Top 10 Attractions in Kunming, Top 10 Things to Do in Kunming

Plan your Kunming tour? Kunming is very often a good springboard for you to delve into the splendid Yunnan Province in the southwest China. As the capital City of Yunnan, Kunming is also worth your exploration for 2-3 day.

Kunming is situated in central Yunnan, north of the Dianchi Basin, the political, economic, communications and cultural centre of Yunnan. The city is nicknamed "City of Spring" due to the fact that it is covers all the year round with the rich verdure of trees and plants.

Kunming serves as the destination for its snowballing tourism with so many places of interest spreading all around the city. Kunming is well known for its beautiful and peculiar, breathtaking and unique natural landscape.

No. 01: Dianchi LakeSituated about 2 kilometers southwest ofKunming, Dianchi Lake is a highland limestone lake, and the largest freshwater lake in Yunnan, covering an area of about 300 square kilometers.

The elevation of its water surface is over 1800 metres above sea level and the average water depth is 5.5 metres. There are over 20 rivers emptying into the lake. The vast misty Dianchi Lake enjoys the fame of "A Pearl on the Yunnan-Guizhou Plateau". Around the lake , there exist a great number of famous mountains and scenic sites.

Entrance Fee: free Opening Hours: the whole day How to get there: take Buses No. 24 or 44 to Haigeng Park from the Train Station

No. 02: Stone ForestStone Forest, or Shilin, is situated in the Lunan Yu Autonomous County 126 kilometers southeast of Kunming. The Stone Forest dates to the Ming Dynasty and is often considered to be the First Wonder of the World.

Shilin National Park covers an area of 350 square km and is divided into 7 scenic areas: Greater & Lesser Stone Forests, Naigu Stone Forest, Zhiyun Cave, Qifeng Cave, Long Lake, Moon Lake and the waterfalls of "Da Dieshui". They are a tourist attraction for both foreign and domestic tourists, with bus tours taking tourists there from Kunming.

Entrance Fee: CNY 175 Opening Hours: 08:00-18:00 How to get there: take buses from Kunming East Station or Kunming North Station

No. 03: Western HillsWestern Hills, also called “Sleeping Buddha Hills”, lies in the western suburbs of Kunming. In Western Hills, there are a lot of wonderful scenic spots.

Western Hills boasts an excellent environment with flourishing flowers and dense forest, providing tourists an excellent environment to enjoy the tranquility and marvelous scenery. No wonder that the place has gained a reputation as “having the most pleasant environment in the world”.

Entrance Fee: free Opening Hours: 08:00-18:00 How to get there: take Buses No. 6 or 51 to get there; or take Tourist Bus from Yunnan Hotel

No. 04: JiuxiangJiuxiang Scenic Region is located in Jiuxiang Yi and Hui Autonomous Township of Yiliang County 90 km away from central Kinming. It is famous for its caves, mountains, rivers, deep valleys, minority customs and cultures.

Jiuxiang Scenic Region occupies an area of about 20 square kilometers. There are five attractions in the area, including: the Diehong Bridge, the Dasha Dam, the Sanjiao Cave, the Alu Long and the Mingyue Lake. There are always too many to see, too much to experience and embrace in Jiuxiang.

Entrance Fee: CNY 90 Opening Hours: 08:30-17:30 How to get there: take Bus No. 5 to Kunming Chengxi Station, then transfer Bus No. 6 to Jiuxiang Scenic Area

No. 05: Kunming Horticulture Expo GardenLocated in the northeast suburbs of Kunming, Kunming World Horticultural Expo Garden is the site of the 1999 Kunming International Horticultural Exposition.

Kunming Horticulture Expo Garden consists of five big exhibition halls, seven theme gardens, three outdoor showplaces and two big squares. The international pavilion covers an area of 13,250 square meters, which are surrounded by dense trees. In this garden, you can enjoy over 2,551 different kinds of plants, and among them, 112 categories are considered rare and are listed as endangered species.

Entrance Fee: CNY 100 (in the morning); CNY 70 (after 2 p.m.) Opening Hours: 08:00-18:00 How to get there: take Buses No. 10, 68, 69 or 71 to Kunming Horticulture Expo Garden

No. 06: Golden TempleThe Golden Temple, also called Yingwu Hill in the northeastern outskirts of Kunming, is situated on Mingfeng Hill. It was built in 1671 during the Qing Dynasty.

The Golden Temple is a Daoist temple. Double-tiered, 25 feet wide, 21 feet high, ensconced on two platforms of marble, the Golden Temple has a dark patina and looks its age. Inside, the statue of the Zhengwu Emperor, with a Gold Boy and a Gold Girl on either side, dominates the altar. An image of a fierce tortoise and a snake guard the altar.

Entrance Fee: CNY 20 Opening Hours: 07:00-19:00 How to get there: take Buses No. 10 or 71 to the Golden Temple

No. 07: Yuantong TempleYuantong Temple is the most famous Buddhist temple in Kunming. It is located in a protected natural depression and in recent years it has been expanded, with money from Thailand.

Yuantong Treasure Hall is the central hall of the temple, and has seven separate rooms, all decorated in the style of ancient Chinese architecture, such as the glazed facing tiles and cornice, the splendid arch, and the dazzling color painting. The dragon in Yuantong Temple, which is rarely seen in other temples, is the symbol of an emperor in Chinese Feudal Society.

Entrance Fee: CNY 8 Opening Hours: 08:00-17:00 How to get there: take Buses No. 4, 59, 74, 83 or 101 to Yuantong Mountain Station

No. 08: Qiongzhu TempleQiongzhu Temple, or Bamboo Temple, is a Buddhist temple situated on Yu’an Mountain to the northwest of Kunming. The name of the temple refers to a type of bamboo.

The highlight of the temple should be those five hundred of colored clay sculptures of Arhats which was made by a master of clay sculpture from Sichuan along with his 4 apprentices. Qiongzhu Temple is a restorative, peaceful and beautiful attraction offering natural, artistic and cultural insight.

Entrance Fee: CNY 6 Opening Hours: 08:00-17:00 How to get there: take Buses 7 or Fu 7 to Heilinpu, then transfer the minibus to Qiongzhu Temple

No. 09: Black Dragon Poo****lBlack Dragon Pool is one of the ancient scenic spots which is located at the foot of Longquan Hill and 12 kilometers northeast of Kunming.

The Black Dragon Pool is surrounded by towering old trees and bamboo groves. The pool is deep the water is clear. The pool has never got dry even in the years of drought. The Dragon Pool is divided by a bridge into two, one deep and the other shallow. The scenic spot here is composed of two groups of buildings, the Lower Temple and the Upper Temple.

Entrance Fee: CNY 20 Opening Hours: the whole day How to get there: take Bus No. 9 to the Black Dragon Pool

No. 10: Daguan ParkDaguan Park, located in the southwestern suburb of Kunming City, is a lakeside park. The park is a fantastic place in which to enjoy beautiful scenery and get close to nature and is also an excellent spot for an alfresco barbeque.

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