By the shores of Dianchi Lake, Kunming is filled with the rich aroma of coffee. From August 1 to 9, the 2026 Dianchi International Coffee Culture Carnival was held in Kunming under the theme "Where Yunnan Coffee Gathers, All Things Flourish." Bringing people together through coffee, the carnival attracted large crowds of locals and visitors, while also drawing coffee enthusiasts from Thailand, France, the United Kingdom, New Zealand, Ukraine and beyond.

Thai owner Kuan Lin Lai. Photo by Wen Lirong

Amid the bustling crowds on the eastern shore of Dianchi Lake, one Thai visitor stood out. He wandered from stall to stall, occasionally taking a sip of coffee and chatting with the baristas. Kuan Lin Lai, a Thai national, runs a cold drink and snack shop called "Thai Faith" in Kunming.

Scene from the 2026 Dianchi International Coffee Culture Carnival. Photo by Wen Lirong

Yunnan Coffee Is Unique and Deserves to "Go Global"

"What attracted me most about this event was Yunnan's distinctive coffee beans — their flavor and taste are truly unique," said Lai, who is attending the coffee carnival for the second time this year. He noted that the atmosphere at this year's carnival was particularly good, with vendors proactively explaining the origin and flavor profiles of their beans to customers, and the vast majority of coffee shops offering pleasant environments.

In Lai's view, Yunnan coffee and Thai coffee are fundamentally different. "In Thailand, people drink coffee simply to stay awake and alert. But Yunnan coffee places more emphasis on flavor itself — it offers a rich range of flavors, and the tasting experience is much more enjoyable."

"Taste, elegance and creativity" — these are the three words Lai uses to describe Yunnan coffee. He explained that Yunnan coffee beans offer a diverse range of flavors and impressive taste profiles. Baristas use different brewing methods, such as pour-over and espresso, to bring out the distinctive flavors of locally grown beans to the fullest. They also carefully explain each step of the process, making the entire experience feel both refined and elegant. Coffee shops also incorporate uniquely Yunnan ingredients such as litsea cubeba and houttuynia cordata into their creations, resulting in highly imaginative flavor combinations.

"Other major cities in China and even other countries are drawing inspiration from the creative flavors and unique brewing techniques that have become popular in Kunming," Lai said. "Whether they are imitating or learning from Kunming, it is because its coffee has such distinctive flavors. Many coffee professionals from other parts of China and abroad have been drawn to these unique flavors. I personally love the way local cafés incorporate ingredients, fruits and spices unique to Yunnan into their coffee creations, giving them a distinctive character of their own."

Lai is confident that Yunnan coffee has the potential to find a market in Thailand. Taking Bangkok as an example, he said that in the past, most people went to cafés simply for a cup of coffee. Today, however, more and more people are willing to explore new flavors, brewing methods and taste experiences. "I believe Yunnan coffee deserves to be tasted and enjoyed by people around the world."

Scene from the 2026 Dianchi International Coffee Culture Carnival. Photo by Wen Lirong

Kunming Locals Are Warm and Hospitable, and the City Is "Highly Inclusive"

Lai has been to many places, but in the end, he chose to stay in Kunming. "Because it's the most comfortable city I've ever been to. The weather is pleasant, and the scenery is beautiful." When he first arrived in Kunming, the city's culture and pace of life, which reminded him of Thailand, made him feel right at home.

If that first impression marked the beginning of Lai's connection with Kunming, then the city's inclusiveness has been what enabled him to cross borders and put down roots here. In recent years, more and more Thai restaurants have opened in Kunming. "I can meet many fellow Thais here. More and more Thai people are coming to Kunming, and people from countries around the world are arriving here as well." Lai has made many foreign friends in the city and experienced its openness and warmth firsthand. "People in Kunming are very open and accepting. They embrace different cultures and are welcoming of differences among people from elsewhere."

In Lai's view, cafés in Kunming and Thailand have very different atmospheres and ways of bringing people together.

In many Thai cafés, customers bring their laptops and spend the whole day working. People typically visit cafés simply to have a cup of coffee, chat with friends or conduct business. In Kunming, however, "staff often strike up conversations with customers while preparing their coffee, exchanging a few friendly words. There's a strong sense of warmth and familiarity, and people in Kunming really enjoy interacting with others," Lai said.

