Travel to Yunnan Province, China
The Yunnan Province in China is the most south-western province of China and is largely undiscovered by western tourists.
The Yunnan Province inspires the traveler with a variety of cultural, scenic and architectural highlights and will not stop to impress even the most experienced travelers. While the attention of the western media is mainly focused on the metropolises and megacities such as Hong Kong, Shanghai (Expo), Xian (Terracotta Army) and Beijing (Olympic Games 08), the Yunnan province in south-west China leads a rather unimpressive existence for travelers.
For this very reason, a Yunnan trip is still considered an insider tip among experienced China travelers.
Travel the abundant Yunnan Province in South-West China
With an area of a little more than 383000km2 Yunnan is the 8th largest province in China and is about the same size as Germany and Belgium together.
The wonderful scenery of Yunnan Province ranges from the subtropical tea plantations in the south, to the magnificent rice terraces high above the Red River, to the rugged river valleys and the endless Tibetan grass steppes at the foot of the snow-covered Himalayas. Alone 26 of China's 55 ethnic minorities live in the fertile Yunnan province.
Yunnan borders on Vietnam and Laos in the south. In the west and southwest the Yunnan province shares the border with Myanmar (Burma). Cross-border travel from Yunnan Province to Laos, Vietnam and Myanmar - unthinkable until a few years ago - are becoming increasingly popular due to the well-developed infrastructure on the Chinese side. Today, for example, an overland journey from Luangprabang in Laos to Jinghong in the south of Yunnan Province can be easily and comfortably completed in 5 days. A particularly exciting and scenic experience is a journey along the old Burma Road, from Yunnan Province in China to Mandalay, the former royal capital of Burma.
Yunnan Travel Tip: Kunming, Capital of Yunnan Province, China
The capital of Yunnan Province is the 8 Million City of Kunming. Thanks to the pleasant climate almost all year round, Kunming is often referred to as the "city of eternal spring of China".
The modern airport of Kunming is only one of 3 airports offering international flights to and from Yunnan Province. This makes Kunming an ideal starting point for a Yunnan trip. Most of Kunming’s best sightseeing spots like the Western Mountains, Dianchi Lake, the Golden Temple or Green Lake Park can be accessed by subway. The famous Stone Forest of Lunan can be reached by highspeed train in about 20 Minutes from Kunming Main Station.
An insider tip and very worthwhile is the "Kunming Museum for Ethnic Minorities" in the south of the city, which offers an exciting exhibition about the 26 ethnic minorities of Yunnan province.
Yunnan Travel Information: Luxury Hotel Accommodation in Yunnan
Travel to Yunnan does not necessarily mean having to do without a touch of luxury. There is plenty of luxury accommodation available in Yunnan Province. More and more international hotel chains discover the beauty of Yunnan Province.
With the Banyan Tree Ringha and the Banyan Tree Resort in Lijiang, the Banyan Tree hotel chain has two magnificent 5 Star Hotel complexes in Yunnan Province. Other renowned hotel chains are following suit: The Intercontinental Hotel Group has several luxurious properties around Yunnan Province of which the 5-star Intercontinental Lijiang Hotel and the trendy Indigo Hotel Lijiang are the most prominent. The famous old town of Lijiang can be reached on foot from these luxurious hotel complexes in less than 10 minutes.
Pullman, Anantara, Angsana and Hilton Hotel are upmarket hotel labels present in Yunnan Province. An insider tip and highly recommended are the Songstam Resorts with various posh properties around Yunnan Province. Songtsam Retreat in Shangri-La, for example, is a magnificent 5-star hotel complex with a view of the famous Songtsam Temple. Colorful China offers a wide range of different travel rrangements for Yunnan.
From luxury hotels to more simple accommodations, our team is able to find just the right type of accommodation for anyone's budget.
Golf Tours in Yunnan Province
Travel to the Yunnan Province and play a round of exciting Golf! Yunnan province has some of the best golf courses in China.
The Sunshine Golf Course in the north of Kunming was recently voted one of the top 10 golf courses in China. The 56 holes of the recently inaugurated Stone Forest Golf Resort east of Kunming can be compared to the most famous international golf destinations. In Lijiang, the Gucheng Golf Resort is a wonderful, state-of-the-art, 18-hole golf course with spectacular views of the Jade Dragon Mountain. A few kilometers away, the Jade Dragon Mountain Golf Course is the highest golf course in the world, where the caddy even carries a bottle of oxygen for the inexperienced flatland golfers.
Not to forget the already legendary Spring City Golf Resort in the east of Kunming with its award-winning Mountain Course designed by Jack Nicklaus and the Lake Course by Robert Trent Jones Jr. Travel to Yunnan Province for an unforgettable round of Golf. Some of the team members of Colorful-China Tours are keen golfers and have played most golf courses in Yunnan Province.
How to travel to Yunnan Province in China?
By plane: If you travel to Yunnan Province by international flight then you will most probably start your journey to Yunnan Province in the capital city Kunming. There are direct flights to Yunnan Province from India, Myanmar, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam, Malaysia, Singapore, Korea and Hong Kong to name a few. Overseas destinations at times include Australia, Czech Republic and France.
There are over 20 national airports in Yunnan Province with direct flights to all major cities in China on a regular base.
By train: Since 2017 the Yunnan Province is connected to the High-Speed Railway Network. There are direct trains from Shanghai, Beijing, Nanjing, Guangzhou and Hong Kong to several cities in Yunnan Province. All high-speed trains have their terminus at the Kunming Southern Railway station, located in Chenggong, about 30km south of Kunming. West bound trains to and from Dali, Lijiang, Zhongdian and Ruili also start at Kunming Southern Railway station but pass Kunming Main Station. Therefore, when planning to travel from Kunming to Lijiang, Zhongdian, Dali, Ruili it is possible to board the trains at the more centrally located Kunming Main Station.
Package Tours to Yunnan Province
With many years of experience, the team of travel experts of Colorful China Tours has created a wide array of different tour options, allowing our travelers to experience Yunnan, while traveling comfortably with every aspect of your Yunnan journey taken care of.
Whether you are traveling as a couple, a family or as a group of friends, our travel experts will map out a suitable, personalized, and tailor-made Yunnan trip for you.
More information about tours to Yunnan Province in China you find here. Also, check-out our list with the 10 most popular places to visit in Yunnan Province. Contact us for you own, personalized Yunnan journey.
