Kunming & Yunnan Tours & Travel Guide

Kunming sits at 1,900 metres in Yunnan, where the weather is mild all year, the flowers never stop, and the population is one of the most ethnically diverse in China — 25 recognised minority groups live within the province.

It is also the most underrated entry point to China. Direct flights from Kuala Lumpur and Bangkok, no crowds, and within reach: the Stone Forest, the terraced rice fields of Yuanyang, the old towns of Dali and Lijiang, and the road south to Xishuangbanna on the Laos border.

Yunnan is a slower, gentler China. Give it five days and you will wonder why nobody told you about it.

Yunnan has a substantial Hui Muslim population, and Kunming has several historic mosques plus qingzhen restaurants throughout the city, including the area around Shuncheng Street. Yunnan cuisine is vegetable- and mushroom-heavy, so the halal versions are excellent and the local specialities — wild mushroom hotpot, rice noodles, steamed chicken — adapt well. In smaller towns on the Dali and Lijiang routes options thin out, and we plan packed meals where necessary. As always, we confirm every restaurant before you travel.