Southeast Yunnan, a Dream of Qingqiu! A Family Trip to Yunnan for May Day (Five Days: Fuxian Lake - Mile - Puzhehei)

A journey full of surprises and unexpected turns, finding the family's poetry and distant horizons between overcast skies and clear sunshine.

Prologue: When Travel Plans Meet Uninvited Guests

The May Day holiday, for every family, is a meticulously planned "escape." We were no exception—two families, four adults, two little girls, set off from Chongqing with high expectations, heading to southeastern Yunnan. We planned to spend five days connecting three pearls of this region: Fuxian Lake, Mile, and Puzhehei.

However, travel always has its own temperament. For the first three days, the weather seemed to be playing a joke on us: continuous drizzle, a child running a fever, a cut finger... one mishap after another. But it was precisely these "uninvited guests" that made the clear skies of the last two days feel extraordinarily precious, and turned Puzhehei into what I now consider "the final resting place of life."

If you're also planning to take your kids along this route, this guide might help you avoid some pitfalls and embrace everything the journey throws at you with more ease.

Quick Overview: Our May Day Itinerary

• Day 1: Chongqing West Station → Kunming South → Self-drive to Fuxian Lake Red Sand Beach → Stay at Guanglong Town (Sanyou Hotel)
• Day 2: Fuhaiwan Park → Self-drive to Mile → Stay at Yunshuiju Private Hot Spring Hotel
• Day 3: Mile → Self-drive to Puzhehei → Craft workshop at Huashen Intangible Heritage Studio → Stay at Shuizhipan Lakeside Hotel
• Day 4: Rent a tricycle to visit Green Dragon Mountain, Lovers' Bridge, Fairy Cave Village → Stay at Shuizhipan Lakeside Hotel
• Day 5: Morning stroll in Fairy Cave Village → Return car at Puzhehei High-Speed Rail Station → Kunming → Chongqing

Cost per person: Approximately 3,000 RMB (including transportation, accommodation, meals, and tickets)

Fuxian Lake: Blue Solace on a Gloomy Day

First Glimpse of Jacaranda, a Pleasant Surprise

After picking up our car at Kunming South Station, we drove 40 minutes to Guanglong Town by Fuxian Lake. The short distance surprised me—I remembered the drive being much longer from my last visit. But what delighted me even more were the rows of blooming jacaranda trees lining the road. Under the gray sky, they looked like clusters of purple clouds, instantly healing the fatigue of the journey.

Guanglong Town is one of the most convenient accommodation options around Fuxian Lake. At night, there's a lively night market with plenty of food and lodging choices. We randomly picked a roadside restaurant and ordered stone pot fish (石锅鱼), potato rice (洋芋饭), and stir-fried wild vegetables with beef. The flavors were surprisingly good, and the prices were fair. We stayed at a guesthouse called "Sanyou" (叁有), which cost just over 300 RMB per night during the May Day holiday—great value for money. However, be careful: the stainless steel edging around the fish pond in the courtyard is quite sharp, so keep an eye on kids playing nearby.

Red Sand Beach: Find the Right Spot, and It Won't Disappoint

On the first afternoon, the rain finally stopped. Following tips from a popular Chinese social media platform, we navigated to "Chengjiang Highway Branch, Guanglong Highway Management Office," only to find the path blocked by an iron fence. With no other option, we followed the official signs toward "Red Sand Beach direction." Once inside the official area, we encountered a stretch of gravel and had to keep walking to the right, heading toward the Red Sand Spit, before the sand gradually became finer.

Although we didn't make it to the area with even finer sand from my previous visit—because our child got an upset stomach from eating blueberries—the red sand and clear lake water in front of us were already enough to lift our spirits. Many people complain about Red Sand Beach online, but most of them simply didn't find the right spot. If you want to go, try locating it based on where I took photos last time—the real Red Sand Beach has sand as fine as powder and lake water as blue as a mirror. It's the most enchanting corner of Fuxian Lake.

