Located inthe southwest part of China, covering an are of 394,00 square kms, Yunnan Province is averagely 2000 meters above sea level and has a population of 40million. Three countries are its close neighbors: Burma to its west, Laos and Vietnam to its southwest. There are 17 preferctures and cities. Kunming is its capital city.

For Westerners, Yunnan and Kunming are possibly better associated with the Flying Tigers daring pilots who flew "over the hump" from Bengal to help China during the Second World War. Yunnan actually has plenty of other claims to fame.

Yunnan is a cradle of mankind. The Yuanmou Ape Man lived and multiplied in Yunnan as early as 1.7 million years ago. In ancient time, caravans ran through Yunnan along the Southern Silk Road into Burman and India. Today Yunnan boasts the country's most diverse population of cllorful minority peoples and such natural wonders as the Stone Forest, Xishuangbanna, Dali, etc.

There are 10 national scenic resorts and 48 provincial scenic resorts in Yunnna. The major tourist routes are as follows. Southeast Route: Kunming- the Stone Forest in Lunna-the Alu Cave-Puzhehei in Qiubei-Lubuge in Luoping. West Route: Kunming-Chuxiang-Baoshan-Dehong. Northwest Route: Kunming-Dali-Lijiang-Diqing. Southwest Route: Kunming-Simao-Xishuangbanna.

As well as an important province sharing a large part in exporting to the ASEAN countries, Yunnan has been known for its well-developed tourism tourism industry and infrastructure apart from its rich tourist resources.

Lijiang Naxi Autonomous County 200km from Dali is another famous historical and cultural city which prides itself with age-old towns, imposing mountains, and virtuous folk traditions. Major attractions: Ancient Dayan Town, Snow-capped Yulong Mountain, Hutiao Gorgen on Jingsha River, first Bend of the Yangtze, 10,000-flower Camellia Tree in Yufeng Temple, and Yuqian Park. The naxi people, with a venerated history and tradition, are marked for their unique dwelling architecture, dress and living habits, and they are still using one of the few pictographic languages in use in today's world. Listening to the classical naxi music is an unforgettable experience. The Ancient city of Lijiang is located at Dayna, the seat of Lijiang Naxi Autonomous County and a 1.4-square-km town with an 800-year-old history and 4,000 or so Naxi families. The entire county is laid out according to a well-conceived plan. The streets are tidy, the back alleys are tucked away in remote corners, brooks and streams flow through every courtyard, and every courtyard is a captivating garden of trees and flowers. In 1997, Dayan made the UNESCO world cultural heritage site list. The Snow-Capped Yulong Mountain, 15 km north of Lijiang, is a national scenic resort and the site of a natural skiing ground open in all four seasons. At an altitude of 5,596 metres above sea, it is the Northern Hemisphere's southernmost mountain in snow all year round. The Yangtze River's first Bend is found at Shigu town, which is 53 to the southwest of Lijiang. There, the Jinsha River, which is the upper reaches of the mighty Yangtze, flows from northeest into a mountain cliff, and makes a V-turn before tumbling away to the northeast.

Eighty-four km southeast of Kunming is Stone Forest in Shilin (Stone Forest) County, a 350-square-km topographical turmoil wrought by a jungle of 100 or so groups of monoliths in shapes ranging from overhanging cliffs to grotesque boulders. "Number One Bizarre Spectacle Uner Heaven, "as the Stone Forest is nicknamed. The natural spectacle is made all the more alluring by its inhabitants, the Sani people, whose peculiar habits and customs never fail to keep the visitors mesmerized. Grand celebrations are held during the Torch Festival, which falls on the 24th day of the 6th lunar month.

They are situated on the ruins of Chongsheng Monastery at a distance of one km in the northwest of Dali In the time of Nanzhao and Dali Kingdoms, Chongsheng Monastery was the largest in this area and the Three Pagodas were only part of it. Now the monastery has disappeared for long and what only remain are the Three Pagodas which stand magnificently like three giant swords piercing into the sky.

It is spring all year round in Kunming, capital of Yunnan Province and a famous historical and cultural city in the center of Yunnan-Guizhou Plateau 1,891 metres above sea level, with mild humidity, an average annual temperature of a pleasant 15 degrees Celsius, and flowers blooming in all four seasons. A world-famous tourist resort, Kunming holds such major attractions as Dianchi Lake, West hill, West Hill forest Park, Yunnan thnic Village, Grand View Pavilion, Qiongzhu Temple, Golden Hall, Yuantong Temple, Cuihu Park, and the Garden of the World Horticultural Exposition. The 300-square-km dianchi is Yunnan's largest alpine lake known as "Highland Bright Pearl" for its vast expanse of liquid silver and graceful scenery. Standing by dianchi Lake is Yunnan Ethnic village, a huge congregation of ethnic villages in which visitors are entertained with a diversity of folk singing and dancing and folklore gigs. Dianchi Litself is surrounded by many scenic attractions, including Dianchi National Holiday Resort, West Hill Forest Park, and Grand View Pavilion. China's largest cast-bronze hall is found in Jindian (Golden Hall) Scenic Zone on the camellia-covered Mingfeng Mountain to the northeast of Kunming. From May 1 to October 30, 1999, Kunming was the venue of the last international horticultural exposition, which was a resounding success. The large group of buildings erected for this exhibition are found in the Garden of the World Horticultural Exposition, now open permanently as a new tourist attraction.

In China it is the largest highland lake next to Dianch The dimension is 41.5 km. by 8.4 km. with an average depth of 10 metres, covering an area of 250 squ.km. It would be a great pleasure for the tourist to go for a boat ride on the crystal water of the lake.