Beekeeper Chunyu's Dad | Learn About Bee Life, Taste the Freshest Honey 여행자 리뷰

The seriously explaining Spring Rain Dad, the busy and hardworking little bees, the heavy beehive, and the slightly bitter yet sweet fresh honey, a very interesting activity experience.

My baby and I were very lucky to enter the world of bees under the guidance of an excellent guide. For the first time, I learned that bees are a matriarchal society. All the worker bees we see collecting flowers are female. The queen bee has a "switch" inside her that allows her to freely control the sex of the eggs, and she only produces a small number of males. The sole function of males is reproduction and fertilization. I could already identify the larger drones on the hive partition. Bees have two stomachs. Bees use their mouthparts to reach deep into the nectaries of flowers to collect nectar, which is stored in a stomach sac. This is the source of the honey we humans consume. So honey is not made from pollen, but from nectar. Before each bee goes out to collect nectar, it brings a bit of its own sticky honey, which is used to roll the pollen "flour" into smooth, spindle-shaped "dough balls" that are carried on their two thick hind legs. These are easily seen in the hive, bright yellow in two lumps, like two big chicken legs. My little one and I also saw how they unload the two "chicken legs" into the honeycomb cells. Guide Chunyu also said that usually after unloading, the honey bee uses its head, like we use our fists to knead dough, to pound the pollen mass to compact it. Pollen is the main food for bees themselves, like protein powder for human fitness. These are details I could never learn from books or documentaries before. Guide Chunyu gives a gentle and tolerant feeling. I was very lucky to meet a beekeeper who has been dealing with bees for over twenty years, not someone who started a few years ago just to make money. My curiosity and questions about bees were well answered.

Having participated in three Hiking Home activities, this beekeeping trip unsurprisingly became the top favorite for my two kids, and it exceeded my expectations by far. Beekeeper Chunyu's explanations were vivid and lively, turning the world of bees into a real-life version of the insect swarm story from "Love, Death & Robots"—mysterious, orderly, and full of vitality. From the social division of labor in the hive, the mission of the queen bee, to the dedication of worker bees collecting nectar, he narrated it all so engagingly that we were completely absorbed. The kids kept their eyes wide open, fully immersed in this tiny yet grand insect kingdom. What amazed the children most was seeing the complete transformation of bees from eggs, larvae, to adults through a microscope, witnessing the moment a small life breaks out of its cocoon up close. The shock of touching nature firsthand and witnessing life's growth is something books and screens can never provide. Tasting the raw honey freshly taken from the hive—sweet, rich, with the fragrance of mountain flowers—was like tasting the purest essence of Cangshan. This activity was not just a visit but a vivid nature lesson. It let children see the wonder of life, feel the order and beauty of nature, and allowed us, in our busy lives, to slow down and understand the gentleness of a bee and a mountain forest. Thank you to beekeeper Chunyu for this special surprise. Such a warm, knowledgeable, and memorable activity is worth every family's heartfelt experience. Highly recommended.

A hidden gem experience during our Dali trip! I took my kid to Chunyu's two-hour beekeeping study camp, and it was filled with surprises and healing. Teacher Chunyu is truly reliable—no flashy gimmicks, just detailed and vivid explanations about bees. From bee division of labor, hive secrets, to honey formation, those abstract textbook concepts turned into fun stories kids could understand. The little ones' eyes lit up, asking questions nonstop, without their usual impatience. The highlight was the hands-on session! The teacher guided the children to carefully observe the beehive and taught them how to gently scrape fresh honey. The moment they held their breath was more memorable than any toy. They tasted the freshly scraped honey—sweet with a floral scent. My kid smacked their lips and said, 'This is a gift from the bees,' which melted my heart. Two hours may be short, but the child not only learned knowledge but also felt the wonder of nature and the loveliness of life. On the way home, they kept talking about how hardworking bees are and said they want to protect them. Such a sincere and meaningful study tour is far more valuable than superficial sightseeing. Highly recommended for parents bringing kids to Dali—it's an experience your child will remember for a long time. Recommend Chunyu.

