Must see attractions in Kunming

The Golden Temple Scenic Area is equal parts religious space, forest park, botanical garden and open-air sculpture museum; it covers 118 hectares on the…

Tucked away atop a winding mountain road up the forested hills northwest of the city centre, this serene temple is definitely one to be visited by…

Originally built in 1951, this museum's relocation in 2015 gave it a thoroughly modern 60,000 square metres of exhibition space. Displays span the…

The courtyard of the Ming dynasty Taihua Temple houses a fine collection of flowering trees, including magnolias and camellias, and is a popular to place…

Come here to people-watch, practise taichi or just hang with the locals and stroll through winding lines that meander through the 22 hectares of ponds and…

Towards the bottom of the mountain is Huating Temple, a country temple of the Nanzhao kingdom believed to have been constructed in the 11th century. It’s…

On the upper reaches of Xi Shan, the 'Dragon Gate Scenic Area' is a collection of pavilions, temples and grottoes scattered along the mountaintop. The…

China's largest flower market is a riot of colours and smells, and a charming place to wander for an hour and see the diversity of species on offer. Try…

This Zen Buddhist temple is the largest Buddhist complex in Kunming and a popular draw for both pilgrims and locals. It’s more than 1200 years old, but…

On the northeast corner of Diān Chí, the Yunnan Nationalities Museum is reputedly the largest minorities museum in China. The ground-floor exhibition of…

Adjacent to the North Railway Station, this admittedly niche museum uses artefacts and historical images to conduct visitors through a broad history of…

Originally built in 1276 and completely rebuilt to current form in 1690, after decades of neglect Kunming's Confucian Temple has undergone extensive…

While the centrepiece of the museum is the Dharani Pillar, a 6.7m carved stone pillar from the Kingdom of Dali, exhibitions range through a strong focus…

Towards the bottom of the Longmen area, this was a country villa of a Yuan dynasty prince that was later turned into a temple dedicated to the three main…

The East Pagoda is a Tang structure that was, according to Chinese sources, destroyed by an earthquake (western ones say it was destroyed by the Muslim…

Dwarfed by the surrounding tower blocks, this quaint Taoist temple is an island of calm in the midst of the city. The compound has expanded significantly…

One of the topmost publicly accessible points of Xi Shan, this large pavilion inside the Dragon Gate scenic area offers breathtaking views of Dian Chi…

The shoreline of Dian Chi, located to the south of Kunming, is dotted with settlements, farms and fishing enterprises, and tourist resorts. The lake is…

Originally built more than 400 years ago, this mosque was ripped down in 1997 in order to build a larger version, which is now one of the five largest in…

This Tang pagoda can't be climbed, but it is a good spot for people-watching, with all manner of tea-drinking and mahjong games going on in the adjacent…