Kunming city china. Kunming City, China

To find yourself in the City of Eternal Spring (春城), you need to go to Kunming (昆明, Kūnmíng). It is the administrative center of Yunnan Province (云南, Yúnnán) in the southwestern part of the PRC. The name of the city comes from the nomadic tribe of the same name who lived in these places many centuries ago. At first, these people wandered around Lake Dianchi, looking for a suitable place, and during the Han and Tang dynasties they decided to settle there. And the nomads did the right thing, because this is indeed a place of eternal spring - in December-February there is such a comfortable air temperature that you cannot name these months in winter either.

More than a hundred years ago, local residents found out that the richest deposits of salt and phosphates are located near the city. The mining industry gradually began to flourish. At the same time, they took up mechanical engineering and the production of building materials. Well, agriculture has always flourished there - the conditions are very suitable. In addition, the geographical position of Kunming (latitude: 25 ° 2 "20" N, longitude: 102 ° 43 "6" E) contributed to the development of economic ties with the countries of Southeast Asia. In general, nomads once found a fertile place. The climatic conditions of these places allowed Kunming to become a major base for flower exports. It's hard to imagine how many flowers are sold in the Dounan Specialized Market - they are bought daily for 2.5 million yuan! Just a floral ocean. No wonder in 1999, it was in the City of Eternal Spring that the Flower Expo was held. The incredible beauty of the exhibition made the whole world pay attention to the previously little-known Chinese city.

Kunming has existed for 2,400 years, but its real heyday began in 1910, when a railway was built to Vietnamese Hanoi. Since then, active construction began, the construction of sports facilities and hotels, which allowed a small settlement to quickly turn into an attractive tourist center. Since the 80s of the last century, entrepreneurs from Thailand have become interested in him, who have opened branches of Kasikorn and Krung banks in Kunming. And the Thai princess Maa Kakri Sirindhorn began to regularly come to this city to study Chinese history and culture and establish friendly relations.

The history of Kunming is indeed interesting. Founded at the dawn of a new era, already in the early 200s, he began to single-handedly control the southern branch of the Great Silk Road, which passed through Burma and India. It was a rich time that contributed to the development of many cities. And now the "Economic Belt along the Silk Road" proposed by the Chinese extends to the West, East, South and North. The implementation of this idea, according to the calculations of experts, could be beneficial for about three billion people.

Unfortunately, Kunming, like most settlements in the PRC, had to go through both the Great Leap Forward and the Cultural Revolution. During these years, much was destroyed, even the city wall built in the XIV century, and the city itself at that time became a link for the Chinese intelligentsia. Nevertheless, life takes its toll, the city was revived and even began to flourish. Representatives of many nationalities still live in it: Han, Huiyets, Miao, Fox, Zhuang ... They communicate in a peculiar dialect, which is not understood by all residents of this multinational country.

Kunming Urban District has five districts, one urban county, five ordinary counties and three autonomous counties. The administrative center itself consists of several areas: the old one, which is located outside the city wall, from the commercial area, as well as the sleeping and educational area. History lovers, of course, are attracted by everything that is outside the city wall, where, despite all sorts of cataclysms, there are many cultural monuments. Here tourists tend to take especially many photos of Kunming.

These places are lucky with the climate. Summer is long and warm, winter is short and not cold. If in the winter months the air temperature fluctuates around + 15 °, then in the summer there is about 24 °. True, there were years when there was a subzero temperature - almost 7 °, and in summer it rose to 32 ° C. But this is rare, because Kunming is the City of Eternal Spring. Therefore, it is buried in flowers almost all year round. Only from May to October it rains there, the rest of the time - dry warm grace. So even the weather in Kunming, located in Yunnan province, contributes to the development of tourism.

It is convenient to get to these places by air. Changshui International Airport (Kunming Changshui International Airport (IATA: KMG, ICAO: ZPPP) was built as recently as 2012. The Chinese hope that by 2020 it will serve 38 million passengers and become the country's busiest airport. from here to most of the major cities of the PRC, as well as to Bangkok, Kathmandu, Dubai, Seoul, Hanoi - in general, in many directions.This is a truly modern airline with a wide runway and a terminal resembling a big bird. It should become the air hub of Kunming, a kind of city within a city of 200,000 people, working in the areas of logistics, aircraft maintenance, tourism and hospitality.

