[2024 Panzhihua Attraction] Travel Guide for Yishala Village (Updated Nov)
Ancient Villages
Address:
Southeast end of Pingdi Town, 8 kilometers from the town government
Opening times:
Open all dayOpen
Recommended sightseeing time:
1-3 hours
Panzhihua One-Day Tour Itinerary
Itinerary Introduction:
Morning: Ertan Scenic Area
Attraction Introduction: Ertan Scenic Area is located on Deyan Road, Yanbian County, Panzhihua City, Sichuan Province. It is a national AAAA-level tourist attraction. The area boasts spectacular reservoir views, steep canyon landscapes, and rich flora and fauna. Visitors can take a boat tour of the reservoir to enjoy the lake and mountain scenery or hike through the canyons to experience the wonders of nature.
Recommended Duration: 2 to 3 hours.
Transportation: From downtown Panzhihua, take a car to Ertan Scenic Area, which takes about 1 hour.
Noon: Yishala Village Lunch
Attraction Introduction: Yishala Village is known as "the largest natural Yi ethnic village in China," featuring unique Yi culture and ancient architectural styles. The red-walled buildings, bluestone roads, and quaint residences are full of ethnic charm.
Lunch Recommendation: In Yishala Village, visitors can taste authentic Yi cuisine such as Yi-style barbecue and sauerkraut soup. Recommended restaurants include "Zhang's Wine Jar" or "Mao's Pen Holder" to experience the local Yi flavors.
Recommended Duration: 1 to 2 hours for lunch and sightseeing.
Transportation: From Ertan Scenic Area, take a car to Yishala Village, which takes about 40 minutes.
Afternoon: Jinsha River Grand Canyon + Viewing Platform
Attraction Introduction: Jinsha River Grand Canyon is a major natural attraction in Panzhihua City. The canyon is deep, the river is rapid, and the cliffs on both sides are towering, offering breathtaking views. The viewing platform is located above the canyon, providing a panoramic view of the magnificent scenery, making it an excellent spot for photos.
Recommended Duration: 2 to 3 hours.
Transportation: From Yishala Village, take a car to the Jinsha River Grand Canyon Viewing Platform, which takes about 1 hour.
Note: There is no public transportation between the attractions, so it is recommended to drive or hire a car. We joined a small private tour with a local driver who was very enthusiastic and provided us with a lot of information about Panzhihua. He also recommended some great places to eat, such as Yanbian Wang and a delicious lamb noodle soup in Renhe. Overall, it was a great experience.
旅游不止诗和远方的遐想,应该是脚踏实地的领略
Yisala Village | Travel Guide
❥ Yisala ancient village is located within the territory of Panzhihua, Sichuan Province, situated at the southernmost end of Panzhihua, adjacent to the Jinsha River Grand Canyon, with National Highway 108 running through it. It was originally a post station on the ancient Silk Road and later became a military settlement during the 'Hongwu Opening to Yunnan' in the Ming Dynasty, making it a famous historical and cultural village in China and a national traditional village. Yisala Village is a multi-ethnic village where people live in harmony, but it is mainly inhabited by the Yi people, earning the reputation of 'China's No.1 Yi Village'.
❥ Yisala Village has a profound historical heritage. It was once an essential stop on the Southern Silk Road, and historical figures such as Sima Qian, Zhuge Liang, Yang Sheng'an, and Shi Dakai have all stopped here. The long-term integration of multiple ethnicities has formed a unique national historical culture. Opposite the village, on the way to the Jinsha River, there is a viewing platform where you can take pictures of the entire village.
✔ Must-visit spots in Yisala ancient village:
1. Youjia Courtyard, which is the most representative ancient dwelling in the village;
2. Intangible Cultural Heritage Courtyard, the place in the village with the most ethnic cultural characteristics, and a must-visit spot for tourists.
3. Brewing Courtyard, favored by alcohol enthusiasts, belonging to the Zhang family. The entire courtyard is a combination of landscape leisure, wine tasting, cocktail teaching, cultural display, and photo opportunities.
✔ Travel Tips
【Basic Information】
☞ Location: Yisala Village, Renhe District, Panzhihua City, Sichuan Province.
☞ Ticket Information: Free.
☞ Opening Hours: All year round, all day.
☞ Recommended Visit Duration: 0.5—1 day.
【Transportation Information】
☞ Independent Travel: To get to Panzhihua, you can take a plane or high-speed train, and there are shuttle buses directly to Yisala Village.
☞ Self-driving: You can navigate directly to Yisala Village by car, and there is a large paid parking lot outside the village.
☞ Small Tip: Sedans can reach the destination.
