• Understand
• Get around
• See
• Do
• Buy
• Drink
• Get out

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] See

• Provincial Museum - admission free - 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 free, 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

These gardens are 12 kilometers from Kunming proper and, together with the Black Dragon Park, constitute a national scenic area.

The gardens have introduced precious flowers, traditional medicinal herbs, important trees and endangered plants of the province. Also they have cultivated many plants for domestication and the protection of their migration. The gardens have collected some 4,000 species of plants and established 10 special plant gardens and experimental districts.

The camellia garden is unique in the country and has collected 40 spucles of camellias. Yunnan Province boasts more than 100 species of camellia. These gardens were one of the earlies gardens to collect the cedar. Tanhua Temple Tanhua Temple, also called Taohu Nunnery, free admisson. was built in 1634, the seventh year in the reign of Chongzhen of the Ming Dynasty. It is located at the foot of Mt. Tuiying of the Jinma Mountain range in the eastern outskirts of Kunming City, about 4 kUometres away from the city centre. According to historical records, before the temple was erected, there had been a thatched shack where Shi Shiqiao, a scholar of the Ming Dynasty, buried himself in books. During the reign of Chongzhen, Shi Tai, grandson of Shi Shiqiao, donated the estate for the shack whereon tanhua Temple was built. In the backyard there was an epiphyllum tree, which is called "tanhua" in Chinese and honoured as "Buddha's Flower", hence the name "Tanhua Temple".

Tanhua Temple was built by the end of the Ming Dynasty. It went through many renovations during the reigns of Kangxi (1662-1722) and Qianlong (1736-1795) in the Qing Dynasty. It has been well-known for its flowers and plants ever since Yingding, the abbot, took charge of this temple. It has been a scenic spot for more than three hundred years, and an epitome of Kunming, "the Flower City of the Southern Frontier." Yingding (1864- 1922), a native of Kunming came to the temple in his childhood, and studied Buddish sutras under Xuliang, the abbot. Xuliang loved the boy very much because he was clever and could memorize every word he had learned. He was later sent to study Confucian doctrines under Wang Zhongyu, a Confucian scholar. He attained great achievement in poetry. After the death of Xuliang, Yingding inherited the abbotship. His diligence changed the bleak temple into a garden "full of fragrance from flowers." His gardening skills were well known in the city.

The epiphyllum tree was planted in the side court of the depository of Buddhist Scriptures. There is a stone tablet on which four characters are carved: "The Epiphyllum Brings Luck." After the erection of the temple, the original epiphyllum withered and died. The epiphyllum nowstanding taller than the eaves of the temple sprang from the root of the original one at the beginning of the Qing Dynasty, and is about three hundred years old. The epiphyllum's leaves are broad and its twigs supple. It stands slim and graceful. When it bursts into flowers in mid-summer, the strong fragrance greets your nose, gladdens your heart and refreshes your mind. This epiphyllum is, in fact, a unique Yunnan magnolia, belonging to the lily magnolia family. It is an evergreen ornamental plant suitable for gardening. The big loquat tree in the backyard is said to have been planted in the early Ming Dynasty by Lan Mao (1397-1476), a famous doctor and the author of the book Meteria Medica of Yunnan.

In recent years, the old temple has resumed its original grandeur and achieved great development. It has become one of the most famous scenic spots in Kunming. When you enter the gate, coming into view are flowers alongside the road and the wall which embraces a rockery studded with flowers. You seem to have come to a world of flowers.

In this south of the temple, there is the Southern Garden with flowers and rockeries. The peaks of the rockeries look like a forest, each having its own style. The exuberant azalea, cypress, magnolia and bamboo vie with the rockeries for beauty and gracefulness. The winding paths among the flowers and the zigzagging corridor surround the Lotus Pond, where you can watch fish. You are delighted to see fishjumping out of the water, and feel fascinated with the blooming of flowers.

In the east of the temple there is a the East Garden, covering about fifty mu shaded by tall cedars and cypresses. Within the garden there are seven small gardens, namely, Yi Jian Xuan, Peony Garden, Magnolia Garden, Azalea Garden, Camellia Garden, Chinese Flowering Crabapple and Cheery Garden, and Children's Playground. They are ingeniously connected by foot-paths and corridors. The beauty of these gardens lies not only in the matching of the flowers with plants, but also in the interior layout of each garden. You will be greeted by picturesque scenes wherever you rove in these gardens, which combine the classical architectural style with that of the minority nationalities in Yunnan. Tanhua Temple, though occupying a small area of less than a hundred mu, is so enchanting that visitors will linger on without any thought of leaving.

