WARNING: This post contains lots of photos and if you have slow internet connection, you may want to blog hop or surf other sites while waiting for the pictures to download.
It was 5pm and the three of us were ready to climb up the rice terrace hills to catch the sunset. Our host's younger sister became our tour guide. We called her Da Jie as well. She told us that hiking up would take about 45 minutes.
If you don't already know, I have a fear of heights and walking up the stone pathway with no railings by my side to hold on to made me a little nervous.
One slip and I might find myself falling off the edge down below!
The photo above may not look that scary, but there were certain parts along the way that were quite narrow. Of course I did not take any photos of the narrow pathway as I was too busy struggling to fight my fear of heights!
However, hiking up the hill was worth it as we got to see lots of beautiful scenery of the rice terraces!
The view simply took my breath away! I had to stop to snap some pictures!
Along the way, we came upon a small village.
We continued to climb up the steps. Soon the village was below us.
And then we saw this old lady weaving on her weaving machine. Did you know taking this photo of her was not free? I had to pay 1 yuan for it! It was then I realized the place was more "touristy" than I thought!
Did you notice the costume the old lady was wearing in the photo above? Yes, she belongs to the Yao minorities, one of the three largest ethnic minority groups living in Longji, the other two being Zhuang and Miao.
Each minority group has its own costumes, language, music, dance and art.
In actual fact, the rice terrace we were visiting is called Jinkeng Rice Terraces which are home to the Yao minorities. So our tour guide and our host were Yao minority people. Pretty cool, eh?
We were heading to the No.3 Viewing Platform to watch the sunset. As we stopped often to take pictures, a man passing by us shouted at us to hurry up or else we would miss the sunset.
So we forced ourselves to move faster and at about 6pm, after one hour of hiking, we reached the Viewing Platform!
I thought our tour guide told us it would take only 45 minutes to reach the top! Obviously we were not fit enough! Either that, or we were spending too much time taking photos. I think the second reason sounds better. Haha!
Oh! I was not very comfortable standing on this platform but instead of standing, I sat! So if you don't mind me showing my legs again, here it is....!
It was nice resting there for a while admiring the scenery below. I tried my best not to worry about the height!
Actually, we should not have rushed our way up because the so called spectacular sunset did not materialize. Tell me now what sunset is this?!
Another tourist gimmick? Hmmm, I don't know about that but I really think the sunset was no big deal!
I ignored the sunset and focused on the view around us. It would be a waste not to take any pictures while there was still some sunlight left.
I was quite surprised to find a lot of people at the top! I guess they reached the top much earlier than us.
I don't know why I love this picture. I just feel amazed with the view of the village far below.
The rice terraces really took my breath away. They are like green waves stretching from the foothill all the way to the top!
By the way, you can click some of the photos here for wallpaper size.
Look at this padi field up close!
After spending about almost an hour there, we began our descent. Da Jie told us that we had to move fast before it gets dark as it would be difficult to find our way back in the dark.
Surprisingly the way down was shorter. We still continued to stop and take pictures along the way. Luckily for us, Da Jie was a very patient person and waited for us. Haha!
Within half an hour, we reached our hotel. But by that time, the sky was already dark.
We took a shower and then it was time for a delicious dinner!
Seeing that this post is getting a little too long, perhaps I will talk about what we ate for dinner in the next post.
But while we were having dinner, Da Jie came to tell us that we have to wake up early at 5am the next morning in order to climb the rice terrace hills to view the sunrise! I was like, what?!
To be continued ....
FIRST COMMENTER
:)
am d first or not?!
okie.. lemme read it. mwahahaha! time ti eat med helped me a lot! :p
i think i better wait all the pictures finish load... *waiting*
u guys so lucky huh? so many da jie become tour guide! :D
me too fear of height! i dnt even dare to cross hanging bridge! :( *phailed me*
nice scenery of the rice terraces! :) so means no more fear la? :p
another village? wow those villages is linking each other aye?
hahaha! how long did u guys takes to reach the viewing platform actually? now admit not fit enough aye? :p
err okie... u still can sit down there.. its toooo high for me! showing leg summore! macam bos saja! ish!
at this point, i think gotta agree with u dat those views are more worthy than he sunset! or maybe the sunset view u took not that nice? :pp
way down is shorter cz u guys noe d ways dy ma. its always like dat one. ;)
hahha! 5am? well well i noe u love sleeping a lot, but its worth right to wake up for the sunrise? :D
okie la. so long dint "spam" ur blog like diz. mwahahha! toodles!
Looking at that boy on the platform is enough to give me vertigo! @.@
Nice perspective and lines by the padi field.
Very interesting place indeed. I 'like' this post!
