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| Home » Yunnan Travel Guide »
Kunming
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| DESTINATION YUNNAN |
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KUNMING
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 ATRACTIONS IN
KUNMING |
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| HIGHLIGHTS IN
KUNMING |
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| QUICK GUIDANCE |
| The breathtaking landscapes, beautiful coastlines, cultural delights and historical significance, make Yunnan an enjoyable stop in Asia travel map. To help you plan a trip in Kunming - Yunnan, we provide the useful guide of hotel options, package tours, transport, attractions, shopping and entertainment. You just click the sections below for helpful information. |
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KUNMING PREFECTURE OVERVIEW |
Kunming is the capital of Yunnan province - China, with an estimated population of 3,740,000 including 1,055,000 in the urban area. This city is situated atop a plateau in Yunnan Province. It enjoys a protected location with mountains surrounding the city on three sides, and a lake to the south. With a history of more than 2400 years, Kunming owes its importance to the fact that it was the gateway to the celebrated Silk Road that facilitated trade with Tibet, Sichuan, Myanmar and India. Today the city is the political, economical and cultural center of Yunnan and the provincial center for transport, science and technology and consequently has become the most popular center for tourism in Southwest China.
Kunming enjoys a pleasant climate and does its best to live up to its title of 'the City of Eternal Spring'. Whenever you are planning to go, the temperature is always pleasant. With its convenient transport links in and out of the city, Kunming welcomes and sees off tens of thousands of tourists every day.
Kunming city center is an attraction with its two squares and five interlaced roads - Jinma Biji Square, Dongfeng Square, Dongfeng Lu, Jinbi Lu, Zhengyi Lu, Renmin Lu and Qingnian Lu, among which Jinbi Square has the most eye-catching architecture. Qingnian Lu, Zhengyi Lu, and Renmin Lu are the main commercial areas in Kunming; the most popular pedestrian streets are Nanping Jie, Jingxing Huaniao Shichang, and Jinma Biji Fang.
Kunming is the focal point of Yunnan minority culture. Some 26 ethnic minorities such as Yi, Bai, Miao, Dai, Hani and more inhabit the region. Each group has its own featured festivals such as the Torch festival of Yi people, the Golden Temple Fair and so on. The hugely successful 1999 International Horticultural Exposition enhanced Kunming's influence in the world resulting in a snowball effect upon tourism as more and more foreigners come to discover this enchanting part of China.
The alluring highland scenery, bewitching karst landform, varied and exotic habitats and customs and places of historical interest can be found at major scenic spots such as Dianchi Lake, Stone Forest , the Village of Ethnic Culture, Grand View Pavilion, etc.
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KUNMING PREFECTURE PEOPLE |
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GETTING IN - OUT
KUNMING PREFECTURE |
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Plane : Kunming is not only the domestic transportation and communication center of Yunnan Province, but also one of China's ports to Southeast Asia. Kunming Wujiaba International Airport (KMG) is one of Chinese five international airports, running about 11 international airlines to Rangoon, Bangkok, Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, Hanoi, New Delhi, Seoul, and Tokyo; two flights to Hong Kong and Macau and over 40 to China's major cities such as Beijing, Shanghai, Xiamen, etc.
There are also many direct flights to most cities inside the Province including Dali, Lijiang, Shangri-La Xishuangbanna, and others.
Kunming Wujiaba International airport located in southeastern Kunming is about 7.5 kilometers (about 4.7 miles) from the city center. Civil aviation buses commute between the airport and downtown; ticket price for the 20-minute trip is 15 to 20 yuan. In addition, public buses No. 52 and 67 serve the area for 1 yuan per person (2 yuan if air-conditioned); the last runs are at 22:00 and 22:30. Taxis also make the airport-city run for 15 to 20 yuan.
Train : The Yunnan Province is vast so the train travel requires much more time than air travel. However, if you are not in a hurry, train travel offers beautiful scenery along the way.
