China is such a large and diverse country. With over 20 provinces or regions in the country, there is so much to explore. In this post, we are talking all about Yunnan, a southern province of China. Honestly, it was one of our favorite places in China due to all the outdoor nature to explore, the natural beauty of the lakes and mountains, and of course the food!
Yunnan has so much to offer. From the snow capped mountains in the upper Tibetan plains to the hot rainforest on the Vietnam/Laos border, there is literally something for everyone here. If you are looking for some of the country’s finest tea, you are also in luck!
Getting To Yunnan
By now you know we are big fans of the national train system. With high speed bullet trains that can transport you hundreds of miles in just a few hours, it’s the perfect way to arrive in Yunnan. Most major cities have a train station so it’s an easy way to get to and around from city to city. Also the trains in Yunnan are interesting because you literally go through the middle of many mountains. It was a fascinating experience to know we were flying through mountains at high speeds in the dark! If flying is a better option for you, there is an airport in Kunming which connects to most major cities.
For all the details on payments, cellphones, and everything else you’ll need to travel China, make sure to check out this article first!
When to Visit Yunnan
There is no best time to visit Yunnan. Honestly most of the year is great. It all depends on what you want to do. To see most locations in their prime, I’d recommend spring and fall. That being said, we spent six weeks in Yunnan in the summer. Yes it was hot, as it was summer, but it was honestly pleasant everywhere but Xishuangbanna where it was too hot. Even in the summer, Shangri La in the Tibetan plains was cold at night. So there is definitely a wide range of weather even in the same season.
Food in Yunnan
Yunnan is renowned for its diverse food. With all the outdoors and nature, one big crop coming out of Yunnan is mushrooms, hundreds of varieties of mushrooms. To showcase this local delicacy, you’ll find mushroom hotpot almost everywhere in Yunnan. Legend has it that there is one variety of mushroom that will make you sick when eaten raw, so waitresses suggest you boil the mushrooms for 5-10 minutes to make sure you won’t “trip”. We couldn’t verify that claim but every restaurant told us the same thing! Also Yunnan is plentiful with rice noodles. So many varieties are served in many ways. Crossing the Bridge Noodles is a favorite. It’s soup served with all the raw ingredients in small bowls. You add all the raw ingredients to the boiling broth to cook it in front of you for the freshest of tastes. The smoked pork dishes are out of this world as well. It almost tastes better than an amazing American bacon. It’s hard to find American bacon in China so order this smoked pork any chance you can!
Cities in Yunnan
Kunming
Known as the Eternal Spring city, this city has the most pleasant and temperate climate. They’ve done an excellent job of displaying one of the best parts of the city by showcasing the diverse plants and flowers that are able to grow here. The streets and sidewalks are lined with beautiful flowering plants all year long. It’s truly quite magical. Kunming is the capital city so you will have a range of things to do here. I recommend spending at least three days here to explore it all.
Day One – explore the city. If you are looking for a ritzy area with a lavish outdoor shopping mall and restaurants check out Park 1903. If you want local food, check out the Nanping Pedestrian Street for miles of shops, restaurants, and food carts lining the streets.
If you want more local markets with amazing parks, coffee shops and flower displays, the Jinbi Square and the surrounding streets are so fun to walk around. Also you’ll find many flower, plant, and animal markets here. Make sure you leave time to walk around Green Lake. Not only is it fun to walk around and through the lake, the surrounding neighborhoods are amazing. They range from high end boutique stores to grungy cool graffiti street art. We spent hours just walking the streets and grabbing food when hungry! At night, head over to Puji Neighborhood. This artsy college town area has some amazing art museums and art districts. We recommend eating at Sai’s Kitchen for a beautiful meal.
Day Two – there is so much natural beauty in the city itself. The Dianchi Lake is stunning. There is a great lakefront walkway at Dian Chi Hai Geng Gong Yuan, just south of Yunnan Ethnic Village. While we didn’t go to the Yunnan Ethnic Village, we have heard decent reviews. With so many ethnic groups in Yunnan, it’s a place that showcases all the different groups. After walking on the east side of the lake, cross over a short bridge to Xishan (West Mountain). Here you can hike the Longmen (Dragon Gate) trail. You are literally walking 1,000 steps through forests to these amazing gates carved into the side of the mountain. You will have to pay a fee to enter but it is so worth it. The views of the lake and city are breathtaking and the feeling walking through carved rock on the side of a mountain was amazing. From here, take the hiking paths north to Chamahua St. This is a well developed walking food street. The hike over will take a couple hours but it’s so fun to walk through the mountains, forest, and even some city streets to get there and treat yourself to a warm comforting meal.
