Two Consecutive Spring Festivals Driving to Yunnan: What Are We Really Searching For?

Preface: A Travelogue Half a Year Late

The 2018 Spring Festival is now nearly a year behind us. As someone suffering from chronic procrastination, I've finally managed to drag this travelogue from my mind onto the screen just as 2018 was coming to a close.

This isn't a guidebook. To be honest, many of the details and emotions have long been washed away by time. Nor is this a sentimental piece — Yunnan's tourism industry seems to have a natural talent for attracting criticism, and I don't want to add to the noise. This is purely a family memento, something to pull out when we're old and gray, to remind us of those years on the road.

Just like last year, we chose to drive during Spring Festival. Going back to our hometown for the holidays? Boring. So on the first day of the new year, we set off again. Same as last year: one car, three people, luggage stuffed to the brim. The only difference? Gaga had grown up — that awkward little terror from last year's hotel stays was now even more mischievous, but at least shopping and check-ins were less of a headache.

Last year I dreamed of owning an MPV. This year I lowered my standards: as long as there's enough space, I'd even be satisfied with a front-wheel-drive unibody SUV. Last year the car was too small to fit a Nuodeng ham (a famous cured ham from Yunnan); this year it was too small for Jianshui tofu (a local specialty from Jianshui County). Such are the "humblebrag" troubles of our family road trips.

The trip lasted 9 days, with total expenses around 5,000-5,500 RMB. How many kilometers did we drive? I forgot. I'll blame it on being busy with work, but really it's just procrastination.

Oh, and Gaga now voluntarily climbs into his child safety seat the moment he gets in the car — he just needs to buckle himself up. Strong recommendation for anyone traveling with kids: safety seats are absolutely worth sticking with.

Our route was decidedly "off the beaten path": Hometown → Yibin → Zhaotong's Dashanbao (Great Mountain Plateau) → Luoping's Rapeseed Flower Fields → Mile's Yunnan Red Wine Manor → Jianshui Ancient Town → Fuxian Lake's Luchong Scenic Area → Anning's Jinfang Forest Hot Springs → Panzhihua → Xichang → Chengdu. We thought these spots were obscure enough — turns out, we were wrong. Crowds everywhere.

Time flies. Gaga is now a head taller than he was during Spring Festival. By all logic, we should have chosen a different destination this year. But in the end, we went back to Yunnan. And barring any surprises, we'll probably go again next Spring Festival.

Why? What exactly do we love about Yunnan? I'll keep you guessing until the end.

Day One: New Year's Night in Yibin

On the first day of the Lunar New Year, after lunch, I checked the traffic — surprisingly clear! Time to hit the road.

Originally, I planned to reach Zhaotong that night, or at worst, head to Shuifu County to soak in the Western Grand Canyon hot springs. But by the time we got near Yibin, it was getting dark. My wife checked online and found the Western Grand Canyon was both expensive and fully booked. So we were forced to stop in Yibin for the night.

We found a small hotel near Yibin University — not bad. Before setting out, I searched on a review app and found a tofu rice restaurant (豆花饭, douhua fan — tofu pudding served with rice), with a Yibin barbecue place next door. Off we drove. Across from the barbecue joint stood a very old building. My wife's eyes lit up — her "Instagram-worthy spot" radar had gone off.

Not many barbecue places were open on New Year's night. The ingredients were fresh, and the taste was decent. But in my heart, there are only two kinds of barbecue in the world: Xichang barbecue, and everything else. No arguments accepted.

We sat at the tofu rice restaurant's tables while eating barbecue. Gaga was starving — even though he'd been snacking non-stop on yogurt, milk, chips, cookies, eggs, and fruit throughout the drive. My wife snuck into the tofu restaurant's kitchen to take a few photos. These old-school establishments are usually reliable.

Barbecue plus tofu rice — our New Year's dinner made us happy. Gaga's enthusiastic eating confirmed the place was good.

After dinner, my wife suggested a walk around the university to digest. Gaga clung to his iPad — and honestly, that iPad was the reason we could eat out without someone having to chase after him.

On the way back to the hotel, a plane flew across the cloudless sky. Naively, I took it as an omen that this trip would be smooth sailing.

The small hotel was reasonably priced and decently appointed. We parked the car on campus — safe and convenient. Strolling through the university grounds was something my wife and I both enjoyed.

Day Two: The "Surprise" at Dashanbao

The small hotel didn't offer breakfast, so we drove into Yibin proper to find a restaurant open on the second day of the new year. I snapped a photo as we left, but somehow it didn't capture any Yibin University logo...

