Kunming | Summer Escape to Colorful Yunnan: Explore the Happy World and Ancient Dian Culture

Kunming, Yunnan, known as the Spring City, enjoys spring-like weather all year round with constant blooms, making it an ideal summer retreat. In the sweltering heat of August, visit the enchanting Ancient Dian culture by Dianchi Lake, experience the charming ambiance of Colorful Yunnan, and find your little summer joys in the refreshing coolness.

Day1: Ancient Dian Fine Wetland Park: Baqianji Camp activities – camping barbecue – Xinglvke Astronomical Science Museum – wetland scenery – stay at Ancient Dian Holiday Hotel, dinner at the food plaza

Day2: Visit Colorful Yunnan Happy World; stay at Ancient Dian Holiday Hotel

Day3: Dora Cute Pet Park – lunch at the hot spring buffet restaurant – hot spring at Ancient Dian Banshan Hot Spring Hotel – dinner at Muyuntai Restaurant – stay at Crowne Plaza Hotel

By the shores of Dianchi Lake, the Ancient Dian Town

In 2000 years ago, the people living along the shores of Dianchi Lake created an ancient, mysterious, and brilliant Ancient Dian culture. 2000 years later, an Ancient Dian Town has risen on the site of the once-lost Ancient Dian Kingdom, showcasing the millennia-old culture in colorful forms to the world. The most Yunnan, the most Ancient Dian, in the Spring City Kunming, experience the diverse life of the Colorful Yunnan Ancient Dian Town Resort.

DAY1: Ancient Dian Fine Wetland Park

The first day of the journey takes you to Ancient Dian Fine Wetland Park, where the clear water of Dianchi and cheerful laughter merge. It’s a fusion of humanity and nature, where Ancient Dian fishing and hunting culture meets the wetland scenery of Dianchi Lake, painting a captivating picture. The 50,000-square-meter Baqianji Camp is a popular spot in the wetland park, offering a variety of outdoor sports for all ages, perfect for team building. For city dwellers, playing freely in nature is a joyous thing.

Rock climbing is the star activity at Baqianji Camp. The colorful climbing wall is dotted with holds; hands and feet work together, and though the distance is short, reaching the top fills you with a sense of achievement, conquering the limits of your own mind. The coach patiently explains safety and techniques. The climb tests your stamina, and the descent by rappel tests your courage.

Real-life CS is always the top pick for group gatherings, testing both teamwork and individual skill. Put on a helmet, shoulder a 'rifle', and weave through the woods for a live-action 'chicken dinner' game. Aim, shoot – the thrill is fantastic.

Or you can leisurely paddle a kayak, drifting on the water. Kayaking looks easy but has its own subtleties. Gently feel the comfort of Kunming's 23-degree weather. Ex-athletes now coach here, offering truly professional guidance.

There are so many activities at Baqianji that you couldn't try them all in a full day. Photos are always part of a trip. The camp is filled with birdsong and flowers, a first-class environment, especially the pink muhly grass, a misty sea of dreamy, romantic pink.

At noon, don't miss the self-service barbecue in the camping area. The sizzling sounds mean the food is cooking, the meat is fragrant, and the aroma hits you. The aroma of food is the most comforting. The fatigue from a morning of play is swallowed up by bites of roasted whole lamb, leaving only satisfaction from the tender, juicy meat.

Xinglvke Astronomical Science Museum: The distance between humanity and the universe shrinks through these telescopes. Peering through the small lens, you see the vast cosmos, brilliant stars – beautiful and wondrous. The largest telescope can automatically find stars and costs surprisingly little, just over 30,000 yuan.

If you're brave enough, check out some special small animals here: spiders, centipedes, lizards, and other 'five poisons'. To be honest, it was a bit scary at first, but when placing one in your hand for a photo, an inexplicable sense of kinship arises – but only with harmless animals, never touch the poisonous ones.

I loved the 46 painted boats docked at the Ancient Dian Yihai Grand Pier. Each one is like an exquisite artwork, with a design that combines the style of Jiangnan painted boats with the charm of mysterious Ancient Dian culture and Yunnan ethnic colors, and reportedly won a national patent.

To cruise through the wetlands, choose a hand-rowed boat. The boatman gently rows, and you sit back, enjoying the wonderful wetland scenery. On a hot summer day, it feels fantastic.

The biggest worry when traveling is food not suiting your palate. Others go home thinner after traveling, but I always gain weight. The Yixinyuan restaurant in the Colorful Yunnan Ancient Dian Town Resort gave me a wonderful first meal. The authentic Yunnan dishes, with their unique flavors, won over our northern palates. It retains Yunnan's distinctive taste while incorporating some culinary fusion. The diverse culture gives Dian cuisine its unique flavor, and traveling often reveals such delicious surprises. Yunnan has always been rich in produce, and one dinner showed me the variety of ingredients and exclusive cooking methods. No wonder it's so popular with diners.

