Dali
Introduction
Dali is the county-level seat of the Dali Bai Autonomous Prefecture in northwestern Yunnan, China. The city is administered through twelve township-level districts, two of which are also commonly referred to as Dali — so when you plan a trip here, it pays to know which part of the city you mean.
Before you go
Dali's draw is its Old Town, a rebuilt Ming-era settlement of renovated architecture, newly constructed walls and gates, and plenty of knick-knack stores aimed at domestic tourists. Only part of the original city wall survives, next to the north and south gates, though long mounds still trace the old perimeter. The Old Town sits between two multi-lane highways, in the shadow of the Cangshan mountain range and close to Erhai lake. Set your expectations accordingly: if you want the rustic charm of other old Chinese cities, you may find Dali's core heavily modernised. Beyond the Old Town, Dali has a new town of modern buildings and residential towers, and the train station is there, some distance from the Old Town.
Before you go, it helps to know some history. The Nanzhao Kingdom was established in 738, and the Kingdom of Dali emerged in 937 under Duan Siping, lasting until the Mongol conquest roughly three centuries later. The Mongols destroyed the old capital and palace, and almost all records of both kingdoms were lost. Many locals still carry the surname Duan, and the era is romanticised in Jin Yong's martial arts literature, which gives Dali nationwide fame. The local Bai language has no writing system, so all written communication is in Chinese, and everyone speaks Mandarin, so you don't need Bai to get by. On safety: watch your belongings against pickpockets, be aware that theft by other travellers can happen in cheap accommodation, and take altitude sickness seriously if you plan to hike the Cang mountains. Decline offers of "opium" or artifacts from women in traditional Bai costume, and avoid the men on the corner of Fu Xing Rd and Foreigner St who offer to fix your shoes.
Getting there
Buses from Kunming's West Bus Station take roughly four and a half hours to Xiaguan (Dali New City); ordinary and express luxury services are available, and some continue on to Dali itself, so check with the driver. Xiaguan has three bus stations, and from near them you can pick up local buses toward Dali Old Town, transferring as needed, or catch a white minibus on Jianshe Lu that shuttles between Xiaguan and Dali. A taxi between the two is another option. If the expressway is closed or under construction, the bus may take a longer, more scenic route. Buses from Lijiang stop outside the old town, within walking or taxi distance of the main guesthouses, and you can flag one down on the highway east of town for a cheaper fare. A sleeper service also runs to Xiaguan from Jinghong in Xishuangbanna prefecture, useful if you've come into China from northern Laos. High-speed trains run from Kunming and Kunming South railway stations to Dali station in Dali New City every 30 minutes, covering the trip in two hours. From the station, bus 8 goes to the old town and terminates near the North Gate, while a route named for the Chongsheng Tree Pagodas passes by the West Gate. The Dali Shuttle Bus is a more comfortable alternative and drops you a short walk from the South Gate. High-speed trains also connect Lijiang and Dali several times a day in about two hours. Dali airport sits east of Dali New City, roughly a 45-minute drive from the old town. There are no airport buses, and taxis may steer you to a hotel that pays them commission, so arranging an airport pick-up through your accommodation is the safer bet. Flights from major Chinese cities such as Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou usually involve a stopover in Kunming, and the best discounts go to tickets booked well in advance.Getting around
Dali Old Town is compact and laid out on a grid, so you can cover it entirely on foot. The main landmarks are the South Gate and North Gate, with Fuxing Road running between them, and Yangren Street (Westerner's Street) lined with cafés and tourist shops. Cheap city maps are widely available, but don't be surprised if they don't put north at the top: the Cangshan mountains run north–south beside the town, with Erhai Lake on the opposite side, and the town slopes gently from the mountains down to the lake. Locals tend to orient themselves by facing the mountains rather than by compass direction, and printed maps sometimes follow that same convention.
