Dayutang Village of Xinjie town in Yuanyang County, Honghe

Overview

Dayutang Village (大鱼塘村) sits at the “East Gate” of the Honghe Hani Rice Terraces World Cultural Heritage core area. Officially certified as a Hani ethnic folk tourism demonstration village within the Yuanyang Terraces (元阳梯田) scenic zone, this village is perched at 1800 meters above sea level and is surrounded by over 10,000 acres of cloud sea terraces cascading layer upon layer. Named after the large fish abundant in the pond beside the village, Dayutang perfectly preserves the four-element Hani ecological system of “forest — water system — village — terraces,” earning it the title of a “living Hani museum.” ?️?

Location & Geography

• Administrative Area: Tugouzai Village Committee (土锅寨村委会), Xinjie Town (新街镇), Yuanyang County (元阳县), Honghe Prefecture (红河州), Yunnan Province

• Coordinates: Southern section of Ailao Mountains (哀牢山南段), south bank of the Hong River (红河南岸)

• Distance: 7 km from Xinjie Town, 30 km from Yuanyang County seat (Nansha 南沙)

• Altitude: 1800 m — unobstructed views with a high chance to witness the famous cloud seas ☁️

How to Get There ✈️?

A. Arriving from Outside

• By Air:
  Fly to Kunming, Chengdu, or Guangzhou → Red River Mengzi Airport (红河蒙自机场, KMG), 1-hour flight to Mengzi City.
  Take airport shuttle (1.5 h) to Mengzi downtown, then transfer to Mengzi → Yuanyang Nansha bus (2 h, ticket 48 CNY).

• By High-Speed Train:
  Kunming South Station → Jianshui Station (1.5 h), then arrange a carpool or shuttle (2 h) to Xinjie Town.

• By Long-Distance Bus:
  Kunming South Bus Station → Yuanyang Nansha (6 h, 120 CNY), then Nansha → Xinjie Town (30 km, 40 min).

B. From Xinjie Town to Dayutang (大鱼塘)

• Public Minibus:
  “Xinjie – Shengcun” minibuses run continuously 8:00–18:00. Get off at the “Dayutang” stop, fare 5 CNY, 15 minutes ride.

• Private Car:
  Round trip for 60–80 CNY per vehicle, flexible stops upon request.

• Self-Drive:
  Navigate to “Dayutang Village.” Free parking at the village entrance; last 1 km is paved with stone slabs, accessible by sedans.

Key Attractions & Experiences ??

1. Dayutang Viewing Platform (免费观景台)

Faces directly east, offering a spectacular combo of sunrise, cloud sea, and mirror-like terraces — a favorite fixed spot for photographers ?.

2. Folk Experience Zone

• Mushroom House Cluster: Over 30 traditional “mushroom houses” preserved intact; book to enter and sip tea by the hearth.

• Mo Qiu Festival Site (磨秋场): Venue for the Hani “Ku Zha Zha Festival” swing and bamboo pole dance performances; visitors can try swings and dance any day.

• Intangible Cultural Heritage Workshops: Wood carving water splitters, Hani embroidery, rice straw dragon weaving; onsite lessons cost 30–50 CNY/person.

3. Terraced Fields Light Trek (2–3 hours)

Start at the village entrance wooden boardwalk → descend along ridges to the valley bottom → visit the water mill house → forest spring → loop back, approx. 3 km with 120 m altitude gain/loss. Ideal for photos and leisurely exploration.

4. Nearby Attractions

• Within 3 km: Duoyishu Sunrise Scenic Area (多依树日出景区), Qingkou Folk Village (箐口民俗村), Quanfuzhuang Sunset Viewpoint (全福庄日落观景台)

• Within 15 km: Laohuzui Sunset (老虎嘴日落), Bada Cloud Sea (坝达云海), Azheke “Azheke Plan” Model Village (阿者科“阿者科计划”示范村)

Travel Tips ?

Best Season to Visit

November to March (water irrigation season) — highest chance for mirror-like terraces and cloud seas. Expect large temperature differences, so bring a down jacket ?.

Tickets & Fees

Dayutang Village entry is free.
Access to Duoyishu, Bada, Laohuzui requires purchase of the Yuanyang Hani Terraces Scenic Area ticket — 70 CNY per person, valid for 3 days.

Accommodation

Over 10 Hani-style guesthouses inside the village, many converted mushroom houses, prices range 120–300 CNY per room. Book at least one week in advance.

Food & Dining

Must-try local dishes: terrace red rice, rice flower fish (稻花鱼), Hani dipping chicken (哈尼蘸水鸡), fried bamboo worms (油炸竹虫).
“Migu Jia” (咪谷家) near the village entrance offers authentic long street banquet experiences (reservation required).

Photography Tips ?

Sunrise around 7:00 AM, with an 80% chance of cloud sea.
Use telephoto lenses (70–200 mm) most frequently. Drones require prior registration with the scenic area management.

Environmental Respect & Etiquette

No littering in terraces.
Greet villagers entering homes with “Anono” (哈尼语你好).
Always ask permission before photographing elders or religious ceremonies.

In a Nutshell:

At Dayutang Village, you can open your window to endless cloud sea terraces, learn weaving from a warm-hearted Hani auntie by day, and watch the sunset turn rice fields golden from the Mo Qiu festival ground in the evening — this is the softest, most authentic slice of Hani terraced life. ??

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