Dali old town (Chinese: Dali Gucheng) is an ancient town with a history of 1200 years, situated between the Changshan Mountain and the Erhai Lake. It is known for its historical architecture and unique cultural heritage, with many attractions and things to do in the town. In this blog post, I share the best ８ things to do in Dali, Yunnan.
Unlike other old towns in China, Dali is by far the most charming and alluring old town I have been to as it is less touristy and calmer.
The old town is relatively small; you can walk through every old street in a day. But I would recommend you take your time and stay for a little longer, like three to four days, to indulge in the culturally vibrant atmosphere and get the best tastes of local savories.
1. Stay with local BnB
Instead of staying with a chained-branded hotel, many local BnBs run at the heart of the old town. You can soak up the old town ambiance in this kind of accommodation.
The whole architecture’s feature represents the typical residence house of Bai people, where you find the main building facing the south with two buildings by the side. And a grand wall (screen wall) standing at the opposite side of the main building closes up the place and forms the courtyard.
Dali Old Courtyard Boutique Inn was a great place to stay, located next to the famous Catholic church with a two-minute walk to the main road of the old town (Fuxing Road).
2. Visit the iconic Catholic church
This stunning church was built in 1927 by a French missionary, which perfectly presents the rich culture of Bai ethnicity. At first sight, it looks like a Chinese temple, but the interior design is a church, blending the traditional and the western style to the full.
Read more：Visit Dali Yunnan｜Top 6 Most Instagrammable Spots.
It’s a famous historical site you don’t want to miss when you visit Dali.
Free Entry. Opening hours: 08:00~17:00
3. See the Three Golden Pagodas
Standing at the western border of the Changshan Mountain, the Three Golden Pagodas (at Chongsheng Temple) was first built in the time of Nanzhao Kingdom and well preserved to date. It is the most iconic site in Dali city as it symbolizes the development of Buddhism in this area.
To walk through the whole area of Chongsheng Temple can take you half of the day, I recommend you to take a sightseeing bus from Dali Old Town to Three Pagodas in the early morning.
About 15 minutes walk from Chongsheng Temple, you can reach the Three Golden Pagodas reflection pond park, which you can enjoy the peace and calm at the park and see the pond reflecting the pagodas’ image. I recommend visiting the park during sunset time for some awesome pictures.
Read more：Visit Dali Yunnan｜Top 6 Most Instagrammable Spots.
You can purchase the entrance tickets (120 RMB) at the Box Office during the opening hours: 08:00~18:00
4. Visit Erhai Lake
Erhai Lake is titled as “Pearl of Plateau” for its beauty. Such a beautiful place has naturally become an ideal destination for wedding photography. You can easily have hundreds of photos with backgrounds of every stunning side of the lake.
There are several ways of getting around the lake; you can either go by bus or by scooter. Spending a day cycling or boating around the Erhai lake is a great way to admire the breathtaking scenery.
You could instead hire a car driver, and that also allows you to visit the villages nearby. It’s a flexible way to explore Erhai Lake as you can see many famous spots in a day. It cost us about 600 RMB/day.
5. Visit the areas surrounding it
About an hour away from Dali, you can visit Xizhou old town. It has a long history in commerce alongside the prosperity of traditional residence of Bai ethnicity. You can see many Bai people’s houses with significant characters, such as blue paintings and white walls.
３ hours drive away from Dali old town, you can also visit one of the most important trading hubs in Yunnan－Shaxi Ancient Town. Shaxi was a horse stopover station, the ancient alleyways and houses remain the same as before.
6. Get the greatest taste of Dali
Dali is famed for its local cuisines, digging into those traditional dishes is a must. The best restaurants which serve authentic local food can be found in the old town. You could drop in and have your seats at any time during the day.
One of the most famous rice noodles is Yunnan Bridge Noodles (Chinese: Guoqiao Rice Noodles)
Rice noodles (Chinese: Mixian), Er pieces (Chinese: ěrkuài) and Er noodles (Chinese: ěrsī) are the primary staple foods in Dali. The dish is usually cooked with traditional Chinese recipes and very rich in taste.
Street foods like Rǔshàn (a milk product) and Bābā are very commonly seen in the old town, and they are quite cheap. You can see the vendors at almost every corner of the street, grab one or two for your afternoon snacks.
Read also: Visit Dali｜7 Local Dishes & Snacks you need to try
7. Chill at a bar in the evening
After a day of traveling, the best thing you can do is grab a beer and chill at a bar in the evening. There are so many bars run by local youngsters, organizing the live music that starts after the sunset.
You don’t need to buy a ticket for the live music, you need to place orders for drinks, and then you can enjoy Dali’s vibrant nightlife.
8. Get yourself a Tie-dyeing
Bai people’s Tie-dyeing Art is a creative way to share their unique culture, and the work shows the beauty of their minds. Tie-dyeing is a process of printing patterns on cloth, in which the primary colors for the designs are usually white and blue. This kind of traditional craftsmanship can be sought in Xizhou and Zoucheng old town.
You can find Tie-dyeing cloth in various sizes and forms, why not return home with a unique souvenir like this?