When he was in Yunnan, Zhu De (1886-1976), Commander-in-Chief of the People's Liberation Army, admired very much Monk Yingding's skills of cultivating magnolias and other flowers. He often went to see the flowers and enjoy a cup of tea together with Yingding, whose style of coriversation and calligraphy he more than admired. Soon they became close friends. In the early spring of 1922 when he visited the temple, Zhu De wrote a poem for Yingding, who carved it on a stone tablet to commemorate the event. On March 9th of the same year, Moon Yingding passed away but the stone tablet remains.

• Karst Topography
• Dianchi Lake

The Dian Chi Lake, also called "Kunming Lake", "Kunming Pond", and "Southern Lake of Yunnan" in ancient times, is a plateau lake with beautiful scenery, the lake is 40 by 8 kilometers and is 1,886 meters above sea level. The lake water and the sky seem joining mutually like a city sea, dense mist and rolling water are on the surface of the lake, and sails are strolling above the water. It claims to be "a pearl on the Yungui Plateau" for a long time.

Being the largest lake in Kunming and the sixth largest fresh water lake in China, Dian Chi Lake is 300 square kilometers (116 square miles) in surface area, 1,885 meters (6,185 feet) in altitude and about 40 kilometers (25 miles) in length (from north to south).

The west side of Dian Chi Lake is the mountain forest, while on the east side are lands dotted with the fisheries and agribusinesses. Traditional fishing boats still sail on the lake, hooking and netting. Taking a boat to voyage between the blue sky and the green water, breathing the fresh air and viewing the birds flying just at your side, what an enjoyable, light-hearted and free moment it is!

When the weather is fine, there are white flocculent or massive clouds floating in the cerulean sky, the cyan water waves under the golden sunshine and the surrounding mountains reflect their silhouettes on the water. If you take a walk on the lake shore you will feel intoxicated by the beautiful landscape.

The most beautiful view of Dian Chi Lake appears at dawn and sunset, the refraction of the ethereal rays glitter on the water surface just like thousands of silver fishes swimming and playing. At night, when the breeze is fleeting over the water and the world is brimming over with hazy moonlight, Dian Chi Lake lies in silence and breathes in peace like a sleeping beauty.

The ocean-like Dian Chi Lake is the best place to go for those people who wish to get away from the bustling city and be close to the nature. Facing such a beautiful and capacious place, one may forget everything even himself, the only thing left is the amazing scenery before you.

On the West Mountain, you can overlook the crossed green fields and the vast green Dian Chi Lake, the high and low peaks ranged at random at distance and emerald forests and elegant meditation rooms closely.

Having the advantages of beautiful scenery and rich plants on the mountain, the West Mountain has already become a large-scale forest park after the transformation by Kunming City Government. Nearly 3,000 kinds of woody plants are growing on the mountain and the Ginkgo, Yulan magnolia and epiphyllum are unique in Kunming. The sago cycas, metasequoia, yew podocarpus and peacock China fir handed over in the geology history and the rare plants in the Dianzhong Plateau such as moss, alangium and Yunnan camphor tree are in addition to the above.

The Longmen is the most beautiful scenic spot on the West Mountain. If climbing the Longmen and overlooking the endless Dian Chi Lake, you will see the green wave ripples and the pretty scenes of the lake. If enjoying the Dian Chi Lake on the close Grand View Pavilion, you will see that the waving water is running to your eyes and the sails are strolling in the light mist on the 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 their 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 The park, sprawling for more than 133.3 hectares on the Mingfeng Mountain seven kilometers northeast of Kunming, is a national forest reserve. With a natural scenery mingled with sites of historical interest and man-made gardens, it is also a large scenic resort in Kunming. The ' 99 International Horticultural Exposition will take place there. It covers a total area of 218 hectares, and 76.7% of the site is vegetated. In this exhibition area, 120 hectares are on bush-covered mountain slopes, some 12 percent of the surface are lakes or ponds. The flourishing vegetation and bush - land as well as water surface furnish excellent natural environment for the Exposition. A day ticket purchased at the Southern gate of what is now known as the 'World Horti-Expo Garden' is 100 yuan, June 2008.

On the Mingfeng Mountain stands the exquisite and serene Golden Temple, 6.7 meters in height and 7.8 meters in width, and cast of 250 tons of solid bronze. It is the largest bronze hall in China.

• Western Mountain Forest Reserve The forest reserve on the west bank of the Dianchi Lake consists of the Huating, Taihua and Luohan mountains, which extend for more than 40 kilometers at an altitude of 2,500 meters above sea level. This is a colossal natural forest reserve, its lofty chain of mountains crisscrossed by gurgling brooks and streams. Ancient trees heap up rich piles of foliage, and birds warble and flutter in the midst of fragrant flowers.