Our Dali trip was a last-minute decision with no preparation. Facing the overwhelming amount of online guides, I was still confused the night before departure. I stumbled upon a recommendation for Cangshan Hiking Home, and that became the first confirmed activity of our trip—Chunyu's Beekeeper Experience. Teacher Chunyu lived up to his name, like a warm spring breeze, very patient with kids. The knowledge about bees opened the door for my child to experience Dali's natural charm. After this experience, I had a great impression of Cangshan Hiking Home, so later we also booked the mushroom picking activity with Wanwan and Yanzi.

Superb! Teacher Chunyu was so patient and kind, even the food prepared was very abundant. He seriously explained bee knowledge to everyone, guiding us to carefully observe and experience every aspect of bee habits and beekeeping. Now I think bees are really cute. Both bees and beekeepers work hard, living and working diligently!

The professional beekeeper uncle in Dali took us three off-season VIPs to learn all about bees: from body structure to gender identification, from historical development to living habits, from the queen laying eggs to the colony splitting. He talked non-stop for over two hours, covering everything. He also let us observe the different developmental stages of bees under a microscope, understand the differences between the queen, drones, and worker bees, and even took honey directly from the hive for us to taste on the spot... and so much more (this is all I can remember). You could tell he really wanted to pass on everything he knew to us. The two brothers now think they are bee experts. A truly fulfilling and precious experience.

Over the weekend, I participated in the 'Beekeeper's Home' activity at the foot of Cangshan Mountain. I really learned a lot! The hexagonal structure of the honeycomb is a 'architectural genius design' that saves the most material. Learning about the short but busy lives of worker bees, the queen, and drones made me feel the vastness and wonder of life. Watching the dense swarm of bees up close was actually quite healing (with the protective gear on, no worries at all!). Living in the city, we never get this opportunity. The owner was very down-to-earth, using picture books and honeycombs to explain the story of bees. Finally, the freshly cut honeycomb was a shock—I ate the honeycomb directly! It was sweet but not cloying, with a light floral fragrance, so much better than what you buy at the supermarket. I also drank the owner's special honey and passion fruit tea, which was sour and sweet, very refreshing, and paired with fresh fruit—so thoughtful. The best part was the environment! Learning while watching the Erhai Lake shimmer, and seeing the bees busy at work, I felt myself slowing down. Highly recommend to families with kids and nature lovers. It's much more interesting than just sightseeing!

A hidden gem experience I stumbled upon I randomly came across Cangshan Hiking Home and saw the Spring Rain Beekeeping Observation activity. The experience lasted 2 hours, and I could take a taxi to get there. Upon arrival, Spring Rain warmly greeted us and invited us to sit in the science classroom for a bee knowledge session that lasted about an hour. My little one was a bit distracted due to her age, but Spring Rain noticed and took her to the bee garden to briefly observe bees collecting pollen as a break, then continued the lesson. After the science session, we went for the actual observation. We saw hardworking bees dancing in the hive, storing pollen in honeycombs, baby bees breaking out of their cells, and more. The child watched with great interest and joy. Finally, they cut fresh honeycomb for everyone to enjoy. Both adults and children learned a lot—it was a very satisfying experience. If you have friends visiting Dali, I highly recommend this 2-hour beekeeping life experience!!!

Thank you, teacher, for giving us a new experience. The child in gray clothes said they want to come again.

Very professional explanations; we listened with great interest. Knowledge will be internalized in the children's hearts. Thank you for the gift of honey—it was our first time tasting honey. A very beautiful memory. Dali is truly worth the trip.

Thank you, Teacher Chunyu, for your detailed explanation. It was my first time tasting such fresh honey.