Northern Thailand also has Yao people, and they still speak Mandarin!
nice rice terraces :) oh i so wanna visit longji!!!! but i heard china has plenty of awesome rice terraces in the southern part :) anyway if i go to guilin, will go to longji hehe
yes..must be very awesome and spectacular.. nicer than the Camerons anytime, right? hahaha... hey, i have height phobia too.. i dont think i can sit at the platform there.. i would rather stand near the hut...
The views of the rice fields was really grand! But the sun set was just so-so. Oh NO! You had to walk up again for sun rise??? How come the route up took so long while the one coming down only took half an hour? Was it a different route? Or was it faster because you're moving downhill?
The greenery is soothing. It's a lot of work planting, irrigating, and harvesting being so widespread plus having to maneouver the steep and narrow terrain. Did you find out what they do with the rice? For export or just enough for the village? Did they show you their storage facility?
The platform looks scary. I think I'd prefer to stay inland. haha..
The best sunsets have got to be those over the ocean. How was the sunrise or did you skip that? Oh dear, having to wake up at 5 and walk the same trail again.
Awesome pixz and sceneries tQ. oh the grass all grown at same height haha..that what my friend said to me when we drove passed Perlis rice fields..
Interesting info about the different tribes. Thanks for sharing that. I think the Miaos are also found in northern Thailand. The lady is there to make a living being a tourist destination. Are there souvenirs for sale too?
haha, yalor, looking at the distance between you and Da Jie i already know how fast she walk and how slowly you are dragging behind.. hahaha!!
so instead of 45 minutes, how much time did you guys take to reach to the top of the hill??
but i think it's worth the walk lah, i love seeing all the greens, really make me feel relax..
oh, that little hut on the top of the hill is actually dangling there?? hmmm, that bamboo platform looks scary, is it safe to just stand there??
hmmm, the sunset is just like that?? i wonder how nice will the sunrise be then?? so did you really wake up at 5am to climb up the hill again to see the sunrise??
aiyoh, i think the distance up and down is the same lah.. just that you might feel going down hill is faster only.. :p
i love yr pictures..very clear and nice.
wahliow this caroline spam ur comment box is it....
wah...really lots of pics...like the scenery u took there
Seeing the rice terraces really makes on feel peaceful...i want to live there~
This is the best post on this rice terrace. I saw the previous posts but this post exposed the utter scenic beauty of this place. I really loved this one. Bye.
Longji rice terrace is hopefully a tourist spot with green all around. There are a lot of things that can be seen in this place and so if anyone gets the opportunity, then he/she should grab it. Bye.
the place is soooo nice i love it
we also have a place like that here in Philippines its called banaue rice terraces
have a great day
Wow! I am in love! fooooooong! I am in love.... with the greenery!
And the height, the view... the windy areas... I love you... your pictures!
abit like cameron highlands Boh tea or Bali. Nice, the air must be fresh there !
Nice place! The rice terraces in that place is quite different from the rice terraces here in the Philippines.
If ever have the chance to reach that place, I will surely take lots of photos like you did here.
wow i love the rice terraces...so beautiful!!
huh? took photo of that lady had to pay 1 yuan for it?! :D
alamak! have to wake up so early huh hahaha! :D
i admit it's quite scary walking by the rice terraces, reminds me of old college trip
caroline, congrats you are first!
Haha! You also scared of heights? Gimme 5! : )
We took about an hour to reach the platform. Ok what, we took time to take photos what LOL!
Haha! Yes, could still sit there. It's mind over matter! LOL!
The sunset was really lousy - it's not my photo taking that was lousy OK!
No, the way down was shorter cos it was another way, not the same way we came up.
Thanks for spamming my blog! : D
lina, haha! Sure or not? : )
life ramblings, yes nice!! : )
khengsiong, thanks for "liking" this post! Oh, Yao people also live in northern Thailand? Didn't know that!
fufu, yeah China has plenty of rice terraces in the southern part, but Longji is the best! : )
reanaclaire, yup, definitely nicer than Camerons! Haha! So you have phobia with height too? Gimme 5! : )
iamthewitch, haha! I need to climb up for the sunrise but it's a different hill. Yes, the going up and coming down routes were two different routes : )
happysurfer, no I did not see the storage facility. Not sure if the rice is for the villagers or for export, but I do think it's definitely for sale to people in China.
You also have a fear of height? Haha! I agree the best sunsets are those over the ocean : )
bananaz, thanks! Yeah, the padi grass grew at the same height : )
happysurfer, Oh so the Miaos also live in northern Thailand? Interesting! Yes, there were souvenirs being sold at some shops at Dazhai village where we stayed.