Dali
Cangshan Mountain · Erhai Lake · Bai Old Town · Three Pagodas
Last updated 22 July 2026 · by the Walk Voyage Editorial Team
Visitor data snapshot
What travelers actually experience in Dali
Verified visitor numbers, ratings, and ticket prices from a third-party travel platform. Trip.com international edition (HKD pricing), snapshot 2026-07-28 · snapshot 2026-07-28.
3
Bookable attractions
4.77/5
Average rating
2K
Total reviews
0
Free entries
| Top attraction | Rating | Reviews | Ticket (HKD) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Erhai Lake Private Car Day Tour | 4.7 | 96 | HK$565.00 |
| Shaxi Ancient Town 1-Day Tour from Dali | 4.8 | 66 | HK$229.00 |
| Dali Old Town + Cangshan + Erhai Day Tour | 4.8 | 1,692 | HK$542.00 |
Source: Trip.com international edition (HKD pricing), snapshot 2026-07-28. Prices and review counts shift over time; check the source platform for current booking.
Dali at a glance
Travel snapshot- Province
- China
- Best season
- Mar-May, Sep-Nov
- Trip length
- 3 days recommended
- Avg budget
- $257 per person
- Top attractions
- 8 featured · 3 rated 4.7+
- Food picks
- 6 signature dishes
- Routes curated
- 3 multi-day itineraries
- Budget
- ¥3300 itemized
About Dali
Dali, capital of the Dali Bai Autonomous Prefecture and one of Yunnan's most-photographed cities, sits between the 4,122-meter Cangshan Mountain range to the west and the 250-km2 Erhai Lake to the east. The area was the seat of both the Nanzhao Kingdom (738-902) and the Dali Kingdom (937-1253), whose legacy lives on in the Bai-style courtyard houses, the 1,000-year-old Three Pagodas of Chongsheng Temple, and the 5A Cangshan World Geopark. Travelers come for the Erhai Lake 130-km loop (best by car or e-bike), the Bai minority food, the Old Town's 'Foreigner Street' nightlife, and the four-season climate that puts most of Yunnan in the shade. Dali is 2.5 hours by high-speed rail from Kunming and 1.5 hours from Lijiang - the natural mid-point of the classic Yunnan route.
Best Season
Mar-May, Sep-Nov
Days Recommended
3 Days
Avg Budget
$257
Location
Yunnan, China
Must-See Spots
Top Attractions in Dali
Cangshan World Geopark
A 19-peak, 18-stream mountain range rising to 4,122 m directly above Dali Old Town and Erhai Lake, a UNESCO Global Geopark and 5A national scenic area. The Ximatan cable car reaches 4,000 m, the Gantong Cable Car climbs to the Qingbi Stream waterfall, and the 19-km Yudai (Jade Belt) Cloud Trail is the most-photographed ridge walk. The mountain has 8 orchid species, 1,000+ plant species, and 100+ bird species.
Take the Ximatan cable car up (180 RMB) - the top is at 3,966 m with views across to Erhai Lake. Combine with the Jizhao Nunnery vegetarian lunch on the way down.
Erhai Lake
A 250 km2 highland lake at 1,960 m elevation, the second-largest lake in Yunnan after Dianchi. The 130-km lakeside road loops through Shuanglang, Xizhou, Caicun, and the Wase peninsula over 1-2 days by car, e-bike, or motorbike. The eastern shore is best for sunset at Shuanglang; the western shore faces Cangshan Mountain and is best for sunrise.
Rent an e-bike in Dali Old Town (60-100 RMB/day) and ride the 30-km eastern shore stretch. Or hire a private driver for the 130-km loop. The Caicun Pier is the most-photographed sunrise spot.
Chongsheng Temple Three Pagodas
A 1,000-year-old royal Buddhist temple complex 1 km north of Dali Old Town, the most-photographed historical site in Yunnan. The 69-meter Qianxun Pagoda (839 AD) and two 42-meter side pagodas are arranged in a triangular reflection in the Three Pagodas Reflection Pool - the iconic Dali skyline. The reconstructed Chongsheng Temple (2005) houses Buddhist statuary and Tang-style murals.
