@Jopasny I agree. Many times it's hotter outside than inside the apartments. Brhhhhhhh! They keep touting 'Spring City'!Spring City!Spring City!' but it really isn't.

It's still just a matter of perspective... 0 with no heater for a month did not kill me. If you think it's too cold, buy an electrical heater or pillow or blanket. Or simply put those hot water containers in your bed (forgot the name in English), you'll be warm in no time.

Also, this year has been exceptionally cold, probably won't be the same next year. And 20°c does seem warm to me, like summer warm ^^

Anyway, love the weather, the people, the "small town" life... and the travel opportunities.

Its always springtime in Kunming.. Ha! I just came back from my australia home to my KM home. 40c to 0c it very cold for me (my perception)

So people are here for the weather, to learn Chinese and to escape Legionnaires' Disease? OK, but why Yunnan? There must be good weather in many parts of the world, other places with low incidence of Legionnaires' Disease and plenty of other places in China to learn Chinese.

Its ture that the weather getting colder and colder now. if I'm not doing a business here, I really want to escape to somewhere else in winter. but its still great in summer (and the summer getting colder as well). Living in Kunming, one good thing is you don't need to be immersed into the local culture, I'm a Chinese, but I don't have much local (kunming) friends, still not feel being marginalized, can't immagine this in Beijing. the negtive is the people here not quite civlilized as in northen China. for a foreigner, if for learning a language, Kunming is not a good Chioce.

@John Xie, I think you are trolling. My experience has been quite the opposite: In Beijing, apart from the renovated and commercial historical monuments, I didn't find much culture. On the other hand, I found Yunnan to be much more culturally wealthy. There are still people following their traditional habits everywhere you go.
Concerning the locals, i've noticed that Beijingers were a bit less open to welcoming strangers, even if they came from other Chinese cities. They just liked to keep between themselves. I've became close to only one Beijing local, who later became my girlfriend. Other than her, all the other people i knew were from other Chinese cities, including north-easterners (who by the way, were the rudest and less mannered Chinese i've met). And it's exactly the opposite in Kunming. Yunnanese are also very patient when it comes to sharing their culture and making you discover their hometowns or new places, especially if they are minorities.

But I agree about summer. It's very comfortable, unlike in guangzhou, beijing or shanghai. If we had 23-25 degrees every day of the year, that would be perfect.

I'm here to get to know the culture and hopefully pick up the language as i go but must say @yankee00 the experience with locals has not been that great! Seemed to be stared at by locals everywhere I go like I'm some sort of alien lol Still enjoying my time here though :o)

If you think Beijing is more "civilized," then take a few trips on the Beijing subway!

People need to calm down on calling people on "trolling" on this site. Trolling is specifically stating something that is intended to inflame or annoy people either by being completely off topic or so ridiculous that it starts argument with those that believe the person is serious (this person is knows as: troll bait). Clearly John Xie is posting an opinion that he believes to be true. That is not trolling. Just because you may not agree with an opinion does not make the person stating it a troll.

I am in Kunming for luuurrvee (I met my wife here) and for study (some Chinese and IT study). But we are going back to my home country soon, which will be better for me, but I aren't sure about my wife!

I'm also here because Yunnan is a border province - square in the middle of large nations one is often propagandized into believing in a homogeneity that does not exist, and I think it's revealing, and ultimately hopeful, to see the world of nations in a different light.