>
Dali is the old Bai capital between the Cangshan range and Erhai Lake - the land of 'wind, flowers, snow and moon' (the Xiaguan wind, the Shangguan flowers, the Cangshan snow and the Erhai moon). The old town with its Foreigner Street, the Erhai boat cruise, the Butterfly Spring, the Cangshan cableways, the Three Pagodas of Chongsheng Temple, the lakeside villages of Xizhou and Shuanglang, and the mountains of Weishan and Jizu complete the classic visit. The field guide budgets from RMB 800 for a 3-day trip. This guide carries the tickets, opening hours, phones, hotels, restaurants and transport from the guide, so you can plan it yourself or have our team arrange it end to end.
The RMB 142 boat cruise (children half price, 09:00-17:00, tickets at Longkan, Xiaguan and Taoyuan piers) - the lake of the Bai and the Cangshan reflection.
The mountain entry is RMB 30 (students RMB 15) - the Gantong (big) cableway 7 km south of the old town and the Cangshan (small) cableway west of the gate, joined by the Jade Belt Road.
The pagodas of Chongsheng Temple north of the old town - RMB 121 (students RMB 62), 08:00-19:00, +86 872 266 6346.
Xizhou - the Bai courtyard houses of 'three rooms and a screen wall'; Zhoucheng - the living tie-dye village where a dyed shirt costs RMB 20-50.
The lakeside ride from the old town - a rented bike and an hour and a half to the water, the classic Dali afternoon.
The lanterns of the Foreigner Street and Renmin Road, the revived night market and the music of the old-town bars.
The sunset light over the great lake.
The pagodas reflected in the pond.
The gate and the lanterns of the Bai capital.
The first light over the Erhai shore.
The field guide budgets from RMB 800 for 3 days - the old town and Erhai on day one, the Three Pagodas, Xizhou and Zhoucheng on day two, and the Cangshan cableways or Shuanglang on day three; a fourth adds Weishan or Jizu Mountain.
The four signatures of Dali - the Xiaguan wind, the Shangguan flowers, the Cangshan snow and the Erhai moon; the old saying that the scenery of Yunnan is best in Dali, and the scenery of Dali best at Shuanglang.
RMB 142 for adults, half price for children, 09:00-17:00 - tickets collected at the Longkan, Xiaguan and Taoyuan piers; the lakeside ride and the Shuanglang day are the free alternatives.
Yes - the entry is only RMB 30 (students RMB 15); the Gantong cableway and the Jade Belt Road give the mountain views and the old town far below; the small cableway starts west of the old-town gate.
March-April for the azaleas and the March Street fair (15th-20th of the third lunar month); October-November for the clear skies; summer is the rainy season and winter is mild.
The old town for the night life (beds from RMB 30 at Ai Dali, rooms RMB 120-220 at the smile inns), the Erhai shore for the sunrise, and Shuanglang for the lakeside views - book ahead in season.
Yes - email [email protected] or message us on WhatsApp. Our team books the Erhai cruise, the cableways, the Three Pagodas tickets, the Xizhou village tours and the hotels, free of charge.
The Bai capital, the lake cruise and the night lanes - the essential Dali. View the plan →
Dali Old Town - the South Gate, the Foreigner Street, Renmin Road and the revived night market, with the Three Pagodas reflected in the evening.
The Erhai morning - the RMB 142 cruise from the piers, or the lakeside cycle ride; the afternoon at Xizhou for the Bai courtyards and the baba flatbread.
The mountain, the villages and the lake - the complete portrait. View the plan →
The Cangshan cableway and the Jade Belt Road, the Three Pagodas of Chongsheng Temple in the afternoon, and the old-town night.
Xizhou and Zhoucheng - the Bai courtyards, the tie-dye village and the baba flatbread, then the lakeside ride back.
Shuanglang - the lakeside town of the 'best scenery of Dali', the Yuji Island and the Nanzhao Style Island, then the evening return to the old town.
All plans are bookable end-to-end by our team — see the full day-by-day Dali itineraries hub, or the day-trip pages for single-day options.
The great highland lake of Dali - the RMB 142 cruise (children half price, 09:00-17:00, tickets at the Longkan, Xiaguan and Taoyuan piers); the lakeside ride and the Shuanglang day are free.
View details →The pagodas of the Tang and Song dynasties north of the old town - RMB 121 (students RMB 62), 08:00-19:00; +86 872 266 6346.
View details →The mountain west of the old town - entry RMB 30 (students RMB 15); the Gantong cableway 7 km south of the old town and the small cableway west of the gate, joined by the Jade Belt Road.
View details →The spring below Cangshan's Yunlong Peak on the 214 road - the film location of 'Five Golden Flowers', with the Butterfly World; RMB 60, 08:30-19:00.
View details →The Bai capital - the South Gate, the Foreigner Street, Renmin Road and the night market; free to walk, and the start of the Erhai rides.
View details →The Bai town of the 'three rooms and a screen wall, four courts and five patios' courtyard houses - the baba flatbread at RMB 3 and the village lanes.
View details →The lakeside town of the saying 'the scenery of Dali is best at Shuanglang' - the Yuji Island (RMB 25), the Nanzhao Style Island with its 17-m white-marble Guanyin, and the lakefront cafes.
View details →The living tie-dye village of the Bai - the indigo workshops where a dyed shirt costs RMB 20-50 and you can try the binding yourself.
