• Kunming

• Name in Chinese characters: 昆明市
• Name in Pinyin: Kūnmíng Shì
• Status: Prefecture-level city

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• Kunming lies close to the Tropic of Cancer but at altitude. It therefore enjoys a delightful climate being neither too hot nor too cold throughout much of the year, giving rise to its title 'The City of Eternal Spring'.

  The 'Yuanmou Man' relics found nearby have been dated back to 1.7 million years ago indicating that the original ancestors of the people we now know as Chinese may originally have arrived by this route; more recently, domesticated chickens did, being native to the forests further south.

  Travel

  Kunming's international airport (Airport code: KMG) lies only some 4 kilometres from the downtown area. The airport is the hub for flights within Yunnan Province and has excellent connections throughout China and SE Asia.

  Kunming is located in the far south-west of China but is an important enough to be served by main rail links from cities as far away as Shanghai. The overnight train to Chengdu is pleasant but most other journeys are better taken by air by all but rail fanatics.

  Attractions For Visitors

  The Gold Horse and Jade Cock Archways

  Zhenqing Cultural Square

  Yuantong Temple

  Black Dragon Pool

  Excursion further afield can take you to:

  Shilin Stone Forest

  Jiuxiang Caves

  Bamboo Temple

  Golden Temple

  Dianchi Lake

  We offer the following itinerary from Kunming Prefecture:

  • Beyond Kunming: Xishuangbanna

  The following China Journeys include a stay in Kunming:

  • Going Cloud Way
  • Yunnan And Yangtse
  
  
  
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• Current Comments

  2 comments so far (post your own)

  Hi Daniel
  
  No - the railway within China became too expensive to maintain and operations ceased some years back. You will have to travel by bus if you want to exit China that way.
  
  Trains still service the route between Lao Cai and Hanoi in Vietnam though many visitors take the opportunity to head up to Sapa.

  Posted by China Journeys on Mon 2 Apr, 2012

  Does the railway into Vietnam still run

  Posted by Daniel on Mon 2 Apr, 2012

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