Kunming, China anyone?

[B.S.Kumar]

I'll be spending a week in Kunming. Does any one have any suggestions for architectural or landscape photography nearby?

Thanks,
Kumar

[sanking]

The most visited site in Yunan province is the Stone Pillars, located about 75 miles from Kunming. The limestone pillars are really spectacular. The place is so popular that certain spots often get clogged with tour groups.

Not so far away from Kunming is Tiger Leaping Gorge, accessible for hikes of a day or so.

Kunming itself is a very attractive city, with a provincial museum well worth a visit, a bird and flower market, and an interesting Muslim quarter.

Sandy King




I'll be spending a week in Kunming. Does any one have any suggestions for architectural or landscape photography nearby?

Thanks,
Kumar

[B.S.Kumar]

Thanks, Sandy.

Kumar

[Hollis]

Leadping Tiger gorge is pretty cool along with the 'villiage' of Li Jiang. Granted, its been built up to that crapp touristy level that China does so well but there are some little gems in there once you wander away from the main areas.

[B.S.Kumar]

Thanks for the tip, Hollis.
My wife will be attending a conference, while I do some wandering around. There's a one-day sight-seeing trip in the schedule that will take care of all the touristy stuff :)

Kumar

[Tim Meisburger]

Find a cheap place near a school that sells spinach dumplings. They are my strongest and best memory of a short trip eight years ago. Delicious.

The Stone Forest is fun, and photogenic.

[B.S.Kumar]

Will try them. Thanks.

[Michael Chmilar]

The Stone Forest can be visited as a day trip from Kunming. When I was there, a special tourist train trip was available to take you out and back.

On the way to the Stone Forest, the terrain we passed through was some gorgeous red-earth farming regions. I am not sure how you would get out there for photography, though. Maybe hire a driver....

I did not go to Lijiang, but I do not think it is a day trip.

I recently watched the Zhang Yimou-directed movie "Riding Alone for Thousands of Miles", which was set in Yunnan Province, much of it in Lijiang. Part of the film featured a landscape which was very similar to Bryce Canyon, Utah. However, I have no idea where this place is located, or if it is near Kunming.

[QT Luong]

I also took the train that Michael mentions in 2002. On the other hand, the trip to Dali (on the way to Lijiang) was an overnight train, and the Tiger Leaping Gorge is further yet.

[B.S.Kumar]

Thanks Michael. The Stone Forest is on the list. QT, I'll try to get to Dali and Tiger Leaping Gorge as well. Does anyone have any information on film processing labs? I might take my Bronica and shoot some color negative film - 120 and 220, if there are reliable labs with reasonably quick turnaround time there.
Thanks for all the tips so far!
Kumar

[Colin Corneau]

Yunnan is one of China's most beautiful provinces, and that's saying something.

My first trip, I spent a few days in Lijiang. A very beautiful city, good to walk around in. Yes, some touristy things but not that many and easily escaped from (you can't say that often in China). I also remember the scenery surrounding the city is quite striking.

I'd check with the latest Lonely Planet (either book or website) for info on photo/C-41 processing. Frankly, I'd keep the film for the trip back (or at least a major Chinese city like Beijing, Hong Kong or Shanghai if you pass through) as the odds aren't great. Why take a chance with such rare gems?

[B.S.Kumar]

Thanks, Colin. The only reason for getting the film processed there is to avoid it getting x-rayed. From what I've read, it's okay to let unexposed film be x-rayed in the hand luggage scanners, but exposed film will be damaged. And I have only a brief halt in Beijing. I will search on the net to find out if there are any pro level C41 labs there.

Kumar

[sanking]

You are right. I erred in suggesting that Tiger Leaping Gorge is a day trip from Kunming. Tiger Leaping George is actually on the other side of Lijiang going toward Shangri-la, which is in the very far north west of Yunan province on the Tibetan plateau and not far from Tibet itself.

You have a good memory from 2002. I just made the trip this year in September and am already confused and giving bad advice!!

But, as others have suggested, Yunan province is incredibly beautiful.

Sandy King




I also took the train that Michael mentions in 2002. On the other hand, the trip to Dali (on the way to Lijiang) was an overnight train, and the Tiger Leaping Gorge is further yet.

[Colin Corneau]

Sandy, I was really fascinated by your advice to another poster on places to see near Shanghai in the southeast.

Wow, the next trip is clearly overdue!

[sanking]

Colin,

The southwest is pretty incredible. Here is a snap that shows what the Karst hills look like. Very common sight throughout the area around Guillin and Yangshuo.

It can be very hot there, however. This area is on a parallel of latitude with Miami of Florida. As hot and humid as in the far southeast of the US.

Sandy






Sandy, I was really fascinated by your advice to another poster on places to see near Shanghai in the southeast.

Wow, the next trip is clearly overdue!

[Colin Corneau]

I had a Chinese friend recommend Guizhou province as well -- not as familiar with it, but I do know it's slightly to the east of Yunnan.

The areas you mention aren't ones I've visited. I've only had three trips and don't really know very much.

[sanking]

The places I mentioned on the thread about south China are all in Guangxi province, which is just to the south of Guizhou. Guangxi is just north of Vietnam.

Sandy



I had a Chinese friend recommend Guizhou province as well -- not as familiar with it, but I do know it's slightly to the east of Yunnan.

The areas you mention aren't ones I've visited. I've only had three trips and don't really know very much.

[John Powers]

Not that I have a chance of going there, but I loved the name, Tiger Leaping gorge. There are a lot of pictures on the web and I thought some of you might enjoy them as much as I did.

John

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tiger_Leaping_Gorge
"In the early 1980s, four rafters attempted to go down the gorge and were never seen again."

http://images.google.com/images?hl=en&q=Tiger+Leaping+Gorge&um=1&ie=UTF-8&sa=X&oi=image_result_group&resnum=4&ct=title

http://www.molon.de/galleries/China/Yunnan/TigerLeapingGorge/

[zkyang123]

Hi ,I am in kunming .My name is Zhikun Yang.If you have any question about Kunming or Yunnan,I will try to answer your questions.Please send Email to me:zkyang123@yahoo.com.cn