The hotel we chose was also a pleasant surprise. The Ancient Dian Holiday Hotel is within the resort area, close to all attractions, with a great location. Our room was a two-bedroom suite, spacious and bright, fully equipped, with perfect details. You just move in and feel at home.

It's more than a hotel; it's a residential community perfect for retirement or family trips. Another place to settle down for one's twilight years. To live out a comfortable, caring life here would be a wonderful choice.

DAY2: Colorful Yunnan Happy World

Today we visited Colorful Yunnan Happy World, a place where fun lasts from day to night. With Ancient Dian culture, ethnic culture, and regional culture as its foundation, it offers natural scenery, grand shows, and thrilling rides, igniting the excitement of summer.

First, we were greeted by actors in splendid costumes, singing and dancing. A joyful opening dance set the mood, and already the day lived up to its name: a true happy world.

Colorful Yunnan Happy World is the core of the Ancient Dian Town Resort, covering over 700 acres with seven themed zones and a dazzling array of activities. You can't experience everything in just a day or two, so plan ahead.

This Ferris wheel is a must-ride. At 108 meters, it's Yunnan's first super-tall Ferris wheel, known as the 'Eye of Dianchi'. From it, you can overlook the entire Dianchi Lake and the resort area, with countless stunning views unfolding before you. The feeling inside the slowly revolving wheel is breathtaking.

The flying theater presents the spectacular 'Flying Over Colorful Yunnan'. Seated in the hall, high-tech enables you to appreciate the beautiful natural scenery of Yunnan, using full aerial photography, combined with CG technology, and seats that vibrate and blow air, giving you a realistic sensation of flight, hovering, and floating. The rarely seen sights, both bizarre and thrilling, left a deep impression. The musical fountain outside after the show is also not to be missed, with graceful jets dancing to the music.

At the Phantom Dian Square, a 'Dance of the Wind' performance exudes traditional Japanese romantic elegance with flowing robes. At the Imperial Forest Square, the 'Bharatanatyam Dance' represents classic Indian dance, with ornate costumes and emotionally charged movements, transporting you to another land and time.

At Dianwang Restaurant, don't miss the ethnic delicacy 'steam pot chicken'. A bowl of hot soup is simply delightful.

At the Ancient Dian Stunt Theater, the must-see show is 'Chronicles of Ancient Dian', a live-action spectacle enhanced by high-tech, creating an especially shocking scene. With clashing armor and warhorses on the battlefield, the ancient Dian Kingdom during the Western Han Dynasty was prosperous and strong, its warriors brave and tenacious, battling enemies to protect their homeland and peace.

The park has 81 rides. For thrill-seekers, I recommend the Twin-Tower Space Shot, Tiger Leaping Gorge Splash, Snow Eagle Wide-Wing Roller Coaster, and Elephant-Play Dragon Roller Coaster.

In two seconds, you plummet from 64 meters high, experiencing the heart-stopping weightlessness of a 19-story drop. The Twin-Tower Space Shot in the Primordial Secret Area not only offers panoramic views of the entire Happy World but will have you screaming for more.

The Snow Eagle Wide-Wing Roller Coaster flies like an eagle, flipping, rolling, diving, and spinning – built by a top international manufacturer, it gives you the thrill of soaring freely through the air.

The Elephant-Play Dragon Roller Coaster in the Dian Army Camp delivers bullet-like speed at 105 km/h, thrilling and fun. From a distance, it looks like a dragon frolicking with two elephants, and the massive sculptures already get your adrenaline pumping.

Tiger Leaping Gorge Splash combines a roller coaster with a water chute. Between two fierce tigers, feel the crazy back-flip and high-speed dive, culminating in a splashdown from height – an indescribable satisfaction.

The Colorful Train, though also an elevated ride, is romantic and comfortable. Packaged in a peacock design, the train traverses the entire park, passing above the Happy World, giving you a sweeping view of the seven themed zones: Frost Moon Cold Isle, Primordial Secret Area, Vientiane Tribe, Dream World, Four Seasons Flower Sea, Dian Army Camp, and Phantom Dian Wonders. Flying over the park is a magical experience.

Inside the Happy World, there's also a grand and exciting midsummer carnival parade. The procession dances and sings along the main avenue, dressed in adorable, beautiful, lively, and ethnic costumes, stirring up joy among the visitors. The entire route is filled with laughter and lasting excitement.

