After enjoying the beautiful panoramas of Yangshuo and Guilin, we left these neighboring cities with many impressions. We continued our journey to Nanning, in Guangxi Province, and Kunming, in Yunnan Province. In these two cities, we planned to rest, relax, and enjoy the sunshine after days of being “wrapped” in the cold mist of Yangshuo and Guilin.
We left Guilin in the morning by train. We had bought the tickets the day before through a hotel employee. We chose a sleeper cabin with fairly hard mattresses. The ticket prices were 115 Y/118 Y/122 Yuan. In the cabin, there were two levels of bunks, so we shared the cabin with locals. During the journey, we could enjoy the view through the window. The trip took about 8 hours, and we finally arrived in Nanning when the sun had already set.
Nanning, known as the Green City, is the capital of the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region and the largest city in the area. Our hotel was relatively close to Nanning Railway Station, located on Zhong Hua Lu in the city center. So, we walked there while carrying our backpacks. Even though it was close, it was quite difficult to find our hotel. The hotel didn’t have its own building, and the unfortunate part was that it was hard to communicate with locals in English. I went to a shopping mall and asked the security guard for directions, but got the same result. Finally, I took the initiative to follow the map and found the hotel. After checking in at Xingfu Hostel Nanning, I had instant noodles and rested. Meanwhile, my friend continued exploring and met a student who was heading back to Kunming. His name was Alex Lim.
The next day, my travel companion and I walked around the area near the hotel in the city center. Nanning turned out to be a modern city. Like a metropolitan area, Nanning has skyscrapers. Tall buildings and shopping centers are everywhere. There are at least seven buildings taller than 100 meters in the city, including the 276-meter-tall Diwang International Commerce Center, the 21st tallest building in China, and the 218-meter World Trade Commerce City.
With a population of about 6.5 million people, traffic in Nanning is quite busy but without congestion. In addition to buses, cars, and taxis, electric motorcycles dominate the streets. These motorcycles are silent, so sometimes they suddenly appear behind me, which gives me a shock. However, walking around Nanning is very comfortable. The city has wide pedestrian walkways that are shaded by trees.
Even though Nanning has developed into a business and industrial hub, it hasn’t become an arrogant city filled only with skyscrapers. Located on the northern bank of the Yong River, Nanning has plenty of green spaces and hills covered with rows of pine trees. That’s why Nanning is called the Green City.
Nanning is also warmer than Yangshuo and Guilin due to its more southern location, even close to Hanoi, Vietnam. There is even a bus service between Hanoi and Nanning, as well as a railway route between the two cities. Following the free trade agreement between China and ASEAN countries, Nanning was designated as the hub city. Nanning has direct flights to Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, Bangkok, and Jakarta. So, it can be said that Nanning is a gateway to southern China.
From Nanning to Kunming by Sleeper Train
After resting for two days in Nanning, we continued our journey to Kunming. Once again, we took a sleeper train, departing in the evening. We had bought the tickets the day before, so we arrived at the train station an hour before departure. There were three options for the hard sleeper tickets (the mattress is a bit firm): 179, 185, and 192 Yuan. For a softer mattress, the ticket prices were 283 and 296 Yuan.
Train stations in China are always crowded. Passengers are everywhere, sitting with their luggage, much like the culture in Indonesia during the holiday season. However, to enter the departure area, it’s similar to entering an airport boarding gate. You can only enter just before the scheduled departure time. The ticket is checked, and then you go up to the second floor using the escalator. Inside the waiting room, most of the seats were taken. After waiting for about 30 minutes, we boarded the train and went to our cabins as indicated by the tickets. Once again, we shared the space with locals, and I ended up with a bunk that was very close to the ceiling. I slept through the night until we arrived in Kunming early in the morning.
Even though it was early, the train station was already busy. We had to wait at the station because it was still dark, and the weather was a bit chilly. We sat on the floor, surrounded by many other passengers. After about an hour, the sky began to brighten, and we left the station. According to the map, the hostel was within walking distance from the train station, so we walked straight ahead, but we couldn’t find the street name listed in the hostel’s address.
Instead, we ended up walking further away from the station and got lost for nearly two hours. My friend became tired and didn’t want to continue searching. She relied on me, so I turned back toward the train station and took the opposite route. I had misread the map. It turned out we had missed the street where the hostel was located.
After finding the hotel, I picked up my travel companion. It turned out to be farther than I expected. When I returned, my friend was with Alex Lim. Apparently, she had contacted Alex while I was looking for the hostel. We then headed together to the hostel. The Hump Youth Hostel is located in the center of Kunming, on Jinbi Road, right next to the square. The price was 30 Yuan per night. This hostel is lively, with many backpackers heading to Tibet or the Himalayas. The rooftop, which is also a café, offers a great view of the city.
At night, the area around the hostel transforms into a night market, selling a variety of items such as clothing, accessories, and medicines. We wandered around the market and the shopping district, which resembled Orchard Road in Singapore. However, in this shopping area, vehicles are not allowed to enter, making it very pedestrian-friendly.
Kunming, situated on a plateau and surrounded by hills and mountains, enjoys pleasant weather throughout the year. Even in winter, the weather is mild and not too cold, with the sun shining brightly.
Golden Horse and Jade Cock Memorial Archways
Not far from the hostel, there is a small square called the Golden Horse and Jade Cock Memorial Archways, or Jinma Biji in the local language. The two arches face each other, and there are many legends associated with them. Some say the Golden Horse (Jinma) represents the best horse in Dianchi Lake, while the Jade Cock (Biji) symbolizes a peacock. Others suggest that the Golden Horse is a bronze totem representing the wealth of Yunnan, and the Jade Cock is a spiritual symbol made of jade stone.
Another version of the story suggests that the Golden Horse refers to the steep Golden Horse Mountain in the eastern part of Kunming, and the Jade Cock refers to the winding and beautiful Jade Cock Mountain in the west. Because of their locations, the archway near the Golden Horse Mountain (Jinma) is called the Golden Horse Memorial Arch, while the archway near the Jade Cock Mountain (Biji) is called the Jade Cock Memorial Arch. The facades of these arches are detailed and intricate, but they are unmistakably Chinese in style.
In the early morning, many elderly people are seen doing exercise in the square. It isn’t until midday that tourists begin to arrive and take photos. Around the square, there are many restaurants and banks, as it is a business and shopping hub. However, I wasn’t very keen on exploring. I spent most of my time at the hostel, enjoying its peaceful and familiar atmosphere. In the late afternoon, I relaxed on the rooftop, enjoying the view of the city. As night fell, I noticed something—there was a mosque tower not far from the square. In my mind, I thought, “So, there’s a mosque in the city center.” I wanted to visit it, but it was already dark. The next day, before heading to Lijiang, I visited the mosque. It is called the Yongning Mosque. I just took some photos and then returned to the hostel.
We were ready to depart for our next destination, the Ancient City of Lijiang. Since we were taking the train, we headed back to the train station. This time, we took a bus to the station, departing around 09:15 on an ordinary train. The journey took about eight hours. On the train, we met two students who were studying in Lijiang. They spoke a little English, and from them, we learned a bit about the Ancient City of Lijiang, which we would be exploring next.