View details →The Taoist mountain of the Dian kingdom - RMB 60, 08:00-18:00; coaches from the Xiaguan south station at RMB 18 (1.5 hours) or a hired car at RMB 150-200 (40 minutes).
View details →More in the region on the Yunnan attractions page.
The 15th-20th of the third lunar month below Cangshan - the great Bai market with the horses, the songs and the dances.
The day after the 15th of the fourth lunar month - the butterflies of the spring at the Butterfly Spring.
The evening cruises from the piers with the Bai songs and the lake lights.
The 'three courses' of the Bai welcome - bitter, sweet and aftertaste, the ceremony of the old town and the Xizhou courtyards.
Every hotel below is bookable by our team; browse the full Yunnan hotels directory.
The friendly courtyard at Renmin Road - RMB 120-220; +86 872 267 0565.
The quiet branch at Yinxian Road - RMB 50-150; +86 187 8723 1862.
The lakefront guesthouse - from RMB 140; +86 133 2055 0057.
The old-town hostel with beds from RMB 30; +86 872 247 5307.
The lakeside guesthouse - beds RMB 50, rooms from RMB 140; +86 159 0872 9030.
The landmark four-star of the old town - from RMB 460; +86 872 266 6666.
The comfortable courtyard hotel - from RMB 380; +86 872 266 6318 / +86 872 266 6188.
The four-star at the lakefront - from RMB 490; +86 872 218 8188.
The grilled milk-fan cheese of the Bai - the famous street snack of the old town.
The Bai raw-pork classic with the chilli dips - the famous 'hailuo' of the region, for the adventurous.
The Zaihuishou shop of the old town - large RMB 6, small RMB 5, closed after 18:00; +86 872 689 5609.
The home-style Dali restaurant at about RMB 30 per head; +86 872 536 5356.
The small canteen at 86 Renmin Road at about RMB 35 per head - the local menu of the town.
The long-running restaurant at about RMB 40 per head; +86 872 690 0907.
The flatbread of Xizhou at RMB 3 - sweet or savoury from the village ovens.
The Erhai fish cooked in the clay pot, and the bitter-sweet-aftertaste tea of the Bai welcome.
The marble of the region - the 'cloud' patterns of the Dali stone, carved into the panels and the ink-stones.
The rose-flower pastries of Yunnan - light, sweet and the classic take-home.
The silver of the old town - note the white-copper imitations of the stalls; buy at the registered shops.
The indigo textiles of Zhoucheng and the old town - shirts from RMB 20-50 at the dye houses.
The revived night stalls of Renmin Road - the crafts, the snacks and the music.
Full local-product guides live on the Yunnan specialties page.
https://media.doubao.com/space/api/box/stream/download/all_by_mount_point/Z23dbYGZEoI2TNxY5i0c7ILvnWh
https://media.doubao.com/space/api/box/stream/download/all_by_mount_point/GK46bT82doid74xwzu3cLiQtnFf
https://media.doubao.com/space/api/box/stream/download/all_by_mount_point/G3lnbKl2fogBuUx4wAEcjM8bnab
https://media.doubao.com/space/api/box/stream/download/all_by_mount_point/Rw10bEPvOoICXRxIdJSc1PpAn5b
https://media.doubao.com/space/api/box/stream/download/all_by_mount_point/GoWNbhC4ro5gBAxZQWvcROtNnxg
The boat from the piers and the cycle of the eastern shore.
The Bai courtyards, the baba and the tie-dye village of the north.
The Taoist mountain or the Buddhist peak beyond the lake.
The famous wind blows hardest in spring - carry a light scarf and sunglasses for the lakefront.
The stalls sell 'silver' that is often white copper - buy at the registered shops of the old town and ask for the receipt.
Everything of the old town is walkable - the Foreigner Street, Renmin Road and the gates are minutes apart.
Shuanglang and the Erhai shore fill in May, October and the holidays - book the lakefront rooms ahead.
The welcome tea is bitter, then sweet, then aftertaste - the ceremony of the courtyards, worth sitting through.
The RMB 20-30 rentals go early - the lakeside ride is best started before the noon heat.
The pagoda tickets and information: +86 872 266 6346.
The official complaints line of Dali.
The airport information for the flights and the airport buses.
The station information for the Kunming-Dali trains.
The clinic of the old town for the minor ailments.
Dali was the capital of the Nanzhao and Dali kingdoms from the 8th to the 13th centuries - the pagodas and the temples date from those dynasties.
The Bai of Dali keep the courtyard architecture, the tie-dye, the three-course tea and the festivals of the region - the March Street fair is their great annual market.
The Xiaguan wind, the Shangguan flowers, the Cangshan snow and the Erhai moon - the four signatures that the Bai have carried in their poetry for centuries.
The Butterfly Spring became famous through the 1959 film 'Five Golden Flowers' - the song of the film still opens the tourist brochures.
Everything on ToursChinaTravel is bookable through our team by email or WhatsApp. Here's where each part of your Dali trip lives on the site.
Star-rated sight details — hours, tickets, phones and tips for every Yunnan attraction.
Browse Yunnan sightsStar-rated hotels across Yunnan — sorted by rating, all bookable by our team.
Book a Yunnan hotelLocal products, crafts and foods of Yunnan — where to find each one.
Browse Yunnan specialtiesLicensed agencies with addresses, phones and booking contacts.
Find a Yunnan agencyMore city and region guides across China, including the Yunnan guide.
Browse all guides