Central Yunnan

Central Yunnan is centered on Kunming and includes Yuxi and Chuxiong, with Spring City scenery, the Stone Forest, Fuxian Lake, the Dongchuan Red Land, Yuanmou Earth Forest and Heijing Ancient Town.

Central Yunnan is defined here by Yunnan's six tourism zones, centered on the provincial capital Kunming and including Kunming, Yuxi and Chuxiong. Unlike some official divisions, this plan combines Qujing and Zhaotong into "Northeast Yunnan," while Honghe and Wenshan belong to southeast Yunnan, so Luoping, Yuanyang and Jianshui are not in this region. Although Dongchuan is far from Kunming's main urban area, it is administratively part of Kunming, so the Dongchuan Red Land is included in Central Yunnan. Highlights: Kunming is known for its spring-like weather year-round; Dian Lake, Green Lake, Western Hills and the Yunnan Ethnic Village are the city's main sights, and in winter you can watch black-headed gulls at Haigeng Dam. The Stone Forest is a World Natural Heritage site, known for its forest of karst stone pinnacles. In Yuxi, Fuxian Lake is prized for its clear water, the Chengjiang Maotianshan Shale fossil site is a World Natural Heritage site, and the Gasa area of Xinping offers Flowery-Waist Dai culture and the Ailao Mountains. Chuxiong is the center of Yi culture, where the Yi Torch Festival is lively; Lufeng has a dinosaur fossil site, the Yuanmou Earth Forest presents distinctive earth-pillar landforms, and Heijing Ancient Town in Lufeng once prospered on the salt trade. The Dongchuan Red Land draws photographers with its multicolored patchwork of terraced fields. Classic itineraries: Kunming city plus the Stone Forest, 2–3 days; Kunming–Fuxian Lake–Xinping Gasa or Kunming–Dongchuan Red Land, 2–3 days each; Chuxiong can be a stop on the way to Dali. Getting around: Kunming Changshui International Airport is a major hub of the southwest; the Shanghai–Kunming, Yunnan–Guangxi and Kunming–Chuxiong–Dali high-speed lines and the China–Laos Railway start from Kunming; between scenic areas, self-drive or a chartered car is typical. Practical notes: UV is strong at altitude, so protect yourself from the sun; during the June–October rainy season, some mountain roads may suffer landslides, so check the weather before heading to places such as the Dongchuan Red Land.

Destinations

Itineraries