Midsummer Carnival Season, endless fun. The 'Drums of the Secret Realm', one of the four 'Nature Dances', takes place in the Primordial Secret Area. In the dense primeval forest, Yunnan locals play instruments – they sing whenever they speak, dance whenever they walk. Amid passionate drumming and dazzling fire-breathing performances, the night gets livelier and more joyful.

Before the revelry, refuel at the Yunnan Xiaodaoya Restaurant in Vientiane Tribe. Xiaodaoya is a famous Yunnan dish – small duck specially prepared till crispy outside and tender inside, fragrant and juicy. Highly recommended.

Then dive into the full-on carnival! The Midsummer Beer Festival is a passion of beer and flames. People toast with mugs, laughing by the barbecue, drinking and eating heartily. When the mood hits, they sing and dance. The atmosphere is hot, needing no warm-up; human emotions and the aroma of food weave the night's most jubilant song.

On stage, singers captivate with beautiful voices, dynamic songs that drive the heartbeat. The graceful ethnic performances express tenderness through the swirling colorful sleeves of the dancers.

At the park gate, a lively bonfire party is in full swing. Flames leap and sparks fly, mingling with the stars above – it's hard to tell them apart.

As night falls, dozens of drones perform in the sky, painting lively and interesting patterns. A grand fireworks show follows, blossoming into beautiful flowers that light up the night sky. At moments like this, inexplicably, your nose tingles, and a wave of emotion washes over you.

Whether day or night, it lives up to its name, embodying the charm of Colorful Yunnan – a true happy world. By day, it's a vibrant amusement park; by night, a dazzling pleasure ground, every moment exuding a unique allure that captivates.

Before bedtime, another sumptuous feast: Yunnan's unique Peacock Feast, beautifully presented with a peacock motif. The table is laden with traditional Yunnan delicacies: sour, sweet, grilled, spicy, mushroom, raw, insect, flower, bamboo, arrayed like a peacock's fan, high in aesthetics and rich in flavor.

DAY3: Dora Cute Pet Park

In the Ancient Dian Town Resort, there's also a wonderfully cozy and fun place, perfect for family trips or animal lovers – though often it's the adults who enjoy it most. It's not a zoo, but a true pet paradise, where you can see lively squirrels, endearing black-nosed sheep, cute alpacas, and other vibrant animals.

The pet park has a dedicated route with over ten areas like Kangaroo Tribe, Raccoon Territory, and Youyou Deer Village. In addition to common squirrels and alpacas, there are rarer species like meerkats, sugar gliders, kangaroos, and capybaras, all adorable and very friendly with humans.

At Dora Cute Pet Park, you can get up close with the animals. They can be on your hand, in your arms, or on your shoulder – tiny or fluffy – and this closeness is utterly healing.

Kunming's weather is already pleasant, and after the rain, it feels a bit cool. It's the perfect time to soak in the hot springs at the Ancient Dian Mountain Hot Spring. The Ancient Dian Hot Spring is a key exclusive hot spring in the resort area, light luxury and romantic, blending Yunnan's special culture with beautiful natural scenery. Facing the sea and backed by mountains, every step presents a new view – no exaggeration.

The hot spring water is drawn from a natural source 2,622 meters underground, rich in various minerals, meeting world-class standards. With 4 main areas, 72 forested pools, and 36 private villas, each pool has different benefits. No worries about crowds – you can always find a secluded spot for your own private bath.

My absolute favorite is the mountaintop infinity pool – Qiongtai Bath. It's the only hot spring in Kunming where you can watch the sunset while soaking. Wrapped in warm water, before you is a magnificent sunset and a grand view of Ancient Dian Town. The splendid twilight dyes the sky and the pool red. Bathing in the sunset glow over Dianchi, even the gods would envy this moment.

Next to Qiongtai Bath is Muyuntai Restaurant, where the sunset, the city, and beautiful scenery are highlights. The Western-style steak is also excellent – tender, juicy beef and mellow wine, accompanied by elegant music, a truly delightful meal.

The last night of the trip is spent at the Crowne Plaza Hotel. A professional team has created a professional hotel. The moment you step into the lobby, you're struck by its elegant grandeur. From carpets to lighting, even the front desk, everything is meticulously designed.

The guest rooms at Crowne Plaza also deserve full marks. Every detail is so thoughtful: spacious and bright rooms, comfortable bedding, a large bathtub that adds to the happiness, and a spacious balcony overlooking the entire Ancient Dian Town, pleasing to the eye and mind.

Beyond the colorful clouds of the south, where my heart yearns; beyond the colorful clouds of the south, the place to return. In the summer of 2020, at Ancient Dian Town, I found a cool Kunming. Here, there are mouth-watering delicacies, joys that make you forget to leave, and breathtaking scenery that brings contentment. Vacation time should be just this wonderful.