Viewed from the southeast corner of Kunming, the entire forest reserve looks like a beautiful maiden reclining leisurely by the Dianchi Lake, her long hair quivering in the limpid water. Hence the nickname of the Western Mountains Forest Reserve, " Sleeping Beauty". Longmen (Dragon Gate) Built on the steep rock hills, the carved stone " Dragon Gate " consists of the major part, which was cut from the 46th year of Qianlong Era (178l) to the third year of Xianfeng Time in the Qing Dynasty. No tourist can but be astonished at such elegant carving on such precipitous hills. On March 3, every lunar year, hundreds of Kunming people crowd up to the hills for celebrating their traditional distinguished gathering called "Spring Touring", dancing and singing on the green western hills.

The stone forest near Kunming

• 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, Jiuxiang Scenic Spot is 20 sq km in area and includes 5 tourist attractions, Diehong Bridge (5 km southeast from Jiuxiang Street, famous for the karst caves, the twin waterfalls and the huge natural stone dam cluster), Dasha Dam (consisting of picturesque karst caves and thick forest), Sanjiao Cave (5 km north of Jiuxiang Street, famous for the karst caves), Alu Long [a scenic area 6 km west of Jiuxiang Street, famous for the excavated Yi Nationality cliff paintings of Qin 221BC-206BC) and Han (206BC-220AD) dynasties] and Mingyue (meaning the bright moon) Lake.

Jiuxiang is known as the "museum of karst caves", which boasts its caves as the largest in scale and number (there are about a hundred karst caves) and has the most wonderful in-cave scenes in China. The caves in Jiuxiang fall into 4 cave clusters: Sanjiao Cave, Dashang Cave, Diehong Cave and Dasha Dam Cave. 66 out of the numerous caves in the area are profitably exploitable and the karst cave cluster is the largest of its kind on Yunnan-Guizhou plateau. The caves in the area are praised for their grandeur, wonder grotesquerie and natural beauty.

Jiuxiang, the birthplace of the aboriginal Yi ethnic people, has a strong minority custom color, a long cultural history, and widely spread old myths and tales. These include Hunting Festival, the Worship the White Dragon Festival, Love Song Contest, Bullfighting, Wrestling, Sanxian Dance (Sanxian is a three-stringed plucked instrument), Rattle Stick Dance and so on.

Tourists should take enough clothes since they may get wet in boats when they visit the karst caves and the gorges. The folk songs and dances and the local food are also special. What's more, Yangzonghai Lake Scenic Spot and Little White Dragon Forest Park are not far from Jiuxiang Scenic Spot. Tourists can take buses at the gate of the Jiuxiang to go there.

• Yuantong Temple

Yuantong Temple is at the foot of Yuantong Hill in the northern part of Kunming. With a history of more than 1,200 years, Yuantong Temple is the grandest as well as the most important Buddhist temple in Yunnan Province. King Yimouxun of the Nanzhao Kingdom built the temple during the late eighth century as a continuation of Putuoluo Temple, and the restorations to the temple performed from the Qing Dynasty onward had not changed Yuantong Temple's unique mixed architectural style of the Yuan and Ming Dynasties.

Unlike all other Buddhist temples, which are built on an ascendant, you enter Yuantong Temple from above and descend along a gently sloping garden path. The view before you starting your peaceful walk beneath the gigantic cypress trees that line the garden path to the temple with its extensive array of flowers and foliage is deeply restful and impressive. A memorial archway with four Chinese characters -Yuantong Shengjing (Yuantong Wonderland)-is standing on the halfway; you can see the entire temple from here.

The temple complex is built around Yuantong Hall (Mahavira Hall), which is known as the Fane on the Water for it is surrounded by a very large pond filled with limpid water and fish. A delicate stone bridge which has an elegant octagonal pavilion stands in the center connects Mahavira Hall and the temple entrance. The pavilion is connected to the rest of the complex by various bridges and walkways.

Sakymuni, Amitabha and the Medicine Buddha, all Yuan Dynasty statues, are found in the main hall. The surrounding 500 Buddhist Arhats who are carved in the walls are rare treasures noted for their perfect proportions and lively appearances. Also in this temple hall are two ten meter high pillars from the Ming Dynasty that are each engraved with a dragon - one yellow and one green - who are trying to extend their bodies and claws into the air as if they are ready to fly. Like the Arhats, they impart the feeling that at any moment they could spring into action.

