Yunnan province is one of China's most visited provinces. Of all the regions in China, Yunnan always bids and welcomes visitors all year round. Being one of the largest provinces in China, Yunnan boasts of housing almost one third of China's ethnic minority group. Known as the South of the Clouds, Yunnan is known to enjoy a mild climate. The opportunity to see China in its raw state and the appreciation of the alluring beauty of its natural landscape is what brings people back to Yunnan.

If you decide to visit Yunnan, you can be rest assured that you would have a wonderful time in this province. Your first stop would be Kunming; being the capital of Yunnan, Kunming is a modern city known to have good food, wonderful sights and a great place to enjoy snowballing.

The natural landscape of Kunming is a combination of highland sceneries to karsts landforms and exotic habitats. Dianchi Lake is the most attractive scenic area in Kunming; it has the Golden Horse Hill in the east facing the Jade Cock Hill in the west. Surrounding this lake are tourist attractions like the Yunnan Provincial Museum, The birds and flower market, Yunnan Village, the Golden temple one of the largest temples in China made out of copper are a number of interesting places to visit in Kunming. This lake is a great place to relax and enjoy the wonders of nature.

The Shilin Stone forest is a major tourist attraction in Kunming,Yunnan; there is a local saying that "it's a waste of time visiting Kunming without stopping at the Stone forest, and this is because the majestic stone formations and limestone pillars which make up the landscape leaves you in a state of awe.

The Black Dragon Pool is another great place to visit in Kunming. The pool is divided into two sides with two different colors. On one side of the pool, it is not possible for aquatic animals to swim to the other side of the pool. A very interesting fact about this pool is that the pool has remained the same and has never dried up. Behind
this pool is the Black Dragon Palace which was built in the time of the Ming dynasty. There are lots of temples to see when you visit the Black Dragon Palace.

Dali is another town in Yunnan which is a great place for tourists to visits. A number of things to see here are the Dali's Old town, Dali's Museum, The butterfly fountain, the three Pagodas and Erhai Lake. Erhai Lake is one of China's 7th biggest sweet water lakes. The beauty of this lake is the way it is shaped. It is shaped like an ear which is the reason why it is called Erhai Lake.

Lijiang is the old town which serves as the perfect getaway from the noisy cities to enjoy a quiet and peaceful time with the local minorities. The Old town of Lijiang is like a maze of cobbled streets, old looking buildings, gushing canals and a bustling market scene, because of this, it is often regarded as the "Venice of the Orient". What makes the Old town of Lijiang a beautiful one is the presence of the Jade Dragon Snow Mountain which lies in the northern direction. This mountain is a sacred sanctuary which has protected the ethnic minorities and its unique cultures since the ancient times. The architecture of the Lijiang Old Town is combination of the several cultures which has made the town what it is today. The Old Town of Lijiang is listed on UNESCO World Heritage Center. Other place of interest in Lijiang includes the Tiger Leaping Gorge, the Museum of the Naxi Dongba Culture and the Baisha village.


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