Top 50 Best Things to Do in Yunnan
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Top 50 Best Things to Do in Yunnan

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Trip.Best is a collection of travel rankings that takes into account the travel choices and genuine preferences of hundres of millions of Trip.com users. It is updated monthly based on real data.
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  • Yulong Snow Mountaintop_1
    󰺂9.0
    11.87
    Yulong.Yulong Snow Mountain Scenic Area>100 km from downtown
    trip best TravelHotspot logoGood Luck to Those Who See the Golden Sunrise at Yulong Snow Mountain | Oct 2025-Mar 2026
    trip best small logoAchieved a 3-year streak on the annual lists
    Highlights:
    Take a cable car for panoramic views of the snow-capped mountains
    Cableway to 14780 ft glacier park
    󱨠Saved by 3769 users󱨠8329 positive reviews
    4.5/5
    Anonymous userAnonymous user

    We had to leave very early in the morning, basically all-inclusive. We went up the snow mountain in the morning, then to Blue Moon Valley in the afternoon, and drove back to the old town around 4 pm. Because it had snowed the day before, the boardwalk to the top was closed for snow removal when we arrived, so we could only check in at 4506.

  • Stone Forest Scenic Areatop_2
    󰺂8.8
    55.36
    Shilin>100 km from downtown
    trip best TravelHotspot logoStunning Late Fall and Early Winter Views at Stone Forest Scenic Area | Dec 2025-Jan 2026
    trip best small logoFeatured in 2026 China 100 - Best Things to Do
    Highlights:
    󱨜See the bizarre karst peaks
    󰀆Ashima rock: unique & captivating
    󱨠Saved by 1622 users󱨠8092 positive reviews
    4.7/5
    天机不可泄露adc天机不可泄露adc

    I was pleasantly surprised by the lack of crowds at the Stone Forest Scenic Area! The karst wonders were even more breathtaking under the sunlight, and wandering through the stone forest allowed me to fully immerse myself in the awe-inspiring craftsmanship of nature. The Salomon Speedcross 5 under my feet provided stable grip, making walking incredibly safe, and the open environment made every step feel free, maximizing the overall experience.

  • Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Gardentop_3
    󰺂8.7
    15.82
    Mengla.Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden.Chinese Academy of Scienc>100 km from downtown
    trip best TravelHotspot logoXishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden: Barleria cristata blooms out of season | Nov 2025-Mar 2026
    trip best small logoAchieved a 3-year streak on the annual lists
    Highlights:
    󱓊Electric vehicles connect the east and west areas
    󰋄Firefly tours & night views
    󱨠Saved by 476 users󱨠11619 positive reviews
    4.7/5
    王晋德王晋德

    Visiting the Dipterocarp Garden at the Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences March 21, 2025, 14:51. The weather was very pleasant during the visit to the Dipterocarp Garden at the Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences. Dipterocarpaceae plants are mainly distributed in tropical Asia and are representative tree species of Southeast Asian tropical rainforests, comprising 15 genera and 580 species. The 13 species from 5 genera distributed in China are all listed as nationally protected rare and endangered plants. The Dipterocarp Garden covers an area of ​​approximately 6.7 hectares and has collected and preserved all species from my country and some species distributed in Southeast Asia, making it a very valuable Dipterocarp Garden.

  • Manting Imperial Garden
    4
    󰺂8.7
    31.44
    Jinghong.Manting Park/Ethnic Cultural Park>100 km from downtown
    trip best TravelHotspot logoLimited-Time Pink Festival Opens in Manting Imperial Garden for Early Winter | Nov 2025-Dec 2025
    trip best small logoFeatured in 2026 China 100 - Best Things to Do
    Highlights:
    Enjoy ethnic song and dance performances in the evening
    󱓊See beautiful peacocks up close
    󱨠Saved by 348 users󱨠10396 positive reviews
    4.5/5
    Anonymous userAnonymous user

    A large-scale travel photography base… every beautiful spot has a Dai princess. Many of the girls are quite pretty. In the afternoon, you can see the Dai King and Queen's outing and performance.

  • Dianchi Lake
    5
    󰺂8.5
    Kunming>100 km from downtown
    trip best TravelHotspot logoAt dusk, the light and shadows on Dianchi Lake are as poetic as a painting, with the afterglow dyeing the distant mountains and water the same color as the sky.
    trip best small logoFeatured in 2026 China 100 - Best Things to Do
    Highlights:
    󰀆Surrounded by mountains & Daguan Tower
    󰋄Majestic plateau freshwater lake
    󱨠Saved by 1189 users󱨠4572 positive reviews
    4.7/5
    M29***7lM29***7l

    It's beautiful, don't take the cable car unless you just want to experience it. Xishan District is very large, just go to Haigeng Park and the Seven-Arch Floating Bridge. You can visit these two attractions on two separate trips.