Outside, on each side of the main hall, there are stone staircases that are carved out of the mountainside and wind their way to the top of the hill. As you climb these stairs, there are ancient inscriptions along the way and various tone artworks that are considered the most important historical relics in Kunming. From the top of the stairs, you are presented with a terrific panoramic view of the entire complex. It is from here that you can most appreciate the architecture of the remarkable temple complex.

In 1982, Thai Buddhists sent a copper statue of Sakymuni to Yuantong Temple as a symbol of friendship, and the statue is three and a half meters high and four tons in weight. A few years later, in 1985, a Copper Buddha Hall was built in a combination of Chinese and Tai styles to house this exquisite gift.

Surrounding the temple pond are a series of halls where you will find old women praying, people sitting and chatting, ongoing classes in Buddhist scriptures, a magnificent calligraphy studio, an exhibit of temple photographs taken at the end of the Qing Dynasty by Auguste de Francois, a temple shop, a restaurant, and more.

Yuantong Temple is a working temple that also represents the Buddhism of China today. Along with the patronage of the local people of Kunming and Yunnan in general, Buddhists from around the world come here on pilgrimages to pay homage, there are special Buddhist services two times each month, and the Buddhist Association of Yunnan Province is located here. Yuantong Temple plays a very important role in history and in the modern world.

• Grand View Pavilion

The Park of the Grand View Pavilion in the western part of Kunming races the Dianchi Lake in the south and the Western Mountains in the west. The pavilion, with a history of more than three hundred years, is a three-floor square structure with flying eaves and golden-lacquered ornamentation.

The top floor of the pavilion provides an all-embracing view of the vast Dianchi Lake and the peaks of the Western Mountains. A 180character couplet is hanging down the pavilion, which is lauded as "number one couplet past and present".

The Park of the Grand View Pavilion is the most fascinating garden in urban Kunming.

• 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] Do

[edit] 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] Eat

[edit] Local Specialties:

• Over-the-Bridge Rice Noodles (过桥米线 guoqiao mixian)

It is a typical Yunnan local flavor that could only be tasted in some parts of Yunnan. The Over the Bridge Rice Noodles has along history and it carries with itself a vivid love story.

This famous dish consists of several courses and a big bowl of chicken soup with very thick oil on top to keep the heat for cooking the food items, including raw pork, cooked chicken pieces, pork liver, slices of squid and slices of carp for the first course to be dipped into the boiling hot soup. Vegetables are then added afterwards as the second course, and the rice noodles follow as the last course. It is a kind of snack food in Yunnan . Surely enough , you are eager to have a taste of Yunnan Over the Bridge Rice Noodles.

Steam Potted Chicken,

Steam Potted Chicken with Tienchi & Steam Potted Chicken with Cordyceps

In the old times , there used to be a restaurant famous for its steam potted chicken. Later they created a new variety with gastrodia tuber in the soup, becoming one of the well known local nutritious dishes in Kunming.

Early in the Qianlong Era of the Qing Dynasty, the steam potted chicken became popular among the common people. Jianshui County has a long history in producing the best pottery ware in Yunnan. Pots produced in this county has different shapes and forms.

The steam pot has a hollow tube fixed in the center, up to the height of the pot. Food including the raw chicken pieces, ginger, salt and so forth are put around the tube and the pot is placed onto a bigger pot with boiling water underneath. Steam will come up from the small hole in the middle to heat the food in the pot. The Chicken will be ready about three or four hours. The same method is used to cook other food and will increase the flavor of the dish.

Yiliang Roasted Duck

Have you ever heard that the Yiliang Roasted Duck can be compared with the famous Beijing Duck? Only they are roasted each in their own way. Therefore, they have different tastes. The "Goujie (dog street) Roasted Duck" produced in the Goujie Street of Yiliang is extraordinarily delicious, with the crispy and yellowish skin, soft and tender duck meant, has a special slight flavor of pine needles.

Xuanwei Ham

Xuanwei Ham is also famous as Yunnan Ham, one of well-known hams in China. The history of Xuanwei ham dates back to the fifth year of YongZheng times in Qing Dynasty (AD 1727). Xuanwei ham won a prize at the Panama Fair in 1915. In 1923, Mr. Sun Zhongshan wrote an inscription "Yin He Shi De" (which means "eat properly for a sound mind") for Xuanwei ham and taste it at a food competition held in Guangzhou. Xuanwei ham has been selling well to Southeastern Asia and European countries.