Fuhaiwan Park: A Rainy Bike Ride, Messy but Memorable

On the second day, we planned a leisurely bike ride at Fuhaiwan Park. We had just rented the bikes, and the kids were beaming with excitement, when the sky suddenly turned hostile and rain poured down. We got soaked to the bone and scrambled back to the car in a mess. But the two little girls were still cheerfully taking photos, as if the rain was just a minor hiccup in the adventure.

Mile: Healing Time in the Hot Springs

Private Hot Spring, a Child's Paradise

Since both little girls had developed fevers, we canceled our reservation at the established hot spring hotel and instead chose a guesthouse with private hot spring pools in each room—Yunshuiju Private Hot Spring Hotel (云水居私汤温泉酒店). As it turned out, this decision was absolutely right.

Outside the window, the drizzle continued and the lake wind howled, but we could soak in our private hot spring indoors, watching the kids splash and play in the water. They spent the entire afternoon in the pool, their cheeks flushed pink, their laughter clear as bells. The service at the guesthouse was also excellent. Although the price was a bit high, it was worth it for the serene environment and attentive staff.

Public Pools and Distant Lake Views

There were also two public hot spring pools upstairs in the guesthouse, offering distant views of the lake. Unfortunately, it kept raining, so we never got to try them. Still, just standing by the window and gazing at the misty lake surface was relaxing enough.

Puzhehei: A Dream of Qingqiu, a Paradise on Earth

Day Three: Craft Time in the Rain

By the time we arrived at Puzhehei, it was the third day of our trip—and my birthday. I silently prayed for the rain to stop, but the heavens weren't cooperating. To pass the time, we coaxed and cajoled the kids into putting on their raincoats and heading to the Huashen Intangible Heritage Studio (花神非遗工坊) for a craft session. The two little girls earnestly molded clay and painted, spending a productive and rewarding afternoon.

In the evening, we enjoyed local specialties: soybean chicken (豆浆鸡) and lotus flower fish (荷花鱼). The flavors were delicious, and the prices were reasonable. The food scene here is quite competitive—the restaurant owner even gave us a free ride back to our guesthouse.

Day Four: Puzhehei Under Clear Skies, Breathtakingly Beautiful

On the fourth day of our trip, the rain finally stopped. This was also the highlight of the entire journey.

Rent a Tricycle and Slow-Travel the Village

In the morning, we rented a tricycle for 100 RMB a day. It was the first time our family had ever ridden a "three-wheeler," and the kids were screaming with excitement. We rode it through the village, stopping to take photos wherever we liked. The navigation in Puzhehei Village is often inaccurate—we drove into dead-end alleys several times and had to back out and find our way again. But this only added a sense of adventure to the trip.

Green Dragon Mountain: Panoramic View of Puzhehei

Our first stop was Green Dragon Mountain (青龙山). We parked the tricycle at the designated parking lot (5 RMB fee) and walked to the Green Dragon Mountain Pier. On the way, you'll pass "Qingqiu Wall Paintings" (青丘画壁), but don't be fooled by the uphill path—it's quite long, so it's better to take it on the way down. At the pier, continue along the left road until you see a gate on the hillside—that's the fastest way up.

The entire hiking route is "up on the right, down on the left," so you won't backtrack. After about half an hour of climbing, we reached the summit. Just then, the sun peeked out, revealing Puzhehei at its most beautiful—emerald-green lakes, scattered villages, and distant mountains forming a stunning landscape painting. From another viewpoint at the top, you can see the filming location of "Eternal Love" (三生三世十里桃花). I couldn't help humming the theme song under my breath.

Lovers' Bridge: Leisurely Time Amid Green Hills and Clear Waters

After descending from Green Dragon Mountain, we rode our little tricycle to Lovers' Bridge (情人桥). We happened to pass a restaurant called "Yixiangyue" (彝乡约) that had parking, so we stopped for lunch. The portions were generous, the food was tasty, and the prices were reasonable.

