Maotianshan National Geological Park, Yuxi

You will be suprised and excited as you go further into Kunming in Yunnan province. Today you will go to Chengjiang, Yuxi to explore the Maotianshan National Geological Park. Yuxi is about 83 kilometers from Kunming. It is about a 70 minute drive through the expressway. You can take the direct bus to Chengjiang at East Coach Station. The bus costs about CNY20.00 and takes about 1/2 hours to get there. From the Chengjiang bus station, you will need to take a taxi to Maotianshan National Park, which is on the east of Chengjiang Dam, about 8 kilometers away from Chengjiang County. 

Mao means hat, and Tian is the equivalent of sky in English. It was given this time because it resembles a straw hat. It was actually a very ordinary mountain until the discovery of the oldest and best-preserved ancient oryctocoenose. The paleontologists researched and classified the animal species and the estimate is that there are about 40 categories including 100 kinds of animals. All of these are precious evidence for research on the life cycle. Enjoy your time here. When you are finished here, take the bus back to Chengjiang County and then take the bus to Luchong Village for your next stop - Fuxian Lake located in Longjie Town Chengjiang County. Buses runs every day between Chengjiang County and Luchong and take about  twenty minutes. The bus fare is about CNY5.00. It is easy to find lodging here, because there are both hotels and guesthouses in the scenic spots. The necessary facilities are well equipped. If you stay here, you have will the opportunity to enjoy the sunrise in the early morning, which offers the most spectacular perspective. Alternatively, you can have stay in the county.

Chengjiang Fuxian Lake, Yuxi

You should leave early in the morning Chengjiang Lake, the second deepest lake in China. It has an average depth of 87 meters and the water temperature  averages 17.7 degrees centigrade, which makes it an ideal resort for swimming. The sand is clean and soft along the beach. Some establishments have been set up to facilitate the sightseeing. You can camp on the lakefront, row a boat, and swim on the lake. The main attractions include Luchong Village, Jieyu Stone and Gushan Island etc. The island has an admission fee of CNY15.00. The area around Gushan Island is dangerous and you need to be careful if you go there. Luchong Village is located on the west bank of Fuxian Lake and costs CNY10.00 to visit. 

An underground spring feeds Fuxian Lake and keeps it at 24 degrees centigrade all year round. It is wondrous site when throngs of Kanglang fishes are caught during the harvest time. There is also a Bijia (Penholder) Hill in the village. Yes it looks like a penholder. On the north lies Boxi Bay, it is a good place for swimming and some aquatic sports. As for food, be sure to taste the great flavored Kanglang fish. Your self exploration ends today.