Yuanyang Hani Rice Terraces Tours in January

Hidden in the misty mountains of southern Yunnan, the Yuanyang Hani Rice Terraces（元阳哈尼梯田） — a UNESCO World Heritage Site — become a living painting in January. Water-filled terraces reflect the sky in shades of blue, pink, and gold, while Hani villages begin preparing for their New Year, offering visitors a magical blend of landscape and tradition. If you’re a photographer, cultural explorer, or winter wanderer, this is your dream season.

☀️ Weather in January

Feature Detail
🌡️ Average High 15–18°C (59–64°F) – Mild and comfortable
🌡️ Average Low 5–8°C (41–46°F) – Cool mornings and evenings
🌧️ Rainfall Low – ~10–20 mm, with some fog and highland mist
☀️ Conditions Dry season – perfect visibility, stunning sunrises and sunsets

👕 What to Wear in January

Daytime: Long sleeves, light fleece or jacket

Evening: Down coat, hat/scarf for higher elevations

Footwear: Comfortable shoes or boots for walking on stone trails

Extras: Camera, tripod, ND filter (for long exposures), sunglasses

📷 Top Photography Spots in January

📍 Duoyishu (多依树) – The Sunrise Spot

Watch sunrise light dance over mirror-like terraces

Hani mushroom houses in the distance add ethnic flavor

📍 Bada (坝达) – Best Sunset Viewpoint

Layer upon layer of terraces cascading down into the valley

Late afternoon light creates golden reflections and shadows

📍 Laohuzui (老虎嘴) – Tiger Mouth Terraces

Most dramatic curves and natural layering — ideal for wide-angle shots

Mist often rolls through in January, adding atmosphere

🎉 Festivals & Culture in January

🐃 Hani New Year (Variable – Jan or Feb)

Celebrated before Chinese New Year, often in mid to late January

Includes sacrifices to mountain gods, buffalo dances, reed-pipe music, and colorful costumes

Villagers welcome guests with sticky rice cakes, sour soups, and local wine

One of the most authentic ethnic festivals in Yunnan

Long-street feast for Angmatu Festival in Yuanyang, Honghe
Long-street feast for Angmatu Festival in Yuanyang, Honghe

🛖 What to Do Besides Photography

🧘‍♀️ Stay in a traditional Hani guesthouse with rice terrace views

🐃 Walk along ancient stone paths between villages like Qingkou, Azheke, and Niujiaozhai

🎨 Join a batik or dyeing workshop with local women

🍵 Sip highland tea or corn wine in a quiet courtyard

🍲 What to Eat in January

Sour soup hotpot – with wild herbs, tofu, and pickled vegetables

Grilled sticky rice cakes (Ciba) – made during Hani New Year

Local bacon and smoked sausage – dried for winter feasts

Bamboo rice – glutinous rice steamed in fresh bamboo tubes

Highland mushrooms and seasonal greens

🍚 Most meals are simple, earthy, and full of deep mountain flavor.

✅ Why Visit Yuanyang in January?

Category Highlight
📷 Photography Mirror-like flooded terraces, golden light, mists
🎭 Culture Hani New Year rituals, authentic village life
🧘 Atmosphere Peaceful, spiritual, and slow-paced
🌄 Nature UNESCO terraced landscapes in full water season
🍲 Cuisine Seasonal, fresh, hearty highland cooking

✨ Yuanyang in January: A Landscape Painted in Light

When the sky kisses the earth in water-filled rice fields, and village drums echo in the hills, Yuanyang in January becomes a place where nature and tradition live in harmony. Come witness it before the world wakes up.

Main Attractions in January Yuanyang Hani Rice Terraces

  • Bada Rice Terraces Fields
    Bada Rice Terraces is featured by the stereoscopic and spectacular scenery, beautiful curved line and widest occupation. It is the best place to shoot the sunset. Bada Rice Terraces, a part of Honghe Hani Rice Terraces, was listed as World Heritage Site in 2013. In the winter time after autumn harvest, the rice terraces are filled with water and when sunset glow shines upon the paddies, the terraces first turns pink, then rosy and later dark red, pink, golden and white at length.
  • Duoyishu Rice Terraces Fields
    At the altitude of 1900 meters, Duoyishu Rice Terraces, part of Honghe Hani Rice Terraces, was listed as World Heritage Site in 2013. This scenic area is the best site to watch sunrise over the vast rice paddies, sea of clouds and enjoy harmonious Hani folk life.
  • Laohuzui Rice Terraces Fields
    Laohuzui Rice Terraces, also called Tiger Month Rice Terraces or Mengpin Rice Terraces, is core area of Cultural Landscape of Honghe Hani Rice Terraces. As a scenic area with the most precipitous gradient, the grandest vigor and the widest occupation, Tiger Mouth Rice Terraces are featured by the strong gradation and the gorgeous color. From November to April, the terraces are in irrigation period. Most amazing pictures on the Internet are shooted at that time.
  • Longshuba Rice terraces
    Longshuba Rice terraces is different from other terraces because the oxygen in the water of the fields varies from other fields which lead to the rapid growth of red duckweed. The terraces are just like a colorful palette with red, white, green, yellow and black. Trekking along Longshuba Rice Terrace to see red duckweed and the colorful Rice Terraces will be a must-do in Winter when rice hasn’t planted into field yet.
  • Hani Folk Village
    Qingkou is a typical Hani Folk Village, 6 kilometers in the south of Xinjiezhen of Yunayang County. It consists of 150 families and has a population of 800 all of whom belong to the Hani ethnic minority. Qingkou Hani Ethnic Village is noted for the harmony gained among forests, village, terraced fields and water conservation system. A museum has been established to showcase the culture and history of the Hani People.
  • Mushroom-shaped Houses
    As the shaped like mushrooms, here is the name: Mushroom-shaped Houses. It was built by stones or bricks and use thatch to cover roof with a four-slope shape. The building has three layers commonly: upper, middle and lower. The lower layer is for livestock; people live in middle house and leave some space for food reserving; and the upper one is as a warehouse. Living in the delicate and beautiful mushrooms rooms, people will never feel cold in Winter or hot in Summer, which is quite comfortable to stay.

Useful Travel Tips for Your Yuanyang Hani Rice Terraces Tour in January

  • The weather forecast of Yuanyang on the Internet may be not exact because the weather of the rice terraces area is always changeable and unpredictable.
  • The temperature here varies greatly between day and night. Please pay attention to keep warm especially in early morning or at night.
  • Tickets Prices:
    The day ticket is CNY 100 (including Duoyishu, Bada, Laohuzui Scenic Areas and Jingkou Folk village).
    The through ticket is CNY 180 ( you can visit the above four scenic areas in ten days of validity).
    The annual ticket is CNY 360 ( you can visit the above four scenic areas in one year of validity).
  • Travelers can come all the year round and for photographers, the best time is from November to March of next year. Yuanyang Rice Terraces in winter is particularly peaceful, and poetic. From November to April the entire field is irrigated with spring water from the forest above to rejuvenate and getting prepared for the next season. During that period, there is no rice in fields and the flooded paddies are bright with perfect effect of light and shadow.
  • If the time is right, you can join the several hundred meters banquet at the street of Hani Nationality, which is the biggest festival there, like Spring Festival, and enjoy the local Hani Culture.

Yuanyang Hani Rice Terraces Weather and Climate by Month

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