From Wikitravel

Kunming (昆明; Kūnmíng) is the capital of Yunnan Province.

[edit] Understand

Known in China as the 'City of Eternal Spring', domestic and foreign tourists relish the temperate climate and comparatively pristine air of Kunming. However temperate it may be, in winter it has been known to snow, so if visiting in December-January, pack warm. In addition to its own charms it serves as a hub from which to explore Yunnan province. The city has a population of around 4 million.

[edit] Get in

Some routes to or from Kunming are described in Overland Kunming to Hong Kong. Routes to the West are in Yunnan tourist trail.

[edit] By plane

Kunming International Airport (KMG) has flights from South-East Asian cities like Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Kuala Lumpur and Singapore, as well as plenty of domestic connections through China. Currently the airport is located about 9km south-east of the city area, with a taxi ride to the city area costing about ¥20-25. At peak times you can expect to double this, as Kunming has major traffic flow issues.

A new airport is currently in the planning stages, and it is thought that it will be located about 60km north-east of the city area. It is estimated to be completed some time in the next 5 years, as they also have to build the transport infrastructure to the new location.

You can book Air tickets from Air China Office, Wallton Building, 448 Baoshan Jie,(0871)3159171 or any number of travel agents in the King World Hotel a few blocks north of the train station on Beijing Lu. Tickets to Beijing are usually about ¥1600 to 2000, to Hong Kong about ¥1200 to 1500, with closer destinations getting ever cheaper as China's domestic carriers jostle for market share.

Camellia Hotel has a reliable and cheap booking service, and the Laos Consulate is located inside the Camellia Hotel building too.

[edit] By train

The South train station has recently been refurbished and has a ticket office on its lower level. The station serves destinations throughout China including Nanning, Guilin,Chengdu (Sichuan), Guangzhou, Beijing, Shanghai, and Xi'an. The train service to destinations inside of Yunnan is poor except for an overnight sleeper train to Xiaguan (Dali New Town).

[edit] By bus

Kunming has several bus stations. In general, the most useful are the ones on Beijing Lu (north of the train station). Confusingly, there are two within half a kilometer from one another. The smaller station is to the left of the station (if you are looking at the front of the station from Beijing Lu). The other station is a five minute walk north of the train station walking on Beijing Lu. This is the larger of the two bus stations. To make matters more confusing, they both serve many of the same locations, so travellers are advised to check both. They serve destinations in Yunnan including Jinghong, Dali, Lijiang, Zhongdian, Hekou and Ruili. 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.

It also has international departures to Laos and Vietnam, though these services are not always running. The bus to Laos goes all the way from Kunming to Vientaine, and cost approximately US$50 and last 40 hours if you go all the way. You can get off at stops in between like Luang Prabang, and the cost of the ticket is cheaper. Either way, its a long ride and a little expensive, although not more than one would expect. The buses are clean but make stops in unexplained places for short periods. As for necessities, the bus stops along the way at dingy restaurants and even nastier restrooms at gas stations. Still, its a manageable journey if you need to go from Laos to Kunming or visa versa.

The journey to Vietnam is less arduous. Buses to Hekou, the border city on the Chinese side, leave regularly. There are night buses which allow you to leave Kunming at eight p.m. from the bus station next to the train station and arrive at Hekou in time to cross the border as soon as it opens. The bus station is just a few blocks from the border crossing. From there, you can take one of the many buses to Hanoi, Sapa or elsewhere.

[edit] Get around

• Bicycles can be rented at most hostels and hotels for about ¥20 a day. It is a very bicycle friendly city - good bike lanes, flat terrain, slow moving traffic.

• City Buses are ¥1 apiece and cover most of the city. 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 ususally 500m to 1km 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.

There have been reports of pick-pocketing on crowded buses, especially just before "Spring Festival", when they need extra cash. So, take care.

It is possible to get a bus card, which reduces the cost per trip to ¥0.90. The card itself costs ¥30, so this is really only good for long-term visitors.

Especially useful is the No. 5 bus which runs along Dongfeng Lu, and passes the Camellia Hotel, Government Square, and the Provincial Museum. Bus Nos. 52, 67 and 78 run to the airport and may cost ¥2 depending on the bus and hour. No. 67 will connect you with bus No. 5.

• Taxis start at ¥8 and usually have reliable meters. As usual, care should be taken when travelling at night or long distances (agree on a price ahead of time), but Kunming's cabbies are comparatively honest. Larger taxis cost more than smaller taxis. 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.

