This morning, drive 80km (1.5 hours) to the Stone Forest (a World Heritage Site of South China Karst) for a Kunming Excursion. Afterwards, return to downtown for a Classic Kunming City Tour, including visits to Yuantong Temple (a Zen Buddhist temple), Green Lake Park (Cuihu Park), and more, based on your available time and interests.
In the morning, visit the Stone Forest (a World Heritage Site of South China Karst), a must-see natural wonder that was once submerged under an ancient sea. The Kunming Stone Forest (Shilin) is a national geological park famous for its unique stone forest scenery, which represents the magnificent transformations of the natural world over 270 million years (marine sedimentation → crustal uplift → volcanic lava coverage → erosion and leveling → formation of the Stone Forest). Within the Stone Forest, you can closely observe the traces left by the passage of time and gain an understanding of its distinctive karst landforms, rich geological history, and the accompanying Yi ethnic culture. A sightseeing bus will take you to explore the Big Stone Forest and Small Stone Forest. In addition to the touching legend of Ashima (阿诗玛a symbol of Yi ethnic culture), the Stone Forest also served as a filming location for "Journey to the West" (1986 TV series西游记), where Sun Wukong (Monkey King) was depicted as being trapped under Wuxing Mountain (五行山). Use your imagination to discover the magical shapes of the stone forests.
After that, you will head back to Kunming for Yuantong Temple. Located in the city center, Yuantong Temple combines tranquility amidst the bustling surroundings, offering a unique water courtyard temple. The temple has a history of over 1,200 years and is the oldest Guanyin Temple in China. Particularly noteworthy is its "Downhill Temple" design, where instead of ascending steps after entering the mountain gate, one descends gradually, creating a rare architectural feature among temples in China. Yuantong Temple is the only sacred place in the country that simultaneously accommodates the Han, Southern, and Tibetan Buddhist traditions. At the rear of the temple, there is a typical Southeast Asian Buddhist architectural structure called the Bronze Buddha Hall (铜佛殿), which was built in 1985 specifically to house a bronze statue of Shakyamuni Buddha presented by the Buddhist Association of the Kingdom of Thailand. It has gained a high reputation in the Southeast Asian area and attracts many pilgrims and locals to visit every year. In March each year, Yuantong Temple becomes a popular place for locals to admire the cherry blossoms.
Then, you can hike in Green Lake Park (Cuihu Park翠湖) which is 700m away from Yuantong Temple. Cuihu Park was once a marshy bay of Dianchi Lake, which later became a city lake during the Ming Dynasty. It earned its name from its "emerald waters on all sides, bamboo green in all seasons, willow green in spring and summer," and is renowned as the "green gem" and "jade within the city" of Kunming. Two embankments divide the lake into four parts. The north and south embankments, known as Ruandi (阮堤), were constructed during the reign of Emperor Daoguang by Governor Ruan Yuan, inspired by the Su Causeway in West Lake. The east and west embankments, called Tangdi, were built during the Republican era. Besides historical buildings and former residences of famous people, there is a sculpture of Nie Er (聂耳;1912-1935), one of the pioneers of modern Chinese music, who composed China's national anthem, "The March of the Volunteers". Today, Cuihu has become a place where locals take walks, feed fish, observe Black-headed Gulls migrating from Siberia during winter, enjoy lotus flowers, watch flower lanterns, dance, and savor life.
Head back to your hotel and have a good rest at your hotel.
Free Time Ideas:
1.Kunming Old Street(1km from Cuihu Park), with a history of over 900 years, is the only remaining old street in Kunming that retains its ancient charm. Stroll on stone-paved roads, you can taste authentic Yunnan Rice Noodles (Yunnan Cross-bridge Rice Noodle云南过桥米线), explore fascinating Yunnan antiques & traditional medicine shops, visit the former residence of Nie Er (聂耳故居), and more old buildings.
2.Yunnan Impression(云南印象) is a performance (one of the representative's works by Yang Liping杨丽萍, a renowned local dance artist from Yunnan) held at 8:00 p.m. It draws inspiration from the ethnic dance elements of various ethnic groups in Yunnan, such as Yi, Wa, Tibetan, Hani, Dai, Bulang, and Jinuo. It incorporates modern dance elements, showcasing the rich ethnic charm of Yunnan.
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Kunming City
Shilin Yi Autonomous County
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