The Bamboo Temple (Qiongzhu Si) is one of Kunming’s most famous temples.  Originally built during the Tang Dynasty, the Bamboo Temple was rebuilt in the 15th century, and restored in the late 19th century by Li Guangxiu, a master sculptor from Sichuan.   Li Guangxiu and his apprentices were commissioned to build 500 luohan, life-size clay statues of famous monks and "saints" of Chinese Buddhism.  The statues are known for their stunning realism and surrealism.  The hall housing most of these statues is closed to visitors, but if the temple is not crowded you might get lucky enough to sneak a peak.

How to get there:  The Bamboo Temple is located on Yu’an Mountain, approximately 12 km northwest of Kunming.  Minibuses departing from the train station cost 3 RMB but are not on fixed schedules.  A taxi from downtown will cost 30 - 40 RMB.

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Photos taken by Rick Shatz

With a history of more than 1200 years, Yuantong Temple (Yuantong Si) is one of Kunming’s most active Buddhist temples. Many people gather here to participate in Buddhist ceremonies on the 1st and 15th of each lunar month, as it is one of the most important Buddhist sites in the Kunming area. At least part of the historical importance of the temple stems from briefly housing a tooth of the Buddha in 1956.

Yuantong Temple displays typical Chinese Buddhist architecture, but contrary to most Chinese Buddhist temples the halls are visited in order on a downward slope.

There are vegetarian restaurants both on the premises and across the street.

How to get there:  Yuantong Temple is located on Yuantong Jie near the Kunming Zoo.  Bus 101 can take you to the temple from the train station.  Otherwise, take a taxi for around 10 RMB.

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Take bus 4 or 59 to get there.

Golden Temple Park (Jindian gongyuan) includes two of Kunming’s most notable temples. Taihe Temple is Yunnan’s most active and important Taoist temple. The Golden Temple, from the Ming Dynasty, also Taoist is made almost entirely of bronze, weighing 280 tons, and is the heaviest and best preserved of China’s four largest bronze temples.

How to get there:  Golden Temple Park is located on Phoenix Song Mountain, 8 km northeast of Kunming, near the World Horticultural Exposition Gardens.  A 15 RMB cable car will take you to the Golden Temple from the Expo Gardens.  Bus 10 will take you there from Yuantong Temple.  A taxi from the center of town will cost 20 - 30 RMB.

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Kunming is not world famous for its zoo.  The zoo is probably what one would consider a "standard Chinese zoo" and comes outfitted with all of the required amenities, including lots of steel bars, cages, and of course, concrete.   There are a few nice parts of the zoo, especially the undeveloped area, and it might make a nice sunny afternoon if you can handle the borderline animal cruelty.  If parents with younger children are running out of ideas, a family might also enjoy the zoo.  Be advised though, it is rumored that a Chinese child was mauled to death by a tiger from one of the shows at the zoo last year.  The author is not aware of the current status, but as of recently people were welcome to take photographs with some of the big cats (for a fee of course) at the zoo with little safety precautions taken.

How to get there:  The Kunming City Zoo is between Yuantong Dong Lu and Yuantong Jie near Yuantong Temple, not too far from Yunnan University.  Tell a taxi driver "Kunming Dongwu Yuan."

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Green Lake Park (Cuihu gongyuan) is downtown Kunming’s nicest (and only) park.   Compared to lakes in other cities, like Xi Hu in Hangzhou, Green Lake Park is not all that special.  However, it is a nice place to take a sunny afternoon stroll and is conveniently located between Yunnan University and the Bird and Flower Market. 

The entrance fee to the islands in the park is 2 RMB.  It is probably worth the entrance fee, but there is nothing inside that is so wonderful - mostly old people playing majiang and hanging out.  If desired, one could rent a paddle boat to take out on the lake. 

Green Lake is pleasant all year round, but the best time to visit is during the winter when red-beaked gulls from Siberia migrate south and make their home in Cuihu and Dian Chi for the coldest months of the year (Dec - Feb).  During that time it tends to get a bit chilly in Kunming, but the temperature rarely drops much below freezing (0 degrees C / 32 F).  The road bordering the park is lined with restaurants, cafes, tea houses, hotels, and bars.

How to get there:  Green Lake Park is located in Downtown Kunming near Yunnan University.  There are many buses that will get you there, including the number 1, 101, and 133.  On the number 1 bus, get off at the Yunnan University stop and walk south.  The 133 circumnavigates the park, stopping in 3 places around Green Lake.   Take bus 101 from the train station, which will also circumnavigate the park. From Yunnan University walk south - Green Lake is located between Dong Feng Xi Lu and Hua Shan Xi lu, Wenlin Jie and Renmin Zhong Lu.  If you take a taxi, tell the driver "Cuihu gongyuan."

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The Stone Forest lies in the hinterland of the Middle Yunnan Plateau, 103°11″—103°29″  east longitude and 24°40″—24°56″ north latitude. Located in Shilin Yi Autonomous County, it’s over 70 kilometers away from Kunming. The climate belongs to the subtropical low latitude monsoon climate, with an average temperature of 16℃. It’s a large-scale comprehensive tourism area incorporating natural scenery, national customs, leisure and holiday, and scientific research.
 
