Kunming City Travel Guide
Kunming (昆明) is the capital of beautiful Yunnan Province (云南) located in the far southwestern corner of China. Its proximity to other neighboring provinces such as Guizhou, Sichuan, and Tibet as well as its shared border with Myanmar, Laos, and Vietnam make it one of the most popular holiday destinations in China. Kunming is also increasingly becoming a travel hub as the closest major city in China to both India and Thailand in addition to the growing popularity of nearby Dali and Lijiang in Yunnan Province.
Known as the "Spring City," Kunming boasts some of the best weather in China with a consistently pleasant climate and some of the freshest and cleanest air of any major city in the country. Kunming also offers the traveler a wide range of things to see and do from Ming Dynasty relics to the luxuries of modern department and convenience stores. Excellent cuisine and shopping opportunities are abundant, and an array of historical and cultural attractions will keep anyone busy for as long as he or she is here.
Fast Facts about Kunming
| Location: |
Southwest China, Yunnan Province |
| Elevation: |
1890 meters (6200 feet) above sea level |
| Population: |
4 million |
| People: |
Predominately Han Chinese with considerable quantities of Dai, Bai, and other ethnic minorities |
| Language: |
Mandarin (普通话) and Kunming Hua (昆明话) |
| Local Cuisine: |
Over the Bridge Noodles; Yunnan ham; goat cheese; Dai Minority food |
| Dialing Code: |
+86 871 (from abroad); 0871 (from within China) |
| Getting There: |
Air, train, bus |
| Getting Around: |
Walking, bicycle, public bus, taxi |
| Weather: |
Consistently temperate with both mild winters and summers; Can be visited at any time of the year; Rain is prevalent during the Summer; Winters are dry and sunny |
| Sister cities: |
Denver, USA
New Plymouth, New Zealand
Wagga Wagga, Australia
Zürich, Switzerland |
| Claim to Fame: |
Known as the "Spring City"; the Chinese terminus of the Burma Road during World War II |
With a history of more than 1200 years, Yuantong Temple (Yuantong Si) is one of Kunming’s most active Buddhist temples. Many people gather here to participate in Buddhist ceremonies on the 1st and 15th of each lunar month, as it is one of the most important Buddhist sites in the Kunming area.
Address:
2F, Kundu Shangcheng, Xinwen Lu, Kunming
Price:
Adult 10 RMB / Student 5 RMB
Yunnan is one of China’s most ethnically diverse provinces, home to over one-third of China’s ethnic minorities. The Yunnan Provincial Museum emphasizes this local minority culture in its exhibits, featuring art from the Dali Kingdom as well as other periods in Yunnan’s history. The museum has spent the last 50 years amassing over 150,000 pieces of folk art, handic
Address:
11km north of Kunming
Address:
at the northernmost tip of Dian Chi 3 km southwest of Kunming
Price:
10 Yuan/ticket, Daguan Lou 2 Yuan/ticket
Hours:
8 am - 5 pm (last entry 4 pm)
Address:
10 km northeast of the city center of Kunming
Price:
Adult 100 RMB / Student 50 RMB
The World Horticultural Expo Garden (Shiboyuan) is a 218-hectare international botanical garden complex left over from the World Horticultural Exposition in 1999. While some of the exhibits are a bit outdated, and the land would be better used if converted into a park, the Expo Gardens are educational and provide a pleasant place to spend a sunny afternoon. The entrance fee is 100 R
Address:
120 km southeast of Kunming
Price:
140 Yuan/ticket, Children 100 Yuan/ticket
Address:
Renming Zhong Lu, Xin Xi`nan Guang Chang (2F Kunming Zou Lang)
Address:
12 km northwest of Kunming
The Bamboo Temple (Qiongzhu Si) is one of Kunming’s most famous temples. Originally built during the Tang Dynasty, the Bamboo Temple was rebuilt in the 15th century, and restored in the late 19th century by Li Guangxiu, a master sculptor from Sichuan. Li Guangxiu and his apprentices were commissioned to build 500 luohan, life-size clay statues of famous monks and "s
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