Diān Chí

Kunming


The shoreline of Dian Chi, located to the south of Kunming, is dotted with settlements, farms and fishing enterprises, and tourist resorts. The lake is elongated – about 40km from north to south – and covers an area of 300 sq km. Plying the waters are fānchuán (pirate-sized junks with bamboo-battened canvas sails). The area around the lake is mainly for scenic touring and hiking, and there are some fabulous aerial views from the ridges at Dragon Gate in Xi Shan.

The western side of the lake is hilly, while the eastern side is flat country. The southern end of the lake, particularly towards the southeast, is industrial.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby Kunming attractions

1. Dounan Flower Market

8.01 MILES

China's largest flower market is a riot of colours and smells, and a charming place to wander for an hour and see the diversity of species on offer. Try…

2. Yunnan Provincial Museum

9.87 MILES

Originally built in 1951, this museum's relocation in 2015 gave it a thoroughly modern 60,000 square metres of exhibition space. Displays span the…

3. Lingxu Pavilion

10.35 MILES

One of the topmost publicly accessible points of Xi Shan, this large pavilion inside the Dragon Gate scenic area offers breathtaking views of Dian Chi…

4. Dragon Gate

10.41 MILES

On the upper reaches of Xi Shan, the 'Dragon Gate Scenic Area' is a collection of pavilions, temples and grottoes scattered along the mountaintop. The…

5. Sānqīng Gé

10.47 MILES

Towards the bottom of the Longmen area, this was a country villa of a Yuan dynasty prince that was later turned into a temple dedicated to the three main…

6. Yunnan Nationalities Museum

10.92 MILES

On the northeast corner of Diān Chí, the Yunnan Nationalities Museum is reputedly the largest minorities museum in China. The ground-floor exhibition of…

7. Taihua Temple

11.5 MILES

The courtyard of the Ming dynasty Taihua Temple houses a fine collection of flowering trees, including magnolias and camellias, and is a popular to place…

8. Huating Temple

12.05 MILES

Towards the bottom of the mountain is Huating Temple, a country temple of the Nanzhao kingdom believed to have been constructed in the 11th century. It’s…

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