Things to Do in Yunnan in October

Terraces are flooded for transplanting in October, turning hillside paddies into mirrors that catch pink dawn light. Fewer tour buses than November, so you can set up a tripod at Laohuzui without heads in your frame. Expect 06:00 starts and 15°C (59°F) mornings - bring gloves.

October headwinds are milder than spring, and the new 115 km (71 mile) lakeside bike path is finally complete. You'll pedal through alfalfa fields, past Bai villages where grandmothers dry red chillies on reed mats, with the Cangshan peaks reflected in glassy water. Stop at Caicun pier for grilled silver carp brushed with chilli and lime.

Autumn is the legal window for selling foraged mushrooms in Yunnan. Restaurants along Guanxing Road pile wicker baskets with golden needle, king bolete and bamboo fungus. The broth starts mild, then absorbs earthy funk from the mushrooms - finish with tiny purple camellia flowers that pop like caviar.

October's dirt track is packed and dust-free after monsoon, making the 22 km (13.7 mile) lower path doable without porters. You descend 600 m (1,970 ft) to the Jinsha River, where water slams through a 30 m (98 ft) chasm loud enough to drown conversation. Afternoon cloud build-up is dramatic but rarely rains.

Monks haul out a two-storey silk thangka on 15 October (lunar date may drift) and display it on the hillside for two hours before sunrise. Temperature hovers at 2°C (36°F), butter-lamp smoke mixes with frost, and pilgrims shuffle clockwise spinning hand-held prayer wheels that click like cicadas.