For most travellers Kunming is a transit point — the starting line for trips north to Dali, Lijiang, and Shangri-La, or south to the Yuanyang rice terraces and Xishuangbanna — but it deserves a couple of days in its own right. The historic core around Cuihu Park and Yuantong Temple is one of the most pleasant urban quarters in southwest China, and the Western Hills above Dianchi Lake are an easy half-day escape.
Beyond the city, the Stone Forest and the Bamboo Temple are the two essential excursions; for those with more time, the Jiuxiang caves, the Anning hot springs, and the Dongchuan red lands extend the trip in different directions.