🏛️ 5A National Attractions — Kunming
Last verified 22 Jul 2025
Kunming features 2 国家5A级 scenic areas—Stone Forest & World Horti-Expo Garden—showcasing spectacular karst landscapes and world expo legacy gardens.
1 Quick Metrics
Total 5A sites
2 — Stone Forest & World Horti-Expo Garden 🌿
UNESCO share
1 / 2 (Stone Forest is in the South China Karst World-Heritage property) 🏔️
Ticket range
Free (Expo Garden) → ¥130 peak (Stone Forest) 🎫 💰
Real-name booking
Required for both sites — Travel-Yunnan/WeChat mini-programs
Subway reach
1 / 2 within metro walk (Expo Garden · Line 5 "世博园")
2 Why It Matters
Karst world-icon — the pinnacle forests of Shilin rank among Earth's most spectacular humid-karst landscapes, earning UNESCO status in 2007.
Legacy of a world expo — the 1999 World Horticultural Exposition left Kunming a 218-ha garden with 90+ national pavilions now blooming year-round—and it's free if you pre-book.
Day-trip ease — bullet buses reach Stone Forest in 80 min; Expo Garden sits 25 min by metro from downtown.
3 Pro Tips
1
Stone Forest drop-time — daily quota goes live 07 : 30, 7 days ahead; snag the 08 : 30 slot for empty trails & soft light on the "Ashima" pinnacle.
2
Free ≠ walk-in — Expo Garden requires a zero-cost QR via the Travel Yunnan or "世博护照" mini-prog—security will scan ID at the gate.
3
Yi-dance window — Shilin Sani-people performances start 11 : 00 & 14 : 30 in the Great-Stone-Forest plaza—no extra ticket.
4
Metro hack — take Line 2 → Line 5 to 世博园 station; follow the flower-tunnel exit to avoid the uphill shuttle fee (¥20).
5
Sunblock high-UV — Kunming sits at 1 900 m; UV index hits 8 even on cloudy days—hat + SPF 50 essential in the karst maze.
4 The Full 5A List
🏔️
1
Stone Forest Scenic Area / 石林风景区
350 km² karst labyrinth • UNESCO South China Karst • ¥130 ticket • 07:30 – 18:30 • 78 km SE of Kunming, bus from East-Coach Station; real-name QR "游云南–石林预约".
🌸
2
World Horti-Expo Garden / 昆明世博园景区
1999 Expo legacy park • 218 ha themed gardens & China Pavilion crystal roof • Free (book in advance) • 08:00 – 17:00 • Metro L5 "世博园" exit A; ID-QR via Travel Yunnan / official mini-prog.