Kunming World Horticultural Exposition Garden is located beside the Jindian Scenic Area in the northeastern suburbs of Panlong District, Kunming City, Yunnan Province, about 4 kilometers from downtown Kunming. It is a national 5A-level scenic area. The park covers an area of approximately 2.18 square kilometers, with a vegetation coverage rate of 76.7%, including 120 hectares of gently sloping land dense with shrubs and 10%-15% water surface. The total construction area is 19,927 square meters, the viewing platform covers 3,600 square meters, and the road and venue paving area is 4,340 square meters. The scenic area integrates the local characteristics of all provinces, autonomous regions, and municipalities directly under the Central Government, as well as the gardening works, courtyard architectures, and technological achievements of 95 countries, with the theme of "Man and Nature, Harmonious Development", serving as a concentrated display of modern garden architecture and art.
History and Culture
In May 1993, China applied to the International Association of Horticultural Producers (AIPH) to host the 1999 World Horticultural Exposition; in October 1994, AIPH resolved to support it, and in December of the same year, the Bureau of International Expositions (BIE) approved the application. In December 1995, the State Council approved Yunnan Province to host the expo and changed the venue from Beijing to Kunming. In 1996, both the BIE and AIPH agreed to relocate the expo to Kunming. The park started construction in 1997 and officially opened in May 1999. From May 1 to October 31, 1999, the 14th '99 Kunming World Horticultural Exposition was grandly held. After the expo, all venues were retained for tourism development. In 2000, the World Exposition Bureau was restructured into the business-oriented Yunnan World Expo Group. In 2020, after the strategic restructuring of Yunnan World Expo Tourism Group by OCT Group, the renovation and upgrading project of the expo garden officially started.
Main Attractions
Garden Avenue
It is 800 meters long and about 60 meters wide, including a themed landscape corridor and a garden parade avenue, with the main building complex laid out in a stepped-back form. The corridor consists of flower galleries and flower beds, with main flowers including rhododendrons, chrysanthemums, and hydrangeas.
International Outdoor Exhibition Area
Located between the north and south of Youyi Road, it presents a U-shaped valley, with 18 exhibition units divided by Youyi Road, the main tourist road, into six parts: Asia, Europe, the Americas, Oceania, and international organizations. The Asian exhibition area covers about 16,000 square meters; the European exhibition area about 17,000 square meters; the American exhibition area about 10,000 square meters; the African exhibition area about 1,000 square meters; and the Oceanian exhibition area about 2,000 square meters.
Chinese Outdoor Exhibition Area
Located north of the China Pavilion and the Man and Nature Pavilion, it covers an area of 60,000 square meters and presents an inclined fan shape, including exhibition areas of 31 provinces, municipalities, autonomous regions, and the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, Macao, and Taiwan. The exhibition areas are distributed according to the administrative map, divided into regions such as Northwest, Southwest, North China, South China, and Central China. The middle part is composed of two north-south green belts, with a bronze galloping horse sculpture in the center of the square.
Welcome Plaza
Featuring a group of flower-sculpted elephants themed "Colorful Yunnan, a Land of Elephant Caravans", it recreates the journey of the "Short-Nosed Family" elephant herd's northward and southward migrations.
Century Square
Located at the end of Garden Avenue, it is marked by the large-scale sculpture "Flowers Bloom in the New Century" and was the main venue of the '99 Kunming World Horticultural Exposition. The square is paved with high-quality stone and surrounded by colorful flags. The central sculpture of the square is made of stainless steel and weighs 30 tons.
Art Plaza
Located in the central area of the outdoor exhibition area, it is one of the important scenic spots in the park. At the center of the fan-shaped sunken audience seats that can accommodate 3,000 spectators is an elliptical central stage of 600 square meters. Crossing a 30-meter-wide artificial river to the south, about 200 meters from the square is the world's largest artificial cliff, 200 meters wide and 61 meters high. It is equipped with large-scale performance facilities such as a musical fountain (80 meters wide, with the highest water column of 60 meters), a semicircular water screen cinema (25 meters in diameter), and a large-scale laser show.
China Pavilion
It is the largest and most functional comprehensive exhibition hall among the five main exhibition halls of the expo, covering an area of 33,000 square meters with a construction area of nearly 20,000 square meters. It adopts the architectural style of southern residential houses with white walls and green tiles. It consists of a viewing platform, a main exhibition hall, nine functional exhibition halls, a press conference center, a conference reception room, an in-pavilion garden, and an office service area.
