昆明：石林

　　石林是1982年国务院批准的首批国家级重点风景名胜区之一。是世界最典型的科斯特地貌景观，范围达350平方公里，素有“造型地貌天然博物馆”之称，是中国的四大自然景观之一。大小石林、乃古石林、芝云洞、长湖、大叠水瀑布、月湖（尚未开发）、奇风洞（尚未开发）7个区域景区组成了石林风景名胜区。一般说，只要乘车到了大小石林，再乘汽车或马车到其它几个景点就很方便了，价钱也不会很贵，因为它们之间的距离并不很远。大小石林到乃古石林和到芝云洞大约5公里左右；到大叠水大约23公里左右；到长湖最远，也只有25公里左右。民族风情堪称石林一绝。“阿诗玛”的美丽传说、绚丽多彩的萨尼刺绣、古老神奇的“火把节”、热烈欢快的萨尼歌舞、是石林的自然景观与人文景观交相辉映，令人陶醉其间，难以忘怀。到石林的交通非常方便，路况也不错。您可以在昆明市小西门市郊车站乘坐专线车，每天上午10点以前这里都要分别发数趟车。此外昆明南站和锦华宾馆旁边有旅游专用车，票价一般是往返20元人民币左右。您还可以通过拨168信息服务台，获得有关服务信息。石林的游览票价每张为80元人民币。

　　Located in Lunan County, It is known as the " First Wonder of the World " for its natural landscape. It is 86 km southeast of Kunming with a high - grade road extending to the entrance.

　　" It is a waste of time without being in the Stone Forest while visting Kunming " is a local saying to express the deep love of the local people toward this world wonder. The quintessential karst landscape makes every tourist lost in wonder.

　　Going through the Stone Forest, you will be surrounded by the high - rising stone peaks, layer after layer of green hills, and wide - spread stone peaks of the forest. What a stone world ! The scenery of " Figure of Ashima ", " Shi Ba Xiang Song " ( originnted from Chinese love story " Liang Shanbo and Zhu Yingtai " ) and " Lotus peak " make people greatly admired; the spots of " One Piece of Thread Sky " , " Close Call " , " sword Peak Pond " are astonishing; Right in here, you will be astonished at the unique peaks and strange caves, the flying - down mountain spring, and the plateau lake. All these knitted together to present before you a picture of natural beauty, leading far into a merry dreamland.

　　Moreover, the colorful ethnic cultures and folkways in the Stone Forest and the ravishing legends of " Ashima ", the " Torchlight Festival " of the Sani people on June 24 each year, and the warm and zestful Yi nationality dance " Axi Dance Under Moonlight " increase your enthusiasm in knowing more about the area.

　　There are daily tours leaving Kunming sometime around 7 to 8 am. The bus takes about 2 hours one way. The bus costs CNY 40, and the entrance to the Stone Forest is another CNY 33.