Yuanyang, the Beautiful

Yuanyang, Yunnan Province, is at southwest frontier of China, 50 miles north of China-Vietnam border. The town of Yuanyang is a Hani and Yi ethnic minority settlement atop a ridge of the Ailao mountain range at an elevation of around 1600 meters. It is a popular destination with photographers due to the vast areas of nearby mountains which have been cultivated into terraced rice paddies for at least the past 1300 years by the Hani and Yi people. It is the world's most spectacular and extensive terraces. Despite the overwhelming scenic beauty of its landscape and colorful local minorities, mass tourism hasn't developed in this region, mainly due to its remote location, and until fairly recent, relative inaccessibility. The terraced areas of interest to visitors are mainly found between 1000 and 2000 metres above sea level. The winter temperatures here, although never freezing, are such that they only support one rice crop a year. The best time to visit is when rice terraces are filled with water. i.e. from December through to April. The planting season begins at May. I am hereby telling the story of Yuanyang with my images of its splendid landscapes and wonderful people.