In addition, Kunming remains a major railway junction. From here you can go to (成都, Chengdu), (上海, Shànghǎi), (南京, Nánjīng), to Vietnamese Lao Cai, to Hanoi - wherever your heart desires. Kunming's two large railway stations (South and North) accommodate high-speed trains. If only recently Japan and Great Britain were considered the leaders of high-speed technologies, then since 2012 China has been the leader. The Chinese managed to bring the speed of the "flight" of trains to 350 km, but then had to drop it to 250 due to a lack of electricity. However, even this speed has significantly reduced travel time, and the construction of high-speed lines continues. Rail travel is so popular that tickets are usually sold out three days before departure, and they go on sale ten days in advance. In the near future, it is planned to put into operation two more railway routes: to Vietnam via Honghe Prefecture and to Singapore via Laos, Thailand and Malaysia.

There is also a subway in Kunming, the first line of which was opened in 2012. Now more than 20 stations are operating, a third line is being built, which they plan to open in 2016. All in all, the Kunming metro will have four lines with a length of 160 km. As in all Chinese cities, there is a developed bus service. There are so many buses in Kunming that the roads had to be widened. In addition, the authorities began to pay the most serious attention to training drivers not only in driving, but also in parking, to the elimination of parking lots for bicycles and scooters on the sidewalks, and to planning routes. To date, several special bus lanes have been built. Nevertheless, traffic jams remain a problem for the city. Buses run both on 200 city routes and over long distances. Therefore, the city has a South Bus Station, Railway Square and a Bus Station, from which regular buses and those in which there are berths depart. At the same time, there is no exact timetable, the departure is based on the occupancy of the vehicle. Alternatively, take a taxi or rent a bicycle to explore Kunming. Rental - 2 RMB / hour.

Along with several large Chinese cities, the China Education Expo is often held in Kunming, which provides a unique opportunity to obtain the latest information in this area and to attract foreign students to receive, including for study at universities in Kunming. Among them, such educational institutions as the Medical University, the College of Metallurgy, the University of Science and Technology, the University of the Arts, and the School of Business are especially popular. In addition, there are more than 300 research institutions in this city, many of which are famous in the world.

The successes of the health care of this city are also widely known. More than 70 percent of medical services here are provided by private clinics in Kunming. Visitors have more access to state medical institutions: the Provincial Hospital of the Red Cross, the People's Hospital and the Emergency Medical Center. If necessary, each of them will provide qualified assistance. The Physical Recovery Center and the HIV / AIDS Treatment Center are also well known among specialists.

Kunming is also famous for its original cuisine, which has absorbed the subtleties of the Sichuan, Shandong, Guangdong and Suzhou culinary schools, adding all kinds of seasonings to their variety. Foreigners are generally delighted with delicacies such as ilan jerky duck, zhubao chicken stew, fanhua turtle meat, and rose petal pumpkin. Rice strings "goqiao" and cakes of the imperial cook are also in demand. All this can be tasted in the famous restaurants "Tayli-goji", "Haitian", "Tsuihu-jianye". But it is equally interesting to head to the Kundu Night Bazaar with its snack street, bars and nightclubs. There is also Shanijie Street of Snacks, where delicacies are sold at very reasonable prices. You can even stumble upon such amazing food as guò qiáo mĭxiàn - a soup with rice noodles under the thinnest layer of oil that keeps food hot.

Considering that this city, located in the Yunnan province, was included in the "short list" of the List of cultural and historical monuments, of course, it is advisable to choose the sights of Kunming that should be visited first. This is not easy to do, since there are a lot of interesting places. For example, the Golden Palace on Mount Mingfengshan, built in 1602. There is a roof, doors, altar, statues of gods - everything is made of yellow bronze with a total weight of more than 200 tons. It is the largest bronze palace in China. An interesting bamboo temple with an art gallery. It is curious to look at the arches of the Golden Horse and the Green Rooster on Jinbi Street and once again smile at the ability of the Chinese to come up with names for everything, as well as visit, for example, the Green Lake Park with its many tea shops and the locals' favorite red-billed gulls or visit a mosque with a 400-year-old history and the Tang Dynasty pagoda, which delights with its unusual architecture. Those who wish to completely relax and forget about working days can go to the Stone Forest with its life-giving air and striking waterfalls. The water falling from a great height literally mesmerizes tourists who are ready to spend many hours in these places. But truly untouched nature and picturesque landscapes invite tourists to the ancient Burmese road, along which the Great Silk Road passed. It seems that there are no special attractions there, but the places are so beautiful that no one forgets to take a photo of Kunming, which will remind you of an unusual journey for a long time.

