China’s golden ocean
June 2009
Page 1 of 1
Find out what makes up Luoping’s strange sea
Majestic limestone hills rise out of the fields of flowering rapeseed plants, Luoping, China
George Steinmetz (www.georgesteinmetz.com)
Limestone hills rise up amid a sea of flowering rapeseed plants in Luoping, southern
China.
Situated in the eastern part of the
Yunnan province, Luoping is a small city with a population of 500,000. Its vast farmland is covered in the blossoming rapeseed
crops every February and March, drawing flocks of tourist and photographers.
The 250,000mu (Chinese measuring system) area blanketed in rapeseed flowers give the impression of a golden ocean. Travellers refer to the area as the weirdest 'sea' in the world. Not only the base for rapeseed production, Luoping County is also the national base for raising bees and processing honey products.
Other sites for tourists visiting Luoping include the Jiulong waterfall,
the Duoyi River
and the Lubuge Gorges.
The area’s rapeseed flower festival has been heavily promoted in recent years by the local tourist board, so the scene is not quite as peaceful as it seems here. Out of shot are ten tour buses and some 80 amateur photographers.
You can see more of Steinmetz’s images at
georgesteinmetz.com
British Airways flies to Shanghai and Hong Kong.
Book a flight on ba.com now.
