Under the Sky, Mountains and Rivers Thousands of Miles—Journey to the West 4

Number of days: 10 days
Time: July
With whom：a person
Updated: 2023.07.20

2023.7.1

It's July already, and in the blink of an eye, June of this year is gone. Time flies.

Today was a day of strolling by Erhai Lake. We left the hotel around noon and went to the covered bridge first. The scenery by the bridge is very beautiful, but the car has to be parked at the entrance, and it's a long walk to the bridge. It's best to rent a bicycle or electric car at the entrance.

After the covered bridge, we went to Xizhou Ancient Town. Like Dali Ancient Town, it's a snack center. The sun was a bit strong when we went there, and there weren't many tourists. After eating some snacks in the town, we rushed to Shuanglang. Shuanglang should be the most lively place near Erhai Lake. There are many seaside homestays and various snack and jewelry stores. The whole town is also very large.

Compared to Dali and Xizhou Ancient Towns, which are a short distance from Erhai Lake, Shuanglang is directly on the beach. Walking down the streets, you can feel the gentle sea breeze. Even under the scorching sun, the breeze is still very comfortable.

After visiting Shuanglang Ancient Town, we drove slowly along Huanhai East Road. Just a short turn, we were greeted by the breathtaking scenery of Erhai Lake. It was truly stunning.

In the evening, we saw golden-rimmed white clouds by Erhai Lake, reflecting the distant sunset glow. It was beautiful and spectacular.

7.2

I woke up by Erhai Lake today. The morning breeze felt a little cool, but not cold.

After packing up, we set off for Pu'er. The journey was a bit long, but thankfully, it was all paved roads and there were no traffic jams. After passing Jingdong, we could notice the increased humidity in the air. The subtropical rainforest climate is truly different.

The rest of the trip went smoothly. We arrived in Pu'er around 5pm. We ate something on the way, washed up at the hotel, and had some tea in the tea room. It was quite good.

7.3

After breakfast at the hotel, we had some tea again before heading to the nearby Tianyu Coffee Estate. The coffee estate is surrounded by tea mountains, with tea and coffee trees growing side by side. It seems the climate is ideal for both tea and coffee.

In the coffee estate, I tasted six types of coffee, all pour-overs. Compared to other places, people in Yunnan prefer sour coffee, and this applies to coffee as well. All six types of coffee were medium roasted, which was a bit on the sour side for me.

In addition to coffee, the estate also offers Dai-style hand-pulled rice. I tried it, and it was quite good.

The coffee tasting area at the coffee estate is on a small hillside, in a covered bridge-style building. From inside, you can see the scenery of the surrounding tea mountains. The breeze is so pleasant.

Around 2 pm, we left the coffee estate and headed to Xishuangbanna, taking National Highway 213. When we get near Banna city, we pass by the Wild Elephant Valley Scenic Area. I'll definitely check it out next time I pass by.

It was around 5 pm when we arrived at the hotel. After a short rest, we went to eat something nearby. In the evening, we had tea alone. It was another fulfilling day.

7.4

I slept in today, got up at noon, ate something, and then went to get my car serviced. Afterwards, I went to the Zongfo Temple and the nearby fruit market. I had read online that the prices in Banna fruit markets are very high, and it turned out to be very high.

After visiting the fruit market, we went to the Xingguang Night Market. Compared to other places, the Xingguang Night Market has a fixed entrance time, and you have to verify your real name on the mini program in advance when entering. It is indeed quite strict.

Before the entrance time of the Xingguang Night Market, I walked around the area, bought some fruit, and had a cup of coffee. The dark roasted coffee had a bitter taste of burnt wood and was really not tasty.

When it was time to enter the Xingguang Night Market, I was the first to enter and took a look. It really is a night market, not a lie at all. Although the stall owners had not yet packed up and opened their businesses, the signs looked no different from those in other night markets. The only small surprise was that you could take a photo of the front of the Shwedagon Pagoda from inside the night market.

I didn't stay at the night market for long. After leaving, I packed up a portion of mango sticky rice and grilled chicken and went back to the hotel.

After changing out of my sweat-soaked clothes and finishing up, I brewed a pot of ripe Pu'er tea. I also bought some fruit and glutinous rice for refreshments. It was a relaxing time to enjoy the tea, fruit, and the story of Water Margin.

I have to say, the local fruits are still the best. Naturally ripe ones are much sweeter and have a better texture than those that are cooked over time. Of the fruits I bought, I especially recommend the small pineapple. It's sweet with a hint of pineapple fragrance and not a single sour taste. The apple bananas are soft and delicious, and the mango sticky rice is also perfect. I ate it all by myself.

7.5

Today we set off from Banna to Kunming. It started raining shortly after we left the house this morning. To save time, we chose to take the highway this time.