From the restaurant, a short walk brought us to Lovers' Bridge by the lake. Tall reeds, leisurely grazing cattle, green hills, and clear waters—it was a beautiful rural landscape. The kids ran back and forth on the bridge, while the adults sat by the lake, enjoying a rare moment of tranquility.

Fairy Cave Village: My "Final Resting Place of Life"

Our last stop was Fairy Cave Village (仙人洞村). You can use Gaode Maps (a Chinese navigation app) in cycling mode for directions. Since we were on a tricycle, the restaurant staff advised us to take an alternate route, as the lakeside road only allows electric scooters and bicycles.

Fairy Cave Village is different from Puzhehei Village, which has wide roads and modern buildings. Here, the houses are more ethnically distinctive, and the streets are narrow cobblestone paths. Our tricycle couldn't stop everywhere, so we had to drive all the way to the end of the road. When we got off, we found ourselves at the Fairy Cave Pier. Following the path next to a guesthouse called "Zhazhaya" (喳喳呀), we discovered a row of particularly nice-looking lodgings.

We picked one of the guesthouses to have a drink. The afternoon sun was just right, a cat was lazily lounging on the windowsill, and we were lazily leaning back in our chairs. At that moment, I suddenly felt that life should be spent in places like this. I sent a photo of the scenery to my mom, and she asked the owner if they offered monthly rates. The owner replied, not warmly or coldly, that this location couldn't do cheap monthly rentals—even non-lake-view rooms cost 3,000 to 4,000 RMB per month during the off-season. I couldn't help but marvel—most people can't afford my ideal retirement paradise.

Day Five: Fairy Cave Village in the Morning, a Different Charm

Since the other family in our group had gone to meet friends the day before and hadn't explored the village much, I strongly recommended they take an early morning stroll on the last day. This time, we went on foot, which was more leisurely than driving the tricycle. The village hadn't woken up yet, the sunlight was just perfect, and in this Yi ethnic village, the flowers, plants, and trees were bursting with vitality.

We stopped at a small shop for beef rice noodles (牛肉饵丝), which cost 20 RMB per bowl. The owner sliced a whole piece of beef into pieces—generous portions. The people in Puzhehei are all very easygoing. The restaurant staff, the young ladies, and the elderly women were all friendly. Of course, there was an exception—an old man driving a horse-drawn carriage was a bit stubborn. Because we didn't take his carriage, he sulked and blocked the road, but he was still reasonable and moved aside after a while.

Conclusion: Yunnan Is Truly a Place You Can Visit Again and Again

On this trip, the first three days were plagued by continuous rain, a child's fever, a cut finger, and all sorts of unexpected troubles. But it was precisely these "uninvited guests" that made the clear skies of the last two days feel extraordinarily precious. Every place in Puzhehei—Green Dragon Mountain, Lovers' Bridge, Fairy Cave Village—made me want to linger and never leave.

Yunnan is truly a place you can visit again and again. Every time you come, there are new discoveries and new emotions. If you're also planning to take your kids along this route, don't hesitate to slow down and embrace everything the journey offers—whether it's sunny or rainy, it's all a gift from travel.

Finally, a few tips:

• Fuxian Lake Red Sand Beach: After navigating to "Chengjiang Highway Branch, Guanglong Highway Management Office," keep walking to the right to find the real fine-sand area.
• Mile Hot Springs: If traveling with kids, choose a hotel with private hot spring pools in the rooms—it's convenient and safe.
• Puzhehei Tricycle: 100 RMB per day is a great deal, but be aware that navigation is often inaccurate—ask locals for directions.
• Fairy Cave Village: Consider staying overnight. The village is especially beautiful in the early morning and has more ethnic character than Puzhehei Village.

May every journey you take lead you to find your own "Dream of Qingqiu."