Kunming

Kunming earns its nickname "The Spring City" honestly — sitting at 1,900 metres on the Yunnan Plateau, it enjoys mild temperatures and blue skies year-round, rarely too hot in summer or too cold in winter. As Yunnan's provincial capital and transport hub, most visitors pass through en route to Dali, Lijiang, or Xishuangbanna. But Kunming deserves a day or two in its own right.

The Yunnan Provincial Museum is one of China's finest regional museums, with exceptional collections covering the province's extraordinary ethnic diversity. The Stone Forest (Shilin), a UNESCO World Heritage Site 90 kilometres southeast of the city, is one of China's most dramatic natural formations — thousands of grey limestone spires rising from flat ground, some reaching 30 metres high. The Western Hills above Dianchi Lake offer hiking trails and carved Buddhist cliff temples with panoramic views over the city.

Kunming's food scene reflects Yunnan's diversity. Crossing-the-bridge noodles (过桥米线) — the provincial signature dish, a rich broth poured over rice noodles at the table — originated here. The city's Muslim quarter serves excellent lamb dishes. And the extraordinary variety of wild mushrooms available in Yunnan markets reaches its peak in summer.