Kunming.
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Overview

Kunming (昆明; Kūnmíng) is the capital of Yunnan Province in China. Known in China as the City of Eternal Spring, Kunming is at an almost-tropical latitude but with a 2000 m (6600 ft) altitude, which gives it a very temperate climate. However, in winter it has been known to snow, so if visiting in December–February, pack warm. Also, when it rains - it's cold.

Because of the altitude, the UV rays in Kunming are quite harsh, and it is advised to stay protected from direct sunlight. See Sunburn and sun protection.

The air is quite clean compared to other Chinese cities, even though the traffic-congested streets still emit more than their fair share of pollution. The population of the prefecture of Kunming was close to 8½ million in 2020, and the city is expanding rapidly, with numerous highways and modern buildings. Largely because of the fine climate, flower-growing is a major industry; tourist attractions include flower exhibits and auctions and a huge botanical garden.

In addition to its own charms, Kunming serves as a base from which to explore Yunnan province. Some routes to or from Kunming are described in Hong Kong to Kunming overland. The most popular route within Yunnan runs north and west from Kunming, and is described in Yunnan tourist trail. Kunming is also the jumping off point for trips to the tropical paradise area Xishuangbanna down in southern Yunnan near the Laotian border.

Understand

Kunming is one of the most important transport hubs of Southwest China. It is well connected to the rest of China by road, rail and air and also has good air links to Southeast Asia and a few outside the region.

Some historic routes no longer exist. The old French-built railway to Vietnam is no longer in service, but a new railway along a similar route (Kunming to Hekou North 河口北), with regular passenger service, has been opened to replace it. There are also buses along that route, and a new fast rail link link all the way toVientiane, with an extension to Singapore perennially under discussion. The Burma Road, which terminated in Kunming, no longer exists but there are newer and better roads over much of that route and rail over some of it.

The area is known for the Yí (彝) people, an ethnic minority prevalent in and around Kunming. Especially at popular tourist sites, you may see people dressed in traditional Yi garb and selling handicrafts or showing off local dances.

Get in

Kunming is well connected to anywhere in China or Southeast Asia and reasonably easy to reach from outside that region.

Kunming Changshui International Airport. It receives flights from South-East Asian cities such as Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Kuala Lumpur and Singapore, as well as plenty of domestic connections throughout China. When flying into the airport, look out the window for beautiful terraces in the countryside near the city.

The new Changshui Airport is about 25 km north-east of the city area, and the old Wujiaba airport has been demolished. Immigration can sometimes be congested. A taxi ride to the city centre will take approximately 30–40 minutes, at peak times you can expect to double this, as Kunming suffers major traffic congestion.

The airport is served by metro Line 6, which goes to the East Bus Station, where you can transfer to line 3, and go on to Tangzixiang, the interchange station for Line 2 in downtown. The hours of operation for line 6 are from 06:20-23:00 daily. Trains are 10 minutes apart. If taking the metro to the airport, make sure to get off at Airport Center/Kunming Airport station, not Airport Front.

Another transport option are shuttle buses named Airport Express.

By train just south of downtown is the main hub for conventional trains, but also serves some high-speed trains, mostly C- and D-series trains to destinations within Yunnan.

, about 20 km southeast of downtown, is the main hub for high-speed trains and is with the city center by a subway line. It is served by high-speed trains to major cities across China, as well as international trains to Laos and Hong Kong. While there are no direct rail services to Vietnam, there are trains to Hekou on the Vietnamese border, where you can then transfer onto Vietnamese trains after crossing the border into Lao Cai.

Kunming's third rail terminal , the main hub of Yunnan's once-extensive metre-gauge network, is mostly of interests to rail fans and history buffs, having been built by the French during the age of colonialism. As of 2016, most of its building has been converted to a railway museum (see below), while the working passenger station occupies one of the rooms of the building. From there, 3 trains a day run to destinations within Kunming's metropolitan area, thus offering you an inexpensive way to ride a meter-gauge train.

All three stations are accessible by metro. If taking the metro to Kunming Railway Station, take Exit A from the metro station and follow the blue signs for "购票乘车" to get to the railway station.

The Chinese government has plans to turn Kunming into a hub for trains into Southeast Asia. A railway to Vientiane, Laos was completed in December 2021, with an extension of that line to Bangkok, Thailand under construction and scheduled to be completed in 2028. Cross-border passenger trains began operating between Kunming and Vientiane in April 2023. Lines to Mandalay and Yangon in Myanmar, as well as to Hanoi and Haiphong in Vietnam have been proposed, but construction has not started yet.

By bus Kunming has moved its bus stations to the edge of the city in a bid to decrease traffic congestion. There are four bus stations for each of the cardinal directions (N,S,E,W). The general rule of thumb is you should go to the bus station in the direction you want to travel (e.g. if you are headed to Dali or Lijiang you will need to use the West Bus Station (Xibu Keyun Zhan); or if you are headed to Jinghong or Jianshui or Vientiane (Laos) you will need the South Bus Station).

The bus stations next to the train station are no longer long-distance bus stations.

The long-distance buses are excellent - cheap, reliable, comfortable, however, overnight sleepers can be cold, bumpy and dirty, check out the bus before you buy the tickets. People smoke in the bus in China, which is a big problem if the weather is cold and all bus windows are closed.

There are international departures to Laos and Vietnam, though these services are not always running. From Vientiene to Luang Prabang, there are also VIP night buses with reclining seats as well as several daily local buses. There is a better chance of getting the slightly more expensive sleeper if you book the day ahead. The buses will make rest stops at local restaurants with standard Lao squat toilets. From Vientiane to Luang Prabang is about 12 hours, from Luang Prabang to Udomsai is about 5 hours, and climbs up a mountain road with severe potholes and many scenic villages clinging to the side of the road. From Udomxai to Kunming, is claimed to be about 19 hours but leaves at 12:30 and arrives about 09:30 the next morning. The road on the China side of the border is several lanes wide with many tunnels and smooth pavement. There are many freelance money changers on the China side of the border; there is no bank or currency exchange at Kunming's South Bus Station.