The Three Pagodas Reflection Pool is the iconic Dali view - morning light is best. Allow 2-3 hours for both the pagodas and the rebuilt Chongsheng Temple complex.
Dali Old Town
A Ming-era walled city on a 3 km2 grid south of Cangshan Mountain, the former capital of the Nanzhao and Dali kingdoms. The Five-Stage Tower (Hong Dui Jie), the Bai-style 'three lanes and one wall' courtyard houses, the Renmin Road (Foreigner Street) with its backpacker nightlife, and the South Gate with the original Dali Kingdom stone walls. The old town is car-free and best explored on foot.
Walk the old city wall (free) at sunset. The Renmin Road and Fuxing Road are the main food and bar streets. Allow 4-6 hours to fully explore the old town, the morning market, and the South Gate area.
Xizhou Old Town
A Bai minority village 25 km north of Dali Old Town, famous for the Yan Family Compound (1,900+ rooms) and Dong Family Compound - the two most ornate Bai courtyard houses in Yunnan. The surrounding canola and rice fields make Xizhou the most-photographed agricultural landscape near Dali. The Thursday Xizhou market is one of the liveliest Bai rural markets.
Combine with Shuanglang Old Town (15 km north) for a half-day Bai village loop. The Yan Family Compound's Bai-style painted walls and the Bai local food stalls are the two must-dos.
Shuanglang Old Town
The 'Best Spot to See Erhai' according to Xu Xiake, the 17th-century travel writer. A 200-house Bai village on a peninsula in Erhai Lake's northern shore, with the Nanzhao Style Island ferry, the Yang Liping-designed Sun Palace art space, and the small fishing-boat piers. The lake-view cafes and boutique guesthouses make Shuanglang the most-popular Erhai overnight.
Best for the sunset. The Yang Liping Sun Palace needs a 5-day advance booking for a 90-min interior tour. Stay overnight at a lake-view guesthouse for the sunrise.
Butterfly Spring (Hudie Quan)
A 50 m2 spring pond 25 km south of Dali Old Town, the site of the Bai minority's annual Butterfly Festival (April 15, the third lunar month) when thousands of butterflies gather at the spring. The spring's water is so clear the bottom and the overhanging trees reflect in mirror image. The location of the 1959 Bai-themed film 'Five Golden Flowers'.
Best April for the butterfly festival. Combine with a half-day Three Pagodas + Butterfly Spring tour. The 'wishing tree' tradition is fun - tie a red ribbon to a branch for a wish.
Jizu Mountain (Ji Zu Shan)
A 3,248-meter Buddhist mountain 40 km east of Dali Old Town, one of China's four great Buddhist mountains. The 4A park features the Zhusheng Temple (the birthplace of the Caodong school of Chan Buddhism), the Huashou Gate, the Golden Summit sunrise viewpoint, and a 20-km stone-step pilgrim path. The 4-hour sunrise hike from Zhusheng Temple to the Golden Summit is the classic Jizu mountain experience.
Overnight at Zhusheng Temple (guesthouse 150 RMB) for the 4am Golden Summit sunrise. Or take the cable car (160 RMB) for a half-day visit. Best October-March for clear skies.
Local Flavors
What to Eat in Dali
Rushan Cheese (Ru Shan)
The signature Bai minority dairy - a semi-dry yak or cow-milk cheese strip that is grilled, pan-fried, or deep-fried. Eaten with rose-jam or chili dip. The classic Dali street snack, sold at every Xizhou and Dali Old Town market. The Bai method of making rushan predates Marco Polo's recorded Yunnan's cheese culture by centuries.
Recommended: Any Dali Old Town or Xizhou market vendor, or Yang Ji Rushan in Xizhou (the most-famous brand)
Three-Course Tea (San Dao Cha)
A Bai minority tea ceremony with three symbolic cups: first bitter, second sweet, third回味 (aftertaste). The first cup is strong bitter tea, the second adds walnuts and honey for sweetness, the third adds red pepper and ginger for a warming aftertaste. Served at every Bai family home and at the official Three-Course Tea performance on Renmin Road in Dali Old Town.