Today's goal: Zhaotong's Dashanbao (Great Mountain Plateau). After driving all morning and passing a rest stop, my wife volunteered to take the wheel. I took the opportunity to teach Gaga, strapped into his safety seat, how to become the next generation of "Old Master Chen" (a nickname for camera enthusiasts).

My wife drives like a pro — sticking to the speed limit, using turn signals, maintaining safe distances. We only made one mistake the entire trip: pulling over on the emergency lane to let Gaga relieve himself when he couldn't hold it any longer.

After what felt like forever, we finally arrived at Dashanbao. We thought this relatively obscure scenic spot wouldn't be crowded. Reality slapped us hard — just the traffic jam took nearly 2 hours. We finally parked at a farmer's doorstep and walked to the entrance. The rustic grilled meat at the gate triggered my wife's shopping instincts. It tasted okay, but my mind was elsewhere.

The reason for my anxiety: the line of cars trying to leave stretched around the world three and a half times. We were grateful we'd parked in the village and walked up.

We walked for a long time before hearing that there were minibuses inside that could take visitors to the core scenic area. We ate grilled meat while looking for a ride — it was already 3 or 4 in the afternoon.

The minibus driver took us to a reservoir. I knew this spot because some photography master had captured stunning images of black-necked cranes here. But I wasn't here for the cranes this time — I'd heard the scenery was beautiful. Gaga had fallen asleep, so I carried him while snapping a few shots.

The locals said this Spring Festival was unusually warm — the snow was gone, and the black-necked cranes had flown away. The weather this year was indeed strange. When I'm writing this in early August, Chengdu's rainfall over the past month or two probably exceeds the annual average, yet the temperature remains high!

To reach the best viewpoint at Dashanbao, you either walk for half an hour or ride a horse for ten minutes. It was too late, Gaga was still asleep, so my wife carried him facing backward as they rode a horse ahead.

Judging by the crowds heading down, we'd arrived way too late. But word had it the sunset was beautiful, and the weather was clear, so I wanted to try photographing it. The cold and strong winds drove us away.

I climbed over a fence and jumped onto a large rock at the cliff's edge — behind me, a gorge dropped nearly a kilometer. If someone fell, collecting the body would be impossible. That's Dashanbao's vibe: rugged, sparse vegetation, fierce winds — perfect for Instagram shots.

About a hundred meters across from the viewing platform was a small hilltop. Those with time could spend half an hour climbing to the top. "When you stand atop the highest peak, all other mountains look small beneath you." My wife's candid photography skills could use some improvement.

This was probably Gaga's first time at such a precipitous cliff edge. He seemed a bit reserved at first. I wondered if he could even see anything clearly. The red scarf is an essential accessory for middle-aged women going out for photos — no doubt about it.

Dashanbao has two viewing platforms, neither very large. It's basically a "snap a few photos and move on" kind of place. Leaving the platform, we headed to a small hill with large rocks — Gaga wanted to climb up and see far.

The sun was about to set, the temperature dropped sharply, and the wind picked up. Time for a quick photoshoot and descent. "I can see farther because a giant is holding me up!" — thanks to my wife for saving my knees, letting me carry Gaga down on horseback. Gaga was freezing, snot flying everywhere, and with muddy hands wiping his nose, he quickly turned into a little mud-caked cat.

Since Dashanbao was just so-so, and we didn't see any black-necked cranes, my wife decided to play one herself.

How to rate this place? Hmm... hmm? Hmm! Hmm. Unless I come back specifically for crane photography, or camp here in summer... hmm? Hmm!

Back at the farmer's doorstep, we jumped in the car, wolfed down the leftover snacks, and sped back to Zhaotong city. The hotel was decent, reasonably priced, with an unbeatable view. I won't post photos of the room though... for reasons I'd rather not get into.

Day Three: Luoping's Sea of Rapeseed Flowers

The hotel breakfast was good. After eating, we hit the road again. Originally, I planned to stop in Huize County for sour cabbage pork trotter soup (酸菜猪脚汤, suancai zhujiao tang), then head straight to Luoping. But time was tight, so we ate in Qujing instead. On the way, Gaga kept studying the camera — after all, "Old Master Chen."

After a long drive, we finally reached Qujing. I've developed a real fondness for large-displacement motorcycles — they look so cool. Gaga didn't play much with his iPad in the car; he preferred looking out the window, singing, and chatting with us. When that got old, he'd read a book.

