The
most interesting attractions in the Golden Temple Park (Jindian Gongyuan)
are the Taihe Palace (Taihegong) and the Golden Temple (Jindian).
Taihe Temple is
the most important and active Taoist temple in Yunnan. Atop the front
gate, is a large horizontal board inscribed with the Chinese saying
"Ying Wu Chun Shen", meaning "Spring abounds on Yingwu
Mountain" (the site of the park).
The Ming
Dynasty Golden Temple is the most unique and well known structure in the
park. It, like Taihe Temple, is a Taoist temple. However, the special
thing about Jindian is the architecture. The walls, sixteen pillars,
rafters, roof tiles, altar, statues, altar-hanging, the horizontal
inscribed board, the table and even the banner on the right in front of
the temple are all made from bronze. The whole temple weighs more than
280 tons, making it not only one of the four largest bronze temples in
China, but also the heaviest and best preserved.
How
to get there: The Golden Temple Park is located 8km east
of the city center. A taxi ride from the city center should cost RMB20
and take less than 30 minutes. Bus No.10 connects the park with Yuantong
Dong Lu near the Yuantong Temple.
Opening Hours: 8am-7pm.
Cost: RMB15.
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Grand
View Park (Daguan Gongyuan) sits on the northern shores of the Dian
Lake. Completed in 1690 during the Qing Dynasty, the park consists
of hills, ponds, pavilions and rockeries in a style similar to that of
the gardens of the Yangtze River Delta.
The
Grand View Tower (Daguanlou) itself offers great views of Dian Lake. It
is also inscribed with an 180 character poem describing the beauty and
history of the area. This poem is the longest of its kind in Chinese
literature. The construction of the Tower is that of a typical
well-preserved wooden pagoda.
How
to get there: The park is 3km away from the city center.
Bus No.52 runs between the park, the airport and other sites. The park
can also be reached by taking buses No.4 and No.54. From the city
center, a taxi can reach the park in 20 minutes for around RMB15.
Admission: RMB5
Opening Hours: 8am-6pm
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Green
Lake Park (Cuihu Gongyuan) is one of the most picturesque parks
in downtown Kunming. In November and December every winter, huge flocks
of red-beaked gulls migrate here from Siberia.
Around
the park, there are also many excellent bars and restaurants. Since the
park is the only one that stays open until 10PM, it is an ideal place
for enjoying some Kunming nightlife. Of course, at any other time, the
park is always worth a stroll.
How
to get there: The park is located in the northern area of the
city and can be reached by taxi for RMB10. Also, bus 101, which starts
from the Railway Station, circles around the park.
Opening Hours: 7am-10pm
Admission: RMB2.0
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Jiuxiang
is a major Kunming tourist attraction famous for its limestone caves. In
fact, this wonderful spot even has an underground waterfall and a
breathtaking gorge.
"The Field
of the Gods" is one of the cave's main attractions. Water flows
down from a hole in the cave here and is split into two at the spot
where it falls.
Local people
liken the two spurts of water to a husband and wife and have crafted a
story to describe the sight. Outside the cave is a 700 meter long gorge,
covered on both sides by thick vegetation and trees. We recommend
spending at least three hours to enjoy this sight to the full.
How
to get there: The scenic area is about 80km from Kunming.
The best way to get there is to taking a bus from the Kunming Railway
station, which costs about RMB15 and takes 2 hours. The best way to get
to the caves is to hire a car, which should cost around RMB300 for a
whole day.
Opening Hours: 9am-6pm
Cost: RMB30.0
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