Kunming 昆明
The eternal spring city, and the hub for all of Yunnan.
- Region
- Yunnan
- Best months
- Mar, Apr, May, Sep, Oct, Nov
- Nights to budget
- 2
- Airport
- Changshui International (KMG)
Why visit Kunming
- Almost every Yunnan route connects through here
- Stone Forest is 90 minutes away and unlike anything else
- Year-round 15–25°C — a relief from both northern winter and southern summer
What to see
- • Stone Forest (Shilin)
- • Dianchi Lake and Western Hills
- • Green Lake Park
- • Yuantong Temple
- • Flower and Bird Market
- • Daguan Pavilion
What to eat
- Crossing-the-bridge noodles
- Steam-pot chicken
- Erkuai rice cakes
- Wild mushroom hotpot
- Shizitou meatballs
Getting there
Kunming is the terminus of the high-speed line from Guangzhou (6h) and connects to Lijiang, Dali and Shangri-La.
Kunming has a metro, so most journeys inside the city cost ¥2–10 and avoid traffic entirely.
Practical guides for Kunming
City-specific topic pages are being written city by city. In the meantime these national guides apply everywhere.
- Visa & entry
Whether you need a visa for China, and the three routes that get most travellers in without one.
- Payment & money apps
Alipay and WeChat Pay now accept foreign cards.
- eSIM & connectivity
How to get online in China without losing access to Google, WhatsApp and Instagram.
- Safety
China is statistically one of the safest countries for travellers.
- Getting around
Metro, taxi, ride-hailing and buses — how each works and which to use when.
- High-speed rail
The world’s largest high-speed network — how to book, board and not miss your train.
- Food & eating
How to order, what the regional specialities actually are, and how to handle dietary needs.
- Hotels & booking
Which sites actually work for foreigners, and what to check before you pay.
- Attraction tickets
Almost every major attraction now requires a timed online reservation, often days ahead.
- Money & costs
What a day actually costs, where the money goes, and how to budget by tier.
- Language & communication
How far English gets you, and the handful of Chinese that changes the trip.
- Apps you need
The short list of apps that make the trip work, and what each one replaces.