The Yunnan Ethnic Village is a 90-hectare theme park on the eastern shore of Dianchi Lake, opened in 1992 and slowly expanded since. It recreates traditional villages and architecture for 26 of the province's ethnic minorities — Naxi water mills, Dai bamboo houses, Tibetan stone fortresses, Bai courtyards, Wa long houses — across a landscaped lakefront site.
The project is part open-air museum, part folk-culture show. There are scheduled performances of dance, music, and ritual through the day, and many of the houses are staffed by representatives of the minority in question who explain costume, food, and craft. It can feel staged, and serious travellers will probably prefer a trip to the actual villages. But for an introduction to the province's diversity — or for a family with young children — it works well. Allow at least four hours.