On such a trip, there is only one problem - how to do everything? After all, it would be nice to also visit the festivals and exhibitions-fairs of Kunming. There are, for example, the BigScreen Film Festival with screenings of Chinese and Italian films, Yunnan Mulicultural with documentary screenings and an anime festival that has long conquered the world. No less interesting is the regional China Kunming Import & Export Commodities Fair, which annually in June attracts thousands of foreign guests and where contracts for billions of dollars are signed. But even without the fair, Kunming pleases the soul of a real shopaholic. Shops in Kunming offer original local produce such as jianshui art and ceramics, hand-woven handkerchiefs, jade, marble and pewter items. If you need to buy something bigger than souvenirs, you can go to Kunming Department Store, which is located at the intersection of Dongfengsilu and Zhengilu Streets. Around the mass of shops of clothing, footwear and household appliances. And next to the river, so you can relax. History buffs can visit the ancient Muslim quarter of Shuncheng Jie, which sells beef jerky, coffee beans and the famous Puer and Tocha teas. By the way, there are good hotels in this area at reasonable prices.

A lot, because this is a tourist city. Prices, as elsewhere, depend on the location and the number of stars. You can stay at the 5-star Intercontinental Kunming at No. 5 Yijing Road, National Tourism Area Of Dianchi, Kunming, China, 65022. Wonderful lake view rooms, signature cuisine in the restaurant. Nearby attractions such as Yunnan Nationalities Village and Haigeng Park. Cost - from 1200 yuan. The 3-star Inmao Hotel at 59 Yongsheng Road Beijing Road South Section, Kunming looks more modest. Nonetheless, they have nice big rooms and the location is excellent - practically in the center of the city. You will have to pay 450 yuan per night. Well, and quite a budget option - of course, a hostel. Such as Cloudland International Youth Hostel at No.23 Zhuantang Road, Wuhua District, Kunming. Only 35-40 yuan per night in comfortable conditions with free Internet, billiards and tennis. There is a shower, the restaurant serves European and Chinese cuisine. The bus stop is very close, so you can easily go to get to know the city. The main thing is not to forget to take a Kunming card or install an off-line mobile application for your phone or tablet. In order not to look for the necessary information for a long time, before going to Kunming, it is worth writing down for relatives that the phone code of China is 86, the city of Kunming is 871. To call from Russia from a landline phone, you need to dial 8-10-86-871-the subscriber's number. From a cell phone: + 86-871-subscriber's number. As a rule, in such wonderful places, promises to call loved ones are forgotten, so let them have the opportunity to call themselves.

Kunming is considered one of the best resort cities in China. It attracts many tourists from all over the world and is visited by almost two million travelers annually. This figure is evidence that the city is truly interesting for its sights, amazingly beautiful landscapes and, no less important, very comfortable for those who want not only to see a lot of interesting things, but also to have a great rest.

A city in the center of Yunnan province, located at an altitude of about 2 thousand meters above sea level. Its history, customs and flourishing surroundings attract a huge number of tourists. In ancient times, the city lived on the profits brought by the caravans going to Southeast Asia, India and Tibet. Since 1908, Kunming has become a center of foreign trade, having acquired a port. The city is also rich in mineral resources such as phosphorus, salt, magnesium, titanium, coal, quartz sand, clay, copper oxide.

Kunming Changshui International Airport, which connects the city by air with cities in China and Southeast Asia. From here, domestic flights are carried out to most major cities in the country, as well as international ones. The city is connected with regular flights to Yangon, Bangkok, Kathmandu, Dhaka, Dubai, Singapore, Phnom Penh, Kolkata, Seoul, Osaka, Kuala Lumpur, Vientiane and Hanoi. Kunming is a major railway and road junction, connected by highways both with major cities in China and with neighboring countries of Southeast Asia. From the city, tourists can easily get to the picturesque regions of China, such as Dali, Lijiang or Shangrila.

Kunming City Museum

Located in the eastern part of Kunming city, it began operations in 1997. In the halls of the museum, you can see an exposition dedicated to dinosaurs, an exhibition of the heritage of Dzianchi, an exhibition of the historical and cultural heritage of the region. The city museum is a tourist center and a center for patriotic education in the province.