The journey to Vietnam is less arduous. Buses to Hekou, the border city on the Chinese side, leave regularly. There were night buses which allow you to leave Kunming at 20:00 and arrive at Hekou in time to cross the border as soon as it opens, but the bus only needs 7 hours now so times might have changed. The bus station in Hekou is about 3 km from the border crossing, and public buses go there. From there, you can take one of the many buses to Sapa, bus or train to Hanoi, or elsewhere.

Get around

Kunming has generally good roads but they are often badly overloaded with traffic, and not only at peak times. By Western standards, the driving is often appalling; see Driving in China. For any journey by ground transport, a generous allowance for traffic delays is good planning.

The metro system consists of five lines, with more under construction. To buy a single-journey ticket card, select your destination on one of the ticket machines and insert the required cash. The machines give change, but only accept paper money — no coins, cards, WeChat, or Alipay. Swipe your ticket to enter the metro and insert it when you leave, similar to the Shanghai metro system.

Line 6 from the airport to downtown was the first line to go into service, followed by Line 1 and Line 2, which temporarily combined as one line run from south to north through the city center and via Kunming Railway Station. Line 3 is an east–west line connecting to Line 6. Line 4 is a south–north line starting from the new Kunming South Railway Station.

English signage on the metro system is reasonably good.

They operate from about 06:00 until late evening 21:30/22:00! (from first stop, which means, if you go from the last stop, you can get a bus also at 23:00 going back to first stop). They stop at every stop along their assigned route, but not all bus routes stop at all physical bus stops! Don't be surprised to see a bus driving right past a stop, as it may not be on their route. Stops are usually 500 m to 1 km apart. Bus drivers are lead footed, and often race each other, especially on the ring roads. They tend to stop suddenly too, so get a good hand hold. Some of the bus stops are at the sides of the road but some bus stops are in the middle of the road and appear to have been designed to provide maximum inconvenience and danger for passengers. There have been reports of pickpockets on crowded buses, especially just before "Spring Festival", when people need extra cash. Bus Nos. These usually go longer distances such as to "villages" around Kunming. Bus routes are marked on some local maps (purchased from street vendors or kiosks) but are not always accurate. You can check the following Chinese only website (bus 10) but at least there is a map with the bus stop and you can quickly change bus number in the URL (this only works for regular bus, not c62 and the like).

Make sure the driver uses the meter to avoid being scammed. Sometimes, taxi drivers will ask for a flat fee, but you should avoid this, because usually such flat fees are much more expensive than using the meter for rides within the city. As usual, care should be taken when traveling at night or long distances. Also be aware that taxis are zoned and cannot access all areas. Don't be surprised if a taxi driver cannot take you to your destination as it may be outside their zone. Only certain taxis are allowed into the central areas at certain times. This is to allow all taxis a chance at the lucrative business areas. It is especially difficult to get a taxi around 18:30, when taxi shifts switch and drivers need to return their cars.

There are bike lanes along the edges of many major roads and traffic generally moves fairly slowly. In addition, a scheme in the Dianchi (lakeside) area of town provides bicycle rental as a public service, similar to schemes in Paris and London. However, registration is a prerequisite and it is unclear how accessible the system is to foreigners, particularly short-stay tourists.

Electric bicycles can be rented which are easily found on roadside, Alipay, WeChat and Meituan APP can be used to rent these electric bicycles. Prices may vary but averages around 2.5 CNY for first 20 min and 2 CNY per 10 minutes there onwards.

See

Burma Road History Museum. A museum about the Burma Road. The museum was founded by Chen Daya, the author of a book about the Overseas Chinese drivers and mechanics who came to China to work on the Burma Road. The museum does not have a lot of artefacts, but has many photographs, illustrations and models. The most valuable and authentic item on display is an old case used for carrying items along the Burma Road. If you understand Mandarin, a friendly guide dressed in period costume can give you a free tour of the museum. A signed copy of Chen's book (published in Chinese only) can be purchased from the museum gift shop.

Kunming City Museum. A simple museum whose main attraction is a central pillar taken from an old temple (now destroyed) and other relics from the Dian Kingdom (a tribute state of the Western Song dynasty). A large part of the museum is taken up by a series of shops selling fossils/minerals (many of the fossils are fakes) plus overpriced Chinese paintings, textiles, porcelains and some furniture.

Kunming Flying Tigers Memorial. The Flying Tigers were fighter pilots — officially called the American Volunteer Group — who fought the Japanese in China through much of World War II, both before and after the US entered the war. Despite a whole range of problems, they shot down several hundred enemy planes. Kunming was one of their main bases.

Kunming Zoology Museum. Anybody interested in Yunnan's animals through the ages could spend a couple of hours here. The museum is adjacent to, and indeed shares a compound with, a university science campus. The exhibits are arranged on five floors starting with dinosaurs, fossils and skeletons on the ground floor and working up to a tropical rain forest replica on the uppermost floor. There are sections with preserved fish and amphibians, stuffed animals and preserved insects. The exhibits seem to concentrate on creatures that are, or were, to be found in Yunnan. Most exhibits are labelled in English and Chinese but the longer explanations and information boards are generally Chinese only. Overall it is a pleasant, clean, museum with the exhibits well presented and usually well lit. It is not really an interactive museum; there is plenty to point at and peer at but not much to do. There is a small table offering mementos for sale but otherwise no shop. Nor is there any onsite catering.

Victory over Japan Memorial Hall. Completed in 1947, this was one of the first war memorials to be commissioned in China following the end of the Second World War. It is now a national heritage site.

Yunnan Art Museum. Occupies the building where the Yunnan Provincial Museum (listed below) used to be.

