A city that will make you feel good physically and mentally: Yunnan

A city that will make you feel good physically and mentally: Yunnan
My friend and I decided to drive to Yunnan, we started in Chongqing and headed west and then south on the G85, which after about 4.5 hours placed us in Yibin, Sichuan. The city itself is pretty typical for a small, relaxed hub city, and is a good rest stop for noodles and a stroll along the river.
The next morning we geared up for Yunnan. Our first goal was to find some rice terraces, which at this time of year would be bright red. Before long, we were deep into rural China and all we could see were fields and fields of local agriculture. When people say, “Yunnan is really beautiful,” this is what they mean.
Then we arrived at Da Shan Bao, this area is not crowded. Local kids may come up to you to say hi or offer a horse ride, but this place definitely doesn’t feel like a tourist trap. It’s pretty much a lake, a nice path into the mountains, and wide open spaces and sky.
The next next morning we got up early and visited a local reserve, the Da Hai Zi wetland reserve, famed for being the home to black neck cranes, which are an elusive and protected species. There’s a large viewing deck, pictured below, where photographers come to capture the birds without disturbing them. 
In all, this was a great road trip. Yunnan is such a beautiful province, one could spend months driving across it. We spent a short three days, which was too short indeed. One day it would be great to get an RV and head out into the remote western areas of Yunnan, an adventure for another day.