As a lover of the real "off the beaten track tourist gems", this is one of the latest editions to my list. Enchanted and inspired by a visit to the Yunnan Province in December 2012, it was time to return to check out the sights in and around the city of Luoping, the main point was to admire the marvellous Yellow Canola Fields at Jin Ji Cun.
Most travel books don't even include Luoping when mentioning China's Yunnan Province, that's how this place manages to stay so unknown. These yellow Canola fields are everywhere in the Springtime near Jin Ji Cun village, close to the town of Luoping.
What are these Yellow Canola Fields?
A fantastic series of yellow fields! They are yellow because the flower for harvesting rapeseed is coloured bright yellow. Rapeseed oil is made from them, also known as Canola.
When should you visit the Yellow Canola Fields at Jin Ji Cun?
Please make sure you go there only in Spring. This is when the yellow fields are visible. The rest of the year they are not! A little bit of research pays off here - it's advisable to head sometime between February and April.
How to get to the Canola Fields at Jin Ji Cun?
It's not entirely easy to get to, but make sure you first arrive in the city of Luoping. You can ask around at your hotel or show locals some pictures or Chinese characters for where you want to go. Most of them will know where it is. A bus will take you there within 20 minutes.
From Luoping bus station, ask how to get to Jin Ji Cun, Yellow Canola Fields. You will get a green minibus from the main road, which costs just 5RMB each. It's a very local bus and a local experience. If you are foreign like me (a travelling Northern Irishman) you will really stand out from the crowd. There were NO other foreigners anywhere in sight in this part of the Yunnan Province.
You should arrive at the Yellow Canola Fields within 20 - 25 minutes. They will be instantly noticeable on your right hand side.
What price is it to visit the Yellow Fields?
You will be happy to hear they are free to visit. Simply turn up, walk around and enjoy to your heart's content!
What is there to do at the Yellow Fields near Luoping?
The yellow canola fields are simply there to gaze at and admire. There's a path you can follow which leads through a local market. Buy some local snacks such as potato, chicken and honey treats and enjoy the views!
For a great view you just climb up the small hills in and around the Canola Fields. There are lots of them and you will see other Chinese tourists there. There are paths up to the top for cracking views.
After seeing the yellow fields head to the village across the road. It's called Jin Ji Cun and you can stay there for the night. You can watch the fields at sunrise and sunset to get really different views of the canola fields.
Is there anything unique about these yellow canola fields?
No - canola or rapeseed is grown worldwide in a number of locations including Canada and Australia so you can see them in other places. However the views at Jin Ji Cun, Luoping in China are epic and this is a rare chance to see them in a very unusual location away from any foreign tourists.
What other things are these to do at the yellow Canola Fields?
In terms of other things to do, trying the local food, visiting the 9 Dragons Waterfalls, checking out awesome views of the countryside and riding on a cart escorted by a yak are a few tips! There's also a hillside temple in the village of Jin Ji Cun and the local beer Lan Cang River met my expectations!
Most travel books don't even include Luoping when mentioning China's Yunnan Province, that's how this place manages to stay so unknown. These yellow Canola fields are everywhere in the Springtime near Jin Ji Cun village, close to the town of Luoping.
What are these Yellow Canola Fields?
A fantastic series of yellow fields! They are yellow because the flower for harvesting rapeseed is coloured bright yellow. Rapeseed oil is made from them, also known as Canola.
When should you visit the Yellow Canola Fields at Jin Ji Cun?
Please make sure you go there only in Spring. This is when the yellow fields are visible. The rest of the year they are not! A little bit of research pays off here - it's advisable to head sometime between February and April.
How to get to the Canola Fields at Jin Ji Cun?
It's not entirely easy to get to, but make sure you first arrive in the city of Luoping. You can ask around at your hotel or show locals some pictures or Chinese characters for where you want to go. Most of them will know where it is. A bus will take you there within 20 minutes.
From Luoping bus station, ask how to get to Jin Ji Cun, Yellow Canola Fields. You will get a green minibus from the main road, which costs just 5RMB each. It's a very local bus and a local experience. If you are foreign like me (a travelling Northern Irishman) you will really stand out from the crowd. There were NO other foreigners anywhere in sight in this part of the Yunnan Province.
You should arrive at the Yellow Canola Fields within 20 - 25 minutes. They will be instantly noticeable on your right hand side.
What price is it to visit the Yellow Fields?
You will be happy to hear they are free to visit. Simply turn up, walk around and enjoy to your heart's content!
What is there to do at the Yellow Fields near Luoping?
The yellow canola fields are simply there to gaze at and admire. There's a path you can follow which leads through a local market. Buy some local snacks such as potato, chicken and honey treats and enjoy the views!
For a great view you just climb up the small hills in and around the Canola Fields. There are lots of them and you will see other Chinese tourists there. There are paths up to the top for cracking views.
After seeing the yellow fields head to the village across the road. It's called Jin Ji Cun and you can stay there for the night. You can watch the fields at sunrise and sunset to get really different views of the canola fields.
Is there anything unique about these yellow canola fields?
No - canola or rapeseed is grown worldwide in a number of locations including Canada and Australia so you can see them in other places. However the views at Jin Ji Cun, Luoping in China are epic and this is a rare chance to see them in a very unusual location away from any foreign tourists.
What other things are these to do at the yellow Canola Fields?
In terms of other things to do, trying the local food, visiting the 9 Dragons Waterfalls, checking out awesome views of the countryside and riding on a cart escorted by a yak are a few tips! There's also a hillside temple in the village of Jin Ji Cun and the local beer Lan Cang River met my expectations!
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