Known by many as the 'City of Eternal Spring', Kunming is the capital of Yunnan Province and a city that enjoys year-round temperate weather making it a popular tourist destination with domestic and international visitors alike. Kunming has a population of about five million permanent residents and offers an eclectic mix of languages, customs and food that reflect the diversity of the Yunnan province.
The city is perhaps not as historically interesting as some of China’s other major cities but still has plenty to offer in the way of classical Chinese architecture with structures haling from dynasties such as the Ming and the Tang. Highlights for those wishing to take home some good holiday snaps, include the East and West Temple Pagodas, the Golden Temple and the Bamboo Temple.
Kunming’s cuisine is distinctly Yunnanese and combines fresh ingredients afforded by the moderate climate with mild herbs and spices giving its cooked dishes sufficient flavour but lacking the pungency associated with food from other regions of the country. The city’s climate fosters the growth of literally hundreds of species of mushroom which are consequently a predominant feature of many dishes.
There’s no shortage of things for the Kunming visitor to see with cultural attractions such as temples, museums and historic buildings. Equally, there’s plenty to do with traditional markets for shopping, great restaurants for eating in and scenic nature areas for the pursuit of outdoor activities.
China has a good selection of annual festivals based around the lunar calendar and combining a trip with one of the bigger events is a great way of experiencing the true sense of Chinese culture in Kunming. The Spring Festival, in which the locals usher in the New Year, is an especially interesting time and many visitors plan their holiday to coincide with this colourful and exciting event.
Kunming is by no means a tourist haven and to some extent, the fact that it has yet to be spoiled by rampant tourism is part of its appeal. Accommodation therefore, is perhaps a little less prevalent than in some other big Chinese cities. This is not to say that hotels are difficult to come by, but rather that international chains have yet to move in to the city and a definitive ‘hotel zone’ doesn’t really exist. There are plenty of respectable domestically-owned establishments offering exceptional service such as the Green Lake Hotel, the Harbour Plaza Hotel and the Bank Hotel Kunming as well as a plethora of smaller hotels.
