Getting to the Yuanyang terraces: ride to Xinjie, not Nansha
Xinjie and Nansha, Yuanyang
Yuanyang has two towns that go by the county's name. Nansha, the new county seat, sits low in the Red River valley with no terraces in sight. Xinjie, the old county town up on the mountain, is the base for the terraces, less than an hour's drive above Nansha. Direct buses from Kunming's South Bus Station take about seven hours, or ride the train to Jianshui and take a bus on for about three more. Some buses sold as going to Yuanyang end in Nansha.
What locals sayRepeat visitors warn first-timers about this one, since landing in Nansha late in the day can cost you an evening.
- Time
- About 7 hours from Kunming by bus · travel by day
- In Chinese
- 元阳 新街镇（老县城）
Yuanyang in July and August: leave slack for landslides on the roads
Yuanyang's main flood season peaks from late July into early August, and the county's mountain roads are prone to landslides, rockfalls and sinking roadbed. In 2026, heavy rain on 18–19 July set off several slides on the G245 from Nansha toward Jinping, and in early August a slide cut the road from Xinjie bus station to Chen'an village. The county highway office also flags rockfall-prone stretches on the S315 and on the G553 road from Mengzi.
Good to know Keep a spare day, ask your driver or guesthouse about closures each morning, and if rocks are coming down, get clear rather than pushing through or stopping for photos.
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Based on what locals and regular visitors share, checked against current sources · Updated September 2026. Details change — check opening times locally.
