The Minorities Museum (opposite the Disneyish Minorities Village, near HaiGeng Park) is huge, free and largely visitor-free. Lots to see there, if you like that sort of thing, and much more authentic than the Village opposite. Good for a rainy day.

@HFCAMPO, haha!

I had a friend from Romania who told me that the only things you can go on a rainy day are "count your money or make babies".

Go to cat bar 猫吧,you can get there by using Baidu maps. Pay 48 to enter. Then you can drink as much coffee or tea or Fanta\Sprite as much as you want, play with cats, read magazines or books. I had really good time there yesterday.

Um, boardgames. It's so obvious I can't believe you had to ask.

Why have a friend in to town, and only hang out at Western bars?

@mmkunmingteacher

The friend has been living in a small city in Hebei for two years and has had almost no access to Western restaurants or bars so Kunming will be a real treat for him. : )

catch a falling star and put in your pocket?

Did you get the video of Brokeback Mountain yet?

Ha..Ha..

Go for BBQ, rain or no rain, some BBQ joints are always open.

Kunming people stay indoors the moment it rains or go eating in restaurants. BBQ places like the one at our BBQ night market stay open when it freezes, rains, snows, is boiling hot or when there is simply no-one there. Just gotta love BBQ :)