The Kunming-Mo Expressway is the one I took from Banna to Kunming. If I were to give a review of all the highways I've taken, this one would have to be a bad one, for two reasons: 1. There are so many bends on the highway. It can be said that there isn't a single straight line of more than one kilometer from Jinghong to Shiping. With so many bends on the highway, the road designer can't just be described as talented; he's a genius. What's even more amazing is that even the tunnels, which are only a hundred or two hundred meters long, are curved. It's really speechless. 2. The highway surface is uneven, with many potholes. Ups and downs and side-to-side shaking are very common. Given the rainfall here in Yunnan, with its frequent rainy weather, continuous bends, and unpredictable potholes, it's a shame that accidents don't happen frequently on such a road.

There's a warning sign on the highway saying how many people have died in accidents on this section of road. I wonder if the designer of this highway felt a shred of guilt when he saw this number?

After passing Shiping, there were still some curves, but far fewer. It was already around 4:30 PM when we arrived in Kunming. As we got off the highway, we saw a clear sky, a pale blue dotted with thick white clouds, and my mood brightened.

The weather was great, and everything was great.

After arriving in Kunming, we first went to Haigeng Park. At sunset, we sat on the stone steps by the sea, enjoying the evening breeze. It was so relaxing.

7.6

Today, we departed from Kunming for Guilin. We didn't take the highway, so the journey was a bit long. Fortunately, the weather was great. I decided to just go wherever I wanted, without setting a destination in mind. I just kept moving forward in one direction.

We stopped in Qujing for lunch, then continued on our journey. Along the way, we saw a series of towering peaks. Unlike other places, the peaks here are as numerous as bamboo shoots, connected by a chain, yet each peak is distinct. The Yunnan-Guizhou landscape is truly unique.

We arrived in Xingyi, Guizhou, near dusk. We stayed overnight and continued our journey tomorrow.

7.7

Early this morning, we departed from the hotel for the Wanfenglin Scenic Area. After taking the shuttle bus at the entrance, we followed a circular route to six viewing platforms. The shuttle bus stopped at each location, and staff were on hand to guide us to each. There were no snack stalls or fruit stalls like you see in other scenic areas. There was only scenery and tourists, which was truly relaxing.

After leaving the Wanfenglin Scenic Area, we headed to the Tianyan Science Base. If you don't take the highway, you'll pass by the Beipan Mountain Scenic Area, which offers stunning scenery. At the Wanfenglin Scenic Area, you only see the Wanfenglin Forest Scenic Area from one side, but from Beipan Mountain, you can practically see the other side, with crystal-clear views.

The road approaching the Tianyan Base is through a continuous mountain forest. The road is a bit narrow, but the road condition is excellent, and the scenery on both sides is also beautiful.

During this walk, I discovered a somewhat unconventional pattern: as long as the roads are well-maintained, the economic development in an area is definitely not bad. This can be seen from the residential buildings on both sides of the road. The residents' morale is also better. Perhaps for some local governments, developing the economy first and then building roads or building roads to develop the economy is a dilemma.

7.8

After getting up this morning, I went to the Tianyan Science Popularization Base. I bought a shuttle bus ticket to Tianyan at the ticket office and then walked to the Astronomy Experience Hall to catch the bus. This bus goes to the Tianyan Visitor Center. After getting off at the Tianyan Visitor Center, you can choose to walk up the mountain or take a bus. I recommend taking the bus up the mountain and walking down the mountain.

After arriving at the Tianyan's observation deck, you can overlook the entire Tianyan. There are no electronic devices here. The staff provide film cameras for taking photos, but it is said that the quality of the photos depends on the weather.

In addition to seeing the Sky Eye from the observation deck, the surrounding scenery is also very beautiful. The typical karst landform stalactite peaks are arranged in a continuous line and are quite spectacular.

From the observation deck, we walked down the mountain to the Sky Eye Visitor Center, and then took the bus up the mountain to return to the Astronomy Experience Hall.

After leaving the Sky Eye base, we set off directly for Guilin. We arrived at Guilin Elephant Mountain Park around 6 pm. At this time, only Gate 3 was open for entry, but the parking lot was only at Gate 1. We had to park at Gate 1 and walk to Gate 3. Fortunately, there was no such restriction when we came out, and we could go directly to the parking lot from Gate 1.

After entering the park, we took a quick look around. Many attractions were closed to the public due to time constraints, but fortunately, we saw Elephant Mountain, which made the trip worthwhile.

7.9

This morning we left the hotel for Yangshuo, our destination being the filming location for the back of the 20-yuan RMB note. The road conditions were fine along the way, except for a small section near our destination where the road was difficult to walk on, all gravel. The filming location is an open-air attraction, but there are also some small vendors gathered around it. Nearby residents have even designated an area for parking, charging 20 yuan per car. I wonder if it's because this is the filming location for the 20-yuan RMB note?

After taking a few photos here, I didn't want to go to other attractions. Although I didn't stay in Guilin for long, neither Elephant Mountain Park nor the filming location for the 20-yuan RMB note gave me a very bad impression. They say Guilin's landscapes are the best in the world, and the landscape here is indeed very good, but apart from the landscape, the other hardware and software facilities such as transportation, scenic area planning, and cultural expression are not worthy of Guilin's reputation.

