Visiting here? MyWiseWife can help you find hotels in cities near to this location. Click your preferred city below to search and book your stay. Start Hotel Search

We just returned from Yunnan, in the Southwest of China. If you look at China's map diligently, it looks like a rooster and Yunnan is the rear leg (of the rooster). Can you see this?

Yunnan borders three countries – Vietnam (East), Laos (East/South) and Myanmar (West/South). Within China, Yunnan’s neighbors are Tibet region (North West), Sichuan (North), Guizhou and Guangxi (East). 

Kunming - the capital of Yunnan Province, is nicknamed the 'City of Eternal Spring' due to its pleasant weather all year round (average between 21-22 degree Celsius during the day and 15-16 degree Celsius at night). 

However, weather was not that 'cooling' when we arrived in this capital city. Day time temperature was up to 26-27 degree Celsius. We are told that May is the 'hottest' month in the whole year. Fortunately, the temperature came down when we returned from Lijiang a few days later.

Kunming city is now busy constructing the new airport. When this completes in year 2012, it shall be China's fourth largest airport. Kunming's current airport, Kunming Wujiaba International Airport was built in 1923 still serves as an active hub to many international and domestic destinations. Kunming is a popular getaway to other cities within Yunnan like Dali, Lijiang, Shangri-La (Zhongdian) and Xishuangbanna. 

Around the city center, few major roads are being upgraded and this includes the city's second outer ring road. Hopefully, this will address the apparent traffic congestion in Kunming city. There are currently more than 1 million cars on the road, making Kunming 6th worst city in China in terms of congestion. Every 1/6 of population owns a car, the most popular one being China's very own Cherry.

Kunming city houses 1.05 million people (out of Yunnan province's 44 million populations). The locals live a laid-back life, and 'hurry up' doesn't seem exist in their vocabulary. No wonder the city is ranked 6th in terms of 'level of happiness' in the whole China.

Other interesting facts about Kunming or Yunnan Province:
• Yunnan Province has a total of 25 ethnic minorities, out of 56 of the entire China.

• Yunnan Province is the size of California state in USA. Yang Li Ping, a renowned dancer from Bai minority in Yunnan took 1 year 8 months to complete the journey through the entire Yunnan.

• Most expensive food in Yunnan is seafood, as there is no sea in the surrounding. Seafood is mostly sourced from Fujian or Guangdong.

• Most popular breakfast is noodle. The most famous noodle in Yunnan is cross-bridge noodle. There is a story about this, which I will share with you later. Stay tuned!

• Houses around Kunming city are mostly apartments with 6-7 storey high. There is no lift, unless it if 8 storey or above.

•  94 % of land in Yunnan are mountains, only 6% are flat land.

•  Yunnan is the 3rd largest producer of hydro-electric power in the entire China. This sector is the 5th largest income
generator to Yunnan province after Tobacco, Bio-technology, Silver/minerals and Tourism.

Look out for the next installments where I will share about the places of attraction around Kunming such as the Western Hill, Green Park Lake and to the east of Kunming city - Jiuxiang cave and the legendary Stone Forest.

TrackBack URI for this entry

Comments (0)