It's quite a long trip. There are no airports near Yuanyang, or trains for that matter. You could fly/bus/train down to Kunming and then take a bus.
You can also theoretically catch a bus due south from Chuxiong and follow the river down to Yuanyang, but you'll be taking a lot of the older roads and will probably have to switch buses a few times. That could actually be a cooler trip, but it would be more complicated and involve more road time.
christian4870: That's usually a decent time to visit. By the time you arrive, tourists will be dropping off from the peak, and the weather will be quite nice.
Some of the most famous sites (stone forest, Lijiang, etc) have pretty exorbitant ticket prices, though it's up to you whether it's worth it. There are also plenty of beautiful old towns, villages and natural landscapes that you can visit for free.
I recently took my parents around Yunnan and Guizhou, and was able to get them in for free to many places (they're both over 70) with just their passports. I think the official discount card is only necessary for things like free bus fare and other special discounts.
As for the Chinese signage, basically, any time you see a sign with multiple different entrance fees, there should be a senior discount.
If this is your first Christmas in town, it's probably a good idea to stay away from the whole bird and flower/zhengyi fang/jinma biji area, as well as Kundu. Absolute mayhem, especially on Christmas Eve.
This is a good writeup of the rules, but it doesn't address a lot of the specific ways in which the application process has changed, or the fact that the rules are applied in different ways for different regions.
For instance, AFAIK, the Kunming labor bureau is now requiring "certificates of clear criminal record" from all applicants, including applications for extension, while Beijing only requires it for new labor permits.
Also, the Kunming PSB hasn't said anything about taking 15 days to issue a residence permit.
It might help to send someone down to the relevant departments and ask
Thank you for sharing these with us. They're great.
Incidentally, those barracks are still standing. They're set back a bit from the road on Xichang Lu just outside the Xizhan Overpass. It's been taken over by a school and given a horrible paintjob...
An exciting new gallery space built from an old factory warehouse in the Paoluda Creative Industry Park. Looking forward to seeing what they'll do with it.
Season's greetings from the Kunming PSB
Posted byOh god, I hate that spray confetti.
If this is your first Christmas in town, it's probably a good idea to stay away from the whole bird and flower/zhengyi fang/jinma biji area, as well as Kundu. Absolute mayhem, especially on Christmas Eve.
New visa and residence regulations for the PRC
Posted byThis is a good writeup of the rules, but it doesn't address a lot of the specific ways in which the application process has changed, or the fact that the rules are applied in different ways for different regions.
For instance, AFAIK, the Kunming labor bureau is now requiring "certificates of clear criminal record" from all applicants, including applications for extension, while Beijing only requires it for new labor permits.
Also, the Kunming PSB hasn't said anything about taking 15 days to issue a residence permit.
It might help to send someone down to the relevant departments and ask
Cycling from Kunming to Dali Old Town
Posted byExcellent writeup. I've been meaning to do this ride for years.
Kunming in 1945: The photos of Paul R Burch
Posted byRobert,
Thank you for sharing these with us. They're great.
Incidentally, those barracks are still standing. They're set back a bit from the road on Xichang Lu just outside the Xizhan Overpass. It's been taken over by a school and given a horrible paintjob...
Getting Away: Shuhe
Posted byDidn't that old guy used to have a monkey?