What's on in Kunming (Yunnan), China through the year

Busy — Winter break (around Chinese New Year) in China, school holidays in 5 of the markets that fill it

• Holiday

  Spring Festival

  15–23 FebLunar New YearCrowdedBook early

  Yunnan is a holiday destination for the rest of China and Kunming is the door into it. Flights and the Lijiang and Dali trains sell out first; the city's own parks are the calm part. Source ↗

Still on: Black-headed gulls on the lakes (1 Nov – 15 Mar (usually))

Peak crowds — Spring Festival, Winter break (around Chinese New Year) in China

• Nature

  Camellias and cherry avenues

  1 Feb – 25 Mar · usuallyCherry blossom

  Camellias first, then the cherry avenues at Yuantong Temple and around Green Lake in March. This is the payoff for a city that is dry and sunny all winter.

Still on: Spring Festival (15–23 Feb), Black-headed gulls on the lakes (1 Nov – 15 Mar (usually))

Busy — school holidays in 2 of the markets that fill it, one of its best months for weather

Nothing new starts in March.

Still on: Spring Festival (15–23 Feb), Camellias and cherry avenues (1 Feb – 25 Mar (usually)), Black-headed gulls on the lakes (1 Nov – 15 Mar (usually))

Busy — school holidays in 3 of the markets that fill it, one of its best months for weather

Nothing new starts in April.

Busy — school holidays in 2 of the markets that fill it, one of its best months for weather

• Season

  Yunnan rainy season

  20 May – 10 Oct · usuallyMonsoon

  Nearly all the year's rain lands in these months, usually as a heavy build in the late afternoon. Mornings stay usable, which is why the plateau still feels like spring through it.

Quiet — school holidays in 3 of the markets that fill it, one of its worst months for weather

Nothing new starts in June.

Still on: Yunnan rainy season (20 May – 10 Oct (usually))

Busy — Summer break in China, school holidays in 4 of the markets that fill it

Nothing new starts in July.

Still on: Yunnan rainy season (20 May – 10 Oct (usually))

Busy — Summer break in China, school holidays in 3 of the markets that fill it

Nothing new starts in August.

Still on: Yunnan rainy season (20 May – 10 Oct (usually))

Shoulder season — school holidays in 3 of the markets that fill it, an ordinary month

Nothing new starts in September.

Still on: Yunnan rainy season (20 May – 10 Oct (usually))

Peak crowds — National Day Golden Week, National Day Golden Week in China

• Holiday

  National Day Golden Week

  1–7 OctCrowdedBook early

  The whole province is booked from this city outward. If you are only transiting Kunming for Shangri-La or Xishuangbanna, move your connection out of this week entirely. Source ↗

Still on: Yunnan rainy season (20 May – 10 Oct (usually))

Shoulder season — an ordinary month

• Nature

  Black-headed gulls on the lakes

  1 Nov – 15 Mar · usuallyBirdlife season

  Gulls have wintered on Green Lake and Dianchi since the mid-eighties and the city treats them as residents. They arrive in early November and are gone by the middle of March.

Shoulder season — school holidays in 5 of the markets that fill it, an ordinary month

Nothing new starts in December.

Still on: Black-headed gulls on the lakes (1 Nov – 15 Mar (usually))