The capital of Yunnan Province, Kunming rests at 2,000 m above sea level. Its clement weather and floral wealth have earned it the nickname “City of Eternal Spring.” An ancient city that first came to prominence as part of the Nanzhao Kingdom, Kunming had grown into a thriving city with a cosmopolitan character by the 13th century. Kunming is fast becoming indistinguishable from the redeveloped metropolises found throughout the country, but it is still considered one of China’s more laid-back cities, with lakeside vistas just to the south.

Cui Hu Park

Northwest of the city, this park has pavilions and bridges, and its lotus-filled ponds are visited by migrant red-beaked gulls in winter. Just west of the park, the old French Legation now holds temporary exhibitions. To the northwest is the university district, with its student cafes.

Yuantong Si

At the foot of Yuantong Hill lies Yunnan’s largest Buddhist complex and a popular pilgrimage spot. Renovated and rebuilt many times, it has an imposing Ming gateway, while a bridge over the central pond crosses through a Qing-era pavilion. Enshrined here is a 3-m golden statue of Maitreya Buddha. Behind the pavilion, the Ming-dynasty Great Hall of the Buddha has two wooden dragons on its main pillars, referring to a legend that the temple was built to pacify a dragon living in the pond. A new Thai-style hall behind holds a marble statue of Sakyamuni, donated by the King of Thailand. At the back of the temple is a cliff cut with steps allowing a view of religious poems and sayings carved into the rock.

The Stone Forest

Celebrated as a natural wonder, the limestone pillars of the Stone Forest (Shi Lin) are Yunnan’s most visited sight. The bizarre, tightly-packed formations, some as tall as 30 m, have been given imaginative names such as “Rhinoceros Gazing at the Moon” and “Everlasting Fungus.” Resembling a petrified forest, the area is shot through with winding pathways, ponds, and look-out points. So popular is this place that the central paths can get clogged with tour groups. Head to the edges of the forest to find a quiet corner, but keep in mind that it is easy to get lost in this otherworldly landscape. For a more ethereal experience, spend the night and explore when it’s deserted and eerily lit.

Jin Dian

Well-kept flower gardens and leafy pine woods are reason enough to visit this secluded spot in the city’s northeastern suburbs. However, the park’s ostensible focus is the Jin Dian (Golden Temple) located on top of its central hill. Built in 1671 as the summer residence of the Qing rebel general, Wu Sangui, this unusual two-tiered shrine is made entirely of bronze. Its overall construction imitates the more conventional wooden temples, with screens, columns, and flying eaves. Just over 6-m high and weighing nearly 272,155 kg, the temple sits atop a base of Dali marble and is almost completely black with the patina of age. In the courtyard stand ancient camellia trees, one of which is 600 years old. The main hall, with bronze lattices, beams, and statues, houses two magical swords used by Daoist warriors. Fragrant with camellias, the gardens here serve as popular picnic spots. Visitors can either take a bus or hire a bike to reach the base of the hill, from where it’s an easy hike uphill to the temple.

Situated on the hill behind Jin Dian is another Daoist shrine with a tower that houses a 12,700-kg bronze bell. Dating to 1432, it was retrieved from Kunming’s demolished southern gates.

Lake Dian & the Western Hills

The 40-km long Lake Dian (Dian Chi), just south of Kunming, is lined with fishing villages and is very pretty, especially along its hilly western and flat eastern shores. Plying the waters of the elongated lake are fanchuan, traditional junks with bamboo masts and square canvas sails, used for fishing. Daguan Pavilion on the north shore has good views of the area, while a few miles south is Haigeng Park with green willows and eucalyptuses.

The most rewarding way to see the lake is from the Western Hills, about 16 km southwest of Kunming. The undulating contours of the “Sleeping Beauty Hills” are said to resemble a reclining woman with tresses flowing into the lake. The path leading to the summit holds a treasury of temples. Visitors can either climb up or take a minibus. The first temple, 2 km from the entrance, is Huating Si. Designed originally as a country retreat for Gao Zhishen, who ruled Kunming in the 11th century, it has been rebuilt several times. The attractive gardens, dotted with stupas and ponds, contain interesting figures, including the four fierce-looking Guardians of the Directions, the gilded, blue-haired Buddhas, and a set of 500 arhat.

From Huating Si, a steep, winding road leads deep into the forest for 2 km to Taihua Si, established by Xuan Jian, a wandering Chan (Zen) Buddhist monk in 1306, and dedicated to Guanyin, the Goddess of Compassion. It is well known for its garden of camellias and magnolias, and excellent views. Another 20-minute walk up the hill leads to Sanqing Si, a complex of temples, halls, and pavilions, which formerly served as a summer palace for a 14thcentury Mongolian prince. It was converted to a Daoist shrine in the 18th century.

Just half a mile away is the Dragon Gate Grotto, a set of chambers, steps, and tunnels excavated from the mountain. The mammoth construction task, which involved swinging from ropes and hacking at the rock with chisels, was begun by the late 18th century monk Wu Laiqing, and took 70 years to complete. Worth exploring along the way are niches with several fantastic statues, including those of Guanyin and the Gods of Study and Virtue. A cable car runs from near Sanqing Si to the summit at Grand Dragon Gate, a balcony perched at 2,500 m, from where there are fine views over Lake Dian.