Yunnan Railway Museum

The city's Railway Museum is one of the three largest railway museums in China. The museum is located on the grounds of Kunming Railway Station. The museum presents the entire history of the development of the railway track. One of the most valuable exhibits is the Japanese steam locomotive KD55, developed in Kawasaki in 1897. You can also see the Michelin passenger locomotive from France.

Bamboo temple

In the northwest of Kunming, 12 kilometers from the city, there is a Buddhist temple. The temple was built during the Tang Dynasty, in the 7th century AD, during the Qing Dynasty era, the temple was restored. The modern architectural complex combines the heritage of the Ming and Qing styles. Five hundred varied figures of arhats, made between 1833 and 1890 by a provincial master, together with his four apprentices, are displayed on three levels of the Great Buddha Hall. There is a legend according to which all visitors to the temple must count arhats to a sculpture corresponding to the age of the visitor. The inscription near the sculpture will serve as a description of life.

Stone forest

National Park "Stone Forest" is located in the picturesque area of ​​Kunming. It is the only karst stone forest in the subtropical region. Here you can see a stone forest with waterfalls, lakes and karst caves. On the territory of the park, visitors will be able to get acquainted with the lifestyle of the ethnic group "sledges". The Geological Museum, located on the territory, will tell about the evolution of karst sediments and caves, about the history of the development of life on earth, and will demonstrate a huge collection of decorative stones.

Kunming from A to Z: map, hotels, attractions, restaurants, entertainment. Shopping, shops. Photos, videos and reviews about Kunming.

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The city of eternal spring is what the Chinese call Kunming, the capital of Yunnan province. The megalopolis received the honorary status due to the mild climate and the abundance of flowers that delight residents and guests of the city throughout the year. More than 2000 years of history and location on the Silk Road predetermined Kunming's status as one of the most important cities in southwest China and the main tourist center of the region. Travelers from all over the country come here to enjoy clean air (smog is a serious problem in the central and northern part of the country), to visit natural attractions (first of all, the Stone Forest) and have fun.

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How to get to Kunming

There are no direct flights to Kunming from Moscow, you need to get there via Shanghai, Tianjin and Beijing. From the first to Kunming it is 2.5 hours in the summer, from the second and third - more than 3 hours, flights are operated by China Eastern Airlines, Tianjin Airlines and Hainan Airlines.

Changshui Airport is located 25 km from the city center. There are excellent transport links between the air harbor and Kunming: shuttles run, metro line 6 has been laid (trains run every 15 minutes). By taxi, the road to downtown will cost 130 CNY, but keep in mind that there are often traffic jams at the entrance to the city. Prices on the page are for August 2018.

Search for flights to Wuhan (closest airport to Kunming)

Transport

The city is literally stitched with a network of bus routes (more than 100), the traffic on which ends at 22:00. Then you can take a taxi, a medium-distance trip will cost 30 CNY. There is also a subway in Kunming, consisting of three lines.

Citizens and guests actively use bike rentals: dozens of stations with bikes operate in the central part, and rent is inexpensive. Parking is mostly free, but you will have to pay for parking in a covered guarded parking lot.

Kunming Accommodation

The central part of the city has a ring structure; it is within the second ring that most of the hotels are located. The average cost of a standard double room in a five-star hotel is 800-1300 CNY per day. Many of the 3 * hotels are open along the Beijing Road running through Kunming from north to south. Price for a double room - 150-200 CNY (breakfast included). A bed in a youth hostel costs 40-50 CNY, an apartment for a day can be rented for 200 CNY.

Cuisine and restaurants

Kunming is the territory of Yunnan cuisine. Due to the high humidity and mild temperatures, fruits and vegetables are grown in the region all year round.

A notable local dish is guoqiao mixian, chicken broth with a layer of oil that prevents cooling. Thinly chopped “hearty” ingredients are first alternately dipped into a bowl of broth: bacon, chicken, pork liver or pieces of squid and carp. Then comes the turn of the vegetables, followed by the rice noodles.

Kunming is a land of wild mushrooms; stewed "jizong" is considered one of the most favorite dishes of the townspeople. This mushroom, which tastes like chicken, is harvested from the surrounding mountains, after which it is dried and crushed. Then the pork tenderloin and chili are chopped. Mushrooms, pork and peppers are dipped in protein batter and fried in oil. After that, the mouth-watering pieces are sprinkled with ginger and garlic and poured over with sesame oil.

