Things to do in KUNMING!!!!

After introduction Kunming Cuisine, I would now introduce some MUST-GO places in Yunnan and Kunming

1. The Yunnan Nationalities Village

The Yunnan Nationalities Village is located on the northeastern shore of Dianchi Lake 6 kilometers south of Kunming, and on the west by the Western Mountains Forest Reserve. This is a theme park that display a architecture and ways of life of Yunnan's minority population. 52 out of 56 minorities live in Yunnan. Each nationality has its particularities in terms of language, religion, and in the ways of conducting themselves in relation to others. Each of the 26 ethnic peoples of Yunnan will have a village built on the premises, and there will also be a square symbolizing unity among various ethnic groups, a theatre for the performance of ethnic songs and dances, a folklore museum of ethnic waxworks. The "villagers" are all chosen from the youth of the relevant nationalities to act as guides and performers for tourists. The three major villages represent the Dai, the Bai and the Yi nationalities. It is a good place to show visitors to Yunnan the cultural traditions of the ethnic groups in the province.

2. ShiLin

Shilin (石林) is a notable set of karst formations in Shilin Yi Autonomous County, in theYunnan province of southwest China. The tall rocks seem to emanate from the ground in the manner of stalagmites, with many looking like trees made of stone, creating the illusion of a forest made of stone.

Shilin National Park covers an area of 350 square km and is divided into seven scenic areas with names like Greater & Lesser Stone Forests, Naigu Stone Forest, Zhiyun Cave, Qifeng Cave, Lake Changhu (literally "Long Lake"), Lake Yuehu (literally "Moon Lake") and the waterfalls of "Da Dieshui". The formations are believed to be over 270 million years old. They are a tourist attraction for both foreign and domestic tourists, with bus tours taking tourists there from Kunming. There are also hotels in the area.

3. Black Dragon Pool

The Black Dragon Pool (黑龙潭) is a famous pond in the scenic Jade Spring Park located at the foot of Elephant Hill, a short walk north of the Old Town of Lijiang in Yunnan province, China. It was built in 1737 during the Qing Dynasty and offers a spectacular view on the region's tallest mountain, Jade Dragon Snow Mountain, over its white marble bridge. The park features several smaller temples and pavilions:

▪   The Moon-Embracing Pavilion (得月楼), which was originally built in the late Ming Dynasty. The current structure is a reproduction from 1963 after a fire in 1950.

▪   The Dragon God Temple (龙神庙) was constructed by local Naxi people in 1737 and is located to the east of the park. It was given the name Dragon God of Jade Spring by Emperor Qianlong of the Qing Dynasty in the same year.

4. JiuXiang

Jiuxiang (Nine Villages) Scenic Region is located in Jiuxiang Yi and Hui Autonomous Township of Yiliang County 90 km away from central Kunming.

It is famous for its caves, mountains, rivers, deep valleys, minority customs and cultures.

Jiuxiang Scenic Region consists of 5 major scenic spots:

▪   Diehong Bridge

▪   Sanjiao Cave

▪   Dasha Dam

▪   Alulong

▪   Mingyue Lake.

Diehong Bridge itself includes six major scenic spots: the Green Shady Valley, the White Elephant Cave, the Goddess Cave, the Lying Dragon Cave, the Bat Cave and the Tourist Cableway.