The best time to visit Kunming is between March and October. Although travel to Kunming is possible throughout the year, the best time is during these eight months when the scenery is at its best. Most of festivals of the minority ethnic groups in Yunnan occur during this time and there is abundance of fruit and flowers, making the visit to Kunming more interesting.
In March at the beginning of spring, you can enjoy the scenic view of the snowy mountains. Known as the “Spring City”, Kunming has a temperate high altitude climate with monsoon winds and long periods of sunshine. Kunming enjoys spring-like weather with mild temperature all year round. The average annual temperature is 15°C with the highest temperature between 19°C to 22°C and the lowest temperature between 6° to 8°C.
By air
Kunming Wujiaba International Airport operate international routes to Osaka, Yangon, Seoul, Bangkok, Singapore, Calcutta, Dhaka and other cities. It also has routes to Hong Kong, Macau and Taipei, 140 domestic routes to large and medium sized cities in China and 10 routes to cities within Yunnan Province.
By rail
Kunming is an important part of the Yunnan railway network. The four railways Guizhou-Kunming, Chengdu-Kunming, Nanning-Kunming and Kunming-Hekou go via Kunming to cities around China and beyond the border to Hanoi in Vietnam.
By road
It is convenient to travel from Kunming to other cities in the Yunnan Province and around China as well as to countries including Vietnam and Myanmar. Expressways in this area rank among the top in the western provinces.
Kunming Wujiaba International Airport is located south of Kunming city, five kilometers from the city centre and three kilometers from Kunming railway station. There are one-man operated buses such as Line 52, 67, 78, 103 from the airport to downtown with ticket fare of RMB 1. Line 52 travels to the city centre while Line 103 travels to the suburban areas. I It is very convenient to take a taxi, costing RMB 15 to 20 and taking 20 minutes, from the airport to downtown. However, there is an airport parking surcharge of RM 2 when a taxi is flagged.
Located on a plateau, Kunming has very intense ultraviolet radiation and a significant day-night variable temperature. Thus, it is strongly recommended that visitors bring along sunblock and a warm, wind-proof coat. Visitors should pack warmer clothes especially in autumn and winter.
Kunming is known for its long history and rich culture. It has a large number of historical sites, beautiful scenery and tourist attractions. It is a meeting place of talent and celebrities and a city of abundant resources with excellent external relations. Kunming has been an important city since Zhuang, a general from Chu, one of the Warring States, came to Dian (Yunnan). It has gone through many dynasties including Han, Tang, Song, Yuan, Ming and Qing until the feudal system was overthrown by the 1911 Revolution. The history of over 2,300 years has left Kunming with a tremendous amount of historical relics.
Kunming has many scenic spots. It is like spring all year round. It has mountains, rivers, forests, resorts, Buddhist and Taoist temples, natural wonders and ethnic minority villages. The natural and human landscapes seem to come together as one, yet it is distinctive with its ethnic features.
Kunming is a beautiful and romantic l city. It is said to have weather like in February and March, and flowers bloom all year round. The sky is always blue, the clouds are colored at dusk, the city is covered in green grass and flowers and everywhere there is fresh air and sunshine. The Stone Forest tells of the beautiful story of Ashima; the spectacular Dianchi Lake at Daguanlou Pavilion; quaint ethnic minority villages, Longmen in Xishan, Camellias at the Golden Temple and the black-headed galls at Cuihu. It is no wonder that they are Kunming’s most beautiful and scenic attractions.
- The World Horticultural Expo Garden: it was the main site of Kunming International Horticultural Exposition held in 1999. It is a world-class horticultural garden with Chinese features and the local features of Yunnan.
- The Stone Forest: it is located in the Stone Forest Yi Autonomous County, over 70 kilometres from Kunming city. It is a comprehensive tourist zone with natural scenery, ethnic flavor, resort facilities and scientific study tours of the Karst landform. It is also called the World’s Essence of Karst.
- Cuihu Park: located at the foot of Luofeng Mountain, north of Kunming city, it is one of the most beautiful parks in Kunming. It is well known as Cui Di Chun Xiao (Green river banks on a spring morning). It is also referred to as Kunming’s green diamond.
- Yunnan Nationalities Village: located nine kilometers south of Kunming city centre, next to Dianchi Lake and faces Xishan Forest Park, Daguanlou Pavilion Zhenhe Park and other scenic spots across the lake. It is spring all year round with beautiful and scenic views of the lake and mountains. A perfect integration of the spectacular natural landscapes and its rich ethnic features makes it the best platform to display the cultures and customs of nationalities in Yunnan.
- Daguanlou Pavilion: located in the Daguan Park near Dianchi Lake, two kilometers southwest of Kunming city centre, faces Xishan Forest Park across the water. The beautiful scenery showcases the essence of Chinese horticulture with flowers blooming, trees in the park, man-m.