Dinner in a simple cafe with good service will cost 150-200 CNY for two with alcohol. You can dine there in fast food restaurants (except for local ones, there are KFC and Pizza Hut) for 25-25 CNY per person.

Kunming landmarks

A feature of many Chinese cities is the almost complete absence of ancient architecture in megacities (monasteries do not count). Kunming is no exception, most of its attractions are associated with nature and are located closer to the outskirts or even outside the city.

Perhaps the main symbol of the region is located 100 km east of Kunming. This is a unique complex of karst formations - Stone Forest. The rocks here are so high, thin and graceful that they really very much resemble petrified trees. However, some "sculptures" look even more unusual, in them you can recognize the figures of humans, animals, plants.

250 million years ago there was a sea at this place, at the bottom of which limestone accumulated for centuries. Then the sea dried up, revealing as yet not so graceful boulders. The final touch was given by time and wind.

You can get to the Stone Forest by bus from the East Station (Zhaoqing Road) in 1.5 hours. Transport runs every 20 minutes in summer and 40 minutes in winter. Entrance to the territory of the Stone Forest - 175 CNY.

In the northeastern part of the city, at the top of Mingfeng Hill, is the Tongwa Temple, also known as the Golden Abode (Songyuan Road). A staircase leads to it, at the end of which there is a medieval wall. There is the Linging Gate in it, passing through them you get inside the temple. Entrance: 27 CNY, use buses No. 10, 47, 57, 69, 71, 76, 142, 146 and 147, Jindian stop.

Among the treasures of the sanctuary is a double-edged sword engraved with the constellation Ursa Major. Legend has it that this 20 kg sword belongs to Zhen Wu, a Taoist deity who guards Mingfeng Hill.

The best place to discover the history and traditions of the region is the Yunnan Provincial Museum (118 Wuyi Lu Street). Its funds contain more than 200 thousand items, the main part of the exhibits - bronze vessels, utensils from Buddhist monasteries, porcelain, paintings and calligraphy. The most valuable items of the museum are a bronze box from Mount Liya decorated with images of a tiger and a bull, a golden statue from the medieval kingdom of Dali, a crown with precious stones from the Ming dynasty (14th century) and a painting "Journey to Mount Xishan" by the famous 11th century artist Guo Xi.

Kunming (Kunming, "City of Eternal Spring") is the administrative center of the southern province of Yunnan.



Yunnan is home to 25 different peoples. Each of these peoples has a wonderful, different culture. And Kunming is famous for this cultural diversity. The ancient Burmese road snakes through the mountains near Kunming, along which the southern Great Silk Road stretched for one and a half thousand years through Yunnan and Burma to India.
Ancient natural and architectural monuments, preserved national customs and mores, lush vegetation and a unique mild climate attract tourists from all over the world to Kunming.
Keeping its unique ancient culture, Kunming does not stand still in its development. Today it is a modern city with impressive skyscrapers, cultural, political, economic and transportation center of the entire Yunnan province.

In this city we can offer the following services:

  • visa application;
  • booking ground services (hotel, transfer);
  • excursion service;
  • booking air and railway transfers;
  • registration of medical insurance;
  • services of a guide-translator.

sights

One of the famous natural attractions of China, located 80 kilometers from Kunming and is an impressive complex of pointed limestone peaks 5-30 m high, resembling a forest from afar. Millions of years ago, this area was the bottom of the ocean, which eventually went away, and the picturesque rocks formed from the bottom under the influence of wind and rain about 270-300 million years ago. Listed in the UNESCO World Heritage List.


A popular expression among the locals is "You have not been to Kunming if you have not seen the Western Hills; You have not been to the Western Hills if you have not seen the Dragon Gate." Here is the Huatin Temple - one of the largest Buddhist temples in the province, Taihua Temple - the oldest temple built during the reign of the Yuan Dynasty, the Dragon Gate - an elegant stone carved structure standing on a cliff.


Situated right at the foot of the Western Hills and is crescent-shaped. Lake Dianchi has a long history; it is named after the ancient Dian tribe who once lived in these places. Surrounded by the surrounding mountains under the blue sky, the lake looks like a sparkling pearl. There are many different cultural and natural attractions in the surrounding area (Yunnan Ethnic Village, Western Hills and Daguan Park).


This is a theme park that features colorful culture and distinctive architecture of 25 ethnic groups in Yunnan province. Various shows and performances are held here, a folk art museum and a wax museum are open. Copies of the traditional buildings of each of the peoples living in Yunnan are presented as architectural objects.


