Kunming's shopping is good by Chinese or even international standards.
You'll find an excellent selection of arts and crafts produced by Yunnan's 26 ethnic groups and most of the consumer goods you'd find in any western country.
The best areas for shopping in Kunming are Qingnianlu Commercial Street, Zhengyilu Shopping Street, Luosiwuan, Zhengyi Road and the flowers & birds market.
This is the place to find designer items including watches, perfumes, clothes etc. Don't expect to find any bargains.
There's a good bookshop selling imported modern novels and travel guides mainly in English but also French, Spanish and German.
This is where you'll find all manner of antiques, paintings, jade and other stones, orchids and bric-a-brac.
Located next to the train station is the largest open air market in Kunming. Here, you'll find many handicrafts and other local products.
Throughout Kunming you'll find tea shops everywhere selling Yunnan's famous Pu'Er tea that is said to reduce inflammation, aid digestion, reduce cholesterol and even help you lose weight.
The tea is compressed into bricks of various shapes and sizes. Often you'll find it crafted into decorative items or even a set of chess pieces. Tea tastings are something of a ritual that's part of the culture, just make you ask how much the tasting will cost in advance because tourist prices can be steep.
The three Kunming outlets of the giant American chain hold no surprises but they all stock a good selection of imported food items.
Local artisans are famous for their elaborate carvings depicting animals, birds, dragons and many other kinds of Chinese symbolism. Intricate Jade jewellry is a speciality.
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