Day Third – The Stone Forest. Arguably one of the coolest natural phenomenon we’ve seen, the Stone Forest is located about an hour and half outside the city. This is a not to be missed sight if you enjoy nature. There are actually two parks available: One is called The Greater and Lesser Stone Forest and one is called Naigu Stone Forest. The first is way more developed and overcrowded. Most tours stop here so expect lots of tourist buses, way too many people, and of course people selling cheap souvenirs. The second Naigu Stone Forest is only a few kilometers north and is much more peaceful and quiet. I’d recommend starting here. We barely saw any tourists and it felt like we had the park to ourselves. We were able to enjoy the natural beauty without the overcrowding. Plan to spend a few hours out here just walking around. The paths are well marked so you can’t get lost but there are so many paths to explore and many side routes through the large stones. This area has so many jagged rocks sticking out of the ground. The greenery has grown around to add to the beauty but the black, orange, and brown rocks are truly amazing on their own. Pro tip: we asked our hotel for a name of a driver and we just rented a driver for the day to take us out and back. This was great because then we weren’t tied to any bus schedules and we could make sure to get back into the city at night. It does cost a little more but for us it was worth it to have the peace of mind to make sure we were able to get back on our own time.
Dali
Located about 4 hours by car to the west of Kunming, sits the most beautiful city with so many outdoor adventures waiting for you! Dali is nestled neatly between the Cangshan Mountains to the west and the vast Erhai Lake to the east. It’s absolutely stunning. I’d recommend staying near the Old Town area, not right in the middle of it but just west of it sits a great neighborhood that’s within walking distance with cheaper hotel prices. The Old Town is a walled off ancient city. Today it’s filled with shops selling local goods, store fronts and restaurants with all types of food, and of course places to grab some coffee. It’s a pretty picturesque old town so you’ll see lots of photoshoots and people vying for the best shot at the bell towers and on the brick walls. Make sure to check out the traditional blue and white tie dyed clothing from the local people group. Spend a few hours walking around but make sure to leave time for the rest of the amazing things in Dali.
Rent a bike from any vendor in the Old Town and head straight for Erhai Lake. You will not be disappointed. The bike path is so well done and it’s stunning to be this close to the water. The path around the lake is pretty flat so it’s doable for most people. The water side is completely free of buildings so you get a full view of the water. The land side has been built up with hotels, restaurants and coffee shops. All are great places to grab a bite or get some caffeine to keep going on your ride. We took the path north to Xizhou Ancient City. While it made for a decently long round trip, it felt like we really got a good bike ride in. We were also able to park our bikes in Xizhou to walk around the ancient city markets and shops before we headed back.
If you enjoy mountains, give yourself some time to hike around Cangshan Mountains. We took a taxi to the base of the mountain where most people took the Gantong Cableway cable car up. Instead we started hiking here up the mountain. This gave us total freedom to spend as long as we wanted hiking. Also something you’ll learn about China is that most people don’t hike, instead they prefer to get to the top in a cable car, so we had all the trails to ourselves. It was so peaceful. Our ultimate destination was the Jade Cloud Road which is a relatively flat paved surface that follows the curve of the mountain from the top. You can walk the Jade Cloud Road after getting off from the cable car as well. It’s 18 km one way but you don’t have to do the whole thing. Most people walk as far as they want then turn around and return using the cable car. Either way, you can get both real trail hiking and paved hiking here. Both are great options and the views of Erhai Lake are stunning from here.
One thing that is a must do in Dali is visit the Three Pagodas. This historic Buddhist temple site is absolutely amazing. Their use of the natural foothills of Cangshan, how they incorporated nature into the architecture, and the peaceful serene feeling are worth the price to visit. The temples are elaborate and beautiful. Make sure to walk as far back as you can. There are many temples to visit here, not just the first three pagodas. Plan to spend a few hours so you can explore all the walkways and temples and not feel rushed.
Lijiang
Lijiang is your gateway to the wild open mountains up north. However, it also has the cutest ancient city. Lijiang’s Old City is vast, with so many winding roads, twists and turns. You can explore for hours finding shops, restaurants, cafes, hotels, night clubs, and even local fruit/veggie markets. Young and old are wandering the streets with traditional dances in the town squares. There are so many quaint side streets down narrow alleys and it is so fun to explore because it was so big. Just north within walking distance is Black Dragon Park. It’s a stunning park with incredible views of Yulong Snow Mountain in the distance reflecting off the lake. The landscaping all focuses you on the Snow Mountain. It’s quite a sight to see and a beautiful park to walk around.
For food, you’ve got to try the butter tea. It’s literally frothy butter with crispy fried tea leaves. Although it wouldn’t be my daily drink, it was served with breakfast and fun to try. The winters can get super cold up here so drinking butter tea keeps you warm!
Tiger Leaping Gorge
From Lijiang, hire a car or tour to take you to Tiger Leaping Gorge. About an hour and half drive north, Tiger Leaping Gorge is one of the most impressive canyons we’ve seen due to the fast rushing water of the Yangtze River. It was insane. I’ve never seen water flow at such a fast rate. You can descend the stairs to get pretty close to the water. And be warned, it’s loud! But it’s so worth it to see the rushing water up close. Tiger Leaping Gorge is also amazing to hike. We only had half a day so our driver dropped us off up top and we hiked along the ridge and down. However if you have a few days, you can do the whole hike and stay at tea houses/small hotels along the way. This was by far the best view we got as the mountains on both sides of the canyon create dramatic and amazing scenery. It felt like a fairytale being able to hike in such a beautiful place.
