Two days touring Yunnan, a lifetime trapped here! Who understands!

Yunnan Travel Guide: Explore the Land of Colorful Clouds, Encounter Poetry and Distant Places Yunnan, famously known as the "Land of Colorful Clouds," boasts snow-capped mountains, lakes, ancient cities and towns, tropical rainforests, and diverse ethnic cultures. Here is a detailed Yunnan travel guide to help you easily plan your trip. Best Travel Time - Spring (March-May): Warm and blossoming, pleasant climate in Dali and Lijiang, rapeseed flowers bloom in Luoping - Summer (June-August): Summer resort, cool in Shangri-La and Lijiang, experience the lotus season in Puzhehei - Autumn (September-November): Best travel season, clear weather, golden ginkgo trees in Tengchong - Winter (December-February): Winter paradise, warm like spring in Xishuangbanna, watch red-billed gulls in Kunming Must-Visit Attractions by Region 🏙️ Kunming (Spring City) - Stone Forest: World Natural Heritage, karst landscape wonder, "The First Wonder Under Heaven" - Dianchi Lake / Haigeng Park: Watch red-billed gulls in winter (Nov-Mar), the pearl of Spring City - Green Lake Park + Yunnan Military Academy: Free admission, French-style yellow walls and blue windows, feel the history - Yunnan Provincial Museum: Learn about Yunnan’s history and culture, free with reservation 🏞️ Dali (Wind, Flowers, Snow, Moon) - Erhai Lake: Cycling around the lake (Shuanglang → Wase → Little Putuo), watch sunrise at Longkan Pier - Dali Ancient Town: Stroll along Foreigner Street and Renmin Road, experience Bai ethnic customs - Three Pagodas of Chongsheng Temple: Dali landmark, stunning "Three Pagodas Reflection" - Cangshan Mountain: Take the Gan Tong or Ximatan cable car, overlook Erhai Lake and ancient town - Xizhou Ancient Town: Bai ethnic residential architecture, taste broken pastry (posu baba) - Shuanglang Ancient Town: Artistic town by Erhai Lake, perfect for photos 🏯 Lijiang (Naxi Ancient Charm) - Lijiang Ancient Town: World Cultural Heritage, check in at Sifang Street and Big Waterwheel, experience Naxi culture - Jade Dragon Snow Mountain: The southernmost snow mountain in the Northern Hemisphere, take the cable car to 4680m peak, Blue Moon Valley is a must-visit - Shuhe Ancient Town: Quieter than Dayan Ancient Town, important post on the Tea Horse Road - Lugu Lake: Plateau pearl, Mosuo matriarchal society, lake cruise, experience walking marriage culture 🏔️ Shangri-La (Fairyland on Earth) - Songzanlin Monastery: "Little Potala Palace," sacred Tibetan Buddhist site - Pudacuo National Park: Alpine lakes, pastures, wetlands, great for hiking and fresh air - Dukezong Ancient Town: World’s largest prayer wheel, strong Tibetan style - Meili Snow Mountain: Watch the "Sunlight on Snow" phenomenon (best from Nov to May) 🌴 Xishuangbanna (Tropical Style) - Chinese Academy of Sciences Tropical Botanical Garden: China’s largest tropical botanical garden, collection of exotic flowers and plants - Manting Royal Garden: Dai King’s royal garden, evening show "Lancang River · Mekong River" - Starlight Night Market: Southeast Asian style night market, taste Dai cuisine, experience mass Dai dance - Dai Ethnic Park: Enjoy water-splashing carnival, experience Dai culture 🌡️ Tengchong (Hot Springs and Ginkgo) - Rehai Hot Springs: Natural sulfur hot springs, "Big Boiling Pot" wonder - Heshun Ancient Town: Overseas Chinese culture, well-preserved Ming and Qing architecture - Ginkgo Village: Golden in November, a photographer’s paradise 🍜 Food Map (Taste of Yunnan) - Kunming: Crossing-the-bridge rice noodles (Fuzhaolou), steam pot chicken, wild mushroom hotpot (June-Oct) - Dali: Rushan cheese, erkuai rice cake, sour and spicy fish, Xizhou broken pastry, rice flour with fried dough sticks - Lijiang: Smoked pork rib hotpot (Apo Smoked Pork Ribs), Naxi grilled fish, chickpea jelly - Shangri-La: Butter tea, yak meat hotpot, highland barley wine (drink cautiously at high altitude) - Xishuangbanna: Lemongrass grilled fish, pineapple rice, pounded chicken feet, Dai barbecue, hand-grabbed rice - Tengchong: Copper ladle beef, dajiujia (fried erkuai rice cake) 🚆 Transportation Guide External Transportation - Airplane: Kunming Changshui International Airport (most routes), Dali, Lijiang, and Xishuangbanna also have international airports - High-speed Rail: Kunming → Dali (about 2 hours), Kunming → Lijiang (about 3 hours), frequent bullet trains Internal Transportation - High-speed Rail: Convenient Kunming → Dali → Lijiang line with beautiful scenery - Bus: Lijiang → Shangri-La (3.5 hours), Lijiang → Lugu Lake (4 hours) - Car Rental/Carpool: Suitable for short trips, such as cycling around Erhai Lake or Lugu Lake - Scenic Area Transport: Jade Dragon Snow Mountain requires taking the eco-friendly shuttle, Cangshan requires cable car 🏨 Accommodation Recommendations - Kunming: Near Nanping Street (convenient transportation, close to business district) - Dali: Lakeside homestays (Shuanglang, Caicun) or inns inside the ancient town - Lijiang: Inns inside Lijiang Ancient Town (experience Naxi style) or homestays in Shuhe Ancient Town (quiet) - Shangri-La: Tibetan-style hotels inside Dukezong Ancient Town, convenient for sightseeing - Xishuangbanna: Near Starlight Night Market at Gozhuang Xishuangjing or hotels in Jinghong city center 🗺️ Classic Itinerary 1. Classic 7-day Tour (Kunming → Dali → Lijiang) - Day 1: Arrive in Kunming → Green Lake Park → Yunnan Military Academy → Nanping Street food - Day 2: One-day Stone Forest tour → evening bullet train to Dali - Day 3: Erhai Lake cycling (Longkan sunrise → Xizhou → Shuanglang) → Dali Ancient Town night view - Day 4