A new ticket office has been built and the old ticket office that was 20 meters from the main gate has been demolished. There was nothing wrong with the old ticket office but the new ticket office has been convenietly placed 2 km from the main gate of Stone Forest. So now, in addition to the 175 Yuan fee, you must also purchase an electric car ticket for 25 Yuan unless you want to walk 2 km to the Main Gate.
Anyone who has been to the Stone Forest knows that this an all day event if you really want to see and appreciate all that the Stone Forest has to offer. I was there 2 weeks ago and we spent 7 hours to walk the entire Major Stone Forest. I personally do NOT want to begin the day by walking 2 km from the ticket office to the main gate.
www.hugoyunnantravel.com/des_kunmingB.asp
Wow. I bet they make you walk through 2km of tourist shops now.
What about the main car park that was a few hundred metres from the gate? Can you still drive through to park there?
This place used to be a must-see for visitors to Kunming. Now it's increasingly a must-avoid. Shame.
I think Yunnan is very good at milking tourists. Scam is possibly too strong a word.
I think scam is fine, as that's what it feels like after you pay for these electric shuttles and cable cars and extra entrance fees at mountain tops.
Also, "Stone Forest Milking" might confuse people, though it has a nice ring to it, like "American French Fry Brother" :)
I don't believe that qualifies as a "scam." There are many tourist locations all over the world where one has a choice of walking or paying a "transportation fee."
Stone Forest is a worthwhile tourist attraction and brings an economic boost to Yunnan Province.
Cheers - - JJ
When I went there a year or so ago the locals didn't seem too happy about the people managing the tourism. Maybe the gate was moved farther away to make it more difficult for the locals to sneak people in?
Though this practice of hiking fees, and building tourist traps has been quite common for a quite a while now... so can't say I'm surprised.
That Stone Forest (been there twice with school groups) is such a crock of crud. Can barely breathe there are so many people and all the natural attractions have been warped into some Chinese tour park looking monstrosities. Since the school paid I don't care, but it is total rip off. Nothing to see but Chinese girls doing peace signs at cameras.
