Not sure if the OP actually wants to find flight deals from Kunming to Japan, but I believe China Eastern offers a one-stop service on the same flight number from Kunming to Osaka via Shanghai Pudong. I know this because I have flown on that flight from Shanghai Pudong to Kunming and noticed the flight had originated in Osaka, which is what it said on the arrivals board.

Another good option would be Dragonair, connecting to a Cathay Pacific flight bound for Japan from Hong Kong. All of this is bookable directly through the Cathay Pacific website, since Dragonair is Cathay's regional offshoot that flies to smaller cities in the region, while the main carrier Cathay flies to the region's major cities.

"We went to Laos with a Chinese friend and she was so miserable. Face long and sad from having to eat all that weird Laotian food."

Unless she was facing black curdled goat blood soup or chewy water buffalo jerky, Lao food is great and in general a lot better than Kunming food. Don't know why she had to "seek out" a Sichuan restaurant, which is nice once in a while, but it would have been more interesting to eat some western, Thai or Indian food, which is prepared very well in Laos (at least in the major cities).

Good places to eat in Kunming? Most western owned bars and restaurants including Salvador's, the French Cafe and Prague Cafe. Unfortunately, the Box bar is gone but hopefully there'll be something similar that goes in it's place.

Other good places? The Hong Kong (or is it Guangdong) noodle place next to the movie theatre just around the corner from Wenlin Jie. Don't remember the name right now, but their banana custards are delicious, not to mention their noodles and chai. It's about 30 Yuan for a bowl, but it's a large bowl at that. Definately a big step up from the local noodle places and with far more atmosphere.

Yitianyuan, a chain of Muslim restaurants (one branch is located directly opposite Carrefour Longquan road) is one of the best places in Kunming to eat Chinese food with a few friends around a round table with that rotating glass thing on top where all the dishes are placed.

When I like something, I tend to eat it again and again. When I'm with a friend (or just alone) I tend to go to Salvador's, the French Cafe, Prague Cafe, the Hong Kong noodle place, the Box (until it closed although I never went there very often), A Slice of Heaven etc. With a couple of friends, I tend to go to Yitianyuan.

Mixian? Not my favorite thing...I would never eat them by myself and if it's noodles, then I tend to stick with Brothers Jiang for cross-the-bridge noodles which are actually pretty good.

Not sure why you are posting here as Kunming has nothing to do with Bangkok or Japan, unless you want to make a stopover in Kunming between Bangkok and Japan, which is possible but something very few people would do.

Try booking with THAI Airways directly from their website, they have some good deals. Otherwise, try JAL. You could try some online travel agencies but these days booking direct is cheaper. If you are in Bangkok already, why not just go directly to a travel agency there?

On the other hand, you don't sound like a Thai local so probably you will be heading to Bangkok from Europe or somewhere like that first. How about booking a THAI flight from somewhere in Europe via Bangkok to Japan? That would probably be the cheapest and most trouble free option for you and would allow you to see both Thailand and Japan using the same airline.

I will be starting a new job in Kunming with an agricultural/food processing firm. I have already met the boss a number of times and my sponsor who is also on the board of directors of the company and deputy head (as well as being a good family friend I've known for over 3 years and my dad has known her for at least 10 years) keeps assuring me that it's possible for me to arrive in Kunming on a new tourist visa, which within 30 days can be converted into a residence permit valid for work.

I have previously stayed in Kunming on a residence permit valid for study as I was a language student at two different universities. However, that permit (still in my old passport) is now expired and besides, I was told that the purpose of residence couldn't be converted inside China anyway.

My sponsor telephoned the Kunming PSB who apparently told her it's possible to submit all the paperwork from the company in order to convert a tourist visa to a residence permit valid for work, rather than starting with a "Z" visa.

This is all very confusing as I am not sure what to do now, or even how to go about applying for a tourist visa. Recently the Chinese government has made it more difficult to apply even for a tourist visa, especially if you are applying outside your country of residence/citizenship, which I would be doing. It's currently no longer a case of hand over passport, money and one photograph (either in person or via an agent) and you'll get a visa; but rather, show up in person (in your home country and some other countries agents can still be used), submit a detailed application form, photos, passport, air tickets, hotel bookings, possibly an "invitation" from a China based sponsor and they may not even want to issue you a visa at all if you don't live in or are a citizen of the country where you apply.

Does anyone with first-hand experience, preferably since August 1 have any information/advice they could give me? Is my sponsor right about the visa application and transfer process? If not, will I definately need to insist that the company sends all the paperwork necessary to apply for a work visa to the consulate of my choosing or, if necessary, the consulate in my country of citizenship? If it makes a difference, I would be applying using my Australian passport, assuming I had to fedex my passport back there in order to apply (I'm currently in Thailand, where I wish to apply, but I've heard some bad stories about applying for Chinese visas recently at least in Bangkok).

@HFCAMPO, there are enough restrictions as you can possibly get so I would think if anything, it will get easier, not more difficult in the coming months. Given that Myanmar is finally opening up, this is a real possibility. I wouldn't hold my breath for any definitive timetable though. Just keep abreast with the news.

As mentioned, even Chinese people can only really travel to the town beyond Ruili (known as Mu-Se) and not beyond and even then mostly only on day trips. The experience of my friend proves that everyone (for the time being) should consider flying to Mandalay or Yangon as the overland trip is unfortunately not really the way to go at the moment.