As the essence of the world’s karst, the Stone Forest is well-known for “grandness, rarity, danger, elegance, quietness and vastness”. It is dubbed as “the first wonder of the world” and “a natural museum of physiognomy” and enjoys a good reputation in geology circles for its remote history, wide variety, and large scale. It took shape 270 million years ago, experienced long geological evolution and complex geographical change and became the precious geological relic it is today. It includes numerous physiognomy types of the world such as the stone forest of Malaysia, America and Africa. It seems that the stone forests of all the world assemble here. With well-structured stone teeth, peak clusters, water-eroded caves, karst lakes, waterfalls and underground rivers, it’s a typical plateau karst ecological system and a solid panoramic picture.
 
Covering an area of 1100 square kilometers and having a protection area of 350 square kilometer, there are all kinds of unique natural sceneries. According to the lay-out and features of the scenery, the scenic area is divided into eight sub areas: the Stone Forest Scenic Area, Heisongyan (Naigu) Stone Forest, Zhiyundong Cave, Changhu Lake, Feilong Waterfall (Dadieshui) Scenic Area, Kuishan National Forest Park, Yuehu Lake, and Qifengdong Cave. Among these, the Stone Forest Scenic Area (the key scenic area), Heisongyan Scenic Area, Feilong Waterfall Scenic Area and Changhu Lake Scenic Area have been developed and opened to tourists. In the Stone Forest Scenic Area, the key area, over 100 scenic spots familiar to tourists such as “Shilinshengjing (the highlight of the Stone Forest)”, “Qianjunyifa (in a most dangerous condition)”, “Phoenix Combing Wings” and Ashima are all here. Entering the scenic area is like entering the tunnel of time. You can feel the great works of Nature. Traveling in the maze below the sea, you can see barranca and stone peaks, just like a lively and grand natural painting.
 
In addition, there are many peripheral sights and potential scenic areas to be developed gradually for the people.
 
The charm of the Stone Forest lies not only in the natural sights but also in the customs of the Sani people of Shilin County, for it is “the hometown of Ashima”. In the endless stone peaks and red earth of Shilin, there are also precious national and historical culture resources. Sani People, a branch of Yi, have lived here for over 2000 years and are famous for their diligence, bravery and warmth. Yi culture typical of Ashima has rich connotations and great influence. What Ashima represents is not only the image of Shilin, but also that of Yunnan tourism. In Ashima culture, the most influential are “one poem”, “one film”, “one song” and “one festival”. The ancient narrative poem Ashima written in Yi characters has been translated into over 20 languages; adapted from this poem is China’s first stereo film Ashima which enjoys a great reputation in the world; the Sani song Please Stay here, You Guest from afar is famous in the world; and the Torch Festival of Yi, which falls on the 24^th of the 6^th month of the lunar year and incorporates wrestling and bullfighting, is dubbed as the “Oriental Carnival”.
 

The Stone Forest Scenic Area has the following titles approved by relevant international and national departments 
▲China Key Scenic Area (State Council, 1982)
▲Demonstration Site of Chinese Civilized Scenic Areas (Central Office of Civilization, the Ministry of Construction and National Tourism Administration, 1999)
▲State AAAAA Scenic Area (National Tourism Administration, 2006)
▲Chinese Geological Park (the Ministry of Land Resources, 2001)
▲Demonstration Unit of Chinese Protection of the Legal Rights and Interests of Tourism Consumers (Consumer Protection Fund of China, Scenic Area Association of China, 2001)
▲Quality Management System Authentication ISO 9001:2000, Environment Management System Authentication ISO14001：1996, Professional Health and Safety Management System Authentication GB/T28001：2001
▲Famous Tourism Brand of China (China Tourism Newspaper)
▲World Geological Park (UNESCO, 2004)
▲World Heritage (UNESCO, 2007)

The World Horticultural Expo Garden (Shiboyuan) is a 218-hectare international botanical garden complex left over from the World Horticultural Exposition in 1999.  While some of the exhibits are a bit outdated, and the land would be better used if converted into a park, the Expo Gardens are educational and provide a pleasant place to spend a sunny afternoon.  The entrance fee is 100 RMB  for adults, 50 RMB for students.  Plant and garden enthusiasts would most certainly enjoy a trip to the Expo Gardens.

There is a cable car in the gardens that will take you to Golden Temple for 15 RMB.

Near the north entrance inside the gardens is a golf driving range that includes one of the best Thai restaurants in China, Moonlight Corner Thai Cuisine.  You can avoid the entrance fee if you are coming to the Expo Gardens just for the Thai food (but this does not grant you access to the garden exhibits). The restaurant and driving range stay open in the evening, after the gardens close

How to get there:  The World Horticultural Expo Garden is located in northeast Kunming near the Golden Temple.  To get there, take bus number 10, 47, 68, 69, or 72 from various parts of the city.  A taxi from the downtown Kunming should cost 20 - 30 RMB.

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