Top 10 attractions in Kunming, China
10: Yuantong Mountain
Yuantong Mountain, located in the northeast corner of Kunming, is a popular urban park which draws in a large number of tourists every year. Covering an area of 26 hectares, the mountain is long and narrow.
The most well-known features of the mountain are its cherry blossoms, animals and the ancient temple. Cherry trees in Kunming bloom earlier every spring than those in Japan, due to its warm weather and low latitude. Strolling around in this "sea of flowers" is a very romantic experience for visitors.
The mountain also boasts a zoo, which is home to 500 varieties of animals, including elephants, tigers, peacocks, pandas, red-crowned cranes, giraffes, African zebras and Australian kangaroos.
Sitting at the foot of the mountain, the Yuantong Temple is the largest and one of the oldest Buddhist temples in the city. In addition to its magnificent architecture, the temple is also famous for its beautiful gardens and tasty vegetarian dishes.
Admission: 20 yuan (US$3.27) / person
9 Golden :Temple Park
Located at Mingfeng Mountain, 7 kilometers (4.35 miles) to the east of Kunming City, the Golden Temple Park boasts a famous Taoist temple. The temple, made of bronze, twinkles under the sunshine; consequently the park received its name of "Golden Temple Park."
In the form of a square, the hall is 6.15 meters wide and 6.7 meters high, weighing some 200 tons. Its pillars, brackets, doors, windows, roofs, tables, statues, curtains, boards and other parts are all crafted from bronze. It was originally built in 1602 during the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) and renovated in 1671 of the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911). It is now the biggest and best preserved bronze temple in all of China.
Admission: 30 yuan (US$4.9) / person
8 Green Lake Park
Located on the west side of Wuhua Hill and facing the main gate of Yunnan University, the Green Lake Park, or Cuihu Park, is a beautiful urban park nicknamed the "Jade of Kunming." Its history can be traced back to the 17th century.
Divided into five sections, the park features lakes, islands, pavilions, ponds and bridges. The best season to visit the park is winter, when flocks of red-pecked seagulls migrate here to escape the Siberian chill. It is an excellent place to have a picnic, go for a stroll or take a boat across the lake.
Admission: Free
7 Xishan Forest Park
Located at 15 kilometers (9.32 miles) from Kunming City, the Xishan Forest Park is located alongside the Dianchi Lake. It boasts green forests, rolling hills, flowing streams and marvelous grottos. Composed of a number of hills such as Huating Hill, Taihua Hill and Luohan Hill, the park extends for more than 40 kilometers (24.85 miles) at an altitude of 1,900-2,350 meters.
The park has been hailed a "Plateau pearl" for its beautiful scenery. Yang Shen, a famous Ming Dynasty poet, praised the park as having the best landscape in the whole of Yunnan in his book "Mountains of Yunnan."
Admission: 40 yuan (US$6.55) / person
6 Daguan Pavilion
The Daguan Pavilion is a wood-structure pagoda in Kunming's Daguan Park (Grand View Park). Built in 1696 and renovated in 1828 during the Qing Dynasty, the three-storey pavilion is one of the area's main features.
The pavilion features a 180 character poem describing the beauty and history of the area, the longest of its kind in the history of Chinese literature. It is now one of the top 10 most famous pavilions in China; the other nine are Tengwang Pavilion in Jiangxi, Yueyang Pavilion in Hunan, Yellow Crane Tower in Hubei, Guanque Tower in Shanxi, Penglai Pavilion in Shandong, Yuejiang Pavilion in Jiangsu, Tianxin Pavilion in Hunan, the Drum and Bell Towers in Shaanxi and Tianyi Pavilion in Zhejiang.
Admission: 20 yuan (US$3.27) / person
5 Jiuxiang Cave Scenic Area
Located 90 kilometers (55.92 miles) from Kunming City, Jiuxiang is a scenic area famed for its striking karst caves, beautiful natural landscape, deep valleys, magnificent underground scenery and enchanting ethnic cultures.