Yunnan Provincial Museum. A large museum containing artifacts from the past 2,500 years. The items presented are reasonably well lit and the interior is amazing. A slow stroll through the museum may take two hours. Descriptions are mainly given in Chinese. The permanent exhibitions are on the two upper floors, while the ground floor hosts temporary exhibitions.

Yunnan Railway Museum. This is a smallish museum dedicated to the various narrow gauge railways constructed to link Yunnan with other places. These railways were brought into existence principally through French-Chinese collaboration but the equipment originated in various countries. The museum is in two sections: The first contains maps, documents, models, information boards and small artifacts. The information boards and artifact labels are generally in Chinese and English, but many of the copies of original documents and annotated drawings are in French and Chinese. The second section of the museum houses various locomotives and rolling stock. Non-commercial photography is permitted but, as both sections of the museum are poorly lit, a tripod might be useful. Railway enthusiasts can probably browse contentedly for an hour or two but small children and people with no interest in history or railways might find 15 minutes to be more than long enough.

Yunnan University Wu Mayao Museum of Anthropology. Fascinating museum with an impressive collection of minority and Han artifacts from around Yunnan. Highlights include painted wooden torso armor of the Yi people, fearsome warriors of a traditionally caste society who historically controlled the mountainous region between Sichuan and Yunnan and whose queen was instrumental in negotiating the entry in to Yunnan of the Mongol Horde at the dawn of the Yuan Dynasty, ushering in the first real period of Han control thus beginning the widespread Sinification in Yunnan province. Unfortunately the showy modern glass presentation makes photography of some artifacts rather difficult.

Kunming Planning Exhibition Hall. A public exhibition hall presenting Kunming's urban development, construction achievements and future planning through models, multimedia displays and interactive exhibits. Free guided tours are offered at 10:00 and 14:30.

Yunnan Literature and Art Museum. An arts and cultural exhibition center presenting visual art, literature and other forms of Yunnan culture. It hosts permanent and temporary exhibitions as well as cultural events.

Daguan Pavilion. Daguan Park in the western part of Kunming races the Dianchi Lake in the south and the Western Mountains in the west. The pavilion, with a history of more than three hundred years, is a three-floor square structure with flying eaves and golden-lacquered ornamentation. The top floor of the pavilion provides an all-embracing view of the vast Dianchi Lake and the peaks of the Western Mountains. A 180-character couplet is hanging down the pavilion, which is lauded as the number one couplet past and present. The park is the most fascinating garden in urban Kunming.

Fulintang Drugstore (Bi'anguo Branch). Opened in 1857, this is the oldest established drugstore in Kunming. The traditional style building has remained largely unchanged since the 19th century and has been included on China's national heritage list. As of April 2026 the structure was closed and looked dilapidated.

Guandu Ancient Town. An historic town that was founded during the Tang Dynasty and was once part of the kingdoms of Nanzhao and Dali. A number of old buildings are preserved here, including several temples.

斗南花卉市场夜间拍卖. Witness the fast-paced, high-energy night auction at one of Asia's largest flower markets. It's a fascinating spectacle of commerce where millions of flowers change hands in a matter of hours. An unforgettable sensory experience.

Kunming Pump House. As a result of droughts parching Yunnan, the reservoirs surrounding Kunming are of vital importance. The specter of Kunming's taps suddenly running dry is of great concern for residents. The two-room "History Museum of Kunming Water Supply" (昆明市自来水历史博物馆) is inside the Green Lake Park, and is housed in the building that once pumped 1,000 m³ of water daily from Green Lake's spring-fed Nine Dragon Pond (九龙池) and along a 9.5-km network of municipal water pipes. The pump station was completed in 1917 and started operating in 1918. It continued to be used until 1957. The current museum still contains what appear to be the two original French-made electric water pumps, along with a small collection of old photos and other curios, such as tokens that could be used to buy water from any of the more than 50 public water taps that were part of the system.

National Southwestern Associated University Site. The National Southwestern Associated University was a wartime amalgamation of Peking University, Tsinghua University and Nankai University. It was established in Changsha in 1937 following the occupation of university campuses in Beijing and Tianjin by Japanese forces and was originally known as the Changsha Temporary University. In 1938, the university relocated to this site in Kunming following heavy air raids on Changsha and continued to operate here until the end of the war. The site, which is now part of Yunnan Normal University, is a national level heritage site and is open to the public.

Yunnan Military Academy. The Yunnan Military Academy is a historic military academy that was founded in 1909 during the final years of the Qing Dynasty. It continued to operate after the Xinhai Revolution (1911) and was one of the most important military academies in China up until its closure in 1935. A number of prominent Communist military leaders received their training here. A museum at the site explains the history. The museum is in three sections with bilingual information boards and artefact labels.

Zhu De's Former Residence. Zhu De (1886-1976) was one of the Communist Party's most revered political and military leaders in the 20th century. Most notably, he was the Commander-in-Chief of the Red Army during both the Second Sino-Japanese War and the Chinese Civil War. He also held the position of Commander-in-Chief of the People's Liberation Army during the Korean War. This residence was Zhu De's home from 1921 to 1922. It is now a museum with exhibits on Zhu De's life.

Qiongzhu Temple. An amazing work of art hidden in a temple several kilometers up in the mountains encircling Kunming. For the most part, it is a normal temple, but in one room, there is a series of sculptures that is an incredible work of art. A mixture of life-like figures in totally fantastical positions (man whose eyebrows grow down to the floor, monks riding giant fish), this is some trippy artwork that is worth the trip.