  • Dongfengyun Scenic Area
    6
    󰺂8.5
    15.82
    Mile>100 km from downtown
    trip best small logoFeatured in 2026 China 50 - Spring Outings
    Highlights:
    Scenic platform & trail
    Enjoy a choir of thousands and terracotta art
    󱨠Saved by 522 users󱨠9009 positive reviews
    4.5/5
    Faizal BFaizal B

    Good for photo op esp the Kaleidoscope Museum where the bricked amphora-like shaped buildings are. Go around 1pm- - 2pm less crowd as they dispersed for lunch or other activities provided by their tour group.

  • Wild Elephant Valley
    7
    󰺂8.4
    11.47
    Jinghong>100 km from downtown
    trip best TravelHotspot logoDirect Shuttle Bus to Xishuangbanna Wild Elephant Valley Now Available
    trip best small logoAchieved a 3-year streak on the annual lists
    Highlights:
    Observe traces of wild elephants on the 4,000m trail
    920m elevated walkway overlooks rainforest
    󱨠Saved by 290 users󱨠6189 positive reviews
    4.3/5
    233***65233***65

    I opted for the entrance ticket plus rainforest elephant grazing package, and it was great. It included rainforest elephant grazing, giving me the opportunity to interact with Asian elephants. Although the time was a bit short, walking with elephants in the rainforest was a unique experience. The park management was excellent, and the staff were very friendly. The route was also very convenient; there's a direct tourist bus from Gaozhuang, and the tour guide on the bus was very helpful, explaining important information and there were no hidden costs. Thumbs up!

  • Shangri-La Tiger Leaping Gorge
    8
    󰺂8.4
    8.9
    Yulong.Tiger Leaping Gorge>100 km from downtown
    trip best TravelHotspot logoChallenge the extreme slopes of Tiger Leaping Gorge and marvel at the canyon and snow-capped mountains
    Highlights:
    World-class hiking & iconic rock
    󰋄World-class hiking: mountains & rapids
    󱨠Saved by 1281 users󱨠3266 positive reviews
    4.6/5
    白桃77白桃77

    The Upper Tiger Leaping Gorge offers stunning views of the Jinsha River, while the Middle Tiger Leaping Gorge is a scenic hike. If you experience severe altitude sickness, you can buy an elevator ticket for the Upper Tiger Leaping Gorge, which easily takes you to the viewing platform. Those in good physical condition can skip the elevator and climb the stairs in about ten minutes. It's recommended to buy tickets at the visitor center. E-tickets purchased through Ctrip are not accepted by the scenic area; you must exchange them for paper tickets at the visitor center, which also incurs a 5 yuan parking fee. Hikers don't need tickets; you can drive directly to the Middle Tiger Leaping Gorge. The scenic area management is somewhat poor, but the scenery is definitely worth the visit.

  • Cangshan Mountain
    9
    󰺂8.3
    25.71
    Dali.Cangshan Scenic Area>100 km from downtown
    trip best TravelHotspot logoCangshan Mountain cable car and hiking guides are popular
    trip best small logoFeatured in 2026 China 50 - Spring Outings
    Highlights:
    10 temples & 20 natural attractions
    󰋄Unique geological landscapes displayed
    󱨠Saved by 823 users󱨠3969 positive reviews
    4.5/5
    Anonymous userAnonymous user

    The place is beautiful.. before going to the cable car rides, there are stairs to climb. Next to it are souvenir shops.

  • Yunnan Nationalities Village
    10
    󰺂8.3
    18.79
    Kunming.Dianchi Lake Scenic Area/ Sunac World>100 km from downtown
    trip best TravelHotspot logoSweetgum Trees at Yunnan Nationalities Village Change Color, Bringing Fall and Winter Romance | Dec 2025-Dec 2025
    trip best small logoAchieved a 3-year streak on the annual lists
    Highlights:
    12 villages & 26 cultures
    󰀆Experience lively folk shows & festivals
    󱨠Saved by 859 users󱨠6222 positive reviews
    4.3/5
    小米粥0324小米粥0324

    The ethnic village is relatively close to the Haigeng Dam, and there weren't many tourists. The experience was decent. It houses about 25 ethnic groups, and I heard that the five ethnic groups at the entrance put on dance performances and other activities in the evenings.

What Best Things to Do are there in Yunnan?
These are all Best Things to Do in Yunnan:Yulong Snow Mountain, Stone Forest Scenic Area, Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, Manting Imperial Garden, Dianchi Lake
What are some highly-rated Best Things to Do in Yunnan?
Some highly-rated Best Things to Do in Yunnan include:Yulong Snow Mountain:4.5, Stone Forest Scenic Area:4.7, Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden:4.7, Manting Imperial Garden:4.5, Dianchi Lake:4.7
At what locations in Yunnan can Best Things to Do in Yunnan be found?
The Best Things to Do in Yunnan are mainly located in:Yulong Snow Mountain:Yulong, Stone Forest Scenic Area:Shilin, Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden:Mengla, Manting Imperial Garden:Jinghong, Dianchi Lake:Kunming
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