Covering a total area of around 200 square kilometers (20,000 hectares), the area contains more than 100 karst caves, going back some 600 million years and making it the biggest cave cluster in China. It is reputed to be "a karst cave museum."
With a mild climate all year round, visitors can enjoy the beauty of the area at any time of the year. The five major scenic spots across the area include the Triangular Caves, the Overlapping Rainbow Bridge, the Upper Big Cave, the Long Sandy Bank and the Bright Moon Lake.
Admission: 120 yuan (US$19.64) / person
4 Kunming World Horticultural Expo Garden
Located in the northeastern suburbs of Kunming, the Kunming World Horticultural Expo Garden was the site of the 1999 Kunming International Horticultural Exposition.
It consists of five main exhibition halls (China Hall, International Hall, Man and Nature Hall, Green House Hall and the Science and Technology Hall), seven themed gardens (Vegetable and Fruit Garden, Bamboo Garden, Bonsai Plants Garden, Tea Garden, Medicinal Herb Garden, Tree Garden, and Famous Flowers and Unique Stones Garden), three outdoor showplaces and two big squares.
The international pavilion covers an area of 13,250 square meters (1.325 hectares), which are surrounded by dense trees. The China Pavilion is the biggest indoor pavilion of the 1999 Kunming International Horticultural Exposition. It has integrated the characteristics of the architectural style of the Han Dynasty (202B.C.-220A.D.) with that of southern China's residential buildings. The main colors of the hall are green and white, symbolizing the harmony between mankind and nature.
Inside this garden, visitors can enjoy over 2,551 different kinds of plants, among which 112 categories are considered to be rare and are in fact listed as endangered species.
Admission: 100 yuan (US$16.37) / perso
3 Yunnan Ethnic Village
Located on the northern shore of Dianchi Lake, Kunming City, the Yunnan Ethnic Village showcases the culture, lifestyles and customs of the ethnic groups living in Yunnan Province. Thus far, 25 sub-villages of the minorities such as Dai, Bai, Yi, Naxi and Zhuang, have been constructed across the 1,264.96-mu-wide (84.33 hectares) scenic area.
Visitors can learn more about the various cultures, architecture, music and religious beliefs of these ethnic groups, while enjoying the scenery and landscaping of the scenic spot. They can also choose to take part in all kinds of activities and festival celebrations or have a taste of the village's local food.
Admission: 90 yuan (US$14.73) / person
2 Shilin Geopark
Kunming, capital of stunning Yunnan Province, is famous for its first-rate natural scenery, among which Shilin, literally "Stone Forest," is the most famous one.
As "One of the World's Natural Wonders," the "Stone Forest" features natural karst stone formations that resemble a forest; some are elegant, some are rugged, but each has its own distinguishing characteristics that make them seem lifelike.
The tall rocks protrude from the ground much like stalagmites or even petrified trees, creating the illusion of a forest completely carved out of stone.
Every year, around the 24th and 25th day of the sixth lunar month, the people of the Yi Ethnic Group celebrate the Torch Festival, which features traditional Yi folk dancing and wrestling competitions.
Admission: 140 yuan (US$22.92) / person
1 Dianchi Lake
Located at the foot of the Western Hills in southwest Kunming City, Dianchi Lake, or Kunming Lake, is known as "a pearl on the plateau" for its natural beauty. Covering an area of 330 square kilometers (33,000 hectares), the lake is the largest freshwater lake in all of Yunnan and the sixth largest in China.
The west side of the lake is covered by a lush forest; its east side is popular for fisheries and agribusinesses. There are numerous tourist attractions alongside the lake such as the Yunnan Ethnic Village, Daguan Pavilion and Bamboo Temple. The lake's sights are at their most beautiful at dawn and sunset, especially when you enjoy the scenery from a boat.
Admission: Free
