Atlas of China
Dongchuan Red Land 东川红土地Dōngchuān Hóngtǔdì
Hills of brick-red soil patched with green, gold and white crops like a giant quilt
- Best time
- May–Jun, Sep–Dec
- Time needed
- 1–2 days
- Days to budget
- 2 days
- Stay in
- Huashitou
- Region
- Yunnan
- Type
- Nature
Why go to Dongchuan Red Land
In the hills of Dongchuan, north-east of Kunming, farmers till terraces of brick-red soil and plant them with wheat, potatoes, buckwheat and rapeseed. Fresh-ploughed earth and growing crops make a patchwork of red, green, gold and white that changes from season to season. Scattered viewpoints such as Damakan, Luoxiagou and Yuepu'ao draw photographers at sunrise and sunset.
The story
The colour comes from iron and aluminium oxides left behind as warm rains washed other minerals out of the soil over thousands of years. This was a quiet farming district until photographers discovered it in the 1990s; because the fields are rotated through the year, no two visits look quite the same.
What to see at Dongchuan Red Land
- Damakan 打马坎: A hillside viewpoint on the road above Damakan village, the usual sunrise spot, where first light picks out the red, green and gold fields below.
- Qicaipo 七彩坡: 'Seven-Colour Slope': a hillside of colour bands from different crops and soils. How many colours you see depends on the season, weather and light.
- Jinxiuyuan 锦绣园: A viewpoint on the way from Qicaipo towards Huashitou village, looking over strips of colourful fields; popular for photographs from above.
- Yuepu'ao 乐谱凹: A village hollow just south of Huashitou, with terraced farmland between hills; its sunset glow is a common highlight.
- Luoxiagou 落霞沟: A gully viewpoint, the usual place for sunset, where the evening light deepens the red earth.
How to visit Dongchuan Red Land
The viewpoints are spread over many kilometres of hill roads and there are no shuttle buses, so most people hire a driver. A typical loop takes Damakan at dawn, then Qicaipo, Jinxiuyuan and Yuepu'ao in the morning light, ending at Luoxiagou for sunset. Allow two days if you want sunrise and sunset; on a one-day visit, choose two or three viewpoints.
How to get to Dongchuan Red Land
The red land lies about 3–4 hours by road north-east of Kunming. Morning buses from Kunming North Bus Station to Fazhe pass Huashitou village in 3–4 hours, but the viewpoints are spread out, so most visitors hire a car and driver.
Where to stay
Huashitou village puts you closest to the viewpoints for sunrise and sunset, with simple farmhouse guesthouses. Dongchuan town offers a wider choice of rooms but is a long drive from the best light.
What to eat
- Roast potatoes 烤洋芋: Potatoes are among the crops of these hills; small ones are roasted in embers or fried and eaten with chilli and salt.
- Buckwheat cakes 荞饼: Flat cakes made with buckwheat flour; buckwheat is grown on these hills, and its blossom and harvest are part of the autumn colours.
Tips for visiting Dongchuan Red Land
- Stay a night in Huashitou to catch sunrise at Damakan and sunset at Luoxiagou; the viewpoints are scattered over many kilometres of hill roads.
- These are working farms: stick to paths and ask before stepping into fields, where villagers may charge a small fee.
- It is windy and much colder than Kunming, especially at dawn, so bring warm layers; the red earth also stains shoes.
Nearby
- Green Lake Park 翠湖公园 100 km
Kunming's favourite park, where wintering gulls wheel over willow-lined causeways - Western Hills & Dragon Gate 西山龙门 120 km
Taoist grottoes and a single-file ledge path cut into a cliff high above Dianchi Lake
Also within 30 km: Jiaozi Snow Mountain 轿子雪山 (30 km).
On the map
Open Dongchuan Red Land on the illustrated map to see the terrain around it, what else is close, and to add it to a trip and plan the days.
Open Dongchuan Red Land on the map