Today's #Honey Journey. It rained all night and continued into the morning, and I thought the activity might be canceled. Another mom and her daughter joined us, making a total of five people, so it felt like a VVIP service experience. Before our first close encounter with bees, we listened to an hour of knowledge sharing. I learned how bees reproduce, the relationships among worker bees, the queen bee, and drones, and that each bee has its own duty and never oversteps. I also learned how bees build their hives, and the uses of propolis, beeswax, and bee venom. The other mom and I were amazed. Hardworking little bees work from birth to death, all for the queen and the continuation of the bee colony. There is probably no other species as selfless. The whole process was full of curiosity and joy. During the hands-on experience, the kids happened to encounter a newly emerged baby bee. They eagerly took turns holding it. My daughter, who is usually so afraid of insects, let the bee crawl on her hand this time. It was a brand new experience. Full of useful knowledge, the experience was a perfect 100 out of 100.

Thank you, Chunyu. I really learned a lot about bees today. Both adults and kids had an amazing experience.

The adults had so much fun. Thank you, Chunyu.

Thank you for your wonderful narration. It opened up a whole new understanding of the bee world for me. Truly great.

Thank you, Teacher Chunyu. Today's experience was amazing. I've come to love little bees.

Today's beekeeping experience was fantastic! On the way back, my child kept saying how much they loved the activity! Both adults and kids got up close to observe the bees and hives, and we learned so much! Chunyu was especially professional and patiently answered all our questions about bees. Thank you so much @Chunyu

We came to see the bees again. The little one kept her word. Haha, yes, she's been waiting for her dad to bring her back, and now he's finally home. She introduced her dad to her new friends: the bees and Chunyu.

Despite the rainy weather, we kept our appointment with the bees. With honey juice, fruits, and sunflower seeds to enjoy, we listened to a complete and clear science lesson about bees; we opened a hive and got up close to see the queen, drones, worker bees, larvae, and the queen's cell; we looked at bees under a microscope, and the cut honeycomb had a strong, bitter plant scent. My child went from being too scared to approach to squatting nearby, and eventually to grinning from ear to ear while repeatedly handling and passing around the drones. Thank you, Teacher Chunyu, for your professionalism and patience. Cangshan Hiking Home never disappoints me.

Today's experience was absolutely wonderful! On the way home, my child kept saying how great the teacher was. The activity was amazing—a million thumbs up!

The teacher was great, really knowledgeable. My son said he's an expert. You could tell right away that he truly loves bees. We were really engaged in listening.

Today's trip with Chunyu was also great. The kid got impatient halfway through, but I was really into it.

Thank you, Teacher Chunyu. Teacher Chunyu is so gentle. It was a wonderful experience. Even though Xiaotangyuan was crying, she still said she wants to see the bees again when we got back.

This year's experience was even better than last year's. The kid is a year older and has a better understanding of bees. I'm so happy today. Thank you, Teacher Chunyu!

The bee activity at Cangshan Hiking Home. Chunyu shared a lot of knowledge about bees, then opened the hive on site for everyone to experience. It turns out that male bees don't have stingers and won't sting, so you can safely put them on your hands. Finally, we cut the honeycomb and ate honey, and they even gave the kids a big bottle to take home. So much fun. Don't rush me, this was yesterday's activity. Today I'm heading back home. Yunnan has a well-developed sojourn industry, with abundant resources for short-term and long-term rentals and daily life. A month really isn't as expensive as you think. My family doesn't have a mine.

Little Beekeeper - A parent-child study tour with a beekeeper of 20 years on Cangshan Mountain, Dali. As her name suggests, 'Chunyu' (spring rain) moistens everything silently! The two-hour activity turned into a session of endless questions for me. She knows everything about bees, answers every question, and never holds back. I'm extremely satisfied! It's an honor to be among the first guests. Chunyu even cultivated irregular honeycombs in advance, allowing us to taste freshly cut honey. That sweetness was heart-soothing. The honey wine made from pure honey and yeast captured my taste buds. I'm also looking forward to the royal jelly cultivated in July.

Today's experience was great (except for being stung once). I'll come again next year. Thank you, Chunyu. I've also recommended you to the moms' group.