Tanhua Temple. Built in 1634. According to historical records, before the temple was erected, there had been a thatched shack where Shi Shiqiao, a scholar of the Ming Dynasty, buried himself in books. Shi Tai, grandson of Shi Shiqiao, donated the estate for the shack whereon the temple was built.In the backyard there was an epiphyllum tree, which is called tanhua in Chinese, hence the name. The temple went through many renovations during the Qing Dynasty. It is well-known for its flowers and plants. It has been a scenic spot for more than three hundred years, and an epitome of Kunming, the Flower City of the Southern Frontier. The epiphyllum tree was planted in the side court of the depository of Buddhist Scriptures. There is a stone tablet on which four characters are carved The Epiphyllum Brings Luck. After the erection of the temple, the original epiphyllum withered and died. The epiphyllum now standing taller than the eaves of the temple sprang from the root of the original one at the beginning of the Qing Dynasty, and is about 300 years old. It bursts into flowers in mid-summer. The big loquat tree in the backyard is said to have been planted in the early Ming Dynasty.In the South Garden there are flowers and rockeries with winding paths among the flowers and the zigzagging corridor surround the Lotus Pond, where you can watch fish. The East Garden is shaded by tall cedars and cypresses and include seven smaller gardens and a Children's Playground.The old temple has resumed its original grandeur. It has become one of the most famous scenic spots in Kunming.

Yuantong Temple. With a history of more than 1,200 years, Yuantong Temple is the grandest and most important Buddhist temple in Yunnan Province. King Yimouxun of the Nanzhao Kingdom built the temple in late eighth century. The restorations from the Qing Dynasty onward has not changed the unique mixed architectural style of the Yuan and Ming Dynasties.Unlike all other Buddhist temples, you enter Yuantong Temple from above and descend along a gently sloping garden path. A memorial archway with four Chinese characters is standing halfway. The temple complex is built around Yuantong Hall, which is surrounded by a very large pond. A delicate stone bridge which has an elegant octagonal pavilion stands in the center and connects the hall and the temple entrance. The pavilion is connected to the rest of the complex by various bridges and walkways.Sakymuni, Amitabha and the Medicine Buddha, all Yuan Dynasty statues, are found in the main hall. The surrounding 500 Buddhist Arhats which are carved in the walls are noted for their perfect proportions and lively appearances. Also in this temple hall are two ten metre high pillars from the Ming Dynasty, each engraved with a dragon trying to extend their bodies and claws into the air. Outside, on each side of the main hall, there are stone staircases carved out of the mountainside and wind their way to the top of the hill. There are ancient inscriptions along the way and various stone artworks considered the most important historical relics in Kunming. From the top of the stairs, you are presented with a terrific panoramic view of the entire complex. In 1982, Thai Buddhists sent a 3.5 metre copper statue of Sakymuni, which is now placed in the Copper Buddha Hall combining Chinese and Tai styles.Surrounding the temple pond are a series of halls where you will find old women praying, people sitting and chatting, ongoing classes in Buddhist scriptures, a magnificent calligraphy studio, an exhibit of temple photographs, a temple shop, a restaurant and more.Yuantong Temple is a real working temple. Buddhists from many different countries come here on pilgrimages to pay homage. There are special Buddhist services twice each month, and the Buddhist Association of Yunnan Province is also here, making it a centre of Buddhism in Yunnan.

Zhenqing Temple. Kunming's largest and most important Taoist temple.

Yunnan Nationalities Village. Covering an area of about 133.3 ha. An ethnographic display of the architecture and ways of life of Yunnan's minority populations.

Baohai Park. The park covers an area of 250 mu (16.67 hectares) and is one of Kunming's largest modern parks. It features camphor, azaleas and other native plants.

Black Dragon Pool Park. Black Dragon Pool Park is a rare large garden, is the Kunming plum resort, known as the" Longquan exploration plum". The" Tang Mei" legend from Nanzhao transplant, with the tranquility Caoxi Temple" Yuan Mei" is considered to be Yunnan's most precious Gu Mei. The park features trees that are rare, not only because of their scarcity in the area, but also for their astounding age and size.

Dianchi Lake. Plateau lake with improving scenery. Historically, a pearl on the Yungui Plateau, the ecosystem was severely damaged in the 1960s by conversion of wetland into farmland. Great efforts are made starting from the 1990s to reverse this damage. Today the northern tip of the lake is gated by a series of causeways. Trawlers are working around the clock to purify the water. The best places to see the lake are along (观景路) and (海埂公园) near the Yunnan Nationalities Village (listed above). Here you can see tourists holding up snacks to feed flyby seagulls, opposite of the lake here is the Western Mountain. The lake proper is 40 by 8 km and is 1,886 m above sea level. It is the largest lake in Kunming. Traditional fishing boats still sail on the lake.

Green Lake Park. A pleasant, smallish expanse of park and lake that serves as a mellow hang-out. Musicians sometimes practice along the paths. Plenty of goldfish and lotus plants can be seen. In the mornings it is a popular place for people to perform their morning exercises. During December and January many seagulls arrive in the region and in the mornings many people feed the birds or photograph them as they swoop past to catch the thrown food. There are a number of restaurants and tea shops near the lake and the northern edge is close to Wenlin Street where there are many restaurants.

Jindian Park. The park, sprawling for more than 133.3 hectares on the Mingfeng Mountain, is a national forest reserve comprising natural scenery mingled with sites of historical interest and man-made gardens. Some 12% of the surface are lakes or ponds. On the Mingfeng Mountain stands the exquisite and serene Golden Temple, 6.7 meters in height and 7.8 meters in width, and cast of 250 tons of solid bronze. It is the largest bronze hall in China.

Jingxing Street Flower and Bird Market. If purchasing cute little puppy dogs, live crickets, birds, live bird food, tortoises and other things creepy, crawly and/or fluffy is your thing then it is here to be had... along with a few flowers and a great many trinkets. The most obvious stalls begin where Wuyi Road meets Dongfeng West Road but other sellers can be found on other streets within the district.

Kunming Botanical Gardens. These gardens are 12 km from Kunming proper and, together with the Black Dragon Pool Park (黑龙潭公园), constitute a national scenic area. The gardens have introduced precious flowers, traditional medicinal herbs, important trees and endangered plants of the province. Also they have cultivated many plants for domestication and the protection of their migration. The gardens have collected some 4,000 species of plants and established 10 special plant gardens and experimental districts. The camellia garden is unique in the country and has collected 40 species of camellias. Yunnan Province boasts more than 100 species of camellia. These gardens were one of the earliest gardens to collect the cedar.

