Yuxi

Yuxi (玉溪; Yùxī) is a city in Yunnan.

Administratively, Yuxi is a "prefecture-level city", meaning that it also controls several adjacent counties (Jiangchuan, Tonghai, Chengjiang). The actual "city" of Yuxi proper is formally known as Hongta District (红塔区).

Get in

Bus

Buses many times a day arrive from Kunming. The 1 Central Bus Station in Yuxi is north of downtown.

Train

The railway station still shown on most maps is 2 Yuxi West Railway Station, formerly known simply as Yuxi Railway Station, and located close to downtown (Hongta St). This station closed on 2016-12-15, and a new, larger station (3 Yuxi Railway Station) opened instead. The new station sits amidst strawberry fields at least 3 km southwest of downtown, but it feels like more, because the road network in that new area is yet to be completed. Buses no. 7, 11, 15, 22 serve the new station.

The new Yuxi Railway Station has two kinds of service. "Conventional" trains on the Kunming-Hekou line (several a day) stop at Yuxi as well; along their route they stop in Kunyang (between Kunming and Yuxi) as well as Tonghai, Mengzi, etc on their way to Hekou. These trains run from Kunming Railway Station, south of Kunming's downtown. In the late 2016, soon after the new station opened, more frequent and faster service non-stop service from Kunming along the new ("intercity") line was introduced as well. As of 2017, these trains run from Kunming's new high-speed railway station, called Kunming South (Kunmingnan); however, Kunming's railway network is undergoing a major reconstruction now, so this may change after the end of 2017.

Get around

Much of the city is walkable and fairly flat, so ideal for exploration by bicycle. There is also a reasonable urban bus system. Taxis in town are ¥8 flag fall.

See

Nie Er Park

As of 2013, there are still some old hutong-style buildings about the center of town. Some of them are operated as restaurants and can be entered to give you a sense of traditional Yunnan architecture.

• 1 Former Residence of Nie Er (聂耳故居), 3 Beimen Street, Hongta District (红塔区北门街3号) (bus nos. 6, 7 and 13), ☏ +86 877 2011120. 09:00-11:30, 13:00-17:30, closed on Mondays. Nie Er's former residence is a traditional Chinese house made of wood. It was built by his great grandfather during the late Qing Dynasty. Nie Er lived here during his childhood and often came back here to visit his family. The house is now a museum. Free. (updated Mar 2022)
• 2 Former Site of Wenxingxiang (文兴祥商号旧址), 2-63 Qiyang Road, Hongta District (红塔区棋阳路62-2号) (bus nos. 6, 7, 10, 13, 19, 26 and 60; 300 meters southeast of Nie Er's former residence). Wenxingxiang was a textile business that operated here in the 1930s and 1940s. The building has a unique design, which combines elements of both Chinese and Western architectural styles. As of 2024-03-22, there is a tall fence surrounding the whole building such that you can only see the second floor sticking out unless you can get to a higher vantage point in a nearby building. (updated Mar 2024)
• 3 Nie Er Park (聂耳公园), 35 Hongta Avenue, Hongta District (红塔大道35号), ☏ +86 877 2032296. 08:00-18:00. The city's central park is dedicated to Nie Er, and has two statues of the composer. free. 
• 4 Red Pagoda (红塔), Hongta Industrial Tourism Park, Hongta District (红塔区红塔工业旅游园) (bus no. 2), ☏ +86 877 2968210, +86 877 2968211. Open all day. The Red Pagoda is one of the city's major landmarks. It was built in 1839 and was originally known as the White Pagoda. In 1958, it was painted red and renamed accordingly. Hongta District takes it name from the pagoda. Free. (updated Mar 2022)
• 5 Yuxi Kiln Site (玉溪窑址), 112 Hongta Avenue, Hongta District 红塔区红塔大道112号 (bus nos. 2 and 9). An old ceramics kiln believed to have been constructed in either the late Yuan Dynasty or the early Ming Dynasty. (updated Mar 2022)
• 6 Yuxi Museum (玉溪市博物馆), 30 Hongta Avenue, Hongta District (红塔区红塔大道30号) (take bus no. 2, 13 or 20 and get off at the Hongta Hotel (红塔大酒店). The museum is on the southwest side of Nie Er Park.), ☏ +86 877 2065072. 09:00-17:00, closed on Mondays. A comprehensive museum about the city of Yuxi. Free. (updated Apr 2020)

Do

• go to lakes Fuxian or Xingyun, camp, swim
• Swim at Hongta Gymnasium. It has a clean and well-organized natatorium.

Eat

A strawberry field

Strangely, there are many snacks in the center of town, but it can be hard to find sit-down restaurants with fried dishes. As well as many local restaurants and a significant Muslim presence (Halal food is easy to find), the standard chains are present: KFC, Dicos, etc.

There are lots of strawberry fields on the city's edges and along roads to neighboring towns, and the local strawberries are quite sweet and tasty. Pick-your-own signs can be seen at some farms.

Drink

• Cafe Fin Du Monde (di meng or 帝盟), 小庙街三组团32 (It's a corner, a block back from Qiyang Lu). Historically well visited spot for foreign visitors, though still mostly local. If you are interested in international alcohols, they have imported wines from a few countries as well as German beers and a smattering of western food. 
• Shangcun Jie seems to host most of the serious drinking (at least, outside of KTVs). Bars there include:
  • Maya Western Cafe Bar. 
  • Jazz Pub. 

Go next

• Fuxian Lake, a large deep lake across the mountains to the east of Yuxi
• Tonghai County, with its Qilu Lake, to the southeast of Yuxi
• Kunyang, between Yuxi and Kunming, proud of its famous son Zheng He.