An unexpected budget trip to Kunming in 2020

Number of days: 2 days
Time: November
Average cost: 400 yuan
With whom：a person
Tour kinds：Humanities, Free Travel, Train, Budget Travel, Weekend Tour
The author went to these places： Kunming Haigeng Park Yunnan Provincial Museum Dianchi Lake East and West Temple Pagodas Memorial Hall of the Victory of the Anti-Japanese War Cuihu Park
Updated: 2021.03.14

Prologue: Why was it an accident? Because originally I planned to go to Liuzhou, but the train from Anshun to Guiyang was delayed, so I missed the train from Guiyang to Liuzhou. I was unwilling to go home directly, so I refunded the ticket in the waiting room and bought a hard seat train Z287 from Anshun to Kunming. Don’t ask why I didn’t buy a sleeper, because if I don’t go crazy now, I will get old. I was ready to go crazy, but I suggest that a sleeper is better.

Day0: November 27, Z287 Anshun 21:42-Kunming 4:08 the next day (actually arrived close to 5 o'clock)

Day1: November 28, Haigeng Park, Yunnan Provincial Museum, Kunming Old Street

This is my third time to Kunming. I like this city very much. Since we arrived a little early and the first bus was at 6 o'clock, I searched for a 24-hour Mai Yeye restaurant not far from the train station, ordered a bowl of preserved egg porridge and fried dough sticks, and took a break.

Kunming is located in the west, and the sunrise is quite late. It was still dark after 6 o'clock. However, there were buses. To be honest, I didn't know where I wanted to go. Since it was winter, I decided to go to Haigeng Park to see the seagulls first. It's a bit far, and it took more than an hour to get there. By then, it was already bright. There were very few people at Dianchi Lake in the early morning, which was nice.

It's a bit far, and it took more than an hour to get there. By then, it was already bright. There were very few people at Dianchi Lake in the early morning, which was nice. />

Last time I visited Dianchi Lake, I took a lot of photos of seagulls. This time, I hardly took any photos and didn’t stay long. I went to the Yunnan Provincial Museum instead. The bus took more than an hour, so I took a break on the bus.

This time, I encountered several special exhibitions and spent about an hour browsing.

Since I didn’t get enough rest the night before, I decided to have lunch and then go back to the hotel for a nap.

The roast goose rice I bought near the hotel was affordable and tasted pretty good.

I slept until 4am and went out to check in at Kunming Old Street and Nanqiang Street. I bought some snacks like roast tofu and roast potatoes there.

Day2: November 29, East and West Pagodas, Yunnan Anti-Japanese War Victory Memorial Hall, Yunnan Uprising Memorial Hall, Cuihu Park, Waterfall Park

China, the infrastructure maniac, has greatly shortened the distance between the two cities with its high-speed rail construction in recent years. It only takes more than an hour to get from Kunming to Anshun by high-speed rail. I bought the G2842 Kunming 17:59-Anshun 19:52 train to go home and continue sightseeing during the day.

The breakfast at the hotel was rich and varied. I only remembered to take pictures when I was almost done eating.

Set off for the East and West Pagodas. If I remember correctly, the West Pagoda is also known as the Huiguang Pagoda, and the East Pagoda is also known as the Changle Pagoda. There are camellias in Changle Temple, which are a beautiful sight when they bloom. Unfortunately, I couldn’t see them when I went there.

Yunnan Museum of Modern History, in the same place

Passing by the Lingxing Gate of Kunming Confucian Temple

Continue to the Yunnan Uprising Memorial Hall, next to the Green Lake

Take a break in the park and have lunch.

Cuihu Park: It feels like there are more seagulls than Dianchi Lake.

Having a somewhat early dinner, I had barbecued pork and roast duck rice.

This concludes my two-day trip to Kunming and I head home.

Postscript: This impromptu trip to Kunming allowed me to see another side of the city. The climate in Kunming is really good. It was sunny at the end of November. The streets gave people a leisurely feeling, and the food was delicious. I will go there again if I have the chance.
As the saying goes, one of the body and soul must always be on the road, and budget travel is one way to do that. My two-day trip cost less than 400 yuan, as follows:

Round trip from Anshun to Kunming was 278.5 yuan (including the refund fee for not going to Liuzhou), public transportation within Kunming was 10.5 yuan, I used points to redeem one night at the Ibis Hotel, which was equivalent to a free stay, and the meal was 84 yuan.