Kunming Zoo. The Zoo was built in 1953 and has over 300 species. There is a peacock garden, butterfly enclosure, aviary and aquarium. In spring the zoo is reputed to be a sea of flowers, in particular the blossom of cherry trees and weeping Chinese crab apple trees. Overall the zoo is a pleasant enough place but with a slight air of weariness and decay about it. Local people also use it as a place for performing exercise or playing cards and mahjong.

Western Mountains Forest Reserve / Xishan Scenic Area. The forest reserve on the west bank of the Dianchi Lake consists of the Huating, Taihua and Luohan Mountains, which extend for more than 40 km at an altitude of 2,500 m. This is a colossal natural forest reserve, its lofty chain of mountains crisscrossed by gurgling brooks and streams. Ancient trees heap up rich piles of foliage, and birds warble and flutter in the midst of fragrant flowers. Viewed from the southeast corner of Kunming, the entire forest reserve looks like a beautiful maiden reclining leisurely by the Dianchi Lake, her long hair quivering in the limpid water. Hence the nickname of the Western Mountains Forest Reserve peak, Sleeping Beauty.

Dragon Gate. The Dragon Gate is the most famous sight here, it is built on the steep rock hills, which was cut in the years from 1781. On March 3, every lunar year, hundreds of Kunming people crowd up to the hills for celebrating their traditional distinguished gathering called Spring Touring, dancing and singing on the green western hills.

World Horti-Expo Garden. The garden was constructed for the 1999 Kunming International Horticulture Exposition but is still in use and displays a wide variety of plants.

Jacarandas blossom at Jiaochang Middle Road. End of April and May jacaranda trees blossom all over the city. Jiaochang Middle Road (教场中路 Jiaochang Zhong Lu) is a popular spot for viewing them.

Do

Yunnan Grand Theatre. A major performing arts venue in Kunming with a large theatre, concert hall and multifunctional theatre. It hosts dance, opera, drama, concerts and other stage performances.

Kunming Walk. Small-group guided walking tour (up to 6 people) through Green Lake (Cuihu) and the old university quarter, focusing on Kunming's history of foreign influence. Covers the French-built Yunnan–Vietnam railway, a poet and professor turned activist Wen Yiduo, and the wartime National Southwestern Associated University (Lianda) where two future Nobel laureates studied. In English. Book via the website.

China Kunming International Art Festival. Annual festival with music, dance and art.

Stone Forest. This is a UNESCO listed site of remarkable karst geography. Good weekend or day trip and lots to see. Visit early to avoid crowds.

Jiuxiang Scenic Area. This scenic area is 20 km² and includes five tourist attractions, Diehong Bridge (5 km southeast from Jiuxiang Street, famous for the karst caves, the twin waterfalls and the huge natural stone dam cluster), Dasha Dam (consisting of picturesque karst caves and thick forest), Sanjiao Cave (5 km north of Jiuxiang Street, famous for the karst caves), Alu Long [a scenic area 6 km west of Jiuxiang Street, famous for the excavated Yi Nationality cliff paintings of Qin (221BC-206BC) and Han (206BC-220AD) dynasties] and Mingyue (meaning the bright moon) Lake. Jiuxiang is known as the museum of karst caves, which boasts its caves as the largest in scale and number (there are about a hundred karst caves) and has the most wonderful in-cave scenes in China. The caves in Jiuxiang fall into four cave clusters: Sanjiao Cave, Dashang Cave, Diehong Cave and Dasha Dam Cave. 66 out of the numerous caves in the area are profitably exploitable and the karst cave cluster is the largest of its kind on Yunnan-Guizhou plateau. The caves in the area are praised for their grandeur, wonder grotesquerie and natural beauty. Jiuxiang, the birthplace of the aboriginal Yi ethnic people, has a strong minority custom color, a long cultural history, and widely spread old myths and tales. These include Hunting Festival, the Worship the White Dragon Festival, Love Song Contest, Bullfighting, Wrestling, Sanxian Dance (Sanxian is a three-stringed plucked instrument), Rattle Stick Dance and so on. Tourists should take enough clothes since they may get wet in boats when they visit the karst caves and the gorges. The folk songs and dances and the local food are also special. What is more, Yangzonghai Lake Scenic Spot and Little White Dragon Forest Park are not far from Jiuxiang Scenic Spot. Tourists can take buses at the gate of the Jiuxiang to go there.

Dinosaur Valley at Lufeng opened at 2008. This is a national park displaying more than 70 full dinosaur skeleton fossils found in the area, scattered over the mountains about 75 km away from Kunming. Many attractions for kids available. Regular buses go from Kunming's West bust terminal. Very nice for a half-day trip.

Earth Forest. The Earth Forest in Yuanmou County in Chuxiong Prefecture is a scenic spot at the provincial level. Earth Forest, as a representative landscape in the county, comprises Xinhua, Bangguo, Wanbao and Tiger Leaping Beach, covering an area of 50 km². The Earth Forest came into being since geological movement and soil erosion one or two million years ago. Its shape looks like an immense forest and the main component is earth, so it is named Earth Forest. The Earth Forest, the Stone Forest in Kunming and the Colorful Sand Forest in Luliang are called “the Three Forests in Yunnan”.

Buy

Outdoor Equipment. As elsewhere in bigger cities close to mountainous regions, you can buy fairly good quality fake and overrun outdoor and camping gear in Kunming. See our China article for background. Shops can be found in a courtyard at 20 Dongfeng East Road and on Baoshan Street close to the central square, as well as in the enormous garment district on the South Ring Road between the moat and Carrefour shopping centre (check basement and top stories, no self-respecting counterfeit vendor would sell on the main floor of a building). Bargain hard.