I just casually asked my kid how bees dance, and she named every type! So she remembered it all absentmindedly, even though we thought she wasn't paying attention. Maybe kids are just too smart and can easily absorb knowledge without trying. - Chunyu

Beekeeping Experience | Exploring the Tiny World of Bees This was an absolutely amazing experience class in Dali. I stumbled upon this place by chance, where you can observe and learn about bees up close. The beekeeper, Chunyu, has been keeping bees for 20 years. The experience lasts 2 hours, but as a curious mom, I spent 3 hours and still wanted more. I must have asked dozens of questions about bees. To make sure I didn't forget anything on site, my little orange and I even jotted down about ten questions at home. After those 3 hours of chatting, I felt like I was half an expert in theory—sorry if that sounds arrogant, but Chunyu is really professional, like a bee encyclopedia. You can ask anything, and he explains it all in detail. I'll organize the video and share it with everyone later.

Year Event | Observing bees up close with A Nian, tasting sweet honey, and under the guidance of beekeeper teacher Chunyu, we entered this exquisite microcosm. The world of bees is breathtaking: every role's life, from birth to death, seems like a pre-written program executed methodically. Worker bees, in their short tens of days, are busy and without regret; the queen's life mission is reproduction, day after day continuing the colony's lineage. And the drones, though destined for a brief life, give everything for the continuation of the species. The Creator's design is both clever and ruthless! Spring passes, winter comes, seasons cycle, and in the bee colony, there are always 6 million 'unborn' lives ready to emerge. Life and death here seem so natural, so ordinary. Metabolism, dying and reviving—this is the essence of nature, the cycle of life. This reminds me of Buddhist wisdom: 'All conditioned things are impermanent, this is the law of arising and ceasing. When arising and ceasing cease, the stillness is bliss.' The bees' alternation of life and death seems to interpret the truth of impermanence. They fulfill their missions in their short lives, integrating into a greater whole. Death is not an end, but another continuation of life. As Buddhism says: all beings have causes and conditions, all have destinations. The world of bees is a picture of reincarnation full of harmony and order. 2025.1.19 Cangshan

Beekeeping experience: getting to know the small world of bees. This was an absolutely fantastic experience class in Dali. I stumbled upon this place where you can observe and learn about bees up close. The beekeeper Chunyu has been keeping bees for 20 years. The experience lasts 2 hours, but as a curious mom, I stayed for 3 hours and still wanted more. I must have asked dozens of questions about bees: how many queens in a hive, bee habits, how honey is produced, how it's refined, how to tell real honey from fake—any question I could think of. To make sure I didn't forget, my child and I even jotted down a dozen questions at home. After 3 hours of chatting, I felt like I was half an expert in theory. Sorry if that sounds arrogant, but Chunyu was truly professional, like a bee encyclopedia. You can ask anything, and he explains it all. It was an excellent bee science experience. Highly recommended for families with kids!

The spring rain beekeeper was very professional, answered many questions from the children, and was very patient. We spent a long time observing the bees, and finally got to taste delicious honey. The honey water was also very refreshing. Thumbs up, recommended.

I experienced the beekeeping activity. Teacher Chunyu explained very clearly and interestingly. Not only did he introduce a lot of interesting bee knowledge, but he also led everyone to observe the bees' movement trajectories, work signals, and different types of honeycombs up close. There was also a tasting of farm fruits and raw honey.

Booking and cancellation are the most convenient in Dali. Once booked, the date won't be changed. I participated in five study tour activities, and I think Jason's is the best! In comparison, some others are quite unprofessional. Of course, the price here is slightly higher, but I think it's worth the value. The teachers here are impeccable in both attitude and professionalism. This time I stayed in Dali for ten days, and I signed up for activities here for three days. For other places, I only signed up for one day each, thinking I'd try them all, but I ended up regretting it. After going around, I found it would have been better to just sign up for everything here. Nowadays, study tours in Dali are very popular on Xiaohongshu, but some that are praised as cheap and professional are actually disappointing. This place is more reliable, with a wide variety covering 80% of Dali's study tour projects. Booking and cancellation are the most convenient. Even if you participate alone, there's no risk of cancellation or date change. I'd like to thank professional beekeeper Teacher Chunyu, the versatile Teacher Aruna, Teacher Aruna's handsome camping partner, and the multi-talented Teacher Wanwan. Teacher Wanwan gives a great sense of security.

