Green Lake Park

Green Lake Park (Cuihu) is Kunming's living room. A short walk north of the old town, this compact lake park of willow-lined causeways, lotus ponds, and red-pillared pavilions is where the city comes to relax from dawn onward. It is free, open late, and one of the easiest places to feel the rhythm of everyday Kunming.

A day in the park

Come early and you will find retirees practicing tai chi, choirs singing, and dancers moving in formation under the willows. Four causeways divide the lake into linked pools crossed by arched stone bridges, with tea houses and small pavilions along the way. It is a place to slow down rather than tick off sights, and it costs nothing to wander for an hour or two.

Winter gulls in the heart of the city

From November to March the same red-billed gulls that gather on Dianchi also pack into Green Lake, and the park becomes the most central place in Kunming to feed them. Crowds line the bridges with bags of gull food, and the air fills with wheeling white birds. It is the highlight of a winter visit and uniquely accessible: you can be among the gulls minutes from your hotel.

Practical notes

Entry is free and the park stays open from early morning until late evening. It sits next to the Yunnan University campus and the old Confucian quarter, so it is easy to combine with a wander through Kunming's older streets and a bowl of crossing-the-bridge noodles nearby. Mornings are best for atmosphere; winter mornings are best of all.