The Dongchuan Red Land

The Dongchuan Red Land is a 77,000-square mile area located about 25 miles southwest of Kunming City. The region’s subtropical climate causes iron to oxidize and deposit in the soil, which gives it a deep red color. The red soil color is emphasized by the other colors of the surrounding landscape, contrasting against green barley, golden buckwheat, white oil flowers, and the blue sky. Often described as a ‘palette’ of colors, the area is best visited from either May to June or September to November, when various crops are ripe and the colors are most distinct.