As a rule, the Xuanwei ham is processed during the winter. Select the best pork leg and press out the pork blood completely. Rub it with salt and smoke or air it dry after the salt permeates to a certain depth of the pork. Try to test the pork leg in three when the surface of the pork turn in green. The quality standard is to have the ham fragrance from three needles punched in the pork. Cut the ham open from the middle, it looks bright in color and has a clean fresh color. It can be preserved well in cellar with low moisture or in a warehouse with good air conditioning. Xuanwei ham can be bought from any big or small stores. If not convenient for travelling, it is possible to by canned Xuanwei ham.

Sweet Tonghai Peapowder Candy

The sweet Tonghai peapowder candy is a famous traditional snack. It is very easy to get it from any store and shopping stand.

The ingredients of the sweet Tonghai Peapowder Candy is made of quality white sugar, rice cerealose, and roasted peapowder(broad bean or pea).

Er Kuai (Rice Cake)

Er Kuai is made of quality rice, pressing it into its form after the rice is cooked, so it is called "rice cake".

There are different ways in cooking Er Kuai. You can boil, roast, or oil fry it. Er Kuai is a very popular local dish, it is indispensable to every household during Lunar New Year family party.

A special cooking method is to smoke if over a charcoal fire, then put some jam on the top. Er Kuai cooked in the way is often found at the breakfast table in Yunnan.

Meigui ( Rose ) Rutabaga

Meigui rutabaga ( preserved rutabaga with rose smell ) has a history of over seven hundred years. It is made of selected local quality rutabaga.

Eryuan Cheese Piece

Eryuan in Dali Bai Nationality Prefecture is a hometown of diary cows. Cheese is one of the diary products. It is made of yogurt and fresh cow milk. After being boiled, the mixture of the yogurt and milk is made into a shape of fan. It can be oil fried or baked for eating. It is one of the major food items in the Three Courses Bai Tea Ceremony. It is easily kept for a period of time and is easy to cook.

Lunan Preserved Smelly Bean Curd

It is said that the production of Lunan Smelly Preserved Bean Curd has a long history. The main ingredients include smelly bean curd, chili, anise and fennel, and some additives such as wine.

Qujing Pickled Chives Flower

This local product was first produced in the Guanxu Year of the Qing Dynasty. Main ingredients include chives flower, salt, wine, chili, and brown sugar.

Sweet Pickled Kaiyuan Chinese Onion Kaiyuan is a place in the south Yunnan and it is famous for its delicious sweet pickled Chinese onion. It is made of the Chinese onion, salt, chili, brown sugar, wine. After being sealed in a jar for three months, it is ready. It tastes crispy and slightly sweet.

Smoked Smelly Bean Curd

It is one of the popular snacks found in the night snack market in Kunming. Quality Bean Curd is used as the raw material and it is smoked over a charcoal fire. If you have chance to be at the night snack market in Kunming, remember to experience it yourself.

The Eight Treasures of Yunnan

Of all the well - known Yunnan cakes, the Eight Treasures of Yunnan comes the first. It is packed in eight small pieces. It consists of one hard - skin cake, a ham - stuffed moon part, two crispy white parts stuffed with puree and two crispy parts stuffed with sesame, peanuts, mushroom and rutabaga pickle.

• 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 (臭豆腐 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] Drink

• <drink name="Shelter" alt="" address="" directions="Near the back entrance of the Zoo" phone="" url="" hours="" price="" lat="" long="">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. </drink>
• 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] 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.

• City Cafe, half a block West of Camelia Hotel on the North side of the street. A cafe, bar, and erstwhile guesthouse off Dongfeng Donglu. 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).

• Fairyland Hotel, 7 km from airport nearby Yuantong Temple, Tel: +8608716353777.. ¥180/day with breakfast and free internet.

[edit] Splurge

• Grand Park Kunming, 20 Hong Hua Qiao, Tel: (86 871) 538 6688 (Fax: (86 871) 538 1189), [1]. As one of the top business and leisure hotels in Kunming, this 5 star hotel offers luxury accommodations, close proximity to golf and Green Lake Park, a fitness center and 3 gourmet dining options.

• Green Lake Hotel, Cui Hu Nan Lu 6, Tel: (0871) 515 8888 (Fax: (0871) 515 3286), [2] 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.

• Kunming Hotel Panlong District, Tel no.: 86 21 61226688 Ext. 7800, E-mail: tprsvns@hubs1.net. Jin Jiang Hotels’ flagship hotel, the four-star Kunming Hotel features highly business-oriented, but very luxurious rooms and meeting areas.

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

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

• Zhen Zhuang Ying Binguan, Beijing Lu 514, Tel: (0871) 316 5869 Fax: (0871). 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.

[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).

Population the population is approximately 5.78 million people