Equipment for Chinese games. In particular, Yunnan stones (云子) Yúnzǐ for the game of Go (Chinese: weiqi 围棋) are the best Chinese stones. They are quite different from Japanese stones, and much cheaper; see the Yunzi article on the go players' wiki, Sensei's Library. It is also possible to visit the factory (Chinese-only web site) near Kunming. Boards and bowls are also available.

Mandarin Bookstore. Has some English, French and German books. Has the Lonely Planet China guidebook, which is generally hard to find in China.

Xinhua Bookstore. A typical large (2-storey) bookstore of the national Xinhua chain. A decent map section, with some local area maps available right near the entrance. There is a large space with chairs and tables to sit down and read, or to use your laptop.

Computer street. If you need some IT stuff. Pay attention to counterfeit, and whether international warranty is available.

Bicycles and accessories. A couple of dozen bicycle stores are concentrated within a couple blocks on the South Ring Road, just east from Zhenchi Lu. (Which means, a few blocks west of the Carrefour store). Bicycles and some accessories are also sold in Wal-Mart and Carrefour stores around town.

Top end international luxury goods can mostly be found at Plaza 66 next to Dongfeng Square.

Eat

Local specialties include: Over-the-Bridge Rice Noodles (过桥米线; guòqiáo mǐxiàn) is a typical Yunnan local flavor that could only be tasted in some parts of Yunnan. This famous dish consists of several courses and a big bowl of chicken soup with very thick oil on top to keep the heat for cooking the food items, including raw pork, cooked chicken pieces, pork liver, slices of squid and slices of carp for the first course to be dipped into the boiling hot soup. Vegetables are then added afterwards as the second course, and the rice noodles follow as the last course. It is a kind of snack food in Yunnan. The name supposedly comes from a husband who isolated himself in a garden for intensive study before his civil service exam; this is the dish his loving wife prepared, and carried over the bridge, to sustain him.

Steam Potted Chicken (汽锅鸡 qìguō jī) with Tienchi & Steam Potted Chicken with Cordyceps used to be made in a restaurant famous for this course. Later they created a new variety with gastrodia tuber in the soup, becoming one of the well known local nutritious dishes in Kunming. Early in the Qianlong Era of the Qing Dynasty, the steam potted chicken became popular among the common people. Jianshui County has a long history in producing the best pottery ware in Yunnan. Pots produced in this county has different shapes and forms. The steam pot has a hollow tube fixed in the center, up to the height of the pot. Food including the raw chicken pieces, ginger, salt and so forth are put around the tube and the pot is placed onto a bigger pot with boiling water underneath. Steam will come up from the small hole in the middle to heat the food in the pot. The Chicken will be ready in 3-4 hours. The same method is used to cook other food and will increase the flavor of the dish. Yiliang Roasted Duck (宜良烤鸭 Yílíang kǎoyā) - The "Goujie Roasted Duck" produced in the Goujie Street of Yiliang is extraordinarily delicious, with the crispy and yellowish skin, soft and tender duck meat, has a special slight flavor of pine needles. Xuanwei Ham (宣威火腿 Xuānwēi huǒtuǐ) dates back to 1727. Xuanwei ham won a prize at the Panama Fair in 1915. In 1923, Mr. Sun Zhongshan wrote an inscription "Yin He Shi De" (which means "eat properly for a sound mind") for Xuanwei ham and taste it at a food competition held in Guangzhou. Xuanwei ham has been selling well to Southeastern Asia and European countries. As a rule, the Xuanwei ham is processed during the winter. Select the best pork leg and press out the pork blood completely. Rub it with salt and smoke or air it dry after the salt permeates to a certain depth of the pork. Try to test the pork leg in three when the surface of the pork turn in green. The quality standard is to have the ham fragrance from three needles punched in the pork. Cut the ham open from the middle, it looks bright in color and has a clean fresh color. It can be preserved well in cellar with low moisture or in a warehouse with good air conditioning. Xuanwei ham can be bought from any big or small stores. If not convenient for travelling, it is possible to buy canned Xuanwei ham. Er Kuai (饵块, ěrkuài) is a chewy rice cake made from steamed rice, which is pounded, kneaded, and rolled into various shapes. The resulting cakes are used in a number of dishes: thinly-sliced erkuai stir-fried with fragrant spicy hot sauce and pork (chao er kuai), cut into square noodles served with gravy (lu er si) or in soup, or rolled into pancakes which are then wrapped around a youtiao (Chinese donut stick) with a sweet or spicy sauce (er kuai bao you tiao), an addictive street snack. Red Re-fried Beans are a local favorite, consisting (as the name implies) of a red bean re-fried, often in some mixture of flour and powdered chicken broth and meat tenderizer. A succulent addition to any traditional meal. Sweet Tonghai Peapowder Candy is a famous traditional snack. It is very easy to get it from any store and shopping stand. The ingredients of the sweet are quality white sugar, rice cerealose, and roasted pea powder (broad bean or pea). Qujing Pickled Chives Flower was first produced in the Guanxu Year of the Qing Dynasty. Main ingredients include chives flower, salt, wine, chili, and brown sugar. Sweet Pickled Kaiyuan Chinese Onion - Kaiyuan is a place in the south Yunnan and it is famous for its delicious sweet pickled Chinese onion. It is made of the Chinese onion, salt, chili, brown sugar, wine. After being sealed in a jar for three months, it is ready. It tastes crispy and slightly sweet. Smoked Smelly Bean Curd is one of the popular snacks found in the night snack market in Kunming. Quality Bean Curd is used as the raw material and it is smoked over a charcoal fire. If you have chance to be at the night snack market in Kunming, remember to experience it yourself. The Eight Treasures of Yunnan - Of all the well-known Yunnan cakes, the Eight Treasures of Yunnan comes first. It is packed in eight small pieces. It consists of one hard-skin cake, a ham-stuffed moon part, two crispy white parts stuffed with puree and two crispy parts stuffed with sesame, peanuts, mushroom and rutabaga pickle. Wild Mushrooms (菌子 junzi) Old lady potatoes with peppers and fennel (老奶洋芋 laonai yangyu) Fried goats cheese (rubing), sometimes served with sugar or black pepper and salt. On the street, girls dressed in Dali minority costumes offer rubing with Hershey's chocolate, rose flavor, and condensed milk. Occasionally mixed in with green beans. Local barbeque - at night, street vendors set up charcoal grills to barbeque potatoes, zucchinis, pork, chicken, beef on skewers - all sprinkled liberally with powdered local chili. Stinky Tofu (臭豆腐 chòu dòufu) - although not strictly a local specialty, this is a favorite among Chinese everywhere. Although it is certainly an acquired taste, it should not be missed.