During Spring Festival, Qujing was packed. We found a food street to grab a bite. Judging by my wife's expression, she wasn't impressed with the tofu here. Judging by Gaga's face, he gave the fried rice a thumbs up.

After eating, we raced to Luoping. We chose Luoping for its spectacular rapeseed flower fields and unique karst地貌 (landform). Little did we know it was a hugely popular Spring Festival destination — hotels were in insane demand. Just as my wife started worrying about finding accommodation, I managed to find a farm stay in the core area of Golden Chicken Peak Cluster (Jinjifengcong) using a map app. My wife called — hey, they had rooms, and the price wasn't bad. Booked immediately, paid via WeChat.

After settling in, I suggested we climb to the Golden Chicken Ridge viewing platform to explore, saving the flower fields for the next morning. Entrance was 10 RMB per person, offering a panoramic view of the village and flower sea.

We'd actually arrived a bit early — the rapeseed flowers hadn't fully turned yellow yet. And since I don't know how to use Photoshop or Lightroom, I couldn't fake that golden hue like the old photography masters.

At the village entrance was a massive parking lot filled with cars from tourists who'd driven in from Luoping county town or elsewhere. My advice: don't stay in the county town. Find a farm stay in the village. You can catch sunrise and sunset shots without worrying about traffic. Most importantly, hotels in Luoping county aren't cheap either.

Many old photography masters had already staked out prime sunset spots. My wife found this place more comfortable than Dashanbao — less wind and cold, decent scenery. Finally, the photographer didn't have to worry about never appearing in his own photos.

"Gaga, smile! We're taking a family photo!" "Oh!"

My wife said Gaga was taking some nice photos himself. Not bad.

The rapeseed fields had many paths — you could walk, take an oxcart, or drive. There were some small hills in the distance that seemed to have people on them, but we decided not to go. The Chinese commercial playbook was on full display — the scenery was genuinely beautiful, and buying a flower crown would make your photos even better, since tourists only come once.

That day's sunset wasn't particularly spectacular. Even the old masters were disappointed. The sun quickly hid, and the road toward the county town was already gridlocked.

Our first family photo! The sky darkened quickly, and the excitement on the viewing platform would soon move to the village's various entertainment spots. Ironically, the evening shot I took with my phone turned out better — awkward.

The drive back to the county town was still a nightmare. This is exactly why I strongly recommend staying in the village.

The viewing platform was actually on the grounds of a temple. Buying a ticket was more about supporting the temple. My wife asked a few elderly women cooking for the temple if there was still food available. The answer was yes. So, for 10 or 20 RMB per person (I forget), we had a temple vegetarian meal that included delicious tofu dregs, stir-fried potatoes, and greens soup. I'm still drooling just thinking about it.

The farm stay was a bit rustic, but that didn't matter — it was just for one night. We showered quickly and went to bed, because...

Day Four: Sunrise, Hot Air Balloon, and the Wine Manor

...Because I had to wake up early for sunrise photos. I was out the door before 6 AM, hoping to snag a good spot.

Turns out I was already late. Before I even reached the viewing platform, the sky lit up with fiery clouds. I frantically pulled out my camera and snapped a few shots — the angle wasn't great, but at least I captured it. I had to get up there fast.

Holy crap! It was only 6:30 AM — didn't these old masters need sleep? Even the small hills in the rapeseed fields were packed with people.

Rough estimate: the total value of photography equipment on that viewing platform that morning exceeded 3 million RMB — full-frame bodies everywhere, lenses either the holy trinity of zooms or Zeiss. The only problem: with all that expensive gear, couldn't they spend a bit more on decent tripods? A good tripod does more for image quality than a fancy camera body!

After lamenting for a while, I realized the sunrise was a bust. The fiery clouds had passed. Awkward. At that moment, a silky mist rose from the village — quite beautiful, though much of it was from firecracker smoke.

The sky grew brighter. I noticed a hot air balloon rising from the rapeseed fields! Looking further, it was going to be another beautiful day.

As I was about to head down, a loudspeaker suddenly blared from the crowd of old masters: "Photography group members, please listen up! We'll gather at 8 AM to head down, have breakfast at the hotel, and depart at 9 AM sharp for XXX location to conduct our creative work..." Creative work...

I figured my wife and Gaga were still sleeping through the cacophony of firecrackers, so I slipped into the rapeseed fields on my own. Getting closer, I saw the hot air balloon was tethered by three ropes — it couldn't fly high or far. What's the point? If you want the experience, go to a prairie. If you want photos, climb to the viewing platform or use a drone.

