Back from Qujing, here's some brutally honest truth.
Qujing, this hidden gem nestled in the colorful clouds of Yunnan, is like a pearl gently polished by time✨. It boasts breathtaking natural landscapes and profound historical cultural heritage, making it an absolute must-visit destination for travel enthusiasts! Without further ado, here's your ultra-detailed Qujing travel guide📖
Pre-Trip Essentials
- Transportation: First arrive at Kunming Changshui International Airport, then take a high-speed train or bus to Qujing (high-speed train takes about 30 minutes). Some cities also have direct flights to Qujing. City buses and taxis are convenient, but renting a car offers more freedom for visiting scenic areas.
- Best Seasons: February-March for Luoping rapeseed flowers; July-August for summer retreat and meadow wildflowers; November for Colorful Sand Forest with less rainfall.
- Tips: Strong UV protection (sunscreen, sunglasses, windproof jacket) is essential. Respect local Yi and Buyi ethnic customs - don't take close-up portraits in villages without permission.
3-Day Itinerary
- Day 1: Natural Wonders
- Morning: Arrive in Qujing → Luliang Colorful Sand Forest (1.5h drive) - explore 3-million-year-old colorful sandstone formations and try sand sculpting.
- Lunch: Local specialties - Mayi Sanzi (fried dough twists) and sour soup pork trotters.
- Afternoon: Luoping Jiulong Waterfalls (2h drive) - marvel at the "Southern China's Wonder" ten-tiered waterfalls, especially the 60m-high "First Jiulong Waterfall".
- Evening: Stay in Luoping county hotels, preferably B&Bs near Jinji Peak Cluster.
- Day 2: History & Countryside
- Dawn: Jinji Peak Cluster sunrise (12km from Luoping) - photograph endless rapeseed fields in spring or misty karst peaks in autumn/winter.
- Morning: Drive to Huize Ancient Town (3h) - visit Jiangxi Guild Hall and Tang Jiyao's former residence, exploring Ming-Qing copper merchant culture relics.
- Lunch: Huize specialties - Xidoufen (pea jelly) and black goat hotpot.
- Afternoon: Daicao Mountain (1.5h drive) - hike through 200,000-acre alpine meadows (winter skiing/summer wildflowers).
- Evening: Stay in Huize's characteristic inns, preferably antique-style B&Bs by Yili River.
- Day 3: Hidden Gems & Origins
- Morning: Pearl River Source Scenic Area (60km from Qujing) - hike Maxiong Mountain, see the "One Drop Feeds Three Rivers" landmark, explore underground river caves.
- Lunch: Ecological fish banquet at the scenic area.
- Afternoon: Nizhu River Grand Canyon (2.5h drive) - light adventure with 700m-drop twin waterfalls and cliffside plank walks.
- Return: Back to Qujing city for souvenirs like Xuanwei ham and Huize bronze crafts.
Four Travel Themes
- Nature Lovers: Jiulong Waterfalls, Daicao Mountain, Pearl River Source National Forest Park, Haifeng Wetland, Luoping rapeseed fields, Nizhu Grand Canyon, Junzi Mountain.
- Culture Explorers: Huize Ancient Town, Qujing Museum, Zhanyi Yulin Park (Dongchuan Campaign Monument), Cuishan Film City (Ming-Qing style film set), Nagu Baiwu Village (Ancient Tea-Horse Road post with Ming-Qing architecture).
- Foodies Trail: Xuanwei ham, Qujing steamed rice noodles, Zhanyi spicy chicken, Huize fried potatoes, Fuyuan pickled pork trotters, Luliang pressed duck.
- Leisure Seekers: Stroll Jinlin Bay Love Town, boat at Qilin Water Village, or experience nightlife at Qujing Bund.
Accommodation Guide
- Recommended:
- City Center: Qujing Guanfang Hotel (prime location, complete facilities); Atour Hotel near South Gate (many nearby attractions).
- Scenic Areas: Luoping rapeseed field B&Bs; Daicao Mountain star-gazing tents; Huize Tangfu Inn (rebuilt from Ming-Qing courtyard).
- Avoid: Unlicensed small hotels near scenic spots with poor reviews regarding hygiene and overpricing.
Food Radar
- Xuanwei Ham: Tender, savory - edible sliced raw or cooked in dishes/soups.
- Qujing Steamed Rice Noodles: Locals' favorite breakfast - soft rice noodles with meat sauce, chives, and hot broth.
- Zhanyi Spicy Chicken: Numbing-spicy flavor, crispy outside/tender inside, generous portions perfect with rice.
- Huize Fried Potatoes: Crispy outside/fluffy inside with rich seasonings - irresistibly addictive.
