If I Had to Pick One Place to Take Kids in Kunming, It's Kunming Ethnic Village—A Full Day Isn't Enough

Before I knew it, little Jiao Jiao has become a first-grade elementary school student. The past six months passed quickly amid the pandemic. This summer vacation originally had many plans, but now everything has been simplified. I can't help but recall last year's graduation trip for Jiao Jiao's kindergarten—that wonderful summer vacation when we traveled from Yunnan to Hainan for over a month. It took a year to finish organizing the travel notes, but I still want to share them with everyone. When things return to normal, you can take your kids along the route Jiao's mom took—they will surely love it.

Now let's start reminiscing~~~

This summer vacation was Jiao Jiao's last summer before elementary school. After the break, she would become a first grader, meaning the age where Jiao's mom could take her out anytime to play was about to end—no more taking leave to travel freely; she would have to sit properly in the classroom.

Before school age, we often took Jiao Jiao on off-peak trips, visiting many places. Where should we go this summer? We had been planning for a long time, hoping to make the kindergarten graduation trip more meaningful.

Overseas travel (we just went to Japan, so not for now), cruise travel (we initially considered a cruise for convenience, but later felt it was a bit monotonous, and worried about typhoons that the elderly at home might not handle well), so we decided on domestic travel—there's no end to exploring China's magnificent landscapes. Remember, when Jiao Jiao had her elementary school interview, she said she loved traveling. The teacher then asked which country she liked visiting. Jiao Jiao said she liked China because it's her home. Good job! So we chose to explore the beauty of our great China.

Where to go domestically? No rush. We have a group of travel-loving grandparents whose footprints have covered the whole country. Let's hear their thoughts. My maternal grandparents went to Yunnan a few years ago and really liked it, so they suggested going there, then to Hainan.

This travelogue might be a bit long-winded. This time I'll also share some thoughts on how I planned the itinerary, for your reference.

Now let me share this long journey with you. It lasted about a month from start to finish.

This time we set off from Shanghai to Kunming. Five days before departure, we were still debating whether to take a plane or train. Actually, the prices were similar, but if we took the train, Jiao Jiao wouldn't need a ticket, so we saved that money.

Children under 120 cm don't need train tickets, so traveling with young kids saves a lot. Also, many scenic spots offer free admission. By the next time we travel, the little girl will probably have exceeded the height limit and won't enjoy these child benefits anymore. So parents, if you have time, be sure to take your kids out when they're in kindergarten—cruises, Disneyland, many attractions are free, and no train tickets needed. Look how happy the kids are.

Alright, let's go. Starting our high-speed rail tour of China.

We set out today, but I only booked the car in Kunming last night, bought the scenic spot tickets the day before yesterday, and arranged accommodation and itinerary the day before that—still adjusting. It just shows how convenient travel has become.

Taking the train from Shanghai to Kunming takes about ten hours. If you have time, this mode of travel is actually quite nice.

Ten hours sounds long and tough on the train, but the time passes quickly. Unlike flying, you can enjoy the beautiful scenery outside the window, appreciate the great rivers and mountains of our country, watch farmlands and greenery, see the mountains layered, and experience the sudden light and dark when entering tunnels. When encountering new station names, you can interact with the kids and learn together.

Of course, you can also bring some snacks and toys to pass the time.

We had the most expensive train meal—60 yuan for a box, but the dishes were really good. Little Jiao Jiao eats well everywhere.

The sun was setting, and soon we arrived at our first stop—Kunming.

After arriving in Kunming, the Vienna Hotel came to pick us up. I should mention that if I'm just staying overnight simply, I'll check if there's a Vienna Hotel nearby—great value for money. This hotel was close to the train station and offered free shuttle service, very thoughtful. When checking in, we met the manager, who was very polite, offered to help with luggage, and gave us free breakfast. Seeing we had a child, he proactively asked if we wanted a free extra bed. We had planned to stay at this Vienna Hotel on the way back, but it wasn't the Kunming South Railway Station branch, so we couldn't.