【Travel Tips】
1. Since Yisala is not very developed, there are not many homestays to choose from in the village. It is recommended to stay in the urban area of Panzhihua, where conditions are better.
2. Behind Yisala ancient village is the Jinsha River viewing platform, less than 2 kilometers away, highly recommended for a combined visit.
3. The area also produces tomatoes and blueberries, and you can buy them fresh from the field, very sweet.
4. Many winter cherry trees are planted here, and February is the cherry blossom season. It is a good choice to visit here around the Chinese New Year, enjoying a warm winter and romantic cherry blossoms.
JESSE BARNETT
Yisala | An ancient Yi village
❥ Yisala is located in Renhe District, Panzhihua City, Sichuan Province. Since the Ming and Qing dynasties, Yisala Village has been the warm home where the Li and Pu Yi people have settled for generations. Today, Yisala Village has existed for more than 600 years, with about 1,500 villagers living here, among whom the Yi people account for 96% of the total population, making it the largest natural Yi settlement in China, known as 'China's No.1 Yi Village'.
❥ The entire ancient village is built against the mountain, with hundreds of residential buildings stacked on top of each other. The houses are made of earth and wood structures, and the unique red exterior walls are very eye-catching among the mountains. The local customs are simple, the ethnic cultural heritage is profound, and the unique architectural color is similar to that of Seda, hence Yisala is also known as 'Little Seda'. With its distinctive architecture, green mountains, blue waters, and ancient stone paths, the village has a three-dimensional structure that suits various photography styles and is very photogenic.
❥ The village roads crisscross like a spider web, with undulating cobblestone paths connecting the entire ancient village, full of historical charm. The houses are very close to each other, with alleys connecting front and back doors. Walking through the narrow lanes, one moment you are among lively crowds, and the next turn brings you to a quiet courtyard. The villagers' houses are basically each with a yard, one main room and two wings, forming a quadrangle with a well, white walls, and green tiles, with high ridges and flying eaves.
❥ The local Yi people have lived here for hundreds of years, playing cards, chatting, frolicking, cooking... It's as if you've stepped into the everyday life of these streets and alleys in a second, very leisurely and full of happiness. Yisala Village just built a large greenhouse last year and planted blueberries. It was also my first time seeing blueberries grown in flower pots. The villagers sell their own special products and fruits at affordable prices. On the way there, you will pass a viewing platform where you can overlook the entire Yisala ancient village. You can stop to take some photos, but because the road is narrow to avoid traffic jams, it is a one-way street and you will not return the same way, not passing this spot again.
❥ Yisala is a well-preserved ancient Yi village. Having seen too many overly commercialized ancient towns, my first encounter with Yisala ancient village gave me an unexpected surprise. It has unique scenery and a profound historical heritage. There is no commercial development, the temperature is pleasant, it is rarely promoted, niche, and the scenery is beautiful! There are no souvenir shops in the village, nor any noisy commercial facilities. The simple folk houses are authentic, outshining many ancient towns. There are not many tourists, so you can enjoy a leisurely and comfortable time.
PIPER HUBBARD
The little red village in the mountains - Yisala
In the deep mountains, there hides a red Yi ethnic village, counting its age by the millennia, with a unique love for the fervent red.
How many shades of red are there? Rosy red, watermelon red, apricot red... From now on, there is a red known as Yisala red, red that is both magnificent and simple, passionate yet timid.
When the weather is good, the entire village turns especially red at sunset.
Tourism in Yisala village has not been overly developed. If you don't drive yourself, it's quite inconvenient to get there, with maybe just two buses a day. Nearby is the Jinsha River Grand Canyon, which is also quite beautiful and requires arranging transportation to get there, but you can drive directly to the viewing platform.
Yisala village has not yet been taken over by small shops, bars, or coffee houses. There is a small store where you can buy some simple food. There is one household open to visitors, while the rest are residences that you cannot enter. You can just walk around the village, look at the red houses, and take photos. (If you're not very into photography, there really isn't much else to see or do.) There seems to be a restaurant because I saw a sign, but it wasn't open.
sebastianthornfield83
Yisha Lara, the first Yi village along the Jinsha River
Yisha Lara Village, the largest natural Yi village in China, is located in Panzhihua City, nestled deep in the mountains along the Jinsha River, which in the Yi language means 'the place where the water leaks down'. All the houses in the village have red walls and black tiles. It was initially thought to be a custom, but when asked, a villager said it was not. The reason is that the houses were built with the help of poverty alleviation efforts five or six years ago, and the government suggested painting the exterior walls red, symbolizing prosperity. The small village is quiet with hardly any people around, and the streets and courtyards are full of flowers, with walls covered in red and colorful paintings like stepping into a kindergarten. A 93-year-old robust and agile elder, along with a tree full of blooming Jacaranda, are the most brilliant scenes.
