Hi, I was hoping someone might be able to give us some advice about transport from Lijiang to Kunming Airport via Dali.

We've booked a flight to and from Kunming for a long weekend. We'd like to go to Lijiang to do Tiger Leaping Gorge, and then will need to get back to Kunming Airport for our return flight to Hong Kong on Monday at 3:30 pm.

There aren't any particular good, inexpensive options for the flight back on Monday, so we were thinking of taking a train to Dali to quickly visit and then taking a flight from there on Monday.

How much layover time should we give ourselves for a flight from Dali to Kunming so that we are guaranteed to get our flight at 3:30 pm? Would it be safest to take an early bus from Dali to Kunming airport?

Thanks!

there are Frequnt blocks on the highway Dali-Kunming, either from accident or road repair. need 4 hours on the way if go smoothly, but the smooth going can not be guranteed. suggest you take a night train.

Thanks for the reply. Will scratch bus off the list. Is it not realistic, then, to get a train early in the morning to get to the airport for a 3:30 pm flight?

I'm not very keen to take a night train as it will mean a sleepless night and then we'll just have to wander around Kunming all day with our backpacks.

Also, how risky would it be to take a Lucky Air flight from Dali that is meant to arrive in Kunming airport at 12:00?

You'll sleep fine on the night train. Just pay the extra for a hard sleeper and show up tired and haggard. It's the same price as a bus ticket anyways. However, Dali's train station is not in the old town, but the far away new city, so bus is more convenient.

It's pretty easy to kill a few hours in Kunming, considering you pretty much have to depart for the airport after lunch since it's so far out of town. There is a baggage check at the train station. Should cost 10-15rmb per bag for less than half a day. But then you'd have to return to the train station and collect your bags.

Airline delays are riskier than the bus. Xishuangbanna is notoriously delayed often. I have never flown out Dali, but the chance for delay should be normal to low as weather is less of an issue, assuming your plane is already in the Dali airport and not coming from some other highly delayed airport.

Also, Shangrila has an airport, but Dali is a better choice now as it's a lot warmer. Don't show up to Kunming's airport hungry, as dining options suck and are expensive. Starbucks is actually one of the cheaper places to eat there.

Hi, thanks for the information!

I actually don't think I'll sleep well on a night train, as I'm a pretty light sleeper and it would be the first such experience for me. It's also our very first time in China.

Just a few questions, though: Is it possible to get your own compartment on the night train from Dali to Kunming? How clean is it? What is the toilet situation like on it?

What would you recommend doing for a morning in Kunming? Is there a particular botanical garden or park you could recommend?

One other thing I was hoping to get suggestions about for Kunming is a nice restaurant. We're looking for something special that offers something different or a nice representation of the local food there. (Of course, high hygiene standards would be much appreciated...)

Thanks again for the help!

One more thing: is there a website with the bus times? Where could we find the information for the bus times for Dec. 01 (Sun.) from Dali to Kunming?

I think it might be more comfortable to take an evening bus on Sunday, check into a hotel, and then have a more relaxed morning in Kunming...

Just how much air should one pollute for 3 hours here & 2 hours there, etc. - all in the name of tourism? Maybe you could just buy post cards?

Or try traveling instead.

Well, we would have been perfectly happy to have gone trekking or cycling around Kunming, but we didn't find any options, especially considering we don't speak Putonghua. This was the best we could make with the time and money we have available.

Could you make a suggestion for a trek we could realistically arrange and do?

I'm very excited about being able to visit China for the very first time and do indeed feel very lucky to have this opportunity which I don't take lightly.