateau." More importantly, early November is the off-season—few tourists, perfect weather, and comfortable temperatures. For a family trip with elderly parents and a toddler, it was an ideal destination.

We chose to travel by train: a high-speed rail from Chengdu to Kunming South Station, about five and a half hours. Though not short, the changing scenery and gradually shifting weather made the journey itself a pleasure. From Chengdu's cold, hazy gloom to the sudden, brilliant blue sky at the border between Yunnan and Guizhou—the thrill of "escaping" is something I'll never forget.

Enter Chestnut: A High-Needs Baby's First Travel Adventure

Chestnut was born on the first day of the Chinese New Year in 2017. His nickname comes from his mother's love of chestnuts. We hoped he'd be "strong on the outside, tender on the inside"—and he's certainly proven to be "strong," especially when it comes to keeping his parents on their toes.

For the first six months, just feeding and putting him to sleep were enough to exhaust us. Travel? Forget it. It wasn't until Chestnut turned one and a half that we started trying short trips around Chengdu: Qingcheng Mountain, Xiling Snow Mountain, Anren Ancient Town... Our range was basically limited to Chengdu's outskirts. This trip to Fuxian Lake was our first time taking him out of the province—a true "long-distance travel debut."

Chestnut is a textbook high-needs baby: endless energy, insatiable curiosity, and unable to sit still for a second. On the train, he hardly stayed quiet—either walking up and down the aisle or pressing his face against the window, touching everything in sight. The four of us took turns entertaining him, and after five hours, we were more exhausted than a day at work. But at least he didn't scream or throw a tantrum—a small mercy.

Still, when Chestnut stood by the shore of Fuxian Lake and saw red-billed gulls swirling overhead for the first time, the look of pure excitement and wonder on his face made every bit of exhaustion worthwhile.

Pre-Trip Preparation: A Survival Guide for Traveling with Kids

With a high-needs baby, packing for a trip is like moving house. Xiao Q made a detailed list. Beyond the usual essentials—bottles, formula, rice cereal, fruit puree, muslin cloths, sleep sacks, and a thermos—there were some easily overlooked items worth sharing:

Chestnut's "Security Trio": His small pillow (he can't sleep without it), sand-digging tools (we recommend Hape brand, great quality), a collapsible basin, and a collapsible electric kettle.

The Magic of Disposables: With recent hotel hygiene concerns, we bought a ton of disposable items—disposable bath towels (gauze material, can last two to three days if you don't switch hotels), disposable bathtub liners (for worry-free baths), alcohol wipes (for sanitizing anything questionable), and saline solution (for rinsing noses, eyes, or wounds). They're cheap and effective—highly recommended.

Baby Medicine Kit: Fever reducer, thermometer, oral rehydration salts (for diarrhea from unfamiliar food or water), calamine lotion (for itching), iodine swabs (for disinfecting wounds), saline nasal spray (Chestnut has mild allergic rhinitis), probiotics, vitamin D3, and band-aids. When traveling, changes in environment can upset a baby's system—better safe than sorry.

Instant Porridge: A Japanese brand of baby instant porridge, with organic vegetables and meat mixed in. The ingredient pieces are larger, suitable for older babies. Just heat with hot water and it's ready—a lifesaver in places like Fuxian Lake where finding convenient meals isn't easy.

What did we forget? Wide-brimmed sun hats and sunglasses. Yunnan's UV rays are brutal. Luckily, we didn't forget sunscreen and baseball caps, or our fair-skinned Chestnut would have turned into "Charcoal Chestnut."

Transportation and Car Rental: Little Orange, Big World

From Chengdu to Kunming, we took the high-speed train. Chengdu East Station is directly accessible by metro, with clear signage, and families with babies can use the special通道 (priority lane) to zip through security. The train only stops at Chongqing and Guiyang, taking about five and a half hours to reach Kunming South Station.

Once in Kunming, the easiest option is to rent a car. We chose Avis, selecting the time, pickup location, and car model on the app in advance. Remember to book a car seat ahead of time. At Kunming South Station, we went to the indoor parking lot via Exit 5 to pick up the car. The process was simple—since we bought full coverage insurance, they barely inspected the car. They froze 3,000 yuan on our credit card for a month, handed us the keys, and we were off. Just fill up the tank before returning.

We originally booked a small hatchback, but when we realized how much luggage we had, we quickly canceled and rebooked a small SUV. With a 1.5T engine, four adults and one child, it had plenty of space and handled the mountain roads around Fuxian Lake with ease. This "Little Orange" was our companion for five days and deserves all the credit.

Lakeside Hotels: Living in the Scenery

We stayed at two hotels on this trip, each with its own charm.

Dianchi Banshe Lakeside Inn

Located right by Dianchi Lake, just across the road, and close to Haigeng Park and Haigeng Dam. It's an apartment-style hotel in a three-story building with convenient parking. The rooms are spacious and bright, with windows facing west—perfect for catching a stunning sunset in the evening. The owner was incredibly welcoming, carrying our suitcases up to the second floor without a second thought, and gave us plenty of tips for things to do.