[edit][add listing] See

• Provincial Museum - admission is ¥10 - the museum has several permanent exhibitions on the history of the Kunming area and contains a collection of artefacts dating back over 2500 years. The collection is excellent, the exhibition visually spectacular & has a large amount of information in English. This really is a great museum.
• 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). Admission is ¥5, free on Sundays, and includes a tour. As at August 2006, the main attraction, the fossil & dinosaur exhibition is currently undergoing complete renovation & is not open for visitors. A large part of the museum is taken up by a series of shops selling fossils/minerals (warning : many of the fossils are fakes) plus overpriced Chinese paintings, textiles, porcelains & some furniture.
• Kunming Botanical Gardens
• Karst Topography
• Dianchi Lake
• Cuihu Lake Park, Greenlake Park, located near the University in the Northwestern part of town, is a pleasant expanse of park and lake that serves as a mellow hang-out.
• Village of Ethnic Culture-expensive and basically a minority disneyland, this tourist attraction highlights how the Han Chinese view thier minority citizens as ethinic sideshows. Tromp around and see faked architecture of various Yunnan minorities. If you don't have any time to get outside of Kunming, this might be your best bet to experience the province's minority culture. Otherwise, don't bother, just hang out in the real thing in Xishuangbanna or in the northwest.
• Jindian (Golden Temple) Park
• Western Mountain Forest Reserve

• Stone Forest - located about 2 hours by bus from Kunming (luxury buses depart regularly from east side of main railway station - ¥20 to Stone Forest - other buses may charge ¥90 for the same trip. Note : if one of the touts working in front of the train station assist you to find your bus their ¥10 commission will be added to your fare) this is a UNESCO listed site of remarkable Karst geography. Good weekend trip & lots to see. Entry is a little pricy at ¥140 per person per day but you can get an annual pass for ¥160 for unlimited entry to the Stone Forest & 4 other nature reserves. It is not possible to change currency at the sole local bank & their ATM often does not work. Very good Youth hostel (¥160/night double) or can get room at Stone Forest Hotel (inside the nature reserve) for ¥200/night for good a/c double room (including horrible breakfast). Local restaurants are pricy but noodle shop in main street has great food from ¥3 per bowl. See : http://www.chinastoneforest.com/
• Jiuxiang Scenic Spot, a complex of caves and scenery about 80 km outside of Kunming. Tour buses cost about ¥300 to 400 and usually include admission. Otherwise, public buses run from the Eastern bus station to the town of Jiuxiang or nearby towns. If you time it right, you can get a direct bus, otherwise two buses will do, for a total cost of about ¥35 per person. Entrance to the park is a steep ¥90.
• Yuantong Temple
• Grand View Pavilion
• Qiongzhu (Bamboo) Temple- an amazing work of art hidden in a temple a mile or two up the mountains encircling Kunming. A mixture of life-life figures in totally fantastical positions (man whose eyebrows grow down to the floor, monks ridding giant fish), this is some trippy artwork that's worth the trip.
• Local Muslim culture and food

[edit][add listing] Do

[edit][add listing] 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. Shops can be found in a courtyard at 20 Dongfeng Donglu and on Baoshan Jie 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 mainfloor of a building). Bargain hard.

The flower and bird market in Kunming is a good place to look for local minority souvenirs, jade, and Chinese games. The market is currently undergoing major construction: most of the small stalls have been torn down and the old houses are being demolished. It is unclear what will replace the old market; there are conflicting reports of new buildings or buildings "in the old style" replacing them, as well as the possibility that the market will move inside. Some of the stalls on the edges of the market still remain for the time being.

[edit][add listing] Eat

[edit] Local Specialties:

• Over-the-Bridge Rice Noodles (过桥米线 guoqiao mixian)
• 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 , steet vendors set up charcoal grills to barbeque potatoes, zucchinis, pork, chicken, beef on skewers - all sprinkled liberally with powdered local chili. The taste is excellent & incredibly spicy - typically pay ¥1-2 per skewer for a great street meal.
• Stinky Tofu (臭豆 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.
• Muslim vendors can be found hawking granola-bar type snacks in the older part of town north of the train station. A tough but tasty treat sold by the kilo, the vendor will chop a piece off a huge nut- and honey-filled cake, and make bars or squares as you like.

[edit] Restaurants:

• Along Wenlin Jie there are many "western" cafes and restaurants. These include "Salvadors" (which is on Wenhua Xiang, just off Wenlin Jie), "French Cafe", "Prague Cafe" and many others. This street is commonly known as "western street" and the taxi drivers know it well!
• Salvadors has great coffee and ice-cream, French Cafe has cheeseburgers which are always in demand. Prague has great breakfasts. Also, all of them have Wi-Fi access.
• 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.
• Vegetarian Restaurant, 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. Dishes range from ¥3.5 to ¥98. The crispy "duck" is especially good.