TravelBeyondBorders*5
Self-Driving in Sichuan | Five Things You Must Know Before Going to Yisala in Panzhihua
New Year's Self-Driving Travelogue in Panxi Region
The red houses in the mountains attracted us, and the ordinary farming scenes outside the villages made us want to delve deeper into Yisala.
— Travel notes by Caicaijuan'er
In the travel memories of Panzhihua, Yisala Ethnic Village is a bright spot. Although it belongs to Renhe District, it is a village hidden in the mountains, not known by many tourists. Below, Caicaijuan'er summarizes five things you must know before going to Yisala based on her own travel experience, so you can enjoy the surroundings of Yisala.
1⃣️ What kind of place is Yisala?
Yisala is a traditional village of the Lipu Yi people, and it is also a historical and cultural scenic area of Panzhihua. 'Lipu' is a transliteration, a branch of the Yi people distributed along the Jinsha River. This place was a major thoroughfare of the ancient Southern Silk Road, and the integration of ethnic cultures has resulted in a diverse and unique focus.
2⃣️ What are the attractions in Yisala Village?
🏠 Red Houses
Regardless of the weather, the red rooftops in the mountain hollow are the most eye-catching. That is the dense residential area of Yisala Village, the main part of the village.
You can approach and observe the ordinary life under each red roof; or you can retreat to the top of the mountain and look down at Yisala Village made up of red rooftops.
⛰️ The big windmill beside you, the windmill group in the distant mountains
Climb up the small hill near the viewing platform, in front is the steep Jinsha River Gorge, and behind are the huge windmills spinning. The windmill group in Yisala is also a scenic line.
You can still come to the foot of the windmill and marvel at your own insignificance. You can also look at the distant mountains behind Yisala and see the undulating windmill group together with the blue sky, mountains, and village, painting a picture of the new era.
🖼️ Pastoral Idyll
In front of Yisala Village, there is a large field, cultivated into a tapestry of earth by generations living here. At sunset, stand on the high ground outside the village and watch 'the shepherd driving the calves back', feeling 'the long song of gathering violets'.
3⃣️ What are the attractions around Yisala?
🏞️ Jinsha River Viewing Platform
Go deep into the south of Yisala Village, and the country road leads directly into the Jinsha River Gorge. At the end of the road, to the left is a small parking lot, and to the right is a glass viewing platform protruding from the cliff.
The Jinsha River Gorge in this area is deep and majestic. If you encounter sunset, it's as if a magnificent and splendid painting unfolds before your eyes.
The sky is endless, the rivers and mountains stretch for miles.
The sunset is not yet over, and the mind has already wandered far.
4⃣️ Yisala's Lesser-Known Photo Strategy
❶ Aerial Photography
Yisala is very suitable for aerial photography. Friends can shoot the village in the parking area outside the village on the way to the Jinsha River Viewing Platform. You can also use a drone to capture the Jinsha River and the gorge from the glass viewing platform.
❷ Mountain Climbing
There is a hill in front of the Jinsha River Viewing Platform, with a windmill on top. Friends can try to climb to the middle of the hill and look back at the scenery of the Jinsha River, which is also suitable for portrait photography.
5⃣️ Practical Tips for Self-Driving Tours
📱 Navigation: Set 'Yisala Historical and Cultural Scenic Area' or 'Yisala Village'.
🅿️ Parking: There are free parking lots in the village and at the Jinsha River Viewing Platform.
🎫 Tickets: No tickets required, free to visit.
⏳ Time: It is recommended to arrange half a day to visit the Yisala scenic area.
▶️ The above content is summarized based on personal travel experience, please forgive any omissions.
▶️ Due to time effects, some scenes may have changed, subject to the current situation.
▶️ Address location information is provided by the website, please leave a message for more detailed information.
▶️ Caicaijuan'er and Mr. Dog have traveled to all the scenic spots that can be reached by sedan.
🔸🔹🔸
If you like self-driving tours and don't take the usual path, please listen to Caicaijuan'er's detailed account.
LilyMontgomery15
Known as Xiaoseda, this place hides a thousand-year-old Yi ethnic village - Yishala
🎄Exclusive, few people, beautiful scenery, warm!
This is Panzhihua, Sichuan
She is known for her spring-like seasons, a variety of delicious foods, mountainous terrain, and unique landscapes!
There are high-speed trains🚄, and an airport✈️, transportation is convenient
All attractions are free to enter, very friendly!