After settling in, we walked a short distance to a food court near the hotel for dinner. Sure enough, Yunnan food tends to be spicy. Since we weren't familiar with the area on the first night, we just had a simple meal.

Although it was a budget hotel, the breakfast had a good variety.

The next day, we went to the only tourist attraction we planned in Kunming: Yunnan Ethnic Village.

Blue skies and white clouds—how can you not feel great?

I had been debating whether to spend one or two days in Kunming. Time was precious. If two days, then we'd spend one less day in Dali. I had never been to either place, but after doing some research, I decisively chose to allocate more time to Dali.

Here are some performance schedules at the Ethnic Village. You can arrange ahead before entering.

Among the famous attractions in Kunming I looked at, not many were suitable for kids. What children are most interested in is probably amusement parks. Although adults appreciate natural beauty, kids can't stay immersed in pure natural scenery for long. So for each trip, I try to balance natural and man-made attractions to cater to the whole family's tastes (often including grandparents and kids—old, middle-aged, and young).

Scenic spots like Stone Forest are certainly beautiful, but for kids, it might be fun at first but then become boring. Plus, there's a lot of walking. So we gave it up for now. We'll go appreciate the legends of those beautiful stones when she's older.

After several comparisons, I felt the Ethnic Village was a good choice—it gives a taste of Yunnan's minority cultures in just one day.

The staff in the park are all from local ethnic minorities and must be from the village's ethnic group. They need to speak both the local language and Chinese, and have some talents—impressive! You can take photos with these staff members in beautiful ethnic costumes. After getting their consent, make a memorable memory together.

This is the first village on the right side of the park. We started our tour here with a guide.

Each village has very unique interior decorations and ethnic costumes. We found everything novel. The guide told us the stories behind these ornaments, and little Jiao Jiao listened with great interest.

The guide asked grandma and Jiao Jiao to guess why the wall was slanted. Do you know?

The smoked meat left a deep impression on me.

This is the "knife mountain."

I've become a happy little peacock.

There's lots of greenery here—blue sky, white clouds, green trees—one look lifts your spirits.

We used to not hire guides when traveling, just wandered and listened in. This time, since Jiao Jiao was a bit older, we thought about trying a guide. The result was not as good as expected, but we still heard many stories.

I think it's better to hire a guide when the child is older, has some interest in local customs, and can interact. Otherwise, it feels a bit wasteful. I enjoyed listening myself, but we had to take photos, the kid wanted to play, and we also needed to follow the guide's explanations quickly—it was a bit tiring.

Here is the last woman with facial tattoos in China. The new China has abolished this custom, but in those days, the women of this ethnic group had a sad story behind their facial tattoos.

If your child is about the same age as Jiao Jiao or younger, I suggest letting them roam freely.

The advantage of hiring a guide: you can visit most places quickly, learn more stories about each ethnic group, and know the best spots in the park.

The downside: we didn't see any performances—we were always rushing. What a pity! If I entered the park on my own, I usually make sure to catch at least a few shows. Here's the schedule for you. Those who need it can get a general idea, but the exact times should be checked at the gate when you go.

When we entered, staff and performers were playing music and singing—the atmosphere was great.

Touching the ox head brings good luck.

There were many snacks in the park, but we were too busy rushing and didn't get to eat any. The guide took us to an expensive and not-tasty restaurant called "Wind, Flower, Snow, Moon Folk Cuisine." Anyway, restaurants inside scenic spots are never cheap. Eating some snacks would have been nice.

A pretty aunt in the embroidery room.

Following the guide, we took many shortcuts to quickly see the main attractions.

During special festivals in the park, there are unique performances. For example, the Water Splashing Festival later—the whole park would be lively.

At the entrance, there are many Yunnan snacks. One fruit popsicle was really delicious. We didn't find it later in Dali or Lijiang.

After visiting the Ethnic Village, we hurried back to the Vienna Hotel, picked up our luggage, and had the hotel send us to the train station to head to the next stop—Dali. On the train, the little girl kept praising how delicious the flower cakes were, eating and laughing all the way. The journey felt shorter.

Arriving in Dali, though it was already dark, the little girl was still energetic. The journey was tiring but even more delightful.