The city of Kunming has four railway stations. The main one is the Nanyao Station, about four kilometers from the center of the city, which would take about 10 yuan within 15 minutes by Taxi to. Trains to Dali, Yuxi etc., run every day. The ticket booking office is at No. 19, Kunshi Lu, hours of operation is from 8:00 to 17:30.
The second is the North Railway Station, about three kilometers north of the city center. This station is important for tourists who plan to travel to Vietnam for here you can make a trip further to Hanoi (two departures every week on Friday and Sunday).
Important notice : This is impossible to get your Vietnam Visa in Kunming so you are sure to obtain your Vietnam visa in Guangzhou, Beijing, or other major city in advance if you are planning a trip to Vietnam
Bus : The highway transportation has developed rapidly in Kunming. Highways radiate to places inside and outside Yunnan Province, as well as to neighboring countries. You can also choose long-distance buses to Kunming from Beijing (National Highway 108), Lanzhou (213), Shanghai (320), Fuzhou (324) or other cities. While there are many bus stations in Kunming, for safety we recommend that tourists take buses at well-operated stations.
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GETTING AROUND
KUNMING PREFECTURE |
Bus : There are more than 50 bus lines covering almost every area in the city. It costs only 1 Yuan to take a public bus throughout Kunming. The last shift usually leaves 22:00 to 22:30 pm. Passengers should get on a bus from the front door and get off from the back door. Today most buses are self-
service; correct small change is required.
Taxi : Taking a taxi is convenient. The fare for Santana is 8 Yuan for the first three kilometers (about 1.9 miles) and 1.8 Yuan for each additional kilometer. After 22:00, the flag-down-rate increases to 9.6 Yuan and 2.7 Yuan for every additional kilometer (about 0.6 miles). The flag-down-rate of a mini taxi is 7 Yuan for the first three kilometers (about 1.9 miles) and 1.6 Yuan for every kilometer (about 0.6 miles) thereafter. Note: inside each taxi is a distinctive animal image that identifies taxi ownership. Keep the image in mind in case you leave something behind.
Car Rental : Confident tourists can rent a car. We suggest tourists collect full information before deciding to rent a car. Rental prices range from 120 yuan to 300 yuan for a four-seat vehicle. We suggest renting a car with a driver who can also serve as tour guide; in addition you will save on your deposit, which is 500 to1000 Yuan for one car with a driver, but at least 5000 yuan deposit for a vehicle without a driver.
Important notice : According to the local regulation, foreigners must have a Chinese driver’s license. We suggest tourists rent a car with a local driver to avoid going crooked road.
Bicycle Rental : Renting a bicycle is another option. Many hostels in Kunming offer bicycle rentals at about 2 Yuan per hour and 15 Yuan for a day. The deposit for an old bike is 200 Yuan, 400 Yuan for a new one. Cycling around the city is gaining in popularity since Kunming city is not big; travel by bicycle is convenient, economical and good for the environment. Tourists are reminded to secure bikes when parking them.
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KUNMING PREFECTURE RESOURCES |
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TRAVEL TIPS |
Climate
Kunming is at the middle part of the Yunnan-Guizhou Highland with low latitude and high elevation. The ideal geographical location of Kunming makes for the most pleasant weather condition in China. The weather in place changes little throughout the year with no severe summer or cold winter. The average temperature of the hottest month is 19.7 centigrade while average temperature for the coldest month is 19.7 centigrade. The city is covered with blossoms and lush vegetation all the year round and Kunming is thus nicknamed the City of Eternal Spring.
The temperature differs greatly between daytime and night so you should bring warm clothing with you even in summer when traveling in downside areas.
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KUNMING PREFECTURE ECONOMY |
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| Autonomous prefecture |
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Chuxiong Yi, Dali, Dehong,
Deqen, Honghe, Yuxi,
Nujiang Lisu,
Wenshan Zhuang, Xishuangbanna |
| Prefecture level cities |
| Baoshan, Kunming, Lijiang, Lincang , Qujing ,
Simao,
Zhaotong |
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