Many restaurants in Kunming offer localized food delivery. One particularly convenient restaurant delivery service in Kunming is called Lazy Bones Home Delivery. They deliver food for restaurants like Daddy's Diner all over Kunming. Unfortunately they charge a small fee. You can find them on the web or call .

Heavenly Manna. Yunnan style restaurant in the very trendy and fashionable Wenlin Street area. Fantastic food at reasonable prices. The cakes are also worth trying.

Yuanxi Lu. A street full of small restaurants and shops. There's a good place hidden behind an entrance with a small Chinese-style roof on top, selling chou doufu in the entrance. One shop to the left you can try pork brain or just some tasty dumplings. On the opposite side of the street there's a Dai minority restaurant. You can recognize it by its bamboo-style walls.

Insane Wontons. A delicious insanely spicy dumpling (wonton) soup with other (including non-spicy) options as well. Try the Sichuan Spicy Wontons (MaLa HunDun) 麻辣馄饨 or the Strange Flavor Wontons (GuaiWei HunDun)怪味馄饨 for the two best.

Chinese The Vegetarian Restaurant is a few doors to the left of the Kunming Zoo main entrance on Yuan Tong Lu, serves somewhat pricey imitation meat dishes from a 1,500-year-old tradition. The crispy "duck" is especially good.

Flavor Street. Restaurant with good pizza and amazing Thai hot pot. The owner is very friendly and the service is superb.

In the Kunming Flower and Bird Market, there is a great pizzeria set in a Qing dynasty courtyard house. The prices are more expensive than eating local dishes, but the atmosphere and quality of the food are outstanding. To find it, head to the flower and bird market and as you walk round, keep your eyes peeled for their sign above the stalls.

Along Wenlin Jie there are many Western cafes and restaurants. This street is commonly known as Western Street and the taxi drivers know it well! These cafes include:

Mazagran Cafe. Has a good selection of Western meals and some delicious cakes and cookies (the millionaire shortbread is a favourite). The clientele is a mix of Westerners (lots of students looking for an afternoon study spot and enjoying the free Wi-Fi) and locals. Its second floor location (the stairs are around the back of the building) and open frontage makes it a good place to people watch. The restaurant was set up by a New Zealand couple who have since moved, but in terms of quality Western food it's one of the best.

Salvadors. Wide variety of western food and imported beer. They make excellent ice cream. A local favorite.

French Cafe. Offers free Wi-Fi internet and serves a list of French options that cannot be found elsewhere in Kunming. Great homemade baguette, real French pastries, good coffee. The lovely atmosphere and the good music is a plus. It has become a popular spot to hang out and have a beer or two in the evenings.

Games Cafe. Run by a Frenchman and his local wife, this place offers a stunning collection of boardgames in a few languages (mostly English and Chinese), and is popular with both foreigners and locals. Local and imported beers, home made noodles, various French food and amazing meal-portioned salads.

Prague Cafe. Cute cafe with an upper level, has books and magazines. Has a variety of meals including Japanese and Western. While this place largely remains a Chinese hangout, several foreigners looking for a quieter lunch or place to study Chinese can be seen. The staff are friendly and the coffee is probably second best in the area. Food is mediocre, pizza is microwaved from a box. Pricey drinks.

Shiping Huiguan. Traditional Yunnanese restaurant in an old courtyard; the amazing building is reason enough for a visit, though the food is also very good. The plate of various fried insects is interesting to try; the river shrimps and the baked fish is also a must.

Makye Ame. A Tibetan restaurant with fantastic atmosphere and design, and nightly stage performances of Tibetan songs and dances. Some dish with yak meat must of course be tried; there is plenty in the menu.

Grand Park Kunming. Top business and leisure hotel with a splendid view of Green Lake. 300 rooms, including some 2-bedroom suites.

Drink

The main club area is in the Wuhua district, specifically Kundu Bar Street. Clubs are open until 05:30 or 06:00. There are probably more than 10 clubs to suit every style and taste.

Soho. This is a popular national franchise bar. They have singers throughout the night and DJs to spin the music. The distinction this place has is that they don't hire bar girls. In most Chinese clubs, the hot girls you see work for the club to give the place an image or to sell you beer and sell more tables. The girls you see in this club are customers or brought by customers. So you get a more real experience without getting pressured to buy alcohol all the time.

s.Muse. Another franchise club that opens until 06:00. They have the best location in the whole district. Right in front of the square.

Wen Lin Street (Wen Lin Jie) This long street is full of 20-30 small lounges/bars that locals and university students visit.

Other areas Several western-style retro-bars can be found on Tuo East Road east of Bailong Road, and catering mostly to a local clientèle afford an opportunity to mingle with locals.

Shelter Bar. The bar is unique. Entering through the doors, there is a jazzy scene with plenty of comfortable places to lounge. Sometimes they even have video games set up. But the thing that sets this bar apart from other bars lies through the doors next to the bar. Passing through them, you go down some steps about 2 m (6 feet) and enter through three doors, each of them 7 cm (3 inches) thick. This second bar and dance floor lie 3-6 m (10-20 feet) beneath the Zoo in an old bomb shelter build in the 1970s when Mao was frightened by the prospect of nuclear war with the Soviet Union. Try to make yourself heard over the blaring music as large, ominous ventilation pipes hang over you. It is not the best place to hang out, but you have to see it at least once if you are in town.

