Mingyuehu Lake in Yiliang County, Kunming
Overview of Mingyuehu Lake Scenic Area
Mingyuehu Lake (明月湖) is a scenic area located in Yiliang County (宜良县), Kunming (昆明). It is situated approximately 10 kilometers from the Diehong Bridge (叠虹桥) scenic area and lies on the Nanpan River (南盘江), downstream of the Maitian River (麦田河). Mingyuehu Lake is currently being developed as part of a key water conservancy project in Yunnan Province, known as the Chaishitan Reservoir (柴石滩水库).
Key Information
- Chinese Name: 明月湖景区
- Geographic Location: Jiuxiang Scenic Area (九乡风景区), Yiliang County, Kunming
- Opening Hours:
- Ticket Price: Free
- Nearby Attractions: Diehong Bridge Scenic Area (叠虹桥景区)
Transportation
- By Taxi: Visitors can take a taxi from Kunming Airport (昆明机场) or the train station (火车站) to the scenic area, with round-trip fares ranging from 200 to 300 RMB.
- By Bus: From Kunming Train Station, it takes about 2 hours to reach the scenic area by bus, with a fare of approximately 15 RMB.
- Minibus Services: Visitors can take a minibus directly to Jiuxiang Scenic Area from Kunming Train Station or the Chayuan Hotel (茶苑宾馆), with a round-trip ticket price of 30 to 40 RMB per person.
- Long-Distance Buses: At Kunming North Bus Station (昆明汽车北站), Juhua Village Bus Station (菊花村汽车站), and Eastern Bus Station (东部汽车站), minibuses to Yiliang County are available, costing around 8 RMB. Upon arrival in Yiliang, visitors can transfer to a bus to Jiuxiang for an additional 6 RMB fare.
Accommodation and Dining
Within the scenic area, there are accommodations such as Jiuxiang Hotel (九乡宾馆) and Fulin Mountain Villa (富林山庄), which are both quaint and elegant, blending seamlessly with the surrounding landscape. Standard room rates start at 80 RMB per night, while suites begin at 120 RMB.
The dining options within Jiuxiang Scenic Area predominantly feature wild mountain plants, varying with the seasons. In spring, visitors can taste dishes made with pear blossoms (棠梨花), sand pine tips (沙松尖), bitter thorn flowers (苦刺花), and dragon claw vegetables (龙爪菜).
During the summer and autumn, a variety of wild mushrooms, including chicken truffles (鸡枞), dried mushrooms (干巴菌), beef liver mushrooms (牛肝菌), and chicken oil mushrooms (鸡油菌), are available—over 20 different types in total.
In winter, guests can enjoy rural-style dishes such as cured meat (腌肉), roasted meat (烤肉), smoked meat (烟熏肉), and beef jerky (牛干巴), along with the ever-popular Yiliang roast duck (宜良烤鸭).
Shopping
Visitors can also purchase unique embroidered items from Jiuxiang Scenic Area, featuring designs such as Yincui Gorge (荫翠峡), Shentian (神田), and the dual waterfalls (雌雄双瀑). These embroideries, framed in red wood, exude a charming rustic elegance, with prices typically ranging from 600 to 800 RMB depending on the size.