"Kunming itself is a city that offers a very comfortable way of life." In Lai's view, people drink coffee here more to try different flavors and experience varied tastes. "The climate is pleasant, the scenery is beautiful, and there's a diverse and unique local culture — It's a place worth visiting and experiencing for people from around the world." At the end of the interview, he smiled and extended an invitation to the world: "Welcome to Kunming."

From Thailand to Kunming, from a daily beverage for staying awake to a journey of flavor exploration, coffee connects different lands and brings different people together. And the spring city of Kunming, with its unique warmth and inclusiveness, is allowing every guest who comes from afar to taste the flavor of "home" in a single cup of coffee.

湖滨春城，咖香弥漫。8月1日至9日，以“滇咖聚 万物生”为主题的2026滇池国际咖啡文化嘉年华在昆明举行。本次嘉年华以咖为媒，不仅吸引了大量市民游客，更汇聚了来自泰国、法国、英国、新西兰、乌克兰等多个国家的咖啡爱好者。

云南咖啡独具特色 值得“全世界品尝”

“这次活动最吸引我的一点，是云南独具特色的咖啡豆，风味口感都十分特别。”今年第二次参加咖啡嘉年华的赖冠霖直言，本次嘉年华氛围特别好，店家会主动向顾客讲解咖啡豆的产地、风味，而且绝大多数咖啡店的环境都很不错。

在赖冠霖看来，云南咖啡和泰国咖啡有着本质的不同。“泰国人喝咖啡单纯是为了提神醒脑，但云南咖啡更注重风味本身，层次丰富，口感体验更有乐趣。”

“口感、优雅、创意”，赖冠霖用三个词汇描摹心中的云南咖啡“画像”。他解释说，云南咖啡豆风味多样，口感表现出众；咖啡师会用手冲、意式浓缩等不同萃取方式，最大限度凸显云南本地豆子的风味，还会细致讲解整套流程，整个过程十分优雅；店家还会搭配木姜子、折耳根等云南独有香料制作咖啡，搭配思路非常有创意。

“中国其他大城市乃至其他国家，都会借鉴昆明当下流行的创意风味、特殊制作手法。”赖冠霖赞许道：“不管是模仿还是学习，都是因为昆明咖啡的风味十分独特，不少外地乃至外国从业者都被这些特色风味吸引，我自己也很喜欢店家加入云南本土独有食材、水果、香料来搭配咖啡‘做出专属特色’的做法。”

赖冠霖对云南咖啡能否走进泰国，充满信心。他以曼谷为例说，以往去咖啡馆的人大多只是为了喝一杯咖啡，但如今越来越多人愿意尝试不同风味、制作方式和口感的新鲜事物。“我认为云南咖啡值得让全世界都品尝一番。”

昆明人热情好客 “包容度很高”

赖冠霖去过很多地方，最后还是决定留在昆明。“因为这是我去过最舒服的城市，昆明的天气和风景区非常美。”初到昆明时，这座城市与泰国相似的文化、生活节奏，都让他感觉“生活起来十分惬意”。

如果说初见是赖冠霖与昆明缘分的开始，那么包容则是支撑他跨越山海、在此扎根的土壤。近年来，昆明开了越来越多的泰国餐厅，“在这里能遇到很多同乡泰国人，泰国人正慢慢来到这里，世界各地不同国家的人也陆续来到昆明。”赖冠霖在这里结识了很多外国朋友，也感受到了这座城市的开放与温暖。“昆明本地人包容度很高，能接纳不同文化，包容我们外来者的差异。”

在赖冠霖的观察中，昆明和泰国的咖啡馆有着不同的“打开方式”。

泰国很多咖啡店，顾客会带着电脑在店里坐一整天办公；大家去店里要么单纯喝咖啡，要么闲聊，要么洽谈商务事宜。但在昆明，“店员制作咖啡的过程中会主动和客人聊天，简单闲谈几句，亲切感很强，昆明本地人很爱与人交流”。赖冠霖感慨。

“昆明本身就是一座居住体验很舒适的城市。”在赖冠霖看来，人们在这里喝咖啡，更多是为了尝试不一样的风味、体验不同的口感。“这里气候宜人，风景优美，还有多元独特的本土文化，值得全世界前来感受、体验。”采访最后，他微笑着向世界发出邀请：“欢迎大家来昆明。”

从泰国到昆明，从一杯提神的日常饮品到一场风味的探索之旅，咖啡连接着不同的土地，也串联着不同的人。而春城昆明，正以它独有的温度和包容，让每一位远道而来的客人，都能在一杯咖啡里喝出“家”的味道。