Available airlines1 airline
- China Eastern Airlines
KunmingTravel Guide
Kunming
China Area: Prefecture-level city on the north shore of Lake Dian Time Zone: China Standard Time (UTC+8)
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Kunming travel guide
Spring City on Lake Dian, gateway to Yunnan.
In short
Kunming, capital of Yunnan, sits at about 1,890 m on the northern shore of Lake Dian, and its mild climate earned it the name Spring City. Come for the Western Hills, Green Lake, Yuantong Temple and a day trip to the Stone Forest. March to April and October to November are the driest mild months; allow two to three days. Kunming is good value, and many passports get 30 days visa-free or 240-hour transit.
Kunming is the capital of Yunnan Province in south-west China. The city stands at about 1,890 m on the northern shore of Lake Dian, Yunnan's largest lake, and its mild weather all year has earned it the name Spring City. More than eight million people live in the wider municipality.
Visitors use Kunming as a base for Yunnan: the Western Hills and Longmen grottoes rise over the lake, the Stone Forest lies about 90 km away, and trains run west to Dali and Lijiang and south on the China–Laos Railway to Vientiane.
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Key Facts & Stats:
Capital: Kunming is the capital of Yunnan Province
Others Largest City: Shilin Stone Forest (about 90 km), Dali and Lijiang by train; Vientiane on the China–Laos Railway
Currency: Renminbi yuan (CNY, ¥)
Time Zone: UTC+8 (China Standard Time), no daylight saving
Major Language: Mandarin Chinese, with Yunnan dialects and minority languages
Major Religion: Buddhism, folk religion, Islam; many people non-religious
Best experiences in Kunming
Find your kind of trip: 24 travel themes, each with the packages in Kunming.
Wildlife
Hill Station
Ayurveda Tours
Seasonal/Event
Adventure
Wildlife & Safaris
Pilgrimage
Eco/Nature
Culture & History
Honeymoon
Romantic Getaway
Cruise
Water Activities
Backpacking
Luxury
Photography
City Slickers
Heritage
Beach & Relaxation
Sports & Recreation
Food & Wine
Train & River Journeys
Skiing
Overland
Kunming at a glance
Season, visa, payments and transport for Yunnan's capital.
Best timeMar to Apr, Oct to NovMild days of 19–25°C with little rain
Daily budgetGood valueCheaper than Beijing or Shanghai
VisaVisa-free for many30-day visa-free entry or 240-hour transit for eligible passports
CurrencyYuan (CNY)Mobile payment dominates; set up Alipay or WeChat Pay
LanguageMandarinLittle English outside hotels; carry addresses in Chinese
Time zoneUTC+8Same time as Beijing
CapitalKunmingAirport: Kunming Changshui International (KMG)
Power220 V, 50 HzPlugs A, C and I
DrivingRight-hand trafficForeign licences not valid; use metro, taxis or a driver
Emergency110 police120 ambulance, 119 fire
Calling code+86Kunming area code 0871
WeekendSaturday and SundayParks and Green Lake crowded at weekends
Places to visit from Kunming
Pick a place by travel style: nature, cities, heritage.
ShenzhenTech city next to Hong Kong
BeijingPalaces and the Great Wall
ShanghaiThe Bund and Pudong skyline
HangzhouWest Lake and tea hills
GuangzhouCapital of Cantonese food
HarbinChina's ice city on the Songhua
LincangYunnan's tea frontier
TianjinBeijing's old treaty port
Xi'anTerracotta Army and Silk Road
Nothing in that category yet.
Top things to do in Kunming
Lakeside parks, Buddhist temples, the Western Hills and the karst pinnacles of the Stone Forest.
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Best time to visit Kunming
March to April and October to November are mild and dry; July is the wettest month.
Dry spring
March – AprilSunny days of 22–24°C and only 20–25 mm of rain a month.
Rainy season
June – SeptemberMost of the 991 mm annual rain falls; July averages 216 mm.
Cool winter
December – FebruaryHighs of 16–19°C, lows of 4–6°C; black-headed gulls winter on the lake.
Planning tip
At almost 1,900 m the sun is strong even on cool days; carry sunscreen and a layer for evenings, which drop to around 4°C in January.
Flight routes
Flights to Kunming
Direct routes into and out of Kunming with the airlines that fly them. Open a route for its airlines, aircraft and travel tips, or search your dates for flights and fares.
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FromTo DAC KMG DhakaKunming FromTo KMG DAC KunmingDhaka Available airlines1 airline- China Eastern Airlines
Packages in Demand
A Journey to Remember
Tours, activities and day trips in and around this destination, with the details you need before booking.
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Kunming travel tips
Seven short notes on entry rules, the airport, payment and getting around.
Visas and entry
30-day visa-free and 240-hour transit
China lets citizens of a growing list of countries enter visa-free for up to 30 days under a unilateral policy that runs to 31 December 2026, and Kunming Changshui International Airport is a port for the 240-hour visa-free transit scheme. Both lists change, so check your passport against the National Immigration Administration before you book.