The balloon ride wasn't cheap, and I thought it was unnecessary. Just bring a drone.

Back at the farm stay, I roused the two sleepyheads to play in the rapeseed fields. Gaga, fully bundled up, wasn't happy — he hadn't woken up properly.

"I'm going to start creating!" "Okay, Old Master Chen."

Riding an oxcart was a fun experience. The walk from the village entrance to the fields wasn't far, but since we were here, why not try it? A round trip for the whole family cost around 100 RMB — not cheap. That old ox had more wrinkles on its forehead than I did, reminding me of the time someone thought I was born in 1978.

Most people got off the oxcart around here to take photos. Going further in didn't look much different. My wife happily took Gaga into the flower sea. Gaga quickly disappeared among the rapeseed plants. Smartly, my wife had tied Gaga's favorite Paw Patrol balloon to his hat so she could always spot him.

What I never understood: why does Gaga look so delighted whenever I pick him up? Is it because I'm incredibly handsome, or do I have a particularly appealing scent?

Even with my crappy Phantom 3 drone, I could still make out things clearly enough. Gaga wanted to "help" but was gently but firmly stopped. Here's the panorama — a shame the flowers weren't fully yellow.

Apparently, this is considered a man-made attraction. In my opinion, man-made attractions shouldn't follow the old patterns of dividing fields into neat one-mu plots — it looks awkward. Just use aerial seeding and spraying, large-scale mechanized harvesting. It would be more efficient and look better.

I flew the drone over the village. The farm stay owner said this time of year brings the most tourists, all coming to see the rapeseed flowers. Many local families, with government help, had renovated their homes into guesthouses. Not bad — rural revitalization in action.

I still prefer the DJI Inspire 2 with X7 camera. The Phantom 3 takes terrible photos. To make aerial shots look good, you have to shoot from directly above — but that angle is so overused now that it's lost its appeal.

Come on, let's kiss Gaga together. Finally, a kiss photo that wasn't taken by someone else.

After playing enough, we hopped back on the oxcart early to rest, waiting for the other tourists to return so we could head out. The camera doesn't eat cookies — but my mouth does. Thanks. The little guy definitely wasn't awake yet; he showed zero excitement.

Are we showing off the flowers, the ring, or the eyes? It's probably just showing off our love. I imagine Gaga's inner monologue: "Stop messing around, I'm about to eat."

The other tourists finally returned, and our time in Luoping was coming to an end. Here are a few photos taken by Teacher Gaga — not bad actually. He said he really wanted to ride the hot air balloon, but I told him it didn't fly high and promised to take him on one that does.

The brother from the same oxcart. Non-mainstream photography style. The honest, simple middle-aged油腻男 (greasy middle-aged man). A classic case of "young cow eating old grass."

Gaga's favorite fruit is strawberries. After several strawberry-picking trips in Chengdu, every time he sees a greenhouse, he insists we go in and eat strawberries.

Leaving Luoping, we headed toward Mile-Mengzi-Jianshui. Today's goal was to reach Jianshui Ancient Town by evening, passing through Mile along the way. Options: visit a temple or soak in hot springs. After weighing things, we chose an offbeat attraction — the Yunnan Red Wine Manor.

We skipped the temple because it was out of the way, and my wife doesn't like strong sun. We skipped the hot springs because they were packed — maybe next time. I chose the wine manor because reviews were good, and I'm genuinely interested in wineries. Our little shadow could sneak photos of us — nice.

I didn't expect such a niche attraction to still be packed at nearly 4 PM. Domestic consumer demand is strong — no fear of trade wars!

Tickets weren't expensive, and you could buy them online at a discount. Each ticket came with a 20 RMB voucher for buying wine. The manor had a nice atmosphere, though the sculptures inside were confusing. Who would've thought a wine manor could appeal to all ages? Strange, right?

To be honest, until this point, my wife was still annoyed — driving all this way for just a winery. Apparently, it was an old winery with history, later bought by a Hong Kong businessman who turned it around.

After touring the winemaking process, we headed to the cellar. Gaga kept wondering: we've been talking about wine this whole time, but where are the grapes?

Even here, tour groups were everywhere. Truly cool. Red wine differs from baijiu (Chinese liquor) — besides the grape variety, the type of oak barrel used for aging matters a lot. Not that I know much about it.