Bicycles can be rented from many guesthouses and rental huts around town, with rates varying widely by quality, so shop around; Merida and Giant are among the better Chinese brands to look for. Electric scooters and small electric micro-cars are also available and don't appear to require a driving licence — cheaper e-scooters are fine for riding around the vicinity of the Old Town, while paying more gets you enough battery to comfortably circle Erhai Lake, and the e-cars have a longer range again. E-taxis operate within the Old Town for short hops, though drivers often quote above the standard local rate, so expect to negotiate; for trips outside the Old Town, all prices are negotiable. Public buses are the main way to move between Dali New City and the Old Town, with fares paid on board, and white minibuses also run between Xiaguan and the Old Town. Dali railway station is in Dali New City rather than the Old Town, so you'll need an onward connection when you arrive; local bus 8 runs to the Old Town from just outside, terminating near the North Gate, while a separate route signed for the Chongsheng Three Pagodas also serves the Old Town and passes the West Gate. The Dali Shuttle Bus drops passengers a short walk from the South Gate. If you're arriving by long-distance bus, services from Kunming West Bus Station generally terminate in Xiaguan, though some continue to Dali, so check with the driver; buses from Lijiang stop outside the Old Town. For the airport, there are no airport buses, so your options are taxis or a pre-arranged pickup — drivers may not always take you to the specific guesthouse you asked for, so booking an airport pickup through your accommodation is the more reliable option. Beyond the Old Town, the wider prefecture is relatively easily accessible from either the Old Town or Dali New City, and the cafés in the Old Town are a good source of practical information on day trips.
Where to stay
Dali has some of the cheapest accommodation in China, and there is plenty of it. Dorm beds are widely available, rooms start a little higher, and a double with its own shower and toilet sits at the top of the budget range. The old town is the obvious base, but the options spread well beyond it.
- Bird Nest, tucked into a courtyard Bai house at the top of Renmin Road, offers everything from dorm beds and singles to doubles, suites and a private three-bedroom courtyard house with kitchen.
- Dali Letu International Youth Hostel on Yeyu Road sits at the edge of the old city, with bunks and private rooms.
- Dali Mingtong Yinxian Youth Hostel is out at Caicun Dock on the banks of Erhai Lake, in a quiet Bai village with lake views from its third-floor terrace.
- Dali Three Pagodas Youth Hostel, north-west of the old town, has a courtyard and gardens, a lounge, a self-catering kitchen and a roof terrace.
- Dragonfly Hostel on Pingdeng Road is inside the ancient city but away from the touristic noise, with privacy curtains on the dorm beds and a large roof area.
- Five Elements, near the West Gate, keeps a garden and is a short walk from town.
- Mama Naxi Guesthouse, off Ren Min Lu, has dorms plus double and triple rooms around a courtyard.
- Higherland Inn is up in the Cang Mountains behind Zhonghe Temple, reached by cable car, with views over the lake and valley.
- The Jade Emu and The Jade Roo International Guesthouses sit outside the west wall, five minutes from the centre, with courtyard and rooftop space, a bar/cafe and games.
- Lee's Guesthouse in the old town is a family-run place with a Bai courtyard.
- Rainbow's Nest International Guesthouse on Guangwu Road offers Bai-style apartments with living rooms, kitchens and private bathrooms around a sunny courtyard garden.
- Smile Cafe on Renmin Road, a little further downhill from the tourist concentration, has cheap rooms and a courtyard.
- TTF Cafe Hostel on Luyu Road is a short walk from the south end of Boai Road, with dorms and private rooms.
If you want a hotel rather than a hostel, the old town and its edges have several. Jim's Tibetan Guest House on Bo Ai Lu has single and double rooms above its cafe and restaurant, and the same owners run a more upmarket place nearby. Koreana Guesthouse is on the Foreign Street, handy to the bank ATM, though you may want to avoid rooms facing the street. New No. 5 Guest House sits down Renmin Road near the East Gate, and No. 3 Guesthouse is just outside the gates on Huguo Road. Dali Private House, opposite the Gurong Hotel, rents out a whole house with appliances.
Food & drink
Dali's food scene is built on Bai cooking, the cuisine of the local ethnic group, and Bai restaurants are especially plentiful in the northern part of the old city. Seek out the local specialities: shuǐxìng yánghuā, an underwater plant whose name doubles as an idiom meaning "promiscuous"; shùhuā, or "tree flower", a bitter tree fungus; and shùpí, literally "bark" but in fact an even more bitter tree fungus. Roses also find their way into juice and pastries, and rǔshān — the local fried cheese — makes a crispy snack, often wound around bamboo skewers and sold at restaurants or street stalls. In Xizhou, the dish to know is bābā, a thick pancake-like pastry that is slightly oily, slightly chewy and slightly flaky, available sweet or savoury.
