Latest Comments

• • October 21, 2010
  • Getting Away: Nanning
    

    Normally, I really like the "Getting Away" feature on GoKunming...but I feel like we might be scraping the bottom of the barrel here. I had some new and exciting noodles there - tasty, I'll grant you - but I speak from experience when I say that Nanning is the place that fun goes to die.

Latest Forum Posts

• • August 17, 2011
    
  • Forums > Travel Yunnan > Tiger Leaping Gorge in Rainy Season
    

    Does anyone have any more specific info on hiking TLG at this time of year? I'm thinking of going this weekend (haven't hiked it before), but I'm not clear on whether or not this is actually dangerous at this time of year, or if it's even worth it if the weather is cloudy/rainy.

    I called Sean (of the eponymous guesthouse) and he said it was fine, the trail is in good shape, etc - but it's not like he's an objective source. :)

    Anyone hiked TLG in the rainy season recently?

• • August 12, 2011
    
  • Forums > Travel Yunnan > Hot air ballooning in Tengchong
    

    So I went to Tengchong and basically the deal is this:

    At the 火山公园 in front of 大空山 there is a hot air balloon tethered to the ground. They pile as many people as will fit into the passenger part, and then float you straight up for a little while, then back down. 200RMB a person - seems like a big rip-off.

    If you climb 大空山, which doesn't take that long, you're as high as the balloon goes, so just do that.

• • August 12, 2011
    
  • Forums > Travel Yunnan > Temporary ban on agents selling tickets?
    

    I'm trying to buy bus/train tickets and all of the ticket offices I normally use have told me that they're not currently allowed to sell tickets (apart from plane tickets).

    Does anyone know why? Or know of a place that is still selling tickets to keep me from unnecessarily shlepping to Xibu Keyunzhan?

    Thanks!

• • July 10, 2011
    
  • Forums > Travel Yunnan > About Center for Biodiversity and Indigenous Knowledge
    

    Hi JD - I'm pretty sure CBIK has been closed for a while.

• • July 10, 2011
    
  • Forums > Travel Yunnan > Hot air ballooning in Tengchong
    

    I'm planning on going to Tengchong next month and I've read in a number of places that it's possible to go hot air ballooning there as a way to see the volcanoes. I can't actually find out how you do this though - does anyone know? Are there tons of outfits in Tengchong who do this such that you just wander up and ask, or can you arrange it in advance?

    Thanks in advance for any advice!

Latest Reviews

• • birdabroad
    April 10, 2011
    
  • Kunming > Salvador's Coffee House
    萨尔瓦多咖啡馆

    Dear Salvador's waitresses,

    I get it - maybe you've been told not to memorize people's orders instead of writing them down, or maybe you think it's impressive not to take notes...

    But you know what I'd find more impressive? Getting my order right. Ever.

    Salvador's has great food, but every time I eat here my food is missing something I ordered, or has something sprinkled all over it that I asked to be left out.

    Seriously, just write the orders down. I won't think any less of you!

    xx birdabroad

• • birdabroad
    November 29, 2010
    
  • Kunming > Rainbow Coffee House
    彩虹咖啡室

    This place has a nice atmosphere - high ceiling, comfortable seating, good light. A classy-looking place, and definitely a breath of fresh air after smacking your forehead endlessly in the cafes of Wenhua Xiang and Wenlin Jie. The coffee is solid.

    A word of warning: Stay away from the cakes. They are the kind that come out of a box that several cafes around here serve; at Rainbow they keep the slices in the freezer and serve them to you frozen solid on a plate. Seriously.

• • birdabroad
    October 13, 2010
    
  • Kunming > The Box
    老夫子

    I am sitting in the box right now. I have made my love for this place publicly known- but DAMN the service in this joint is slow. 40 minutes and we're still waiting for food?! 15 minutes for the wrong drink?! Get it together guys. My love is not unconditional.
    

• • birdabroad
    October 1, 2010
    
  • Kunming > Vintage Café
    茴转时光

    I really like Vintage Cafe. I came here for months just for a coffee before I tried the food recently - very solid. The omelets, sandwiches, potato wedges and pasta are all things I've tried that have been very good (the omelets are GIANT).

    The desserts are also very good - I've had the cheese cake, cookies, lemon bread and granola (although one time the cookies/cakes were on the dry side).

    A chill place with friendly fuwuyuan, free wifi, and good food and coffee.

• • birdabroad
    May 19, 2010
    
  • Kunming > Sandra's

    The place has great atmosphere and Sandra herself is a total character! Large wine and decent beer selection although the drinks, like everything here, are not cheap.

    My advice would be to order something other than Italian food - not because it's bad, but because the Italian at the Box is better and cheaper, so you might as well get something else while you're at Sandra's.

• The Old Theatre Inn
• Lost Garden Guesthouse & Restaurant
• Chicago Coffee
• Kunming Mei's Mandarin School
• As You Like
• Keats School
• Moondog
• GoKunming
• YMCA Club 1933
• Slice of Heaven
• Kingsway Tented Resorts
• Camel Bar
• The Mask
• Bakery 88
• Kunming College of Eastern Language and Culture
• My Favor Restaurant
• Chapter One
• Wonders Of Yunnan Travel
• O'Reilly's Irish Pub
• Salvador's Coffee House
• Wangtianshu Restaurant & Deli
• Tenwest Mandarin School
• Cacao Mexican Restaurant
• Flying Tigers Restaurant
• Kunming Yu-Cong Enterprise Management Company
• Huiying Dental Clinic