9 Best Sights in Southwestern China, China

Filled with willow- and bamboo-covered islands connected by stone bridges, Green Lake Park is a favorite gathering place for Kunming's older residents, who begin to congregate in the park for singing and dancing in the late morning and stay until the gates close at 11 pm. In summer the lake is filled with pink and white lotus blossoms. In winter the park fills with migrating seagulls from Siberia, attracting large crowds. The lake was once part of Dianchi Lake, but it was severed from that larger body of water in the 1970s.

Outside the Old Town, Black Dragon Pool Park has a tranquil pavilion where locals come to play cards and drink tea. The park is one of the most popular places to photograph nearby Jade Dragon Snow Mountain. The park is home to the Dongba Research Institute Museum (Dōngba wénhuà bówùguǎn), devoted to Naxi Dongba culture.

Filled with bamboo groves, Hebin Park sits on the banks of the Nanming River. In many ways it's the archetypical Chinese park, with senior citizens practicing tai chi in the pavilions, young couples strolling hand in hand, and the omnipresent sound of music and public announcements playing from loudspeakers. For children, there's a Ferris wheel and other rides.

On the southeastern edge of Jinghong is Manting Park, where you can have a closer look at some of the area's indigenous plants. Also worth exploring is the large peacock aviary. The park is especially lively around mid-April, when people gather to celebrate the Water Splashing Festival.

This park surrounding White Dragon Lake has some 200 species of rare trees and flowers. Here you'll find the remains of fortifications built by a warlord in the early part of the 20th century.

Dominating this 740-acre park is a 4,265-foot-high mountain that has fine views of the town from its western peak. The park itself has a bit of everything, including thousands of plants and a collection of birds and monkeys (many of which roam freely through the park).

This park gets its name from the arrangement of its hills, said to resemble the Big Dipper. At the center of this huge park is Putuo Mountain (Putuoshan), atop which sits a lovely pavilion housing a number of famous examples of Tang calligraphy. Indeed, calligraphy abounds on the side of this hill, mostly the work of Ming Dynasty Taoist philosopher Pan Changjing. Nearby is Seven Star Cliff (Qixing Dong), with several large caves open for exploration. The largest contains rock formations that are thought to resemble a lion with a ball, an elephant, and other figures. An inscription in the cave dates from AD 590. Seven Star Park also contains the Guilin City Zoo, only worth a stop if you have kids in tow.

South Lake covers more than 200 acres. A bonsai exhibit and an orchid garden are in the surrounding park, which is encircled by a wide path that's ideal for strolling or jogging.

In the center of town, Yangshuo Park is where older people come to play chess while children scamper about in small playgrounds. The park has a number of statues and ponds worth seeing, and Yangshuo Park Peak has a small pagoda offering excellent views of the surrounding town. For a more intense climb with even better views, ascend the television tower across the street from the park's entrance.