Yuxi 玉溪 is the prefecture directly south of Kunming, and for most visitors it means one thing first: Fuxian Lake 抚仙湖. At about 155 m it is the deepest lake in Yunnan and one of the clearest in China, and it's where Kunming families go for a weekend by the water.
Beyond the lake, Yuxi has one of the world's great fossil sites at Chengjiang, the family home of Nie Er, who composed China's national anthem, and, far to the southwest, the Huayao Dai villages of Xinping below Ailao Mountain. Most visitors give it one to three days, often on the way south to Pu'er tea country.
How locals do it
The lake is about 1.5 hours' drive from Kunming, and the choice is simple: one day on the north shore, or two or three nights working your way around. The water is clearest and bluest from November to April. In July and August, haze, rain and holiday crowds take the shine off it. At 1,720 m the sun is fierce in every season, so bring a hat and strong sunscreen.
- One day on the north shore (Chengjiang 澄江). Start at Moon Bay Wetland Park 月亮湾湿地公园 for white sand and palms, walk the free shoreline boardwalk, and have steamed stone-pot fish for lunch in Xiaowan village 小湾村. Spend 2–5 pm, when the light is best, at a hillside café above the water. Taxi hops between these stops are short and cheap.
- Three days around the lake. Base yourself in Guanglong town 广龙小镇, near the expressway exit, with a night market and copper-pot fish on the doorstep. Day one: the pink beach at Hongshanzui, the view from Bijia Hill at Luchong, and the old fish caves at Mingxing. Day two: Fuhai Bay Wetland 抚海湾湿地, Moon Bay and a beach sunset by Cherry Blossom Valley 樱花谷. Day three: a hot-spring soak at Reshuitang village and a look at the sailing club.
- Short on time? The pink beach plus Luchong is enough.
Keep one slot for the Chengjiang Fossil Site Museum 澄江化石地自然博物馆. The Chengjiang fossils, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, preserve soft-bodied sea animals from the Cambrian explosion more than 500 million years ago, and the museum is free with an advance booking. It's the obvious plan for a gray day.
Farther afield, Xinping County 新平 is home to the Huayao ("flower-waist") Dai, whose villages around Gasa 戛洒 and Mosha 漠沙 hold colorful "flower street" fairs early in the lunar new year; dates vary by town and are announced locally. Above them rise the forests of Ailao Mountain 哀牢山, where you should keep to the developed scenic areas.
Where locals eat
Around the lake, eating means fish. Prices as of 2026; check before you go.
Copper-pot fish 铜锅鱼
The standard lakeside dinner: fish simmered at your table in a copper pot of broth. Guanglong town has the most choice, and farmhouse restaurants around the lake serve it too.
Steamed stone-pot fish in Xiaowan 小湾村 蒸汽石锅鱼
Fish cooked by steam alone in a stone pot under a straw lid, ready in about ten minutes, with a clear, sweet broth. Shiyu Garden 石渔花园 is a favorite for its terrace over the lake.
Guanglong Starlight Night Market 广龙小镇星光夜市
Rows of evening stalls selling grilled snacks, local specialties and crafts, a short walk from the town's hotels.
Moon Bay snack credit 月亮湾湿地公园
The park's ticket of about ¥30 works as credit inside, spent on snacks and drinks, boat rides or bike hire. Guests at the resort that runs the park get in free.
MU Coffee MU.目咖啡
A hillside café above Xiaowan with a near-180-degree lake view and an infinity pool. Barbecue and cocktails at night, with occasional live music. The best photo spots may need a minimum spend, so ask before you settle in.
Copper-pot potato rice 铜锅洋芋饭
A Yunnan home-style staple: rice cooked with potato in a copper pot until a crisp crust forms at the bottom. Order it alongside the fish at farmhouse restaurants.
Hidden corners and free viewpoints
Hongshanzui pink beach 红山咀 粉红沙滩
Red hillside earth has washed onto the shore here, tinting the sand pink against blue water. It's on the west shore, off the old Chengjiang–Jiangchuan road; navigate to 红山咀, park by the road and walk down.
The shoreline boardwalk 时光栈道
A lakeside boardwalk and greenway of about 27 km along the north shore, linking Guanglong, Fuhai Bay, Moon Bay and Cherry Blossom Valley. Walk any stretch; it's the easy way to see the north shore without paying for a park.
Bijia Hill at Luchong 禄充 笔架山
A short climb, or a cable car ride, to the classic view along the lake, above an old fishing village with a huge banyan tree. Fishing-family guesthouses make an easy overnight if you want the hill at sunrise.
Mingxing fish caves 明星鱼洞
On the west shore, a short drive from Luchong: a row of more than 100 old fish caves, fed by cool spring water, where fishermen traditionally caught fish swimming in from the lake. Beside them are a white-sand beach and very clear water.
Reshuitang hot springs 热水塘村
The lake's hot-spring village, with resort pools fed by natural spring water. Best on a cool evening or the last morning of a loop.
Honest verdicts
- Hongshanzui pink beach is worth it because it's free and, in late-afternoon light, the most photogenic spot on the lake.
- The Chengjiang fossil museum is worth it: free, world-class, and the best answer to a rainy day.
- Moon Bay Wetland Park depends on taste, since it's a manicured "little Sanya" beach, though the fee comes back as credit inside.
- Cherry Blossom Valley depends, because outside blossom season it's mainly a lawn and a sunset beach, so skip it if you've done Moon Bay.
- Fuxian in July and August is overrated, with haze, rain and crowds replacing the glassy blue you see in photos.
Getting there and around
- From Kunming: About 1–1.5 hours by road to Chengjiang; a ride-hail costs about ¥60–100. There's no train to the lake yet, but customized buses run to Chengjiang from Kunming South Station 昆明南站 and Changshui Airport; check current times before you go.
- Around the lake: Taxis cover the short hops on the north shore. A full loop needs a car for the day; we can arrange a driver from Kunming.
- Yuxi city: It sits on the rail line south to Pu'er and Xishuangbanna, but the station is a drive from the lake, so most visitors come straight from Kunming by road.