There's a small restaurant downstairs serving various Yunnan dishes, including rice noodles and barbecue. We ate at "Sleeping Beauty" on Haigeng Dam—the cold rice noodles were tasty, but the other dishes were just okay. Maybe we didn't order well.

Fuxian Lake Binzhilan Hotel

Recommended by a friend, this hotel is located in a building within the Fuxian Lake Hilton Hotel complex—also apartment-style. We booked a suite with a living room and two bedrooms, which was very convenient for traveling with a baby. The highlight was the stunning lake-view balcony facing west, where we could leisurely watch the sunset every evening. The owner was super enthusiastic, recommending the best places to eat and visit down to the smallest detail.

Best of all, this hotel shares the same prime location as the Hilton but costs only half the price—an incredible value.

Fuxian Lake Hilton Hotel

We didn't stay here, but we did have a meal and took a look around. The hotel grounds are huge, with the Sun Golf Course, an infinity pool, large lawns, and an iconic "LOVE" white frame photo spot. At sunset, the light is soft and perfect for photos.

We ate at a small restaurant called "Lake View Fish Bay" near the Hilton for three consecutive days. Their signature dishes were copper pot fish and copper pot rice, served with a local dipping sauce that made everything incredibly appetizing. There were also stir-fried river shrimp, silver fish omelet, and pickled pepper beef—so good we forgot to take photos.

Sightseeing: A Duet of Dianchi and Fuxian Lakes

Dianchi Lake: Haigeng Park and Haigeng Dam

Dianchi Lake is Kunming's largest freshwater lake and a symbol of the city. In early November, large flocks of red-billed gulls fly here to spend the winter, and we were lucky enough to catch them.

Haigeng Park is at the northernmost point of Dianchi Lake, a walking path along the shore. The water quality was better than expected—no obvious pollution or strange smells, though it was a bit murky. Various tour boats were docked at the pier, and red-billed gulls circled overhead—a spectacular sight.

Haigeng Dam was right next to our hotel—spacious, perfect for walks and watching the sunset. Chestnut got his first close-up encounter with the gulls here. We thought he might be scared, but instead, he ran after the birds, laughing with joy. Sometimes all the gulls would rest on the lake's surface, then suddenly take off together—a breathtaking scene.

Early morning at Haigeng Dam was another world: the sky painted in dawn colors, the sun slowly rising, the silhouette of the Western Hills clear on the opposite shore, and the lake as still as a mirror. Early risers were already cycling and taking photos, while the gulls were still sleeping in.

Fuxian Lake: A Misty Lake Tour

Driving from Dianchi Lake to the Fuxian Lake Hilton took about an hour and a half—70-plus kilometers on good roads with beautiful scenery. November is the off-season, so there were very few tourists. Every day brought blue skies and white clouds, making for a wonderfully relaxing experience.

The most scenic area on the western shore of Fuxian Lake is Lucheng Scenic Area, with an entrance fee of 15 yuan per person. It has a strong fishing village atmosphere, ancient trees providing shade, and crystal-clear water. However, the signage inside isn't great, and many restaurant owners swarm you to drum up business. We recommend not eating inside the scenic area—you're likely to be overcharged.

Fuxian Lake's "Time Trail" is the most concentrated stretch of attractions, stretching over 20 kilometers along the shore, with top-notch scenery. We visited several main spots, each with its own character: some areas had water as clear as sand, like a Southeast Asian island; others were covered in purple sage, making you feel like you were in a sea of lavender; and some places had mountains, lakes, and flowers—a true paradise.

But the most unforgettable part was watching the sunset from our hotel balcony every evening. The sun slowly descended, the lake's surface reflecting a golden light, and the distant mountains bathed in a warm glow. That kind of light can only be found at Fuxian Lake. We took many backlit photos of Chestnut and Xiao Q, feeling like we'd reached the peak of life.

Epilogue: On Travel, On Growth

Five days and four nights at Fuxian Lake—not too long, not too short. We brought Chestnut on a train, saw red-billed gulls, dug in the sand, chased birds, and watched the sunset. He learned to blow bubbles, to pose for the camera, and to fall asleep peacefully in unfamiliar places.

For Xiao Q and me, this trip was more like a breakthrough—breaking free from the travel constraints that had bound us for two years since having a child, and rediscovering the courage to "just go." Yes, traveling with a child is exhausting. But seeing him run in the sunshine, play on the beach, and laugh among the gulls made all the fatigue melt into contentment.

Fuxian Lake truly soothes the soul. It soothed our longing for sunshine as "refugees from overcast skies," our yearning for travel, and our anxiety about our child's growth.

The meaning of travel isn't about how far you go—it's about how many smiles you collect along the way.

If you're planning a family trip to Fuxian Lake, remember a few things: bring sunscreen and hats; November is windy, so don't forget moisturizer; renting a car is a hundred times more convenient than taking taxis; book hotels and baby car seats in advance; and pack plenty of baby medicine and disposable items. Most importantly—slow down and enjoy every moment of sunshine and scenery.

After all, under a thousand suns, the most beautiful scenery is the smile of your family.