On the territory of the park there is a three-story pavilion, built in 1890, which offers magnificent views of Lake Dianchi and the Western Hills. The park also has a stone garden, arched bridges, alleys and paths.


The pond got its name from a legend that tells that in ancient times a black dragon lived in this pond. The main buildings in the park by the Black Dragon Pond are the Longquan Temple and the Black Dragon Palace. The Longquan Temple is the largest building in the park, built next to a pond during the Han Dynasty (206 BC – 220). The Black Dragon Palace is located on the shore of the pond, was built about 700 years ago, during the reign of the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644).


Weather in Kunming

Kunming is located in subtropical latitudes, on a mountain plateau, thanks to which the winter is short and warm, the usual daytime temperature is + 15 *, spring, summer and autumn do not differ much, the usual daytime temperature is + 20-22 *, in summer + 23-25 ​​*. It rarely rains.

How to get there

Airplane

Kunming is one of the five major international airports in China. The city is connected by 11 international airlines with Bangkok, Chiengmai, Singapore, Colombo, Georgetown, Osaka, Seoul, Hanoi, Saigon, Vientiane and Rangoon; over 50 airlines with other provinces and 9 airlines within the province. The airport receives and departs more than 400 flights weekly.

Kunming Airport is located 3.9 kilometers from the city center. it occupies 3.05 million square meters. m, can receive and send large airliners Boeing-747 and A 310. The waiting building has 17 thousand square meters. m, during rush hours it can accommodate 1,200 passengers every hour.

A train

Kunming is the central railway junction of Yunnan province, 4 railways intersect in the city: in the east, the Guizhou-Kunming railway docks with the south-central and east railway networks, in the north, the Chengdu-Kunming railway docks with the Northwest railways; in the south, the Nanning-Kunming highway through Guangxi directly goes to the sea; the Kunming-Hanoi or Yunnan-Vietnam railway is the only narrow-gauge railway in China (the width between the rails is 1 m), built in April 1910, it is the first railway in the western region of China, its length is 464 km.

Urban transport

There are 112 public transport lines in Kunming, all buses operate without conductors, a ticket costs 1 yuan, only on some special lines a ticket costs 2 yuan.

Taxi

More than 6,000 taxis navigate the city streets. Therefore, taxis are often the most convenient way to get around Kunming.

In Kunming, all taxis are equipped with meters. Starting price of a taxi: regular brand ("syali") 7 yuan (3 km), after 3 km the cost of each km is 1.6 yuan: the cost of one km (after the original 3 km) is a taxi of the highest class (santana, zeda, "Hongqi" and "fukang") 1.8 yuan. Night taxis operating from 10 pm to 7 am are 20% more expensive.

To rent a car

You can rent a car in Kunming. Price: RMB 120-300 per day. The best.

A bike

Bicycles can be rented from hotels at a cost of RMB 20 per day.

Short video overview

Kunming is a city with a long history, located on the shores of the picturesque Lake Dianchi and famous throughout China for its magnificent climate, which gave it the name "City of Eternal Spring". Already in ancient times, Kunming was an important economic and cultural center. The famous traveler Marco Polo in his records called it "a city of trade, crafts and arts, inhabited by a mixture of pagans, Christians and Muslims." Unique architectural monuments have been preserved here, which are a majestic and beautiful sight.
Kunming is a city in southwestern China, the administrative center of Yunnan province. It is located at an altitude of 2 thousand meters on the shores of Lake Dianchi and is a developed industrial city with a population of three and a half million people, which mainly consists of ethnic Chinese (Han). The total area of ​​Kunming is 21.473 sq. km. The city district is divided into 5 districts, 1 city county, 5 counties and 3 autonomous counties.
The climate in Kunming is mountainous subtropical, with short, cool and dry winters and long, warm and humid summers. In the summer months it is never too hot here - the air temperature only occasionally reaches +30 C. In winter, it is quite warm here, snow practically never falls, and the average temperature fluctuates around +15 C. The rainy season in Kunming continues from May to October.