Apparently, this is also an Instagram-worthy spot. The cellar maintained constant temperature and humidity — a great place for storing wine. Old Master Chen wanted to show off again. I secretly wished I could take a barrel or two home to savor slowly.

My wife suspected Gaga took better photos of people than she did — I think the problem is with the subject. The cellar had a space like this — for photos, for showing off, or for wine tasting? If I had a room like this at home... it would mean our country has basically eliminated poverty.

Leaving the cellar, my wife spotted this wall with character and insisted on a photo. Above the cellar were a museum and a shop. The ticket included a voucher for a free wine tasting. We bought Gaga a bottle of grape juice and enjoyed our complimentary wine together.

Behind us stretched a large vineyard, supposedly beautiful in summer. The manor could even host banquets in the vineyard, dining under the grapevines — though it might be a bit hot.

This was probably the last photo taken by Teacher Gaga, because he broke his little camera afterward. Let me strike a pose. @Yunnan Red Wine Manor, after all this promotion, any compensation? Or maybe a few more bottles of wine?

The selection of wines was dazzling — some affordable, some eye-wateringly expensive. Look at the left side of the photo: the line for checkout was terrifyingly long — all buyers. The guy in front of me filled an entire cart with wine and casually dropped several thousand RMB. I was dumbfounded.

One more unique feature of the Yunnan Red Wine Manor: a church was built next to it. Many people come specifically for it — another Instagram spot. It wasn't far from Mile to Jianshui, so since we were here, we checked it out.

Online, there were mentions of feeding pigeons here. Maybe we came at the wrong time — there were so few pigeons that Gaga's dream of feeding them was dashed. But he did enjoy the steep slide.

Apparently, the church was built by the wine manor. Weddings could be held here, with banquets in the vineyard using their wine — a one-stop service. The church seemed open for visits, with an attic you could climb up to. But as an atheist, I'm not into religious stuff.

Every church looks the same to me. Still indifferent. My wife was just posing for the sake of it, not contemplating life. Gaga seemed interested in the piano on stage — I love piano music too, I just can't play.

Quick photos, then get out. Gaga finally smiled — or maybe he only smiles when he's with his mom. We spotted a few pigeons, but couldn't feed them — they wouldn't come down. It was getting late, so we rushed toward Jianshui Ancient Town.

We arrived in Jianshui by evening. We chose a youth hostel in the ancient town. The atmosphere was nice, but parking was something we had to figure out on our own.

Day Five: Jianshui's Grass Shoots and Rice Noodles

We stayed at a place called "Cao Ya International Youth Hostel" (草芽国际青年旅舍, Cao Ya meaning "grass shoots" — a local specialty). The small setting had a bit of a Chiang Mai vibe — actually, it was a very old building that had been renovated. We stayed in a room on the second floor. It was simple, but as long as we could shower, it was fine.

The price was reasonable. During Spring Festival, accommodation prices across Jianshui shot up dramatically, especially for nicer places and those within the ancient town — truly outrageous. A place like Cao Ya would normally cost around 100-200 RMB; we paid over 300 during Spring Festival, which was acceptable given the circumstances. The main issue was that other hotels were not only expensive but also fully booked.

There were many similar places in the area — easy to find online. Besides the convenience for sightseeing and the reasonable price, staying here also let us experience a bit of that artsy vibe. The real challenge was parking — we got lucky and found a free, legal spot on the street.

Since we were in Jianshui, breakfast had to include a bowl of grass shoot rice noodles (草芽米线, caoya mixian)...

(The original text cuts off here, but the first few days already convey the unique charm of this journey.)

Conclusion: What Exactly Do We Love About Yunnan?

Back to the original question: after two consecutive Spring Festival road trips to Yunnan, what exactly do we love about it?

It's not because the attractions are mind-blowing — Dashanbao's wind nearly blew us away, Luoping's rapeseed flowers weren't fully yellow, and the wine manor's church was nothing special. It's not because the service is great — Spring Festival hotel prices are absurd, and traffic jams make you question your life choices.

But Yunnan has a kind of magic: it always surprises you when you're disappointed, and warms you when you're exhausted. It's that barbecue place in Yibin that stayed open on New Year's night. It's that 10 RMB vegetarian meal at the temple. It's the farm stay owner saying, "We still have rooms." It's Gaga's face appearing and disappearing among the rapeseed flowers, always smiling.

Yunnan isn't meant to be "strategized" — it's meant to be "experienced." It doesn't demand that you check off a list of attractions. It just asks you to slow down, and be on the road with the people you love.

Next Spring Festival, we'll go again.