Dianchi Lake / Haigeng Dam

海埂大坝

A lakeside embankment about 2.5 kilometers long on the north shore of Dianchi Lake. In winter, tens of thousands of red-billed gulls mingle with visitors, with the Sleeping Beauty mountain in the background. It is Kunming's most iconic scene.

Dianchi is the largest plateau lake in Yunnan, covering about 300 square kilometers. Haigeng Dam is a roughly 2.5-kilometer embankment on Dianchi's north shore. It faces the Western Hills, whose profile resembles a reclining beauty, and it is the first choice for locals taking walks and visitors enjoying the lake. From November to March each year, around 40,000 gulls fly in from Lake Baikal in Siberia to winter on Dianchi. Since 1985, the scene of people and gulls interacting on the dam has become a symbol of Kunming. Visitors can buy gull feed (about 5 to 10 yuan a bag, sold inside the scenic area) and offer it by hand. The gulls will swoop in and take the food right from your palm. Highlights include the red-billed gulls (most active 8 to 10 a.m. and 3 to 5 p.m.), the sunset over the Western Hills and the lake from the western end of the dam, and, on the eastern side, the Yunnan Nationalities Village and the lower station of the Western Hills cable car. From Haigeng Park, you can take the cable car directly across the lake to the Western Hills, a trip of about 2.2 kilometers. Admission is free. Nearby: Haigeng Park at the western end of the dam, with lawns and lakeshore paths; the Dianchi Ecological Wetland Park, with several sections along the lake, such as Laoyu River and Dounan Wetland, which are good for cycling; and Daguan Pavilion, another old park on the north shore where you can see gulls. This is where the 'Longest Couplet Under Heaven' is displayed, and admission is about 20 yuan. Getting there: take Metro Line 5 to Dianchi Road or Haigeng Park Station and walk, or take Bus 44 or 24 to Haigeng Park. From downtown, a taxi takes about 30 minutes. Tips: during the gull season, weekends and holidays are crowded, so go on a weekday morning if you can. Do not feed bread, spicy snacks, or other human food; use only the official gull feed. It can be windy by the lake in winter, so bring a jacket. Water quality in Dianchi has improved in recent years, but swimming is still not advised.

Dianchi Lake / Haigeng Dam

Opening hours

Nearby sights

Places to eat nearby