Dian Lake (Diānchí, 滇池) is the sixth largest lake in China at 300 sq km (116 sq mi) and dominates the landscape southwest of Kunming. The lake is surrounded by mountains, flatlands and some industrial sites, and its shore is dotted with small villages, parks and fishing endeavors. The best views of the lake are from above, either from the mountains or Daguan Tower (Dàguān Tǎ, 大观塔). Western Hills Park provides access to the water and facilities for renting paddle boats and the like. Out on the lake you'll get a closer look at the pirate-shipesque junks and smaller local fishing vessels. Yunnan guide | Kunming guide | Kunming attractions Kunming flights | Kunming hotels | Kunming tours & activities Kunming on the China Travel Blog more >>

Kunming's Western Hills Park (Xīshān Gōngyuán, 西山公园) stretches alongside the western shores of Dian Lake, providing acres and acres of outdoor entertainment. Trails throughout the park link several temples and other ancient structures (Huating Temple, Taihua Temple, Sanqing Ge) and chairlifts and cablecars ensure that most of the park is accessible to those who aren't in the mood for hiking. Dragon Gate, near the top of the mountain, is certainly a highlight, and various other caves and gardens should satisfy those seeking a natural repose from Kunming's concrete. Yunnan guide | Kunming guide | Kunming attractions Kunming flights | Kunming hotels | Kunming tours & activities Kunming on the China Travel Blog more >>

Completed in 1690 during the Qing Dynasty, Grand View Park (Dàguān Gōngyuán, 大观公园) lives up to its name by providing visitors with grand views of Dian Lake. It's located at the northern tip of the lake, with the whole body of water stretching out before it. Climb the Grand View Tower (Dàguān Tǎ, 大观塔) for even better views or enjoy any of the usual Chinese park activities—playgrounds, pavilions, boat rentals and the like. Yunnan travel guide | Kunming travel guide | Kunming flights Kunming hotels | Kunming tours & activities Kunming on the China Travel Blog more >>

Juixiang Scenic Area (Kūnmíng Jiǔxiàng Fēngjǐngqū, 昆明九乡风景区) is perhaps most famous for its extensive series of caves, loaded with ancient Yi minority myths (hire a local tour guide to hear some of the stories) and featuring an underground waterfall. Local villages and an impressive view of a scenic gorge round out the highlights of this area which lies 80 km (50 mi) from Kunming. There is a lot to see, so don't hesitate to spend an entire day taking in the countryside. Yunnan guide | Kunming guide | Kunming attractions Kunming flights | Kunming hotels | Kunming tours & activities Kunming on the China Travel Blog more >>

The Dragon Gate (Lóngmén, 龙门) actually refers to a collection of grottoes and sculptures in the stone corridor of Western Hills Park. A series of narrow caves, just wide enough for two thin people in some places, exposes a plethora of ancient inscriptions, drawings and figures. The nooks and crannies inside these caves have incense burners, vases and other historic relics paying homage to the artists of the cave and the rest of the Northern Wei Dynasty of the 5th century. Yunnan guide | Kunming guide | Kunming attractions Kunming flights | Kunming hotels | Kunming tours & activities Kunming on the China Travel Blog more >>

The World Horticulture Expo Park (Shìjiè Yuányì Bólǎn Yuán, 世界园艺博览园) was built for the plant division of the World Horticulture Expo in 1999. Being the capital of Yunnan means Kunming is also the capital of one of the world's major botanical showcases, so it was a fitting choice for the Expo. More than a decade on and the gardens and site remain a popular tourist destination (the Expo itself brought in somewhere around 10 million visitors in 1999), featuring a number of horicultural exhibits that highlight Yunnan's unique and famous flora as well as plants from all over the world. Yunnan guide | Kunming guide | Kunming attractions | Kunming flights Kunming hotels | Kunming tours & activities Kunming on the China Travel Blog more >>

The Golden Temple Park (Jīndiàn Gōngyuán, 金殿公园). The temple itself is actually made with incredible amounts of bronze—over 200 metric tons (221 short tons). It's an active Taoist temple, and is a destination for both worshipers and tourists. The temple is surrounded by pine forests and man-made gardens, and it's a great place to spend a beautiful day. Yunnan guide | Kunming guide | Kunming attractions | Kunming flights Kunming hotels | Kunming tours & activities Kunming on the China Travel Blog more >>

Built during the Tang Dynasty, the Bamboo Temple (Qióngzhú Sì, 筇竹寺) is best known for housing a large collection of arhat (luóhàn, 罗汉, in Chinese), which are like Buddhist saint sculptures. These life-size clay figures were sculpted over seven years by Li Guangxiu and his craftsmen and each represents some aspect of the human experience. It is a delighfully realistic (or surrealistic) collection of statues with perfectly fixed expressions seemingly frozen in time. The architecture of the temple is worth checking out also, and there's a large gilded Buddha out back in the courtyard. Yunnan guide | Kunming guide | Kunming attractions Kunming flights | Kunming hotels | Kunming tours & activities Kunming on the China Travel Blog more >>

A two-hour bus ride from Kunming, the Stone Forest (Shílín, 石林) is one of Yunnan's best-known attractions. The unique karst limestone formations are the inspiration for a whole school of Chinese art, and the Stone Forest's collection of columns and other whimsical stone formations make for endless cloud-gazing/Rorschach-type "looks like" fun for those so inclined.  If your imagination isn't geared toward deciding whether a rock formation looks more like a rabbit on its hind legs or a enormous stalk of celery, well, you can simply enjoy the eerie landscape for its sheer beauty.  The main paths through the forest can be crowded with tourists, but it's possible to perservere and find yourself completely alone on a rough trail away from the park's center, pondering the bizarre geological formations. Every summer on the 24th day of the sixth month of... more >>

Nestled in a small valley on the southern side of Kunming's Yuantong Hill, Yuantong Temple (Yuántōng Sì, 圆通寺) is not only the largest Buddhist temple in Yunnan, but easily the most historically significant. The temple was originally established some 1,200 years ago during China's Tang Dynasty , also the time of Yunnan's Nanzhao Kingdom (737-902), a confederation of largely Tibeto-Burmese tribes whose descendents make up many of Yunnan's present-day minority peoples. During subsequent dynasties—most significantly the Yuan, Ming and Qing—Yuantong was elaborated upon, with the temple as it stands today coming into shape by the late 17th century. That, however, is not to say that Yuantong is frozen in time as a historical site alone. Today, Yuantong's importance as a living temple is underscored by the infusion of investments that are fueling a ne... more >>