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Trip to Kunming City

by The Photography Confidential
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First thing you need to know is that MARCO POLO was there. Yes, sir.

Day trips from Kunming city:

  • The 3 Yunnan forests: “Stone Forest”, “Colorful Sand Forest” and “Earth Forest”
  • Dragon’s Gate, in Western Hill Park
  • Jiuxiang Scenic Area: a gorgeous place with caves and boat rides
  • Dinosaur Valley: Yunnan’s Jurassic Park, where you can see dinosaur fossils and attractions for kids.
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If you are to visit any of those places, you might find that your best option is to stay in Kunming City (昆明), the capital of the Yunnan province in China. This city has a great air quality, making it the perfect destination for a more urban break with all the commodities that big cities have like cultural attractions and shopping malls. Kunming was an important stop on the famous Silk Road where people traded food and goods in exchange for the precious silk. If you decide to go, here are a few things to spice up your stay:

Where to eat?

My favorite non-Chinese restaurants are The Lost Garden, Spice Magic and Grandma’s Kitchen, which are all within walking distance from the Grand Park Hotel where I stayed.

The Lost Garden:

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You can have burgers, salads, mexican cuisine… Don’t miss their Mexican spicy hot chocolate! The red wine is particularly cheap and delicious. Their terrace is peaceful and you can eat indoors as well. They happen to also be a Guesthouse, so you have the option of staying there.

11:30am-9pm Thursday through Tuesday. (Closed on Wednesdays)
📍Address: 7 Huanggong E St, Wuhua Qu, Kunming, China, 650000
Phone: +86 871 6511 1127

Spice Magic:

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It’s an Indian restaurant, which my Indian friend approved of. We went two times because we liked it so much. It is a bit hard to find, but it’s opposite the Grandma’s Kitchen which is easier to spot. They have a terrace as well. The staff is nice, and the food is really good! My favorite things were this appetizer called Pani Puri, the chicken curry and the masala tea.

11am-2pm / 5-9:30pm
📍 Address: 7/F,Tongde Kunming Shopping Mall, No.928 Beijing Road,Panlong District, Kunming 650012 China
黄公东街一丘田7号 (翠湖南路旁边)

The Grandma’s Kitchen:

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This restaurant has different food options from all over the world. Honestly I went several times and even got to-go bags for my high speed train ride because I loved everything there: their delicious appetizers, pizzas, soups, salads.. There isn’t anything that I was disappointed by, so I hope you will enjoy the food and place immensely.

📍 Address: 7/F, Tongde Kunming Shopping Mall, No.928 Beijing Road,Panlong District, Kunming 650012 China.
It’s opposite the Spice Magic Restaurant.

Where to stay

I personally found the Grand Park Hotel, and I wrote an article about it here. It’s in the center of the city, has an outside swimming pool and an easy access to all the restaurants I mentioned above.

Important Information

Known as the City of Eternal Spring, Kunming’s climate is pleasant and it blooms almost all year long. If you go in the winter though, you should definitely get ready for some light snow and during Monsoon season (April – September) you should get an umbrella and raincoats because of the heavy rains. It is a transportation hub, so it is well connected to different cities, but I didn’t find it particularly crowded, especially in the area where I stayed. Be aware of traffic jams though, you might want to take the metro to get out of the city before getting a taxi to your destination.
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Categories ASIA - TPC Travels, CHINA - TPC Travels
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