Kunming travel guide: where to stay, what to do and where to eat in Kunming, the capital of Yunnan Province, China.
Kunming's nightlife is informal and relaxed. Wenlin Street and Wenhua Lane near Yunnan University hold student-oriented cafes, craft beer taprooms and bars; Zhengyi Road and Zhengyi Fang near Nanping hold brewpubs and a club; and Kundu Night Market offers street food and beer after 20:00. Large club nights are limited compared with coastal Chinese cities.
Nightlife districts
Where the action happens after dark.
Wenlin Street and Wenhua Lane
University-area cafes, craft beer and bars, with a busy two-floor barbecue house at the end of Wenhua Lane.
Zhengyi Road and Zhengyi Fang
Brewpubs, a club and bars near Nanping.
Cuihu / Green Lake
Evening snack vendors from 17:00 and bars on Cuihu North Road.
Kundu Night Market
Street food, grilled fish and beer from about 20:00.
Bars & pubs
Where locals drink.
Humdinger (Wenlin Street)
Craft beer bar on Wenlin Street; the brand also runs a brewpub on Zhengyi Road and a bar in Jinding 1919.
Known for: Craft beer taproom on the Wenlin Street student strip
93 Wenlin Street, Wuhua District, Kunming
Furst Carl Hausbrauerei & Schankstube
German-style house brewery and taproom on Shulin Street.
Known for: German-style brewpub
128 Shulin Street, Xishan District, Kunming
Bb Restaurant & Lounge
Western-Yunnan fusion restaurant and lounge on the Spring City 66 sky terrace.
Known for: Sky-terrace lounge with a daily 18:00-20:00 happy hour
Spring City 66, sky terrace 601, Kunming
Wooden Paradise
Bar listed in Wenhua Lane, the alley where barbecue houses and cafes stay busy most evenings.
Known for: Bar in the Wenhua Lane alley beside Wenlin Street
10 Wenhua Lane, Wuhua District, Kunming
Fennel
Bar on the fourth floor of Xilou on Cuihu North Road.
Known for: Upper-floor bar in the Green Lake district
4th floor, Xilou, 100 Cuihu North Road, Kunming
Juan House Music Club
Music club on the fifth floor of JinGe Plaza.
Known for: Live music club
JinGe Plaza 5F, No. 9 Dongfeng Road, Kunming
Natural Live
Live-music bar on the third floor at 371 Qingnian Road.
Known for: Live-music bar
3rd floor, 371 Qingnian Road, Kunming
The Turtle
Bar on Jianshe Road described in a music guide as offering live music nightly.
Known for: Bar billed with live music every night
Xiexin Tiandi, 1st floor, No. 11, Jianshe Road, Kunming
Route66
Second-floor bar on Zhengyi Road.
Known for: Bar in the Zhengyi Road / Nanping district
2nd floor, 148 Zhengyi Road, Kunming
Humdinger Brewpub (Zhengyi Road)
Brewpub location of the Humdinger craft beer brand.
Known for: Brewpub
111 Zhengyi Road, Kunming
Vervo Club & Bar
Club and bar on the north side of Zhengyi Fang.
Known for: Club and bar in the Zhengyi Fang complex
69-71 Qianwang Street, Zhengyi Fang (north side), Kunming
Cantina - Wine & Chat
Wine bar in the Backstreet Block off Hongshan East Road.
Known for: Wine bar
9 Hongshan East Road, Backstreet Block, building 11-1, Kunming
Clubs
For dancing into the early hours.
Juan House Music Club
Music club on the fifth floor of JinGe Plaza.
Cover: Not published
Hours: Hours not published in the sources consulted; check locally.
Vervo Club & Bar
Club and bar on the north side of Zhengyi Fang.
Cover: Not published
Hours: Hours not published in the sources consulted; check locally.
ZOUK Club
Club listed alongside Changting Pub and Origin Mix Music Bar in the South Asia Feature No. 1 City entertainment area, about 30 minutes from downtown by taxi.
Cover: Not published
Hours: Hours not published in the sources consulted; check locally.
Nightlife tips
Stay safe and have fun.
Most venues warm up after midnight — earlier arrivals get easier entry and shorter queues.
Carry ID, even if you look older — bouncers check at most venues.
Plan your ride home before you go out — last transport runs earlier than the clubs close.