- Visa-free entry
- Up to 30 days for listed nationalities, to 31 December 2026
- 240-hour transit
- Kunming Changshui is an eligible port
- Everyone else
- Apply for a visa at a Chinese embassy or visa centre
Transit visitors must fly on to a third country, not back to where they came from.
Getting there
Changshui airport and Kunming South
Kunming Changshui International Airport (KMG) lies north-east of the city and is one of the 50 busiest airports in the world. Metro Line 6, the airport express, runs 18 km into the city. High-speed and international trains, including services on the China–Laos Railway to Vientiane, use Kunming South station.
- Changshui (KMG)
- North-east of the city
- Metro Line 6
- Airport express into the city
- Kunming South
- High-speed trains and the China–Laos Railway
- China–Laos Railway
- Kunming South to Vientiane in about ten hours
- Allow over an hour between the airport and Kunming South; they sit on opposite sides of the city.
Money and costs
Mobile payment first
Shops, taxis, metro gates and street stalls in Kunming expect Alipay or WeChat Pay, both of which now accept many foreign cards. Keep some yuan in cash for small vendors and as a backup if the app fails. International cards work in larger hotels but rarely in noodle shops.
- Link a foreign card to Alipay or WeChat Pay before arriving.
- Carry a few hundred yuan in cash as a backup.
Staying safe
Altitude sun and traffic
Kunming is a safe city for visitors. The main issues are strong high-altitude sunshine at about 1,890 m and busy traffic, including many silent electric scooters on pavements and in cycle lanes. In the rainy season, from June to September, heavy afternoon storms can flood underpasses.
- Altitude
- About 1,890 m
- Emergency
- 110 police, 120 ambulance
- Look both ways for e-scooters even on the pavement.
- Carry sunscreen year-round.
Where to stay
Green Lake, the centre and the lakeshore
Stay near Green Lake (Cuihu Park) for walks to Yuantong Temple and the university quarter. The area around Dongfeng Square and the downtown metro lines suits shoppers and train travellers. Hotels along the northern shore of Lake Dian are quieter and closer to the Western Hills.
- Green Lake
- Parks, cafés, walk to Yuantong Temple
- City centre
- Metro links and shopping streets
- Lake Dian shore
- Quieter, close to the Western Hills
Getting around
Metro, taxis and the Line 6 express
Kunming's metro covers the centre, the airport and Kunming South station, and it is the simplest way to cross the city. Taxis and ride-hailing apps fill the gaps and are cheap by Chinese standards. For the Stone Forest and the Western Hills, a train, tour or hired car saves a lot of time.
- Metro
- Several lines including Line 6 to the airport
- Taxis and apps
- Cheap; show your destination in Chinese
- Day trips
- Trains or tours to the Stone Forest
Culture and etiquette
Temples and minority traditions
Yunnan is home to more officially recognised ethnic groups than any other Chinese province, and Kunming shows it in markets, food and dress. At Yuantong Temple and other Buddhist sites, walk clockwise around halls, keep voices low and ask before photographing monks or worshippers.
Do
- Walk clockwise around stupas and halls
- Remove hats inside temple halls
- Carry hotel and destination addresses in Chinese
Avoid
- Pointing at or touching statues
- Feeding gulls at Green Lake where signs forbid it
- Photographing people in minority dress without asking
Things to know before visiting Kunming
What makes Kunming worth a stop, and the payment, altitude and rainy-season details that catch visitors out.
Why travelers love it
- Spring weather at about 1,890 m, rarely hot and seldom freezing.
- Yuantong Temple, first built more than 1,200 years ago.
- The Western Hills and the Longmen grottoes above Lake Dian.
- The Stone Forest, part of the UNESCO-listed South China Karst.
- Mixian rice noodles, often cooked in small copper pots.
Good to know
- Mobile payment is expected almost everywhere.
- June to September brings most of the year's rain.
- English is limited; carry addresses in Chinese.
- Nights are cool in winter, around 4–6°C.
Trip fit
Culture and heritage
Nature and outdoors
Food
Value for money
Ease of getting around
BookingMentor editorial ratings out of 5, based on a first-time visitor's experience.
Kunming weather by month
Kunming's 1,890 m altitude keeps every month between 16 and 25°C by day. China Meteorological Administration 1991–2020 normals put 216 mm of rain in July and only 12 mm in February.
Good timeBest timeMonsoon
Bar: average low to high temperatureRainfall
Mar to Apr, Oct to NovWestern Hills, Stone Forest, Green LakeMild, sunny and fairly dry.
Jun to SepTemples, museums, marketsWarm, with heavy afternoon rain.
Climate figures are approximate 1991–2020 averages for Kunming (China Meteorological Administration, via Wikipedia).
Green Lake, the Western Hills and the Stone Forest in three days
Three days lets you see Kunming properly. Spend day one around Green Lake and Yuantong Temple, day two on the Western Hills above Lake Dian, and day three on a trip to the Shilin Stone Forest, about 90 km south-east of the city and part of a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Green Lake, known locally as Cuihu Park, is a lake park with pavilions, causeways and a statue of the composer Nie Er. A short walk north brings you to Yuantong Temple, the city's largest and best-known temple, first built more than 1,200 years ago in the Tang dynasty and set in Yuantong Park next to the zoo.
