5 THINGS TO DO IN KUNMING
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So, you’ve decided that you’ll be studying Mandarin in Kunming, China, but have you decided what you want to see while you’re in Kunming?
Kunming is a beautiful city and is the capital of China’s southern province of Yunnan. It has a population of 6 million and has a lot of points of interests for study abroad students. While you’re out of the classroom on the weekend, here are some of the places to visit in Kunming, China.
DIANCHI LAKE
Dianchi Lake is one of the most popular Kunming tourist attractions. You will not only see the lake view, but also the western hills. While you’re there taking in the views, you’re able to see and feed the seagulls. There are a lot of them!
Since 1984, seagulls from Siberia have come to Kunming every winter. It gives locals a good chance to look at them, and it gives study abroad students the chance to feed them and get up close and personal with the birds. The people of Kunming love to go to Dianchi Lake to greet the birds and feed them treats.
Keats School has made day trips to Dianchi Lake to enjoy the seagulls and the views. We believe it’s one of the best things to do in Kunming.
THE SPRING FESTIVAL
If you’re in China during the Spring Festival, also known as the Chinese New Year, you’re going to want to do some sightseeing in Kunming.
The Spring Festival is the most important Chinese festival celebrated on the traditional lunisolar Chinese calendar.
No matter the places you visit in Kunming, China, you will see Chinese New Year decorations and celebrations. Festivities in the city run from the evening preceding the first day to the Lantern Festival on the 15th day of the first calendar month. You won’t want to miss that event. The New Year falls on the new moon between Jan. 21 and Feb. 20. In 2018, the Chinese New Year will be on Feb. 16, and it’s the Year of the Dog.
During each Spring Festival, Keats School decorates the halls with beautiful red decorations. One year we had extra-large Chinese characters hanging on the wall of 福(fu2), which means happiness and luckiness.
TOUR FESTIVAL STREET
During the Spring Festival, there is one place where students can do a lot of Kunming sightseeings. It’s called Festival Street.
Along the street, you’ll see different vendors selling interesting things and delicious food.
Festival street activities last about one month. You can buy anything you need for the holidays on the street. It’s named Festival street for a reason! Keats students and teachers explore Festival Street whenever it’s in the city. We encourage our students to get out with the locals because they’ll immerse themselves in the culture, and they will also have a chance to use their Mandarin skills.
MINORITY VILLAGE
If you’re looking for something to do in Kunming, China, on the weekend, why not take a day trip to a minority village? While it may sound a little strange, Yunnan is home to most of China’s recognized ethnic groups. About 38% of the province’s population are members of minorities.
Because of this, Yunnan has started to build natural villages, giving prominence to the architecture of various nationalities.
Keats has taken students to visit the Minority Village in the past by bus. Students think it’s a good place to visit Kunming, China, because it’s one of the biggest minority museums in China. Students have said they learned a lot from the museum and saw exhibits they hadn’t seen before.
Inside the minority village, you can see the different villages and minorities visible in China. Students can experience the different cultures while staying in Yunnan.
DOUNAN FLOWER MARKET
There’s nothing better than fresh-cut flowers. That’s why the Dounan flower market is a must-do thing in Kunming, China.
The market is the largest flower wholesale market in China, and it’s located in the Chenggong district of Kunming.
Before entering the gate of the flower market, students can easily smell the fresh fragrance of the flowers. It’s the type of smell that can stop you in your tracks. Once inside, you’ll see four to five hundred flower stores and vendors.
At Keats, we know this flower market is on the sightseeing bucket list for many Kunming students, which is why we plan trips there. While students are at the market, it gives them a chance to practice their Mandarin language skills while learning how to bargain with the vendors, which a lot of Chinese vendors allow.
IT’S TIME TO PLAN YOUR DAY TRIPS
Kunming and the surrounding areas offer so many tourist attractions. Not only are there tourist attractions, but there are also attractions that are free that locals even love exploring, which means it’s worth the trip!
Keats School in Kunming, China, has eight different study options, including intensive one-on-one and a Study + Tour option. The professors at Keats school can help you plan trips for your weekends while you’re outside of the classroom. We encourage all students to get outside their rooms and explore the many things to do in Kunming, China.
Contact Keats School today to apply for Mandarin lessons or to learn more about what we offer.
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I think the Chinese learning environment here is great. The teaching methods are also very interactive and fun. What I particularly enjoy here is the fact that my teacher does not stick to the textbook. We spend a lot of time discussing general topics, such as Chinese culture, world news, typical expressions used by local people. We also discuss social and economic topics.
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They really care about what our interests are, what questions we have, what requirements we have. Then they adjust our Chinese language program content according to the situations. One teacher and one student, so it is easy to keep your focus for the 6 hours of immersion Mandarin lessons. It is very convenient to study, live and eat in one building.
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