After leaving the filming location of the 20 Yuan RMB film, we headed straight for Orange Island in Changsha. Once on the highway, I was surprised to find that this section of the highway was entirely concrete, with many potholes and patches. The car was a bit bumpy and noisy. At the border between Guangxi and Hunan, the road immediately switched to asphalt, which instantly elevated my impression of Hunan several notches.

It was around 6:30 PM when we arrived at Orange Island Park. During peak season, parking is not allowed in the park's parking lot, so you can only park in the parking lot outside, which takes more than ten minutes to walk to the park entrance.

Following the navigation, I walked across the Orange Island Bridge to the park entrance. Perhaps because of the crowds, my first impression of the place was that it was chaotic. The subway entrances and exits, as well as the sightseeing bus ticket purchase, ticket inspection, and boarding points were scattered, making it easy to get lost for a first-time visitor.

I didn't see any signs indicating walking into the park. Perhaps walking wasn't considered when the park was planned. After all, the tour buses don't offer one-way tickets. When I first heard there were no one-way tickets, I thought I should have Mr. Mao come and talk to the park's management.

Orange Island Park is very long, about 2.5 kilometers one way. If you walk, it takes about an hour round trip. If you include time for sightseeing and resting, it's almost two hours. So I still recommend taking the tour bus.

7.10

Today I returned directly from Changsha to Hangzhou. I only visited Orange Island Park in Changsha, and I didn't go to Mawangdui and Yuelu Mountain. The weather was so hot that I just wanted to go back to Hangzhou and lie down.

This morning, I left Changsha on the Shanghai-Kunming Expressway. When I passed through Jiangxi, there was construction on the highway, so the speed limit was reduced to 80, from 120 to 80. With such a big discount, I wonder if there was a discount on the highway toll?

It was around nine in the evening when I arrived back in Hangzhou. Exiting the Hangzhou North Expressway and passing the Liushi Elevated Road, I saw the familiar sights and street names along the way, and instantly understood the feeling of a wanderer returning home as described in books. Here, I've seen spring flowers, summer rain, autumn leaves, and winter snow. This place has become my home, I suppose. src="/travelogue/China/Yunnan/4106362/18.webp">Erhai Lake src="/travelogue/China/Yunnan/4106362/18.webp">Erhai Lake src="/travelogue/China/Yunnan/4106362/18.webp">Erhai Lake src="/travelogue/China/Yunnan/4106362/18.webp">Erhai Lake src="/travelogue/China/Yunnan/4106362/18.webp">Erhai Lake src="/travelogue/China/Yunnan/4106362/18.webp">Erhai Lake src="https://dimg04.c-ctrip.com/images/1mf4n12000bper3hxA557_R_800_10000_Q90.jpg?proc=autoorient" /> src="/travelogue/China/Yunnan/4106362/18.webp">Erhai Lake src="/travelogue/China/Yunnan/4106362/18.webp">Erhai Lake src="/travelogue/China/Yunnan/4106362/18.webp">Erhai Lake src="/travelogue/China/Yunnan/4106362/18.webp">Erhai Lake src="/travelogue/China/Yunnan/4106362/18.webp">Erhai Lake src="/travelogue/China/Yunnan/4106362/18.webp">Erhai Lake src="/travelogue/China/Yunnan/4106362/18.webp">Xishuangbanna src="/travelogue/China/Yunnan/4106362/18.webp">Xishuangbanna src="/travelogue/China/Yunnan/4106362/18.webp">Xishuangbanna src="/travelogue/China/Yunnan/4106362/18.webp">Xishuangbanna src="/travelogue/China/Yunnan/4106362/18.webp">Dianchi Lake Dianchi Lake src="/travelogue/China/Yunnan/4106362/18.webp">Dianchi Lake src="/travelogue/China/Yunnan/4106362/18.webp">Dianchi Lake src="/travelogue/China/Yunnan/4106362/18.webp">Wanfenglin Scenic Area src="/travelogue/China/Yunnan/4106362/21.webp"> src="/travelogue/China/Yunnan/4106362/21.webp"> src="/travelogue/China/Yunnan/4106362/21.webp"> Wanfenglin Scenic Area Guilin src="/travelogue/China/Yunnan/4106362/18.webp">Guilin src="/travelogue/China/Yunnan/4106362/18.webp">Twenty Yuan Background Scenic Area/Yangshuo High-speed Railway Station src="/travelogue/China/Yunnan/4106362/18.webp">Twenty Yuan Background Scenic Area/Yangshuo High-speed Railway Station src="/travelogue/China/Yunnan/4106362/18.webp">Twenty Yuan Background Scenic Spot/Yangshuo High-speed Railway Station src="/travelogue/China/Yunnan/4106362/18.webp">Twenty Yuan Background Scenic Spot/Yangshuo High-speed Railway Station src="/travelogue/China/Yunnan/4106362/18.webp">Orange Island Scenic Area src="/travelogue/China/Yunnan/4106362/18.webp">Orange Island Scenic Area src="/travelogue/China/Yunnan/4106362/18.webp">Orange Island Scenic Area src="/travelogue/China/Yunnan/4106362/18.webp">Orange Island Scenic Area