For cheap eating, noodle stalls and dumpling shops cluster along Renmin Road, and breakfast prix fixe menus are served everywhere. A Buddhist-run all-you-can-eat vegetarian buffet offers vegetable dishes, soup, rice and pickled vegetables. Cross-the-Bridge Noodles are a local speciality worth trying: hot broth comes to the table and the rice noodles and small plates of other ingredients are added straight away. Dali Muslim food is another option, with noodles in the morning and rice dishes later in the day. Western food is well represented too — woodfired pizza, Belgian waffles, German-style cakes, pastries and desserts, and Tibetan goulash with vegetarian or yak meat. For a splurge, a garden restaurant specialising in rainbow trout sits at the top of Hong Long Jing, near the gate, using spring water carried down from the mountains. To drink, Dali Beer is widely available, and a large selection of other beers is on offer, some coloured green and requiring an acquired taste. Fruit stands and corner stores abound; get a feel for prices before buying to avoid paying over the odds.
What to see and do
In Dali Old Town, walk the City Wall for an elevated view, entering from the Southern Gate, then climb the stairs of Wuhua Tower in the centre of the pedestrian street for another vantage point. The Dali Municipal Museum, housed in the former headquarters of Du Wenxiu, holds historical relic exhibitions, traditional courtyard architecture and a stele forest, while Puxian Temple offers an authentic, non-touristy place to visit. Foreigner Street runs east–west on green stone pavement through the old town. The Cangshan Mountains give you two accessible elevations to aim for. At the lower one you'll find Gantong Temple, Zhongho Temple and the Cloud Traveler's Path between them, reachable by cable car, on horseback, or on foot. Higher up sits Horse Washing Pool, reached by cable car or by walking the Cloud Traveler's Path to a chairlift. The northern route of the path has some of the sharpest cliff views of the Dali valley, with Jizu Mountain visible beyond Erhai Lake on a clear day, and a side path leading to a mountain pool where you can swim on a warm day; the southern route winds through valleys to Gantong Temple. Elsewhere, the Tang Dynasty Three Pagodas are among the best preserved Buddhist structures in China, with a rebuilt Congshen Temple complex behind them, golden statues, dragon fountains and the reflective Shadow Agglomeration Pond. You can also visit Butterfly Spring, a deep blue pool tied to a legend of two lovers, with a hillside park, a butterfly breeding centre and a greenhouse full of flying butterflies. Along the western shore of Erhai Lake, seventeen villages sit between Xiaguan and Xizhou, linked by local paths and roads and dotted with banyan trees, local architecture and Qing Dynasty bridges. Erhai Lake itself offers Guanyin Temple and several islands, and boats can be arranged in town. Further afield, the weekly markets at Wase on the eastern shore and at Shaping to the north show quiet country town life and local farmers.Three days in Dali
Day one: Base yourself in the Old Town, the historic heart of Dali, and spend your first hours walking its Ming-era streets. Fu Xing Rd is the main artery, and the section known as Foreigner St is where you'll find cafes and guesthouses. The Old Town sits between Cangshan mountain and Erhai lake, so use the day to get your bearings on foot. Buses from Kunming arrive at the West Bus Station in Xiaguan, also called Dali New City, and local transport links Xiaguan with Dali Old Town via Jianshe Lu.
Day two: Head up Cangshan, the mountain range that rises behind the Old Town. The Nanzhao Kingdom and later the Kingdom of Dali left their mark on this landscape, and the mountain trails give you a sense of why the area was chosen as a capital. Duan Siping, founder of the Dali Kingdom, and the Duan family that followed are part of the region's history, later romanticised in the novels of Jin Yong. The Bai people, the area's main ethnic group, speak their own language alongside Mandarin.
Day three: Turn your attention to Erhai, the lake that stretches east of the Old Town. The shoreline and the villages around it are a good place to spend a final day. If you have time, you could continue to Lijiang or Jinghong, both in Yunnan, but three days in Dali itself are easily filled between the Old Town, Cangshan and Erhai.