After staying in Qujing for three days, my views on spending completely collapsed~~
Qujing is the “summer carb city” of eastern Yunnan, with an average summer temperature around 19℃. Attractions are spread out but the pace is relaxed, perfect for a 2–4 day slow trip. Here’s a ready-to-use guide organized by “when to go → how to get there → what to do → what to eat → where to stay → routes.”
Best season
· Feb–Mar: Luoping’s 800,000 mu of rapeseed flowers (Jinji peaks, spiral fields), top choice for photographers
· Jun–Aug: prime summer escape, Jiulong waterfalls have high water flow, Qilin water town’s lotus blooms, Dahai grassland is lush and green
· Sep–Nov: crisp autumn air, best light and shadow at colorful sand forest, golden grass hills in Huize
· Dec–Jan: Dahai grassland’s frost and snow scenery, fewer crowds
Late July is perfect for summer escape, waterfalls, and lotus flowers, but remember to bring a light jacket as mountain mornings and evenings are cool.
Major transport
· High-speed rail: Kunming → Qujing North about 30–40 mins (¥34–60); Guiyang → Qujing about 1.5h; Qujing → Luoping high-speed rail about 40 mins
· Flight: fly to Kunming Changshui, then transfer to high-speed rail or drive (about 2h via Hangrui Expressway from Kunming)
· Within city: Qilin district bus costs ¥2, shared e-bikes, cheap taxis; for county attractions (Luoping/Huize/Luliang) self-driving or chartered car strongly recommended, buses take a long time
Must-visit areas list
🏙 Qilin district (city base)
· Liaokuo Mountain Park + Jingning Pagoda: free, climb to see the whole city, good for morning and evening walks
· Qilin water town: free, thousands of mu of lotus in Jul–Aug, boat ride ¥30, cycling around the lake
· South city gate + West gate old street/Sugar street: night views, clusters of traditional snacks
· Qujing museum: quick cultural catch-up on Cuans, indoor summer escape option
· Liaohu ancient town: free, thousand-year-old dragon kiln pottery experience, 30 min from city
🌊 Zhanyi district
· Pearl River source scenic area: ¥33 (¥18 for students and seniors), “one drop feeds three rivers,” forest trails + colorful cloud cave, half day is enough
💦 Luoping county (northeast, 1h drive/40 min high-speed rail)
· Jiulong waterfall group: ¥60, 11-level cascading waterfalls, double rainbows often seen after summer rain
· Jinji peaks: rapeseed flowers peak in Feb–Mar, off-season karst peaks still worth seeing, viewing platform about ¥20
· Duoyi River: ¥40, bamboo raft drifting, Buyi ethnic culture
· Niujie spiral fields: free, spiral terraces, soft afternoon light
⛰ Huize county (northwest)
· Dahai grassland: ¥35, “Yunnan’s little New Zealand,” 200,000 mu of meadows, big temperature difference at the top, bring a jacket
· Huize ancient city: free, Ming and Qing dynasty copper merchant town, Jiangxi guild hall, large Jia Jing copper coin
🏜 Luliang county
· Colorful sand forest: ¥65, 300 million years of sedimented sand peaks, wear red or white dresses for photos, best before sunset
What to eat (Qujing is a paradise of carbs + spicy flavors)
· Steamed rice noodles: breakfast soul, soft and sticky mixed with sweet soy sauce + meat sauce + pickled vegetables, served with pork bone soup. → Lao San rice noodles (Food Alley), Beiyingyuan, Jingchen Garden
· Zhanyi spicy chicken: intangible cultural heritage, spicy but not dry. → Zhanyi Gong’s spicy chicken, Zhihuiyuan meatball chicken, Sanqi Yuan
· Xuanwei ham: one of China’s top three hams, eaten raw/steamed with potatoes/made into mooncakes. → Lao Pu’s ham
· Fuyuan pickled pork knuckle, spicy fish (with mint), Luliang smoked duck
· Snacks: roasted potatoes/fried potatoes (with fish mint fermented bean curd), thin bean jelly with fried dough sticks, roasted rice cakes, cold jelly, lamb rice noodles → West gate street/Huake night market/Happiness alley
· Souvenirs: Xuanwei ham, Luliang smoked duck, chive flower sauce, ham mooncakes
Where to stay
· 2-day short trip: stay near South city gate/Qilin Garden/Qujing North station, 200–350 yuan for a good four-star standard room, convenient for dining and taxis
· 3–4 day deep trip: 1–2 nights in Qilin district + 1 night in Luoping town (book early for flower season) + 1 night near Huize ancient city
· Dahai grassland offers yurt or mountain top guesthouse experiences, but conditions are basic; if sensitive to cold, choose the county town
Three ready-to-use routes
2 days 1 night (city + nearby highlights)
· D1: morning steamed rice noodles → Liaokuo Mountain → museum → lunch Zhanyi spicy chicken → Pearl River source → evening South city gate + West gate street night snacks
· D2: Qilin water town (or Liaohu pottery) → lunch Fuyuan pickled pork knuckle → return trip
3 days 2 nights (adding Luoping)
· D1: city old street + Pearl River source + spicy chicken, stay in Qilin district
· D2: early to Luoping → Jinji peaks → Jiulong waterfalls → Duoyi River, stay in Luoping
· D3: morning mist at spiral fields → return to Qujing North station
4 days 3 nights (full landscape version)
· D1 Qilin district; D2 Luoping (Jiulong + Duoyi River); D3 Huize Dahai grassland + ancient city; D4 Luliang colorful sand forest → Liaohu ancient town → return trip
Tips and warnings
· Attractions are spread out; if not self-driving, rent a car in the city (about ¥150 per day) or charter a car in the county, don’t rely on buses
· Dahai grassland is about 3,500m+ elevation, big day-night temperature difference, bring a windbreaker or light down jacket even in summer
· Buy cliff elevator tickets for Nizhu River Grand Canyon online in advance; Jiulong waterfalls are more spectacular after rain but trails are slippery, wear anti-slip shoes
· Spicy chicken’s “spicy and fragrant” means flavorful, not dry spicy; if you can’t handle spice, order braised chicken or pickled pork knuckle to balance
· On Friday nights, Yi ethnic left-foot dance often happens at Pearl River source square, join in if you like