Grand Greenhouse
With a total construction area of 3,630 square meters and a land area of 2,400 square meters, its main body is aligned with the central axis of the expo garden's entrance, forming a straight line with the expo garden gate, Garden Avenue, and Century Square. It is divided into four exhibition areas: tropical plant exhibition area, temperate plant exhibition area, alpine plant exhibition area (plants above 3,000 meters above sea level), and picture exhibition hall.
Bamboo Garden
Located on the southeast side of Yantang Reservoir in the expo garden, it covers an area of 17,000 square meters and has a long and narrow strip-shaped terrain, adjacent to mountains and water. It has collected 28 genera, 222 species, and more than 4,000 clumps of bamboo plants, including more than 30 species with strong ornamental value such as Qiongzhu (Fargesia spp.), and more than 50 rare and endangered species such as Tiezhu (Ferrocalamus strictus).
Cuisine
Crossing-the-Bridge Rice Noodles
A classic Yunnan dish known for its fresh and delicious soup and rich ingredients. It usually consists of boiling hot soup, raw meat slices, vegetables, and rice noodles. Visitors can cook the ingredients in the soup according to their taste, creating a full sense of ritual.
Flower Pastries
A characteristic Yunnan dessert with edible flowers as the filling. The pastry has a crispy outer skin and a soft and glutinous inner filling, with a sweet and refreshing flower fragrance, sweet but not greasy.
Steam-Pot Chicken
Cooked in a special steam pot, the chicken is tender and the soup is delicious, retaining the original flavor of the chicken and being rich in nutrition.
Dianchi Erkuai (Rice Cake)
Made from rice as the main ingredient, it has a chewy texture. It can be steamed, stir-fried, or grilled, and can be paired with various sauces and side dishes, offering diverse flavors.
Tickets
The adult ticket price is 70 yuan. Subject to the actual price at the scenic area.
You can search for the official WeChat public account "昆明世博园旅游区" to get the latest updates. Currently, online ticket purchase is not available through this public account.
Opening Hours
Open from 8:30 to 17:00 Monday to Sunday. The opening hours and ticket prices for night views will be announced separately.
Tour Routes
Main Entrance → Welcome Plaza → Garden Avenue (Exhibition Center, Flower Clock) → China Pavilion → Lucky Peacock Square → Grand Greenhouse → Vegetable and Fruit Garden → Bonsai Garden → Herb Garden → West Area of International Outdoor Exhibition Area (Palestine Garden, Vietnam Garden, etc.) → Science and Technology Museum (under renovation) → Tea Garden → Cliff Art Plaza → East Area of International Outdoor Exhibition Area (France Garden, Russia Garden, etc.) → International Pavilion → Famous Flower and Art Stone Garden → Tree Garden → Man and Nature Pavilion (under renovation) → Chinese Outdoor Exhibition Area (China Splendid Garden) → Huaxia Square → Expo Memory Cultural Experience Area → Bamboo Garden → Main Entrance. The total tour length is about 10 kilometers.
Transportation
- By Bus: Take bus routes 47, 69, 71, 182, 235, A1, etc., to the World Horticultural Exposition Garden Station.
- By Metro: Take Metro Line 5 to the World Horticultural Exposition Garden Station.
- By Car: Navigate to "Kunming World Horticultural Exposition Garden", and the park has a parking lot.
Must-See Attractions
- China Pavilion: The largest indoor exhibition hall, integrating the architectural styles of Han Dynasty palaces and southern residential houses, displaying the essence of Chinese gardening.
- Grand Greenhouse: A landmark landscape building that displays plants from three climate zones, with a modern design.
- International Outdoor Exhibition Area: Experience the gardening styles of 95 countries and feel diverse cultures.
- Art Plaza: Watch fountains and water screen movies, and admire the spectacular 200-meter artificial cliff landscape.
Tour Tips
- Choose a sunny day for sightseeing to facilitate photographing plant landscapes.
- Wear comfortable sports shoes as the park requires long-distance walking.
- Plan the route in advance and prioritize visiting the main exhibition halls and characteristic national exhibition areas.
- Rent a voice guide (about 20 yuan per unit) to gain an in-depth understanding of horticultural culture.
Notes
- Trampling on lawns and picking flowers and trees are prohibited, with fines of 50-200 yuan for violators.
- Keep personal belongings safe, especially in crowded areas during holidays.
- When visiting with children, ensure full-time supervision to avoid proximity to water pools and steep slopes.
- Prepare sunscreen and mosquito repellent in summer, and pay attention to windproofing and warmth in winter.