- Fuyuan Pickled Pork Trotters: Tender braised trotters with appetizing pickled vegetables in flavorful broth.
Seasonal Highlights
- Spring (Feb-Apr): Must-see Luoping's 800,000-acre rapeseed fields - ride sightseeing trains through flower seas or overlook from Jinji Peak viewpoints.
- Summer (May-Aug): Daicao Mountain's 200,000-acre meadows with wildflowers and grazing livestock resemble northern grasslands; Jiulong Waterfalls are most powerful in rainy season.
- Autumn (Sep-Nov): Luliang Colorful Sand Forest's hues intensify; Huize Ancient Town's autumn charm shines through historic stone-paved lanes.
- Winter (Dec-Jan): Ski at Daicao Mountain; visit Pearl River Source's "One Drop Feeds Three Rivers" for winter serenity.
🎈 Qujing - every corner of this captivating city holds surprises.
🎈 Pack your bags and start an unforgettable journey here!
🎈 #QujingTravel #TravelGuide #HiddenGems
Here, there is a piece of land formed 340 million years ago, which has high tourism value and geographical research value, and is a rare natural wonder in the world; here, it is a desert in an oasis, a colorful and varied dream world; here, it is the world's largest colored sand sculpture theme park. Luliang is the largest dam on the Yunnan-Guizhou Plateau. According to legend, it is the hometown of Meng Huo, the leader of the southern ethnic minorities during the Three Kingdoms period. The Cuan culture centered on the Cuan family during the Southern and Northern Dynasties originated here. Here, there is a piece of land formed 340 million years ago, which has high tourism value and geographical research value, and is a rare natural wonder in the world. Its unique geographical structure has formed a colorful and varied dream world after thousands of years of wind and rain erosion - the colored sand forest.
It's not necessary to go there on purpose, but it's worth a visit. It was February when I went there, the weather was very good, the sky was very blue, and the photos I took were very beautiful. I guess it would be very sunny in the summer because there are not many trees in the scenic area.
Yes, very beautiful! The sky in Yunnan is really beautiful. After seeing the cloudy days in Guizhou, I really feel that I will be in a good mood here.
The colored sand forest located in Luliang, I always thought it was an artificial landscape before I went, and I only knew its historical origin after I went. I personally feel that this scenic spot is better to integrate the humanistic history of the local culture into the natural landscape of the scenic spot, which can make the itinerary more abundant and worth recommending.
Luliang Color Shalin is located in Luliang County, Qujing City, Yunnan Province, is a 4A-level scenic spot. It is about 140 kilometers away from Kunming. Most of the roads are highways and the traffic is convenient. In the scenic area, you can often see such a word: . The local dynasty ruled the political, economic and cultural center of the south and central China, which is now Lu Liang, which is known as the land or the township. The dynasty created a splendid local culture, the culture. Culture includes writing, rituals, poetry, customs, classics, costumes, food, medicine, architecture, crafts and more. Colored sarins have traces of culture everywhere.
The scenery is pretty good, it is worth seeing. Unfortunately, the entrance of the scenic spot is under construction, and it is too far from the parking lot to the entrance of the scenic spot. The construction of colored sand forest scenic spots is relatively simple, and more people should be more sexualized. It is best to introduce more colored sand forest formation at the entrance, etc., and give everyone a more complete understanding and then see it. It is better. Although I went to the place to put the colored sarin introduction film to see, but still a little pity.
National AAAA-level tourist area, 18 kilometers away from Luliang County, in the named 108 attractions distributed in the "Y" type canyon, the total area is 180 hectares. The sarin is denuded by weathering and is a layer of barley peak; Because it is mainly red, yellow and white, mixed with blue, blue, black and gray, plus the season, climate, sunshine and viewing angle different, produce colorful colors, so the name color sand forest, is a famous geological tourism landscape. I like it very much.
The whole colored sand forest is compared with the other two natural landscapes. The development is not very good, and there are almost no commercial traces. If you travel for three hours by yourself, you can walk all of them, and strolling in the dark among the colored sand forest is like floating in a fairy tale world; Or galloping in the ancient battlefield of the squalls of the horses. Things swim in colorful paintings; sometimes trekking on the ancient surface that seems to have been just hit by Mars, where you can definitely appreciate the feeling of crossing time and space (especially the starry night). Friends who like photography suggest you start visiting around 4 pm, when you can witness the beauty of the colorful sarin. If you have art talent, colored sand forest is definitely the best raw material for you to make sand paintings, here will hold the world sand sculpture competition every year, first retain some excellent works, of which 2012 works are still as new in nature.