Slightly unrelated question, but why does it seem like GoKunming publishes so few articles and features now?
It used to be several per week now it's only maybe a couple per month.
I'm guessing maybe coronavirus restrictions making it harder to visit places to write about them?
Still seems like even with that we could read more about things and life going on around town in Kunming? Just curious about this change as it was a major draw to the website for me in the past.
I haven't been on it this year but several locals have all told me it is now quite passable.
Unfortunately don't have a more current number for Aluo, but he should be pretty easy to locate in Dimaluo and all local drivers know where his guest house is.
The road from Dimaluo in Gongshan to Deqin is open but still not paved and bad in wet weather.
Rather than spending your entire trip in cars, I would highly recommend considering trekking for three days from Dimaluo to Cizhong, also in Deqin.
Much better scenery this way.
Aluo who has a guest house in Dimaluo can arrange the trek and guides for you or guide you himself.
Also, definitely no need for a sleeper bus from Dali to Fugong.
Easily completed in one day and as others have said much prettier this way.
The Nujiang Valley is not to be missed.
Don't travel it by night.
A note as well that you wouldn't be flying from Deqin to Kunming.
You will need to hire a driver (3 hours) or take the bus (4 hours) from Deqin to Shangri-La which is where the closest airport is if you want to fly out that way.
Thai Airways also flies direct to Chiang Mai every Sunday and Thursday and they are far better than China Eastern.
For years this was the only service to Chiang Mai until it was discontinued in 2009 and China Eastern then introduced theirs.
Last year Thai brought back this twice weekly service (a stop-over on the daily Bangkok route) to compete a bit with China Eastern which is great because they are indeed far better.
Great article but there is a location inaccuracy. Benzilan is not in Sichuan but rather still in Yunnan just across the Jinsha River from Sichuan. The town on the Sichuan side is Derong.
Chengdu already has non-stop flights to the US(SFO), why only "transit service" for Kunming and how is that any different from what is currently offered to the US?
No worries, its original pre-fire incarnation was my watering hole for many years along with the new one, so I'm a bit nostalgic over that place and what Jason and Joel have going now. I can say for sure that last year over the summer there seemed to be a general rumor across the tourism circuit in Yunnan in places like Dali and Lijiang where everyone was being told that Shangri-La was indeed completely burned down and not to go there. This is what many tourists who did actually come up would say people in other towns had told them. It's too bad these rumors seem to still be persisting; it didn't all burn down and now the reconstruction is essentially finished. The cold in the winter has always kept it a seasonal place though, everything shuts down in the winter. Which is why I've always liked the town so much because it always maintains a quaint atmosphere that Lijiang and Dali don't really have anymore.
Metro Line 5 connects Kunming's top attractions
Posted byCan the map image be posted in better resolution, perhaps downloadable? As others have said this version is useless even when zoomed in.
Paragliding high above Tiger Leaping Gorge
Posted byGreat article but there is a location inaccuracy. Benzilan is not in Sichuan but rather still in Yunnan just across the Jinsha River from Sichuan. The town on the Sichuan side is Derong.
Yunnan reveals extensive four-year aviation plan
Posted byChengdu already has non-stop flights to the US(SFO), why only "transit service" for Kunming and how is that any different from what is currently offered to the US?
Shangri-la still looking to bounce back after horrific fire
Posted byNo worries, its original pre-fire incarnation was my watering hole for many years along with the new one, so I'm a bit nostalgic over that place and what Jason and Joel have going now. I can say for sure that last year over the summer there seemed to be a general rumor across the tourism circuit in Yunnan in places like Dali and Lijiang where everyone was being told that Shangri-La was indeed completely burned down and not to go there. This is what many tourists who did actually come up would say people in other towns had told them. It's too bad these rumors seem to still be persisting; it didn't all burn down and now the reconstruction is essentially finished. The cold in the winter has always kept it a seasonal place though, everything shuts down in the winter. Which is why I've always liked the town so much because it always maintains a quaint atmosphere that Lijiang and Dali don't really have anymore.
Shangri-la still looking to bounce back after horrific fire
Posted bySmall factual error: The Raven is not a bookstore, it's a bar.