A dreamlike sea of clouds, with billowing clouds flowing as if alive

Text & Photos /Home of Akuai

Actually, I wanted to come to Yundong Mountain Villa to see the sea of clouds last year, but just never got the chance because it’s really quite... far from us. Autumn and winter are the best seasons to view the sea of clouds, but it still depends on the weather and luck. This time, we only came to take photos and didn’t stay overnight.

It was just the day before when I saw the sea of clouds at Yundong Mountain Villa on a friend’s blog that I decided I absolutely couldn’t miss this chance again—bad weather often brings the best sea of clouds. It was my first visit, and to be honest, I was really disappointed at first—the fog was thick, it was cold, and there was also a light drizzle...

But in a flash, as the mist began to clear and the stunning scenery suddenly appeared, it vanished again amid the hustle and bustle. After several such moments of bewilderment, I fell in love with the beauty and atmosphere here. I’m so happy that the chances of seeing the sea of clouds have greatly increased now—patience really does pay off.

When we exited the highway at the Sanyi Interchange, it had been raining the whole time, and the rain grew heavier along the way, making my mood worse and worse. It was really a buzzkill? My wife kept comforting me, saying maybe this kind of weather would actually be perfect for photographing the sea of clouds. That gave me a glimmer of hope.


There are many hiking trails behind Yundong Mountain Villa. To see the spectacular sea of clouds, you need to climb the 865-meter-high tower behind the villa. The top floor offers a 360-degree panoramic view and allows you to see 18 towns in the distance. As long as the weather permits, a dreamlike sea of clouds will appear in the evening.


In addition to the front of the villa, the area behind the tower also boasts a breathtaking sea of clouds, likely because the structure of the clouds isn’t very solid, so they drift with the wind...


The earthen-red brick walls of Yundong Mountain Villa homestay form a majestic building, and the presence of clouds and mist adds even more atmosphere, as if it’s hidden within the drifting fog.

Looking down from the tower, the endless sea of clouds surrounding Yundong Mountain Villa seems to slowly flow forward like a waterfall, like living clouds constantly tumbling and flowing...


Standing within a 360-degree field of vision, the sea of clouds appears even more magnificent. This time, it was really thanks to the cold wave that we got the chance to admire such a diverse and ever-changing seascape. After noon, the mountains tend to get foggy, and the airflow drives the clouds and mist to roll around, making it feel as if you’re above the clouds, wandering through the mist, in a dreamy scene full of poetic charm.


Yundong Mountain Villa is like a castle in the clouds—ethereal and surreal. Suddenly, the entire villa is submerged in the sea of clouds. It’s as if it’s floating on white waves in the mountains... so dreamy.

Enduring the cold at night paid off—the sight of the sea of clouds made my wife scream with joy. We were really lucky this time; without the cold wave passing through, it wouldn’t have been easy to see the sea of clouds. The more moisture in the air, the more majestic the sea of clouds becomes.




The sea of clouds churns and changes by the second, and this rare beauty is truly intoxicating. It’s not a dream—we’re surrounded by the sea of clouds.



The colder and gloomier the weather, the more crowded this little tower becomes. We arrived at 4:30 PM to stake out a spot, but still couldn’t get a good position. But we still managed to see and photograph the sea of clouds, which is satisfaction enough, haha.




The night at Yundong Mountain Villa is a paradise for photography enthusiasts, mainly because of the beautiful sunsets and sea of clouds. Especially at night, the ever-changing sea of clouds is even more captivating, along with the enchanting glow of light.

More travel documented through the lens—welcome to<<阿蒯的家>>