We want to visit the rice terrace in yuanyang during October. Is it a good time ? If not, what is the best season to visit there ?

Here is some info: www.chinadiscovery.com/yuanyang-tours/weather.html

Many say after spring festival when the terraces are flooded and before they are planted. The water at sunrise and sunset reflects the sky and any colors you are lucky to have.

That is when I went but the farmers were burning last years left over plant material making a lot of smoke, not so good for photos.

Best is to hire a car and driver to get to the various viewing spots.

This link has a review "3 Days in Yuanyang Rice Terraces (元阳梯田)" which will give you a good idea, with photos, of what to expect.

Best to set out before dawn. I liked to use a tripod to capture the light changing but it is crowded and people kick it as they try to take the same shot. (I switched to a really good mono-pod which I highly recommend in Chinese crowds) I took more tan 4K photos in 4 days. Bring extra memory cards.

Also, during the day time, consider markets. In Yuanyang, the local minzu, Yi, Hani, Eastern Dai, make great and colorful photos. The faces, old and young, are beautiful!

The Hani terraces have a very narrow time span in which to view them and that is when they are flooded again after winter so around Spring Festival. If you go in October you will be disappointed.

I went in January, great clear weather and the terraces full of water. Very quiet time of year before Chinese New Year, no crowds - they didn't even have anyone charging entrance fee!

Thanks a lot for your answers, we decided to go in the winter.