Kunming © Flickr: Philou.cn

Kunming is known as the 'city of eternal spring' due to its pleasant climate and attractive setting amongst limestone hills and large lakes. It is the capital of the Yunnan province in southern China. The city of Guilin is home to over three million people and encompasses an ancient city (which used to be fortified), a modern commercial district, a university, and residential areas. It is one of China's major tourism cities, with over two million people annually choosing a holiday in Kunming. The city is also an important hub for transportation and trade as it is linked to Vietnam by rail and to Laos and Burma by road.

Kunming has been rapidly modernised in the last few decades, in places to the detriment of traditional sights and interesting cultural locations. Nonetheless, Kunming has many sights and cultural attractions worth visiting, including temples, museums, parks and gardens, and the fascinating Stone Forest. Jiuxiang Scenic Area also has a number of caves and waterfalls that are popular attractions.

Kunming is generally a relatively safe city, but there have recently been warnings that pick pocketing is on the rise and there have been an increased number of cons and scams involving tourists.