Adults found it quite interesting We joined the beekeeping experience. Adults found it very interesting. For children, I suggest age 7 or above, otherwise they might not fully understand the explanation about bee habits. They provided delicious honey passion fruit water and lots of fruit and snacks. The part where they opened the hive, cut honey, and ate fresh honey was loved by the kids. It rained heavily the day we went, which affected the experience a bit. It would be much better without rain. Also, the location is not easy to get a taxi, so plan your transportation in advance.

Chunyu is truly a walking encyclopedia of bees I brought my child to join the Cangshan Hiking Home activity again. This time, the whole family experienced beekeeping. Chunyu is truly a walking encyclopedia of bees. The adults were fascinated by "The Story of a Bee's Life." Some content was a bit hard for the kids to fully understand, but they were also attracted by the interesting bee picture books Chunyu prepared. After that, Chunyu led everyone to observe the beehive up close. We saw how bees use their antennae to communicate; bees with pollen on their legs searching for the right "room" in the hive to store pollen; we used a microscope to observe pupae in different stages; and we even found the queen bee among the dense swarm. The kids' favorite part was tasting the fresh honey cut straight from the comb. Chunyu said that this season, bees collect nectar from medicinal herbs on the mountain, so the honey has a herbal flavor. Indeed, the honey we tasted was sweet with a hint of bitterness—a magical taste. Eating and drinking without exhausting mom, and gaining knowledge too. Highly recommended parent-child experience!

Learned a lot, very impressive During the Spring Festival, I spent 4 days in Dali and joined 4 activities with Cangshan Hiking Home. When I was planning my trip in January, I stumbled upon Jason's team and was drawn to their activities, so I arranged the plan a month in advance. The first activity was the beekeeping experience. Teacher Chunyu shared beekeeping knowledge effortlessly and eloquently. In one morning, I learned a lot about bees and saw different species—very impressive! The second was the Eryuan Rural Tour. We passed by a milk fan workshop in Dengchuan, boated on Dali West Lake with tall reeds, and saw ducks, purple swamphens, and egrets everywhere. We learned about an ancient village with a unique group of people who speak Bai language, wear Bai costumes, but devoutly practice Islam. The guide was Xiao Li, a very nice local. My kid especially loved the guide Xiao Zhao's bull terrier, Gangzi. The third was the highly anticipated Cangshan Full-Day Nature Observation. I met teachers Zhao Xi and Wang Bin—one knows plants well, the other loves birdwatching. My 5.5-year-old kid hiked while learning a lot, covering 12 km without getting tired, very cheerful. We had vegetarian lunch, and my kid was thrilled to eat it for the first time (always heard about it in Journey to the West). In the second half, my kid chatted with the teachers about the Three Kingdoms, very excited. Later, when seeing unfamiliar birds, my kid asked me to consult Teacher Wang. The fourth was the Huoshan Sunset. The guide was Aruna, a very friendly and considerate girl towards kids. We set off in the afternoon, visited the Shuanglang Huoshan Bai Farmer Painting Society (Chicken Nest) Café—a rural art café featuring paintings by Bai grandmothers, art creative products, and local food culture. We met artist Shen Jianhua, had coffee, climbed a small path to a platform to watch the sunset and picnic. The last sunset of the lunar year 2023 was worth it. In the evening, we were lucky to have New Year's Eve dinner with several guides—very happy. I'm very happy with this arrangement and look forward to visiting Dali again. I also want to go to Xipo and stargazing. Hope Cangshan Hiking Home gets better and better. See you next time!