[edit][add listing] Drink

• Shelter (Near the back entrance of the Zoo). The bar is unique. The entrance is not far from the zoo's back entrance. 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 six feet and enter through three doors, each of them three inches thick. This second bar and dance floor lie about 10-20 feet beneath the Zoo in an old bomb shelter build in the 70's when Mao was frightened by the prospect of nuclear war with the Soviet Union. Try to make your self heard over the blaring music as large, ominous ventilation pipes hang over you. It's is not the best place to hang out, but you have to see it at least once if you're in town.  edit

• Freedom Bar on Renmin Donglu a few blocks West of Beijing Lu, is 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.
• Several western-style retro-bars can be found on Tuo Dong Lu east of Bai Long Lu, and catering mostly to a local clientèle afford an opportunity to mingle with locals.
• Chapter One on Wenlin Jie, always good for a Beerlao, and free Wi-Fi access. You can also borrow books and DVDs from their lending library. This is currently Kunming's English-speaker's hangout. Also so serves food, but you might want to go across the street to Prague for edibles.
• Two words: Speakeasy Bar. It is as dodgy as it sounds and just as great! THE place to be late on a Friday or Saturday night.

[edit][add listing] Sleep

[edit] Budget

As always with Chinese cities, there are number of so-so budget options around Kunming's train station. The Golden Bridge/Jinqiao Hotel (金桥酒店) isn't a bad option, with rooms starting at ¥40. Along Beijing Lu are a number of similar zhaodaisuos, just look for the 招待所 or 宾馆 signs.

• Camellia Hotel, 96 East Dongfenf Road, ☎ 0871-3163000 (6008) (master@kmcamelliahotel.com, fax: 3147033), [1]. A long standing relatively cheap hotel/hostel. It is on Dongfeng Donglu a few blocks east of Beijing Lu. Dorms are ¥30, doubles ¥80 to 200; prices are fixed and, at least for the doubles, include an excellent breakfast. Rooms are clean, staff is polite and most speak excellent English. Showers, laundry, and somewhat pricey internet/business services are available. Laos maintains its consulate in the main building on the ground floor from which you can obtain visas. edit

• City Cafe is a cafe, bar, and erstwhile guesthouse off Dongfeng Donglu, half a block West of Camelia Hotel on the North side of the street. Upon last inspection it was still renting rooms, however it has occasionally shut down for unknown reasons in the past. Doubles should go for about ¥20 to 30 and vary in cleanliness. The staff is very nice, though very little English is spoken. There have been a couple complaints of dishonest behavior by the owner concerning the cafe.
• Hump over the Himalayas is a cafe, bar, and hostel on Jinbi Lu. It is on the third floor and has a balcony where you can have drinks while overlooking Jinbi Square. Dorm beds are ¥30 per night with a ¥25 deposit for the key. The staff speaks some English. The breakfeast is no longer free, but they have a great selection of western style plates.

[edit] Mid range

• Spring City Inn (also known as Yunnan Machinery Hotel). A new hotel built in a quiet courtyard off busy Baita Lu. Fantastic value, exceptionally clean twin rooms, nice staff, a/c, breakfast included. Standard rooms with ensuite bath are ¥138 (June 2006). For laundry service go just around the corner to the Aoma Meili Pub (¥10/kg).

[edit] Splurge

• 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, Telephone: (0871) 515 8888 Fax: (0871) 515 3286, at Cui Hu Nan Lu 6, website: [2]

• Harbour Plaza Hotel On Green Lake Park, with 3 restaurants and 2 bars, in a quiet location. 315 rooms, Telephone: (0871) 538 6688 Fax: (0871) 538 1189, at Hong Hua Qiao 20, website: [3]

• Kai Wah Plaza International Hotel A large, elegant hotel with glass lobby, panoramic views, and a shopping center next door. 555 rooms, Telephone: (0871) 356 2828 Fax: (0871) 356 1818, at Beijing Lu 157, website: [4]

• Zhen Zhuang Ying Binguan A very beautiful hotel in a large garde, the Chinese president and other high-ranking officials stay here when in Yunnan, but not much English is spoken. 86 rooms, Telephone: (0871) 316 5869 Fax: (0871), at Beijing Lu 514

[edit] Get out

• Visit the hot springs at Anning - 34 kms from Kunming.
• The West Hills (西山 Xi Shan) provide a good view of the city and have a few ancient Daoist (Taoist) caves of sculptures. Take bus #5 West to the end of the route, then Bus #6 or a minibus. In total the trip should take no more than an hour and a half. From the #6 bus stop either take a minibus up to the main gate or walk about 3 hours. There is an entrance fee to the grottos (¥30).

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