I'm a foreign student currently studying at YUFE. Just looking for a few past time activities to enjoy when I'm free.

What do you all suggest?

I'm new to Kunming myself, so I can only suggest what I'm sure more experienced Kunmingers would consider cliches.

Green Lake can be a pretty place to walk around, take a book, etc.The Zhengi Yi shopping mall (take the no. 1 bus to the Confucius Temple stop) has all kinds of clothing stores and restaurants; much more fun than an American mall, if you ask me. Sometimes I like to go to Summer Lotus to look for a new book. Finally, if you want to experience more cultural things, there's always places like Golden Temple and Black Dragon Pool that are not far away at all. Or you could go to Tea City and go to a tea shop there; it's quite relaxing.

Summer Lotus sounds like my ideal place, can't read enough books. I'll definitely try the other suggested places.

Thanks

I can't recommend Black Dragon Pools area and frankly there isn't really that much to do in Kunming. You might wanna go and drink yourself silly in Kundu. It's good fun for a month or two and there are plenty of girls to pick up if that's your thing (though I'm guessing since your handle is FeminineD it probably isn't). Then it's much better to take a day trip to Anning or if you have a couple of days to spare, Dali or Fuxian Lake. When you get tired of the Green Lake/Wen Lin Jie area you can jump on bus 61 northbound for the Beichen area where the foreign restaurants are better (IMO) and Metro is always worth a visit -spending money NOT optional. The Stone Forest and the Botanical Expo -or whatever it's called- are decent places to spend a day but expensive and not places people generally revisit. I've heard good things about Xishan as well but I must admit I've never been there myself.

I recommend GuanDu old town (public bus from the railway station) for a quiet day out. HeiJing (presevred ancient town) is only 3 hours away by train. And for something less conventional, "Dwarf Empire"? ;-)