One thing that I don't think has been mentioned is green space. Kunming could do with a few more more parks in central areas. Hangzhou and Suzhou are lovely in this regard.
2 more points; one serious, one slightly trollish:
1) The 'greatest' cities in the world (London & New York) are such interesting places because they are mixing pots of many peoples and cultures. One of the nice things about Yunnan is the ethnic/cultural diversity. A pity then that Kunming does not really have the culinary diversity and pedigree that you would expect of a city of its size (though perhaps a certain somebody will disagree). Having said that, there are a couple of reasonable sushi restaurants, and some okayish Korean food. If you want to live in China, there are many worse places than here, but there may be better - anyone? If you could combine the best things about Hangzhou and Kunming, you'd have a pretty awesome place to live.
2) 'Colonialists' have kind of a bad name, but the nicest urban areas in China are the ones where there were foreign concessions. The Europeans knew/know how to build nice buildings and cities. China could learn a lot about civilised behaviour from other countries...
Well after reading this thread I have to say what the f**k are most of you doing here!
I've only found Kunming to be a great place, with some people calling it a backwater it's laughable. Food's always been great for me here, maybe a couple of times needed toilet bit sharpish but can say I'd experience the same back home in London over any great length of time. Eat out most nights and spend the prob just once or twice a week eating in doors so maybe you guys just creating own probs or exaggerating ones you have...
Medical treatment also been great and compared to my local hospital where I go for similar treatments it was much better, I have no probs with medical treatment that's for sure lol
Can't believe someone was complaining about not enough park space, well as far as I've known and seen over time I been here it can be very open in places if you can get off your butt and try move around a bit rather than staying in your own little bits.....
Just a couple of my own feelings after reading some of yours :)
I stated it's a relative backwater in comparison to East coast cities redjon. Surely you don't believe it can compare to Guangzhou/Shanghai/Beijing in terms of variety of entertainment/food/work options? Geez, even returning Kunming ren tell me exactly that and lament at the limited opportunities here once they have lived in East Coast cities.
And I am leaving soon as there are zero work options here for me unless I want to be an English teacher/Cafe owner. Would have been much sooner if not for my wife. She tells me the same thing about Kunming now she has travelled a bit. She gets annoyed at the farmer attitude of the people, the laziness and poor lifestyle options. Then again she loves the food, the climate, the adventure travel options, the clean environment outside of the city (as do I) so it's not all bad.
Man, some of you are so precious, one little hint of a perceived insult and you fly off on a tirade. We are just giving a comparison having travelled and lived in different places all over the world, calm the hell down.
You are lucky jon, you obviously have a tough stomach. There is a big difference between needing to go 'a bit sharpish' and spending days vomiting and spraying ass gravy like you've put your thumb over a hose pipe, unable to eat or drink anything (even water), so weak that you can barely get out of bed.
@blobbles Probably misunderstood then as I just thought saying backwater city but yeah my wife will agree with the annoying farmer attitude of some people here lol
@haali I dread the day I'm suffering like that ;o)
Haali, in all seriousness, if you spend "days vomiting and spraying ass gravy like you've put your thumb over a hose pipe, unable to eat or drink anything (even water), so weak that you can barely get out of bed," especially on a regular daily basis, then you have a serious medical problem that needs immediate treatment. That is simply NOT normal for Kunming, period.
@Haali: It's Jon and I who have ordinary stomachs - apparently you are the one with the serious stomach problems (evidence: most people in Yunnan are not beset by such problems as you describe, or if so only very rarely). If this happens to you often then yes, you probably do have a serious medical problem and should see to it.
I'm wondering if people with ordinary stomachs and those who get stomach problems both eat out at the same kind of place and and order similar dishes. There's mixian and mixian.
They do not. Those without issues eat at high end joints or Intercontinental buffets. High end meaning just plain old somewhat clean in the case of Kunming. Or have just been lucky so far.
Those with issues eat at where the rest of Kunming eats, your local neighborhood dumps.
Those living in Kunming over three years have just figured out which local joints give you less of a chance of diarrhea or do take out or just cook at home. By the way, doing take out significantly reduces chances.
Would the experienced ones want to share a few of those joints? It might help newbies.