Travel & Taste
A cultural ancient village with a history of over a thousand years - Yisala
Located near Panzhihua, by the Jinsha River, lies the quaint, primitive, and beautiful ancient village - Yisala.
Yisala is the largest natural village of the Yi people, known as 'Little Shangri-La' due to its extensive and tiered red houses.
Recommended reasons:
1. A super photogenic place, where even overcast skies do not diminish its beauty;
2. Few tourists, limited developed areas in the village, still retains its original charm;
3. Just 2km away is the Jinsha River Grand Canyon, with extremely magnificent scenery;
Yisala Historical and Cultural Scenic Area
Located in Pingdi Town, Renhe District, Panzhihua
Time🕰: All day
Visiting time: 2-3h
Transportation🚘: 1.5h self-drive from Kunming, 1.5h self-drive from the center of Panzhihua
TravelCultureGuru
Sichuan | Panzhihua | You're too beautiful
🌷Panzhihua, a city worth visiting three times
Perhaps you only know it as a steel city, but what you don't know is that it's also a flower city, and it's like spring in winter.
Winter tourist destination
🚄Transportation: Chengdu-Panzhihua 🕐5h 🎫190 yuan Chengdu self-driving-Panzhihua: Estimated time: 8h or so (stop and go)
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❇Yishala
Yishala, known as the 'first village of the Yi people in the world', has a history of more than a thousand years. It was an important post on the ancient South Silk Road and a major junction between Sichuan and Yunnan. It is the largest ethnic minority village in Sichuan and a village where Han and Yi customs are highly integrated.
📍Location: Pingdi Town, Renhe District, Panzhihua
Tour time: 3-4h
🎫Ticket: None
Surrounding scenic spots: Jinsha River Grand Canyon
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❇Third Line Construction Museum
This is a modern museum that showcases China's important infrastructure construction from the 1950s to the 1970s. The museum has a large number of precious historical relics and photos, showing the courage and wisdom of the builders at that time.
📍Location: No. 1 Rongjiang Road, New District, East District, Panzhihua City
⏰Opening hours: 9:00-17:00 (stop admission at 16:30, closed on Mondays)
•
🎫Ticket: None (you can collect stamps, remember to bring your travel stamp book)
It is recommended to visit the Lotus Pond Bridge + Ferry Bridge together, the city bus is convenient.
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❇Donghua Mountain,
Overlooking Panzhihua City from the top,
📍Location: Direct navigation to the Forestry Bureau of the Eastern District, estimated time 1h🉑
🎫Ticket: None
❇Er Tan National Forest Park, located in Panzhihua City, the Er Tan Hydropower Station has the world's third, China's first high double-curvature arch dam, Asia's largest underground plant cave group, installed 3.3 million kilowatts, is the largest hydropower station fully completed in the 20th century - Er Tan Hydropower Station is here.
❇Ju Que Inkstone Museum
The only museum in the country with Ju Que inkstone as the main collection, Panzhihua cultural and creative products are recommended to start - inkstone.
【Food Recommendation】
✨Mutton Rice Noodles: Yiman Lang '+ mint, millet spicy, dry chili powder'
✨Small Pot Rice Noodles: Luo's True Taste Small Pot Xiao Guo Rice Noodles and Stinky Tofu Rice Noodles are both good You can also try bait pieces with a Yunnan flavor
✨Hui Li Chicken Shredded Bait
✨Net Roast: Golden Triangle, Yanbian Wang's Eyes Remember to order 'small intestine potato 🥔, leek wrapped in fat intestine'
✨Fire Drift Beef (never eaten, but friends say it's delicious)
✨Dumb Rabbit
✨Copper Hot Pot
Tips:
1⃣️The temperature difference between day and night is large, prepare a coat, it's hot at noon and you can wear a T-shirt.
2⃣️On Sundays, the Renhe Farmers Market is bustling!
3⃣️Fruit wholesale market to buy fruit is cheaper (can bargain haha)
4⃣️The ultraviolet rays are strong, pay attention to sun protection and hydration💦......
lumina_5568
【Panzhihua City 2-Day Tour Guide】
Destination: Panzhihua City, a beautiful city in Sichuan Province. It has a rich history and culture, unique Yi ethnic style, and magnificent natural scenery.
Transportation: Depart from Chengdu, take the high-speed rail or drive to Panzhihua City. The high-speed rail journey takes about 5 hours, and driving takes about 8 hours.
Main attractions:
1️⃣Yi Sha La: A Yi ethnic village with a thousand-year history, it is an ancient ferry station on the Southern Silk Road. Here you can experience the simple Yi culture and unique local customs. The visit takes about 3-4 hours, and admission is free.
