This place is definitely worth a visit. Make sure to check the weather in advance. I had 2 days trip, on the first day it was rainy and foggy so I couldn’t see anything. Then on the second day weather was beautiful so I was lucky to see all the fields and walk around them.
To get there take a train to Lishui, then take a bus to Yunhe County from station which is next to train stop. You can stay either in Yunhe town or in some guesthouse within villages around the fields. Anyway there is a bus running maybe every hour from Yunhe right to the fields.
I believe the best time to visit the fields is August or October 🙂
The terraces are located at a surprisingly high altitude. The road there, while well paved, is often narrow and winding. Definitely not for the faint hearted. We were driven there by a local host who was clearly familiar with the route at a quiet time of year. The attraction itself is well laid out with a smooth, broad paved walkway the follows a ridge overlooking the valleys below. Information billboards are available. Towards the end of the viewing walkway a series of block paved steps take you down into the heart of the terraces. The entry fee was a reasonable 80RMB/$13. Worth a visit if you’ve never seen rice terraces up close before. However we weren’t entirely convinced they actually deliver on their reputation as the most beautiful terraces in China.
Travelers need to arrive at Yunhe County in Lishui City and take a bus to Zhangjiadi which is available in every one hour from 6:30 to 17:00 (10rmb)
The local She minority in the villages near the rice terraces do not speak much, if any, mandarin. However, the woman on the bus collecting money does speak some. helpful to know a little mandarin.
Verdict
Absolutely worth including in your itinerary, especially if you are a photographer, still very quiet and undiscovered and not as tourist packed as the Dragon’s Backbone terraces.
We recommend Zaitianjian hotel which is on top of the rice terrace, amazing view, can see the sunrise from your own balcony. Be sure to visit in Spring when everything is green.
Location
Yunhe Terrace Scenic Area (4A) Zhanyun Road 2, Chongtou Town, Yunhe County, Lishui City, Zhejiang Province
Yunhe by Drone, compared to the Phillipines its not so impressive