A Day tour to Stone Forest 石林

Stone Forest
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Stone Forest alone

Shilin

Their local traditional dress
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石林

Shilin is found around 120km south-east of Kunming, is a massive collection of grey limestone pillars, the tallest 30m high, split and eroded by wind and rain water into their present fanciful forms.

As Kunming itself is a city so I've decided to buy a train ticket travel down to Shilin for a day trip.

On my way to Shilin, I meet two businesses young men who were on their way to another town for their business trip. I was on a few hours train to Shilin, while I was alone bore, I started to talk to both of them, we were like friends of many years talking to each other all the way till I alight the train.

Traditional hat, she is my guide.
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When I approaching Shilin, I can see through the window, the stones all over the ground were amazing, when I reached the station, the two young men has told me to a light, as for them, they were carry on their journey.

While I still at the train station, I wanted to buy a returned train ticket back first before I go on with my explorer but the next train schedule was late at night, so I didn't get my train ticket yet.

Outside of the train station there was a man asking whether want to take his horse cart, he told me it's going to be a few Km long walked, so I've decided to on board his horse cart, it was not so comfortable on the horse cart all the way until I reach the Stone Forest.

At the entrance, a lady who has wear traditional dress asking me whether do I need a guide, I heard my friends told me, I may get lost in the Stone Forest or there were report says there were people got rob when they were walking alone in the forest. So I paid the guide to bring me around, a young lady dress in their traditional dress has brought me around, helping to take photos of me. She has a sweet smile but that day she was not feeling well, so I hardly see her smile on her face when photo was taken.

Over all, Shilin is a pinnacles and peaks, you don't have to spend too long over there, there is nothing much to see outside the Stone Forest. Most of them went there was in a tour groups, very lightly you see single person like me went there alone.

When I've finished the tour inside the Stone Forest for few hours with my guide, I came out there was no bus or transport for me to go anywhere, no one to ask any information at all.

I took a walk down, thinking of walking all the way to train station, buy my train ticket and wait for the train. There was no bus or horse cart outside, while walking for a while alone, finally saw a microbus (like a tuk-tuk car in Thailand) he was approaching me and he quoted the price was away too high, I refuse to take his transport and carry on walking.

Well, there was no one else around, it seems like I was the only customer that he can earn his living, finally he took me on board with the price I've agree with to take me to the bus terminal, when we approaching the bus terminal, he saw the bus going to Kunming was on the move already, he helps me to horn at the bus driver and has him stop for me.

I don't know whether that bus was the last bus or what but I knew it was already evening, if I miss that bus, I might have to rush down to train station to catch the last train. Good thing the bus driver waited for me.

Basically, if you don't like city life, then you may want to visit Shilin as one-day tour. When I'm back to Kunming, I was very hungry and ready to have my dinner.

After spent few days in Kunming, I've decided to buy a train ticket to visit Dali. I bought the train ticket one day in advance and I've bought a night train, which mean I've to check out the next day morning before noon, leave my bags at the receptionist and went explorer in the town for the whole afternoon until evening arrived, I went back to the hotel to had my bags and check in to the train cabin for my night sleep on train.

See the next page...... (on Dali)

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Reply to Mina 22 Oct'2006

Hi Mina,

Kunming is a city, I never past by any old city (I've not explore enough in Kunming city area), are you referring to old town? The only old town you can find should be at Dali & Lijiang, which is further than Shilin Stone Forest.

Dali & Lijiang one day is too short to go all the way there from Kunming.

If you only have one day, you can explore Kunming city but if you don't like city life then you can take a day trip to Shilin Stone Forest (A few hours journey). You really can see all the stones stand up, is something different for a visit.

If you are going to Shilin alone, it can be very boring, no one to talk to, further more, you are planning to go there in Jan'06, it is a low season and not many tourist will be there. Don't forget it is a forest, if you don't mind visiting forest. Is better to hire a guide when you are there. A guide can help you to take some photos for you too.

Do buy some snack & water before you go there, during the low season, you can't purchase any food over at Shilin. I hope I've answer your question.