Asia : East Asia : China : South West : Yunnan : Kunming

Kunming

Table of Contents:
Culture and History / Travel to Kunming, visa requirements Flights to Kunming, airtickets By train Buses to Kunming / Get around / Kunming attractions and sightseeing / City tours / Shopping, Kunming souvenirs / Good restaurants and cheap meals / Local Specialties: / Restaurants: / Kunming nightlife, bars, clubs and pubs. / Hotels, youth hostels, lodging / Budget / Mid range / Splurge / Get out

More from Yunnan:
Kunming, Lijiang, Ruili

More from South West (China):
Guangxi, Guizhou, Tibet, Yunnan

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East (China), Hong Kong, Macau, Northern Central Region (China), North East (China), North West (China), Southern Central Region (China), South East (China), South West (China)

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

Culture and History

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.

Travel to Kunming, visa requirements

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

Flights to Kunming, airtickets

Kunming International Airport (KMG) has flights from South-East Asian capitals like Bangkok 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 RMB 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 RMB, to Hong Kong about 1200 to 1500 RMB, 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.

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).

Buses to Kunming

Kunming has several bus stations. In general, the most useful is on Beijing Lu (north of the train station). It serves destinations in Yunnan including Jinghong, Dali, Lijiang, Zhongdian, Hekou and Ruili. The long distance buses are excellent - cheap, reliable, comfortable. It also has international departures to Laos and Vietnam, though these services are not always running.

Get around

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

City Buses are 1 RMB 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 RMB. The card itself costs 30 RMB, 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 RMB depending on the bus and hour. No. 67 will connect you with bus No. 5.

Taxis start at 8 RMB 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.

Kunming attractions and sightseeing

Provincial Museum - admission is 10 RMB - 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 RMB, 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
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 - 20RMB to Stone Forest - other buses may charge RMB90 for the same trip. Note : if one of the touts working in front of the train station assist you to find your bus their RMB10 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 RMB140 per person per day but you can get an annual pass for RMB160 for unlimited entry to the Stone Forest & 4 other nature reserves. It is not possible to chenge currency at the sole local bank & their ATM often does not work. Very good Youth hostel (RMB160/night double) or can get room at Stone Forest Hotel (inside the nature reserve) for RMB200/night for good a/c double room (including horrible breakfast). Local restaurants are pricy but noodle shop in main street has great food from RMB3 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 RMB 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 RMB per person. Entrance to the park is a steep 90 RMB.
Yuantong Temple
Grand View Pavilion
Qiongzhu (Bamboo) Temple
Local Muslim culture and food

City tours

Shopping, Kunming souvenirs

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.

Good restaurants and cheap meals

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 RMB1-2 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 aquired 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 tastey 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.

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, across from the Yuantong Buddhist temple, serves somewhat pricey imitation meat dishes from a 1,500 year-old tradition. Dishes range from 3.5 to 98 RMB. The crispy "duck" is especially good.

Kunming nightlife, bars, clubs and pubs.

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
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.

Hotels, youth hostels, lodging

Budget

Camellia Hotel is a long standing relatively cheap hotel/hostel. It is on Dongfeng Donglu a few blocks east of Beijing Lu. Dorms are 30 RMB, Doubles 80 to 200 RMB; 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 and Myanmar maintain their consulates in the main building on the ground floor from which you can obtain visas.
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 RMB 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 25 RMB per night with a 25 RMB deposit for the key. The staff speaks some English. Upon arriving, you will be handed a card for each night you stay which entitles you to a small breakfast consisting of a coffee and three or four pieces of toast and jam.
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 RMB 138 (June 2006). For laundry service go just around the corner to the Aoma Meili Pub (10 RMB/kg).

Mid range

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: [1]

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: [2]

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: [3]

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

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 RMB).

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