What to see

Many ancient sights have been preserved in the city and its surroundings. The buildings of the Tang Dynasty era (618-907 AD) - the Eastern and Western pagodas (Dunsyta and Sisyta) are especially famous in the framework of international tourism; one of the largest Buddhist complexes in Southeast Asia - the Yantong Temple; Qingzhengusi Mosque; Golden Horse and Green Rooster Arches, Zhenqing Square. The Yunnan ethnic villages in the Juxiang and Dianchi regions are very popular with tourists; Silin Park; the snowy peaks of the Yulongwan and Luquan Jiaozi mountain ranges, where such sights of the region as Jinsi ("Golden Temple"), a panorama park, Liuhu ("Green Lake"), Zhui ("Bamboo Temple"), and Tanghua Temple are located.

  • East and West pagodas... The East (Dongsi Ta) and West (Xisi Ta) pagodas are located in the southwest of Kunming. The East Pagoda was destroyed by an earthquake, but rebuilt in the 19th century. The western pagoda is much more interesting. It is located on the bustling Dongsi Jie Market Street. Elderly people like to sit around her, drink tea, play cards, talk. It is very interesting to spend an hour drinking tea here, looking at the action taking place around.
  • Yuantong Temple. Yantong Temple(Yuantong) is the largest Buddhist complex in the city. The temple is over a thousand years old. It was built at the end of the 8th century / and was originally called Butolo. But during the wars in the XII century. it suffered greatly, and in 1301 a new one, Yuantong, was erected on the site of the former temple. The architecture of the temple is grandiose. Near the entrance there is a huge arch, climbing which, you can take a bird's eye view of the entire temple complex. A wide path leads from the arch to a square pond in the central courtyard. The pond is crossed by bridges, and an octagonal pavilion is built in the middle. A gallery is built along the shore of the pond, through which you can get to the main building of the temple - the Yuantong Hall. The huge statue of Sansha Buddha and two dragons entwining the columns are simply amazing. Behind the hall are two ancient caves - Yougu and Chaoin. They say that a monster once lived in the caves, which killed the locals. To tame the monster, the monk built a platform for sacrifice in front of the caves.
  • Arch of the Golden Horse and the Green Rooster are located on Jinbi Street. They are 19.5 m high and 14.7 m wide. The most famous landscapes of Kunming are carved on the arches. In the center of the upper crossbar of the arches, the hieroglyphs "Jinma" (Golden Horse) and "Biji" (Green Rooster) are depicted. For five centuries, these arches have witnessed the rise and fall of Kunming. During the Cultural Revolution, they were destroyed, and only restored in 1999. The arches were built with mathematical calculations and knowledge of astronomy. Before they were destroyed in the 1960s, locals gathered around the arches in the afternoon on Mid-Autumn Festival in anticipation of a miracle. Between 5 and 7 pm on the day of the autumnal equinox, when the sun was setting in the west and the moon was rising in the east, the shadows from the two arches met. Locals called this phenomenon "jinbijiaohui" - "the combination of the light of the sun and the moon." But this happened only once every 60 years. However, the historical records do not indicate the exact dates when this phenomenon occurred, so it is not known when it could happen again. But people are still waiting.
  • Zhenqing Square. Construction of Zhenqing Square, a new tourist attraction, began in 2001 and was completed in February 2003. This is the most ambitious project in the preservation of historical relics in Kunming. In the center of the square stands a huge building, the Zhenwu Temple. It was built during the Yuan Dynasty to worship Emperor Zhenwu, a Taoist saint. From the Ming era, it became known as the Zhenqing Taoist temple. In the early Ming Dynasty, the traditional Chinese religion, Taoism, became extremely popular. In 1431 the temple was renovated, and in 1441 it was expanded. In addition, during the Qing dynasty, two more temples were erected near Zhenqing - Dulei and Yanling. In the temple of Dulei, sacrifices were made to the gods of lightning and fire. Yanling Temple was built by a wealthy salt merchant to worship his ancestors. Zhenwu Temple is the largest ancient architectural complex in the city. It combines the architectural features of the two dynasties - Ming and Qing. It is interesting that the architecture of the temples has absorbed traditional local features. The financial, administrative and commercial parts of the city are located around the square. It is planned to hold exhibitions dedicated to the culture and history of the province on the square. In addition, it is to become an exhibition center for Yunnan handicraft arts. For cultural exchange, the ancient stage between the buildings will host Yunnan opera performances, folk songs and dances.
  • Dianchi lake area(Dian Chi), located in the southwestern part of the city, is teeming with ethnic fishing villages and farms. At the northernmost tip of the lake, 3 km south of the center of Kunming, there is a Daguan park with pavilions, a playground, and a boat station. The pagoda in the park offers beautiful views of the lake.
  • World Garden Art Fair is located in the northern outskirts of Kunming, six kilometers from the city center. From May 1 to October 31, 1999, the Chinese government held the World Garden Art Fair "Man and Nature - Entering the 21st Century" —99 with great success in Kunming. The fair brought together the best works of garden art from all provinces and cities of central subordination of China, Xianggang, Macao and Taiwan and many countries of the world. All works of garden art are arranged according to the main theme "Man and Nature", there are mountains, individual landscapes, gazebos, terraces, pavilions, towers, dams, islands and bridges.
  • Yunnan National Village... It is located in the lakeside Sea Ridge, with a forest park divided by water. The village was founded in February 1992. It unites 26 national villages. Currently, villages of 13 nationalities have already been built - Dai, Bai, and, Nasi, Wa, Bulan, Lagu, Jino, Hani, Tibetans, Jingbo, Deyang and Zhuang, National Rallying Square, a concert hall of national songs and dances, a water landscape park, laser background hall, Dianchi stage and other infrastructure.
  • Golden palace... Located in the northeastern outskirts of Kunming on Mingfeng Shan Mountain, eight kilometers from the city. It was built in the thirtieth year of the reign of the Ming emperor Wanli (1602), beams, arches, doors, windows, roof, altar, statues of gods and signs in it are cast in yellow bronze, their total weight is more than 200 tons. The construction of the palace is strict and merges into one harmony. It is currently the largest ancient bronze palace in China.
  • Stone forest... The most unique and inimitable attraction is the Shilin National Park - Stone Forest, located 120 km southeast of Kunming. Kunming excursions to Shilin are an integral part of the tour, all tourists strive to get to this park. The park is open 24/7. The stone forest covers an area of ​​350 sq. km and rises at an altitude of 1760 m above sea level. Stone peaks of the most varied and bizarre shapes are interspersed with caves, waterfalls and lakes. Here you can see pointed, columnar and mushroom-shaped rocks, groups of rocks in the form of pagodas. And also stone animals, plants and people are often found. The delightful, unusual and rugged landscape of the park creates countless weaving of labyrinths. It is best to come on an excursion to the Stone Forest closer to sunset, then bizarre shadows appear at the rocks. At the entrance to the park, you can buy a variety of souvenirs - products of the Sani tribe of the I nation: embroidery, bags, wallets, national shoes. Here it is worth taking a walk to the Dade waterfall, which falls down from a height of 88 meters, and to numerous lakes (Lake Dlinnoye, Lake Lunnoye and Lake Magic). The beauty of these places is quite difficult to describe, you just need to see everything with your own eyes.