Shangri-la
The infamous Shangri-la is not to be missed. As you drive north, you’ll start to see the buildings change from the typical Chinese style to a traditional Tibetan plains style. The houses have an almost greenhouse like glass surrounding them and we found out that is exactly what it is. The winters are dangerously cold at this elevation so the greenhouse glass keeps the warmth in the houses. Speaking of elevation, you will feel it. Sitting at 10,370 feet or 3,160 meters, this town is high in elevation. Oxygen is sold everywhere to help you acclimatize. Even in the summer, it was cold up here so bring coats and warm clothing. The town is small but adorable. There are lots of shops selling yak products and yak food. I’d definitely recommend you try yak sashimi. It’s raw yak thinly sliced and served with soy sauce. It was delicious! You’ll want to try the butter tea here just to stay warm.
Just a few minutes north of the city is the Songzanlin Monastery. This is the largest Tibetan Buddhist monastery in Yunnan and it’s vastly impressive. The walk up the stairs to the monastery is humbling and the monks who live there are welcoming and kind. It’s definitely worth a visit. Due to the Buddhist culture, a traditional style of art called thangka is done by many artists in the area. You can even take a class yourself to create a painting to take home.
Finally, if you visit in the summer, there are many hiking opportunities through the gorgeous terrain. We used a guide to take us on a hike through the plains, over a few mountains, through a farmers field and we had the best time learning about the Tibetan people.
Puer
If real, authentic Chinese tea is what you are after, there is no place like the mecca of tea, Puer China. Nestled in southern Yunnan, this city and the surrounding mountains produce some of China’s best tea. Think like the Champagne region of France where only real champagne comes from that region, there is a branch of Chinese tea called Puer and only real Puer comes from this region. The city itself is a typical Chinese city with lots of restaurants, malls, and parks. It’s a decent place to spend a day. We’d recommend taking a walk around Meizihu Park with its wooden path boarding the shore of the lake. Or Northern Wetland Park for some beautiful flowers and greenery in the city. ChaMa (Tea Horse) Plaza is a fun way to get into nature right in the city. They have built an ancient city that starts at the plaza and it winds through the mountains with a valley of flowers, a few walking trails through old buildings and temples. The entire park is dedicated to the old Tea Horse Road that would transport tea from this area around the world. It’s a great way to spend a few hours and see both ancient and nature.
But the real reason you visit Puer is the delicious tea! We found a huge tea market on the southern road of the Culture Center Park. This market had some of the best teas that we still drink to this day. Stop in for a visit, sit down and drink some local teas. Feel free to buy what you like or try another one until you find what’s right for you.
Xishuangbanna
Straight out of another world, Xishuangbanna feels like a different country. The Dai people group live here. It is as close to Laos and Myanmar as you can get. Think like a tropical Thailand vacation and that’s Xishuangbanna. The town has become a major tourist attraction for Chinese people with mega five star resorts everywhere. You can come here and just stay at the resort which is a wonderful experience but the town itself is fascinating. In the summer, be prepared for super hot and muggy weather. Almost every hotel has a pool so it feels like the beach vibe with people walking around in swimsuits and coverups. You’ll notice a much more Thai like feel in the clothing the people wear, in the temples have a very pointed spears painted in gold with really intense dragons (nothing like it we saw in the rest of China), in the Thai Iced Coffee sold at every vendor on the street, and of course the food is amazing with fresh flavors and mango. It really feels different than the rest of China.
Visit the Ganbai Street Night Market. It’s the largest outdoor street market that starts happening at night in the cooler temperatures. It’s filled with miles of food vendors, crafts, local products, hair extensions and temporary tattoos. It is a fun place to just walk around, grab dinner and drinks. There are many places to sit and generally there are multiple live music spots. It’s right on the river so it makes for a fun evening!
There are lots of temples in the Dai style. Dajinta Temple is located on the edge of Ganbai Street Night Market so you can’t miss it. The decorations and paintings are stunning here. Manting Park is the former imperial gardens that have opened to the public. It’s insanely gorgeous. You can spend a few hours walking the paths, enjoying the flowers, and seeing the peacocks and koi fish swimming. It’s so peaceful and colorful!
Not to be missed is the Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden. This botanical garden is so large that it’s divided into two areas: East and West areas. The West area is perfect for enjoying the vast array of plants and flowers. Don’t forget your camera because the pictures here are stunning. The East area is best for hiking. If you have time, I’d recommend you spend a full day here. It’s over an hour outside the city which is far but there are both buses and taxis that will take you out there. If you don’t want to spend the entire day there, you could just explore the West area to maximize your experience.
Don’t miss the traditional food. A fun meal we tried was served on a large platter and everyone eats out of the middle. With fried rice, a whole fish, spicy sauce, cucumbers, pork, chicken, peanuts, boiled eggs, lettuce and rice noodles, it’s an interactive meal for you to create wraps or bites however you want!
Xishuangbanna used to be so hard to get to as it was over a 14 hour bus ride from Kunming but luckily in 2021 they opened a high speed train line from Kunming to Xishuangbanna which now is only 3 hours. Happy exploring!
