Kunming travel guide

Stone Forest

The Stone Forest of Shilin, about two hours' drive from Kunming, is a breathtaking and eerie landscape which is a must-see for tourists in the area. It is called a forest because the limestone pillars and stalagmites poking out of the green hillsides look like petrified trees. The rock formations are believed to be over 270 million years old and were formed by the slow erosion of the limestone over time. The Shilin National Scenic Area includes seven areas: the Greater and Lesser Stone Forests (also called Lizijing Stone Forest), Naigu Stone Forest, Zhiyun Cave, Lake Chang, Lake Yue, Dadie Waterfall and Qifeng Cave. The Naigu Stone Forest and Suogeyi Village, also within the scenic area, are both UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

It is a distinctive, and highly unusual landscape and is definitely worth seeing, but can be crowded with tourists at peak times (over three million people visit every year). Visitors can avoid the masses by going in the morning or early evening, and avoiding weekends and Chinese public holidays. Another good reason for getting there early is that very few of the hundreds of guides speak English. Visitors are advised to wear sensible walking shoes and pack for the weather: the stone forests are actually quite wonderful in rainy weather if in possession of an umbrella or waterproof clothing.

Jiuxiang Scenic Area

The Jiuxiang Scenic Area near Kunming is only 7.7 square miles (20km sq) but packs a big punch in terms of important sights with five very popular tourist attractions: Diehong Bridge, Alu Long, Dasha Dam, Mingyue Lake and Sanjiao Cave. Diehong Bridge, Dasha Dam and Sanjiao Cave all have picturesque 'stone forests' with China's distinctive karst limestone formations, while Diehong Bridge also has twin waterfalls with a large natural stone dam cluster, and Dasha Dam has lush green forest.

Jiuxiang is the home of the aboriginal Yi people, and Alu Long is home to the excavated Yi cliff paintings of the Qin (221 BC - 206 BC) and Han (206 BC - 220 AD) dynasties. Yi customs and culture are still evident today in the many legends and folk stories. These stories come to life in the magical subterranean world of the Jiuxiang area, which includes more than a hundred caves, featuring natural underground waterfalls, bridges, valleys and rivers. Jiuxiang Scenic Area is located 55.9 miles (90km) from Kunming, and makes an excellent day trip. Visitors should bring warm clothes, as the interior of the caves can be quite cool. It is also recommended that travellers bring water and comfortable shoes, because all the climbing and walking (and paddling if seeing the caves by boat) can be tiring.

Yuantong Temple

Unsurprisingly, the ancient Yuantong Temple in Yunnan Province, with its unique setting and architecture, is easily one of the most popular tourist attractions in Kunming. The temple is situated in a natural depression at the foot of Yuantong hill, in northern Kunming, and was built in the late 8th century. Today it showcases an interesting mixture of architectural styles, mainly from the Yuan and Ming Dynasties. It is an active temple, where visitors can hear chanting and classes being conducted as they explore; monks and pilgrims can be seen going about their daily business in the complex, which makes the experience truly authentic and allows some insight into the functioning of a Buddhist temple in the 21st century.

For a remarkable panoramic view of the temple complex, travellers can climb Yuantong Hill by taking one of the stone staircases carved into the mountain on either side of the main hall. These stairways boast the most ancient inscriptions in Kunming, carved into the stone wall and still readable after centuries of exposure to the weather. There are also some impressive statues and carvings within the temple, including two ferocious dragons carved into pillars dating from the Ming Dynasty.

Green Lake, a lovely scenic area, is a ten minute walk from the temple and there is a popular vegetarian restaurant just outside the complex.