What to buy

In Kunming, you can buy products of Yunnan production: art and ceramics "jianshui", homespun handkerchiefs, batik, jade products from Tengchong, pewter art "geju", Dai brocade, marble products, etc. Tea lovers and connoisseurs should definitely take this opportunity to purchase the famous Puer and Tocha varieties. Also in Kunming there is a large flower market on Shangijie Street. Both fresh and dried flowers of amazing beauty are sold here. The Jiamen Flower Market, flower and bird markets on the street are also worth a visit. Jingxingjie and Bailunlu.
Major shopping centers and supermarkets:

  • Supermarket "Volma"
  • Supermarket "Honglian"
  • Shopping and cultural center "south-west"
  • Jinma Biji Shopping Center

Where to eat

Kunming offers a good selection of food, especially street food, which is cheap and tasty. Local specialties include herbal pot stew (qiguoji), Yunnan ham (xuanwei huotui), bridge noodles (guoqiao mixian), goat cheese (rubing), and numerous Muslim dishes. kitchens. Gourmets with a lot of money can feast on Jizhong mushrooms, 30 types of cold lamb, fried grasshoppers or elephant trunk in soy sauce.
Restaurants:

  • Shiyan. Address: Kunming, st. Dongfengdonglu. Tel .: 0871-3167913
  • Laochzhiqing. Address: Kunming, st. Cuihunanlu. Tel .: 0871-5140453
  • Lahu. Address: Kunming, st. Dianchil. Tel .: 0871-4311318
  • Banna. Address: Kunming, st. Daguanlu. Tel .: 0871-5332235
  • Jingpozhenjia. Address: Kunming, Xinying Microdistrict, st. Xinxing. Tel .: 0871-5611450
  • "Jiuqi". Address: Kunming, st. Baitalu-yanchangxian. Tel .: 0871-3123690