Dian Lake, or Dian Chi as it's called locally, is a pleasure to visit on a sunny day, especially around sunset when the sun crashes across the cliff faces of the Western Hills. It is conveniently accessible by Kunming's Metro Line 3, and is surrounded by beautiful and well-maintained wetlands as well as a small theme park, a drive-in theater, hotels, and hot springs spas. The food street by the metro exit has lots of delicious Yunnan snacks, and there are many temples and other points of interest directly overlooking Dian Lake up the Western Hills from there as well. There are also smaller towns and villages surrounding the banks of Dian Lake where you can sample local fare in a rustic setting. Unfortunately, Dian Lake is highly polluted and overgrown with algae and is not suitable for swimming or water sports, though many locals still fish from the shores. This is really a pity because it would be a lovely recreational resource otherwise.