July 2015 Kunming and Dali Travel
Depart at night from Guiyang to Kunming, spend the night on the train without delaying the next day's itinerary, and save two nights' accommodation costs for the round trip.
Day 1: Arrived in Kunming at a little past 6 a.m. on July 22, 2015. Walked 20 minutes to the hotel booked online (at the intersection of Huancheng South Road and Chuncheng Road). After checking in, took a taxi and arrived at Dianchi Cable Car Ticket Office by 9:30 a.m. The taxi fare was about 45 yuan. Took the Dianchi cable car up to the Western Hills entrance, then took the Western Hills cable car to the summit. Walked down along the mountain path, visited the Nie Er Memorial, then took the Dianchi cable car back to the ticket office. It took three hours in total. Then walked about 20 minutes to the Yunnan Nationalities Village. The village is very large, with houses of 56 ethnic groups displayed for visitors, along with various performances. We only watched the elephant show because performances are scheduled at different times. We spent about four hours there, but the village really needs at least a full day—we missed some areas, just skimming the surface. Afterward, took a bus to Kunming Pedestrian Street to enjoy local delicacies—Cross-Bridge Rice Noodles. (Dianchi round-trip cable car ticket: 70 yuan; Western Hills entrance fee: 40 yuan; Western Hills one-way cable car: 25 yuan; Yunnan Nationalities Village: 90 yuan)
Day 2: Took a taxi to Kunming East Bus Station (Kunming taxis are very standardized, always using the meter regardless of distance), fare 28 yuan. Bought a ticket from Kunming to Stone Forest Scenic Area (27 yuan), bus ride about 70 minutes. Arrived at Stone Forest at 10:40 a.m. Bought electric cart tickets and entrance tickets at the ticket office. Took the electric cart to the scenic area gate, then walked 500 meters to the entrance of the Large Stone Forest. Followed the attraction map to explore the Large and Small Stone Forests. Remember: after visiting the Small Stone Forest, don't follow the crowd out of the scenic area. Instead, walk 200 meters back the way you came to reach the Large Stone Forest entrance, then take the free electric cart for a loop around the Stone Forest. Exploring the Large and Small Stone Forests takes about 6 hours total (including time spent getting lost). Took a bus back to Kunming; at the East Bus Station, there is a 5-yuan bus back to the train station. About 8 out of 10 people who visit the Stone Forest say it's not fun, but those 8 must have gone with a tour group. The guide only takes visitors to the core area where the words "Stone Forest" are carved, gives you 30 minutes, and you can't see the full landscape. We searched for each spot one by one, even got lost and ended up in undeveloped areas. Overall, the Stone Forest lives up to its title of "World Natural Heritage." I strongly recommend self-guided tours of the Stone Forest.
Day 3: On the 24th, took a train at noon, arrived in Dali around 5 p.m. after about 5 hours (couldn't get a night train ticket, otherwise we could have saved two days). This was our family's first time on a double-decker train—full of curiosity and novelty. At Dali Railway Station, took bus No. 8 for over an hour, arriving at Dali Old Town by 7 p.m. As soon as we got off, a chill enveloped us—Dali was drizzling lightly. Since it was summer, we hadn't brought long pants or long-sleeved shirts. After dinner, we planned to go into the old town, but our son kept saying he was cold. Helpless, he had to stay in the hotel. My wife and I went into the old town, bought two pairs of long pants and some local large shawls for warmth, took a quick look around, and hurried back to the air-conditioned hotel.
Day 4: Shared a car (private car—locals are honest and safe; when asking a traffic policeman for directions, he recommended either the bus or shared cars) at 25 yuan per person to Shuanglang Ancient Town. The 68 km drive brought us to the south gate. Rented a bicycle for 20 yuan or an electric scooter for 30 yuan, no time limit. The ancient town is very long; including meals and sightseeing, it takes 4 to 5 hours. Took a minibus for 15 yuan back to the old town.
Day 5: Hired a car for 30 yuan to visit the Three Pagodas of Chongsheng Temple. The temple grounds are large—this was the royal temple of ancient Dali. No one tries to sell you incense or tell your fortune. The visit takes 3 to 4 hours. Afterward, you can go to The Demi-Gods and Semi-Devils Film City or return to explore the old town.
Day 6: Hired a car for 40 yuan to the Gantong Cable Car, then took the cable car up Cangshan Mountain. The cable car ride is thrilling and exciting. Visited the Linglong Chessboard and Qingbi Stream. Walked slowly along the Jade Belt Road on Cangshan, enjoying views of Erhai Lake and the mountain. The Jade Belt Road is paved with blue stone, flat and easy to walk, stretching 18 kilometers. The Gantong Cable Car is just one of three cable cars on Cangshan, so coming down is convenient.
Day 7: Took the train back to Kunming, then from Kunming back to Guiyang. Slept, slept, slept!