The Western Hills (Xishan) rise from the western shore of Lake Dian, Yunnan's largest lake at about 340 km² and China's sixth-largest freshwater lake. Paths and steps climb past Huating Temple to the Longmen grottoes, carved into the cliff with wide views over the water.
The Stone Forest, in Shilin Yi Autonomous County, is a field of tall limestone pinnacles. Its Naigu Stone Forest and the area around Suogeyi village were inscribed in 2007 as part of the South China Karst World Heritage Site. Go early to stay ahead of tour groups, or travel on by train to Dali and Lijiang in western Yunnan.
How the Spring City's altitude keeps it mild all year
Kunming's nickname, the Spring City, is earned by its altitude of about 1,890 m. Daytime highs stay between 16°C in December and 25°C in June, so the city is never hot and seldom freezing. The real choice is between the dry season from November to April and the rainy season from May to October.
March and April are the sunniest, mildest months, with highs of 22–24°C and 20–25 mm of rain. October and November are almost as good, as the rains tail off. From June to September the city receives most of its 991 mm of annual rain, peaking at about 216 mm in July, usually as heavy afternoon downpours.
Winter days are bright and around 16–19°C, but nights fall to 4–6°C, and few older buildings have central heating. This is also when flocks of black-headed gulls winter around Green Lake and the Lake Dian shoreline, one of the city's best-loved sights.
Mixian rice noodles and other Yunnan flavours in Kunming
Kunming's everyday dish is mixian, the round rice noodle, served in broth for breakfast, lunch and late at night. Many small restaurants cook it in individual copper pots with minced pork, pickled greens and chilli. Order by pointing at the toppings on display if you do not read Chinese.
Yunnan cooking draws on the province's many ethnic groups and its varied terrain, from subtropical valleys to high plateaus. Expect cured ham, goat's cheese, wild herbs and plenty of fresh chilli. Markets near the centre sell dried mushrooms, flowers and Pu'er tea from the south of the province.
Food streets fill up after dark. Pay by phone at almost every stall, and carry tissues, as small restaurants rarely provide napkins.
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About this guide
How we research this guide
We built this Kunming guide from China Meteorological Administration climate normals, UNESCO's South China Karst listing for the Stone Forest and published China–Laos Railway timetables, and we recheck China's visa-free rules each time they are extended.
Last updated . Spotted something out of date? Tell us.
Fact-checked by the bookingMentor Travel Desk
Reviewed · Updated when rules or prices change
Checked against trusted sources:
UNESCO World Heritage CentreChina National Immigration AdministrationChina Daily
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Answers on weather, trains, visas and day trips from Kunming.
General
Because its altitude of about 1,890 m keeps daytime highs between 16°C and 25°C all year, so it is never hot and seldom freezing.
Yes. The Naigu Stone Forest and the Suogeyi village area were inscribed in 2007 as part of the South China Karst World Heritage Site.
Mixian rice noodles, often cooked in small copper pots, plus Yunnan cured ham, goat's cheese and dishes with wild herbs and chilli.
It was first built more than 1,200 years ago in the Tang dynasty and is Kunming's largest and best-known temple.
Kunming's metro covers the centre, the airport and Kunming South station, and it is the simplest way to cross the city. Taxis and ride-hailing apps fill the gaps and are cheap by Chinese standards. For the Stone Forest and the Western Hills, a train, tour or hired car saves a lot of time.
Timing & weather
March to April and October to November, when days are mild and dry. July is the wettest month, with about 216 mm of rain.
In winter. Black-headed gulls spend the cold months around Green Lake and the shore of Lake Dian.
May is the warmest month in Kunming, with average highs of 25°C, and January the coolest, with lows of 4°C. July is the wettest month, at about 216 mm of rain; February is the driest. Kunming's 1,890 m altitude keeps every month between 16 and 25°C by day.
Getting there
About 90 km south-east, in Shilin Yi Autonomous County. Most visitors go by train, tour or hired car as a day trip.
Roughly ten hours on the China–Laos Railway from Kunming South, including border formalities. International passenger trains started in April 2023.
Take Metro Line 6, the airport express, which runs about 18 km into the city, or a taxi.
Visa & documents
It depends on your passport. Many nationalities can enter China visa-free for up to 30 days until 31 December 2026, and Kunming Changshui is a 240-hour transit port; check the National Immigration Administration first.
Prices & payment
Rarely outside big hotels. Alipay and WeChat Pay are used almost everywhere, so link a card before arrival and carry some cash.
Daily travel costs in Kunming are good value. Cheaper than Beijing or Shanghai.
Health & safety
Kunming is a safe city for visitors. The main issues are strong high-altitude sunshine at about 1,890 m and busy traffic, including many silent electric scooters on pavements and in cycle lanes. In the rainy season, from June to September, heavy afternoon storms can flood underpasses.
