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Why the Yuan Yang
rice terraces are special
Not only are the Yuan Yang rice
terraces among the world's largest and most spectacular rice terraces, they are the least known among them,
which keeps the tourist count low. You get an extra sense of adventure when you are there.
Interesting insights about
the Yuan Yang rice terraces
 Although few general tourists have
visited the Yuan Yang rice terraces, many photographers have (which attests to the beauty of the landscape).
The landscape changes vividly through the year. The paddies
are flooded in the winter and early spring -- this creates the reflecting pool effect, a
photographer's dream (see photo). In the summer, the paddies are luxuriantly green with growing rice
stalks. After the fall harvest, the paddies become naked bare earth.
Yuan Yang tidbit
The rice farmers have had to practice
ecology and land preservation centuries before those concepts were widely accepted around the world. Without hard work maintaining the terrace
walls and irrigation system, the precious top soil would wash down the
hillsides into the rivers.
Tips for your
vacation tour or trip
Visit some of
region's many ethnic
minority villages and markets where locals wear their colorful traditional costumes.
Hike carefully along the steep
rice terrace paths - they can be quite slippery.
Nearest major city
The Yuan Yang rice terraces are about 300 kilometers (180 miles) south of
Kunming, the capital of Yunnan province.
Pronunciation guide
Yuan Yang: you'ahn yah'ng
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