Dyonysos (狄俄尼索). A high class live-music bar. Very good Yunnan snacks and great selection of drinks. Usually six singers a night with other musicians playing in between. Little bit pricy but great to entertain guests in the city center.

Freedom Bar. A club and bar with dance music, a small dance floor, and plenty of alcohol. During happy hours foreigners are allowed three free drinks: either 3 whiskeys or 3 beers.

Aoma Meili Pub. This well-known western restaurant is undergoing some changes to be more of a bar. There are no other bars near the Camellia Hotel, so it is really nice! It is one of the few places with a Western bartender as well. He has lived in Yunnan for a few years, and is really good to get information from. He said he just started here, so as soon as he gets all the equipment he promised some great cocktails! Good food, nice atmosphere.

Sleep

Near railway station There are a number of so-so budget options around the railway station and along Beijing Road north of the station.

Golden Bridge Hotel. Not a bad option.

Kunming Leshi Hotel. Small rooms without internet access except for more expensive ones, which have internet access against surcharge. Chinese restaurant.

MamaMoon Hostel. Small, casual hostel in an apartment building. Good wifi, friendly vibe, squat toilet. Bunks and private rooms available. Some of the bunks are in the common area, so they can be noisy. Doesn't seem to do the required police registration, so don't stay here as your first stop in China.

The Hump Hostel. This place is a cafe, bar and hostel. It is on the third floor and has a rooftop garden where you can have drinks while overlooking Jinbi Square. The staff speaks some English. Great selection of western style dishes. Has pool table, DVDs and free Wi-Fi.

Xingyi Hotel. Small rooms with free internet. No restaurant.

Kunming Cloudland International Youth Hostel. A great hostel with a great atmosphere. Very clean with a good, inexpensive restaurant. Also close to a number of other restaurants within a 15 minute walk.

7 Days Inn (Qingnian Road Branch). Very clean rooms with helpful, yet non-English speaking staff. Rooms with free internet. A free computer is also usually available in the lobby. The rooms come equipped with a satellite dish that covers channels from all over China (only one or two English channels). Because it is in the city, do not be surprised to find no view from your window. Think Best Western.

Fairyland Hotel (Nanping Pedestrian Street Baida Branch). Since the hotel lobby is on the first floor, Fairyland has the advantage of receiving walk-ins first, but there are several other hotels in the same building that represent better value. Rooms have a slight odor and oddly color coordinated (yellow and orange) furniture. Room has flat screen TV, but there is no computer in the room. Very central location. No English speaking staff. Be careful that staff will tell you that other hotels are not in the building or are elsewhere. To view other hotels go directly to the 9th floor.

Spring City Star Hotel (Jifeng Branch). Formerly known as Spring City Inn (and before that Yunnan Machinery Hotel). This budget hotel has relocated to Beijing Road, just after the Anti-Smuggling HQ. It is a 13-storey building, with a restaurant on the 3rd floor. Still gives fantastic value, with exceptionally clean twin rooms, nice staff, a/c, very strong free Wi-Fi and breakfast included. There's a tour agency that helps with booking tours to Shilin, Jiuxiang and beyond beside the main counter.

Yunnan Shadetree Inn (Nanping Pedestrian Street Branch). Good value hotel but hard to locate. It's on the 9th floor in the same wing as the Fairyland Hotel and New Era Apartments. Rooms are respectably clean with better color coordination (dark wood and white). Both doubles and singles have stand-up showers along with a small-sized kitchen containing mini-fridge, sink and cabinets. There is a flat screen TV with a small sofa and sitting area. Downsides are the room has a slight, but tolerable, odor, the bathroom is Asian-style where the entire floor gets wet (but there are Western-style toilets), and the front desk reception knows no English, so come prepared with phrases to ask to see the room and to negotiate prices. Rooms have free internet with computer. Very central location.

Kunming Haitian Hotel. A long-established local hotel in central Kunming, close to Tangzixiang Metro Station. It has restaurants, a fitness centre, meeting facilities, free parking and 174 guest rooms.

Expo Garden Hotel. 7 km from the downtown area and taxis are not easy to find so probably not a good choice unless you need to be in the area. Modernised deluxe rooms face inwards towards an Atrium that is used for noisy events at weekends. Outside rooms are OK but have rock-hard mattresses. Helpful staff all keen to practice their English.

Grand Park Hotel Kunming. 300 rooms and some duplex 2 bedroom suites.

Green Lake Hotel. A modern, luxury hotel. The bar has a panoramic view of Green Lake Park, and private car tours of the area are also offered. 293 rooms.

Kunming Jinjiang Hotel. All rooms have cable TV, broadband Internet access, a private toilet and bath with spray-jet tub. Other amenities at the hotel include a massage parlour, a sauna, a fitness center, and a beauty salon.

Kunming Kai Wah Plaza Hotel. A large, elegant hotel with glass lobby, panoramic views, and a shopping center next door. 555 rooms.

New Era Hotel. Expensive for its class given that there are better valued hotels literally next door. The front desk reception speaks English, which is a rarity in Kunming. Rooms generally have great views of the city. There is a gym, but no pool. The single room had a flat screen TV with several American channels (MTV, CNN, HBO), writing desk, sofa. There is free Wi-Fi, but no computer. You can rent laptops from the hotel. The bathroom was very clean, but the tub was slightly moldy. The major plus of the hotel was the complimentary breakfast buffet.

Zhenzhuang Guest House. A very beautiful hotel in a large garden, the General Secretary and other high-ranking officials of the Chinese Communist Party stay here when in Yunnan, but not much English is spoken. 86 rooms.