Autumn is a harvest season, as well as a season that is appropriate for trips. Kunming boasts its invigorating climate and beautiful sceneries. Here are some top places for you to admire autumnal sceneries in Kunming.

The golden yellow ginkgo boulevard in Anning City

The ginkgo boulevard is located in the Western Tangchuan Road(螳川西路), Anning City. The boulevard has a length about 5 kilometers with hundreds of ginkgo trees lining both sides of it. Tourists can walk along and take photos in the boulevard.

After admiring the ginkgo boulevard, tourists can also mount to the Caoxi Temple(曹溪寺), or take baths in forest hot springs nearby. There are only 5 kilometers to drive from Anning downtown to the Hot Spring Village via the Western Tangchuan Road.

There are also many affordable restaurants on the Eastern Tangchuan Road. A full meal for a family of five people costs about 300 yuan there.

Route: Kunming -- Kunming-Anning Expressway -- Anning downtown -- Western Tangchuan Road(in the direction of Tanglangchuan) -- Hot Spring Village.

The purple flower sea of lavender in Songming County

There is a purple flower sea of lavender lying in Xingyao Watery Place(星耀水乡), Songming County. The flower field planted with lavender is specifically planned to provide a romantic spot for tourists.

Besides admiring the flower sea, tourists can fish at the edge of the lotus pond in the Xingyao Watery Place. Tourists also can enjoy various horse-riding stunts, such as British equestrian, dressage in Xingyao Watery Place which is provided with a horse riding club fit for international standards. Other physical or self-cultivation exercises are also available there, such as taking a SPA, playing tennis, doing yoga, swimming, playing snooker, etc.

Route: Kunming -- Kunming-Qujing Expressway --Junmachang(army horse breeding farm) Toll Station(军马场收费站) -- Xingyao Watery Place

The Zhouda Small Watershed(周达小水域) and Heilongtan Park in Panlong District(盘龙区)

The Zhouda Small Watershed is located in the confluent region of Dashiba Reservoir’s upstream. It was under a comprehensive ecological control in last September, and was completed in last December. The watershed, costed an investment of 14.3663 million yuan, is virtually a natural oxygen bar owing to the flourish trees.

After strolling around the natural oxygen bar, tourists can go back to Heilongtan Park to watch reddish fish. Reddish fish is crowned to be the most famous fish in Yunnan. The fish is rare to see, because of its high living requirement for the water quality.

Route: drive towards north via the roads of Songhuaba Reservoir (preferably self-driving)

The flower sea of cosmos and black rocks in Naigu Stone Forest(乃古石林)

Colorful coreopsis complete with black hard rocks in the Naigu Stone Forest, Shilin Yi Autonomous County. (Photo/ Chen Cheng)

Naigu Stone Forest boasts its unique karst landscapes. The stone forest, which looks like a grand black forest, was formed 350 million years ago.

What competed with the black stone forest is a colorful flower sea of coreopsis. The coreopsis sea covers a land about 1 thousand mu, ranging from the exit of the Shilin toll station to the Naigu Stone Forest. Hundred mu of coreopsis are in the Naigu Stone Forest. The flower will be in full bloom during the National Day Holiday(Oct.1-- Oct.7). The flower season is estimated to last until the end of October.

The admission is 170 yuan. Yunnanese can receive a discounted ticket of 60 yuan with their ID cards. Students can enjoy half-price discounts. Officers can enjoy another 30 yuan less after the half-price discounts with their certificates. Yunnanese who have the Older Cards are totally free to enter the stone forest.

Route: Kunming -- Kunming-Shilin Expressway -- Shilin Toll Station -- Jiushi’a Road -- Naigu Stone Forest

The Red Land in Dongchuan District

The Red Land in Dongchuan Area is one of the most representative landscapes in Yunnan. It is 2,400 meters high in altitude. The landscape looks like an exquisite and colorful oil painting under the sunshine. The red land is 148 kilometers away from Kunming, and over 40 kilometers away from the downtown of Dongchuan.

Route: Kunming -- Kunming-Qujing Expressway -- Songming-Daibu Expressway -- Dongchuan downtown -- the Red Land

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(Editors: Tracy, Cathy Chen)