Recommended: Any Bai family teahouse in Xizhou or Zhoucheng, or the official Three-Course Tea performance on Renmin Road
Ersi Noodles Dali-Style (Dali Er Si)
The Dali variant of Yunnan's signature rice-flour noodle - thicker and softer than the Kunming version, served in a sour-spicy broth with pickles, ham, and chili oil. The classic Dali breakfast or late-night snack, found at every Erhai-side village. Best at the morning markets of Caicun and Xizhou.
Recommended: Caicun Morning Market (才村早市) or any old-town ersi stall on Fuxing Road
Sour-and-Spicy Fish with Flowers (Suan La Hua Zhi Yu)
A Dali signature - whole Erhai lake fish, scored and deep-fried, then braised in a sour-spicy broth with fresh edible flowers (rose petals, magnolia buds). The combination of the lake-fish sweetness, the chili heat, the vinegar sourness, and the floral aroma is the signature Dali flavor. Served at the lakeside restaurants of Caicun and Shuanglang.
Recommended: Caicun or Shuanglang lakeside restaurants; the best-known brand is Haiwei Ju (海味居)
Wild Mushrooms (Ye Sheng Jun)
The Yunnan's other famous seasonal delicacy - June through September the highland markets are flooded with fresh porcini, matsutake, termite mushroom, Boletus, and dozens of other wild varieties. Most restaurants in Dali Old Town offer a 'wild mushroom hot pot' or 'wild mushroom stir-fry' in the season. The Erhai-side villages of Cangshan are the best places to try the variety.
Recommended: Any Cangshan or Xizhou restaurant in mushroom season, June through September
Bai-Style Hotpot (Bai Zuo Huo Guo)
A Bai minority hotpot distinct from the Sichuan and Cantonese traditions - a clear chicken broth with a special Bai sauce of fermented beans, mint, and chili. The meat is typically thinly-sliced pork and chicken with local wild vegetables. Served family-style with the dipping sauce customized per guest. Found in every Bai family home and at the Xizhou Bai restaurants.
Recommended: Xizhou Bai Restaurant (喜洲白族食府) or any Bai family restaurant in Zhoucheng
Curated Itineraries
Suggested Routes in Dali
Dali Erhai 2-Day Lake Loop
A 2-day loop around the 130-km Erhai Lake, by car or e-bike, covering the eastern shore (Shuanglang, Wase), the northern shore (Xizhou, Haidong), and the western shore back to Dali Old Town. Best April-November for clear lake views.
Dali Cangshan Mountain 1-Day Hike
A 1-day trip up the 19-peak Cangshan range, taking the Ximatan cable car to 4,000 m and walking the 19-km Yudai Cloud Trail. Best for the 5A Geopark views and the high-altitude alpine flora.
Dali-Lijiang-Shangri-La 5-Day Northern Yunnan Loop
A 5-day northern Yunnan loop - 2 days in Dali (Old Town + Erhai), 2 days in Lijiang (Old Town + Yulong Snow Mountain), 1 day in Shangri-La (Songzanlin + Dukezong). The most-popular first-time Yunnan itinerary.
Trip Planning
Travel Budget for Dali
Transport
Dining
Attractions
Accommodation
Total estimated budget: $257 per person
Actual costs vary by travel style, season, and booking choices.
Common Questions
Dali Travel FAQ
What is the best time to visit Dali?
Mar-May, Sep-Nov is generally the best season, with comfortable weather for sightseeing and outdoor activities.
How many days are recommended for Dali?
3 days is a practical baseline for first-time visitors covering major highlights.
What is a typical travel budget in Dali?
A common reference is around $257 per person, depending on hotel level, transport, and attraction choices.
Is Dali suitable for family travel?
Yes. Dali has diverse attractions, flexible route options, and accommodation levels suitable for family trips.
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