Yuan Yang Rice Terraces

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.

Yuan Yang rice terraces tips and insights
How to pronounce
Yuan Yang: you'ahn yah'ng

Visitors
Although few general tourists have visited the Yuan Yang rice terraces, many photographers have because of the thrilling beauty of the landscape.

Seasonal
The landscape changes vividly through the year.

• Winter and early spring
  The paddies are flooded. 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.

Hike carefully
The steep rice terrace paths can be quite slippery. Wear appropriate shoes or boots.

Ecology and land preservation
The rice farmers have had to practice those concepts centuries before they 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.

Villages
Visit some of region's many ethnic minority villages and markets where locals wear their colorful traditional costumes.

Nearest major city
The Yuan Yang rice terraces are about 300 kilometers (180 miles) south of Kunming, the capital of Yunnan province.