2️⃣Third Line Construction Museum: It displays China's important infrastructure construction from the 1950s to the 1970s, with precious historical relics and photos in the museum. Open from 9:00-17:00, closed on Mondays, and admission is free.
3️⃣Donghua Mountain: Climbing Donghua Mountain, you can overlook the beautiful scenery of the entire Panzhihua City and feel the magnificence and grandeur of nature. The estimated time is 1 hour, and admission is free.
4️⃣Er Tan National Forest Park: It has the world's third and China's highest double-curvature arch dam and Asia's largest underground plant cave group. It is a perfect combination of nature and human wisdom.
5️⃣Ju Que Yan Museum: A museum with Ju Que Yan as the main exhibit, where you can learn about the history of Ju Que Yan, the manufacturing process, and appreciate various precious inkstones. It is recommended to buy cultural and creative products inkstones.
🌦Precautions: Panzhihua City is warm all year round, it is a winter resort and a good place for leisure. It is recommended to visit the Lotus Pond Bridge and the Ferry Bridge together, and the city's public transportation is convenient. If you only have 2 days and 1 night, it is recommended to go directly to Yi Sha La Village.
Summary: Panzhihua City is a city worth visiting, with both rich historical and cultural heritage and unique natural scenery. Whether you are a history and culture enthusiast or a natural scenery fan, it can meet your needs.
Panzhihua·Sichuan
HEAVEN HARRELL
A spontaneous one-day tour of Panzhihua, a trip that you can take on a whim
On the way back to Kunming, we will pass through Panzhihua
So we arranged a spontaneous one-day tour of Panzhihua
Because of the tight schedule, we had a meal in the city after getting off the high-speed rail,
Then we went straight to Yishala Ancient Village
⛰️Entertainment
The Jinsha River Grand Canyon is a must-visit❗️
Free🆓
You can reach it by walking or by bus (it's quite hard to walk up)
Glass viewing platform + original landscape
🌟Yishala Ancient Village
An undeveloped Yi village, if you don't like the countryside, don't go, you will find it boring, the red house is a feature, it really looks a bit like Xiaoseda.
🚗Transportation
Panzhihua Renhe Bus Station - Pingdizhen - Jinsha River Grand Canyon - Yishala
💰70-80/person
The best way is to ask, let the bus station driver take you to the Jinsha River for a tour and then to Yishala.
Remember to leave the driver's phone number, you can call the driver to pick you up from Yishala back to Panzhihua city.
Others have shared that you can call a tricycle, but to be honest, I haven't seen it myself, I feel that the bus station master is reliable during the off-peak tourist season.
🏠Accommodation:
There are only 2-3 homestays in Yishala, we chose Yishanlan which is about 1 kilometer from the center of the village, another one is in the village, both can provide meals, there is also a Zheng's sisters in the village (anyway, it's called something sisters), providing simple farmhouse meals and ethnic clothing rental for 50 yuan a day.
🏨Yishanlan is quite good for taking pictures, but the price is high, the cheapest room is almost 400, generally 400➕ or 500➕, in terms of facilities, it's really average
We took a look at the other homestay later, it's not bad, the price is 200➕ per room.
✨Summary
Panzhihua is delicious, Yishala is okay~
JEFFERSON LEONARD
The Jinsha River Grand Canyon is a lesser-known but stunning sight!
It takes about an hour's drive from Panzhihua city to reach
the Jinsha River Grand Canyon and Yishala Village, known as the 'Little Seda' of Western Sichuan;
Navigate to 'Shala Village', and there is a parking lot on your left after you arrive
The village is well-arranged,
The road to the Jinsha River Grand Canyon is on the right side of the village entrance, it's a narrow road, and it's difficult for large SUVs to pass; we parked our car in the parking lot, and then asked the staff at the local tourist center to help us contact a local car, we chartered it, and it took about 10 minutes to reach the entrance of the Jinsha River Grand Canyon Scenic Area;
Compared to looking up at the Yarlung Zangbo Grand Canyon;
In the Jinsha River Grand Canyon, you can overlook the magnificent canyon;
Our great motherland's mountains and rivers are worth our cherishing!! Yishala Ethnic Culture Village
gwendolyn.juniper.hale
As a must-have place on the South Silk Road, the salad is a sacred place. Nowadays, it is more youthful and graceful. This is located in the village of the southwestern south of the Daxie Road and the Jinsha River at the intersection of the west and the east. This is known as the "China's first village". The village, born from the ancient times, has always been fresh and lively.