Enjoy the sunshine in Kunming, a city with spring-like weather all year round

Number of days：5 days
Time: February
Average cost: 2400 yuan
With whom: and friends
Updated: 2022.03.04

It was still chilly in the north in early February. Since there was still plenty of time to rest, why not find a city to find warmth. The first city that came to my mind was Kunming, and then I didn't bother choosing other cities.

We arranged a 5-day self-driving tour in Kunming, rented a car from a certain company, and picked it up and returned it at Changshui Airport. The car was booked before departure, and we could just pick it up on site. I have to praise their self-service car pick-up service here. There was no need to contact the staff, which was very healing for someone like me who has social anxiety.

During extraordinary times, it is still recommended that everyone drive themselves when going out to ensure as much privacy as possible.

Feeding Seagulls at Haigeng Dam

I always thought seagulls only appeared at the seaside. I never expected that they could also be found in the lakes in the city center. For example, at Haigeng Dam, I saw so many seagulls, even more than at the beach.

Flocks of seagulls flew over the sea. From a distance, it looked like feathers floating on the surface. As I got closer, I could see flocks of seagulls. We prepared bread in advance. Usually, seagulls will not take food directly from people's mouths.

We prepared bread in advance. Usually, seagulls will not take food directly from people's mouths. Everyone put their bread on the counter, and if you moved away a little, the seagulls would perch on the counter to eat. It was so adorable.

I have to say, the seagulls on the sea were the most beautiful sight here. This was the first time I'd seen seagulls so close. Their red feet, white feathers, and black tail feathers gave them a sense of sophistication and elegance.

The Beauty of Cuihu Park

After leaving Haigeng Dam, we also went to Cuihu Park. There were seagulls there too, but not as many. For me, the biggest surprise was the little squirrels. Although I've seen squirrels at the zoo, this was my first time seeing them in a scenic area.

These little squirrels would forage for nuts, and they were so adorable while they ate. The tulips in Cuihu Park are in full bloom. For someone like me who loves flowers, it’s like celebrating Chinese New Year all over again. Of course, there's more than just tulips here; there are also roses. Red, yellow, and pink roses adorn the entire park.

There were some fallen petals on the ground, and I casually picked up a few as a souvenir of my trip to Kunming.

A wonderful shopping trip

We also went to the Shouchuang Outlets. Shopping while traveling is also one of my travel rituals. Malls are the best place to connect with locals. Every time I go, I feel a little closer to the lives of the locals, and I'm fascinated by this model. Having just passed the Spring Festival, the atmosphere here is filled with the New Year's atmosphere, a vibrant and prosperous atmosphere that lifts my spirits. We also watched a dragon dance performance here, but it was different from the dragons we saw in the north.

We also watched a dragon dance performance here, but it was different from the dragons we saw in the north. In northern dragon dances, the performers are inside the dragon, working together to create the illusion that only the dragon is moving. Here, however, the dragon's body is propped up with sticks, and the performers manipulate the sticks to make the dragon gallop. Afterward, we dined at Xinrenren Seafood Restaurant, a place recommended by Kunming locals. The food was reasonably priced; for three of us, the total bill was just over 200 yuan. (Note: this is authentic Cantonese cuisine.)

Although there were only three of us, we ordered quite a few dishes. Their chicken feet were really delicious, melt-in-your-mouth tenderness.

Their steamed dumplings were also quite good. The best part was, their dumplings were quite large, which seemed quite affordable.

After dinner, we went to 1903. It was a bit chilly in Kunming that day, so we all wore thicker coats; some people even wore down jackets. There aren't many people here at 1903. Many of the shops are almost empty. It seems that at the beginning of the new year, people aren't very eager to go out and have fun. We grabbed a few things at the restaurant and went to Cuifu for dinner. It was the most extravagant restaurant we'd ever eaten at in Kunming, costing over 800 yuan. Of course, the food was delicious. My eating habits over the past few years have reaffirmed that expensive restaurants are less likely to disappoint.

The baked silver cod with basil is super delicious. The shrimp balls with mango salad are also very delicious. The mango flavor was truly rich, a feeling I really enjoyed. We also ordered black truffle scallops and other dishes. In short, we couldn't stop ordering. The food was incredibly satisfying. It turns out Kunming has so many delicious restaurants; if you have the time, you should definitely visit several.

When traveling, don't assume you don't care about anything other than the scenery. In fact, if you can enjoy great food during your trip, the flavors can linger in your life. For me, that's the meaning of travel.

The Unique Scenery of the Metasequoia Forest

If you visit the Metasequoia Forest in December, you'll be greeted by a vibrant crimson spectacle. However, the Metasequoia Forest in February is also stunning. While not as red, the Metasequoia's outlines are clearly visible, and the appearance of the trees and branches themselves is a truly beautiful sight.

This Metasequoia Forest is located in Dianwei Village. Late autumn is said to be the peak tourist season here. Within the forest lies a river, and Metasequoia grows within it. The water is exceptionally clear. The Metasequoia forest here is very large. We went for a walk and took a lot of photos in the woods. Places like this are perfect for taking great photos.

As we left the Metasequoia forest, we came across a waterfall park. There was indeed a waterfall here, and you could hear the roar of the waterfall cascading from afar.

We didn't stay in the waterfall park for long and continued to look for other scenery. This is Laoyuhe Wetland Park. It's quite large and packed with people. There was a tulip exhibition going on there at the time. There are far more tulips here than in Green Lake Park, and most importantly, there are tulips of every color imaginable.

A tree in the park has become a wish wall, with many people writing their wishes on it. I took a look and was delighted to see so many people focusing on themselves, hoping for happiness, and fewer couples making promises. I think this is a good thing. For dinner, we went to New Welcome City and had a Thai meal. Due to the epidemic, our originally planned trip to Thailand had to be put on hold. However, eating Thai food is also a kind of ritual. The Thai food in this restaurant tastes pretty good, including Tom Yum Goong soup, coconut rice, etc.