Private sightseeing in Kunming

Grand View Tower (Daguan Lou) is the most fitting name for the park and the tower situated at the terminus of Daguan Road in southwest Kunming City. Grand View Tower sits on the shore of Dianchi Lake and faces the Western Hill across the Dianchi Lake. Like many other ancient Chinese buildings, the Daguan Park has also been, destroyed and restored several times because of dynastic changes and civil wars. The present-day's square and three-storied tower was built in 1883. The antithetical couplet displayed at the entrance is the longest one in China, which was written by a famous Qing Dynasty scholar named Sun Ranweng (also called Sun Ran). The couplet of 180 characters is one of the most valued cultural treasures in Yunnan Province.

The Huating Buddhist Temple is an ancient Buddhist temple that was originally a retreat for the local ruler, and is one of the major tourist attractions in the Western Hills area. Sitting at the foot of Mount Huating, it is one of the best-preserved Buddhist temples in Kunming. The 900-year-old temple was originally designed as a county temple for Gao Zhishen, Kunming's governor during the Song dynasty (1063AD). It was rebuilt as a Buddhist temple in the fourteenth century and it continued to grow and later became the largest Buddhist complex in Kunming.

Kunming, the modern capital city and transportation hub of China’s southern Yunnan province, has a large student population and a temperate year-round climate. Bridges and pavilions cross the islands of Cui Hu (Green Lake), a park designed in the 17th century. Nearby is Yuantong Si. A temple founded by Buddhists in the 8th century, it features a statue hall and a pond with an ornate stone bridge.

Western Hills is called Xishan in Chinese, and is a scenic forest park located in the west suburb of Kunming, 15km to the city center. With the altitude ranging from 1,900-2,350, this mountain spot looks like a charming “sleeping beauty” from afar. Besides, Western Hill has always been reputed as the “top scenery in central Yunnan”, boasting the famous excellent Dragon Gate scenic spot with advantageous place for an overlook at the gem-like Dianchi Lake sitting on the east side and the large Kunming City. Western Hill is a large forest park perfectly combing the natural scenery with the cultural relics. Historic sites are surrounded by quiet and peaceful green forests, including carving sites, temple clusters, pavilions, etc. It’s a perfect place for walking and relaxing.