How to Plan a Trip
Things to Do 
Where to Stay 
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Planning a trip to Dali, China? Here is everything that you need to know!
Tucked between the slopes of the Cangshan Mountains and Erhai Lake, Dali is one of the most beautiful places to visit in Yunnan province.
Compared to nearby destinations like Lijiang, the energy here feels noticeably slower. While you’ll still find plenty (and I mean plenty) of tourists bustling through the Old Town, the overall atmosphere is calmer, with wide mountain views, lakeside villages, and plenty of places to slow down for a few days.
Many travelers visit Dali as part of a longer Yunnan itinerary that also includes Lijiang and the Tiger Leaping Gorge hike. While you could see the main attractions in just a day, it’s an easy place to spend two or three days wandering historic streets, cycling along the lake, and exploring the surrounding countryside.
Below are some of the best things to do while visiting Dali.
Best Things to do in Dali, China
I’ve put together a list of all of the best things to do in Dali, from things to do, places to eat, and where to stay in this magical city.
1. Wander Through Dali Old Town
Most visitors begin their time in Dali exploring the historic Old Town. The city actually dates back more than a thousand years and was once the capital of the ancient Nanzhao Kingdom. Today the Old Town is a mix of traditional Bai architecture, small guesthouses, restaurants, and shops. It is also extremely busy.
The streets are laid out in a grid pattern, which makes it easy to wander without any sort of real plan. You’ll find traditional wooden buildings with tiled roofs, decorative gates at the entrances to the city, and views of the Cangshan Mountains just beyond the town.
Like many historic areas in China, the Old Town can feel pretty touristy, especially in the evenings when the streets fill with visitors. Still, it’s a beautiful place to explore and an easy base for a few days in the region.
This is also where most hotels, restaurants, and cafes are located, so you’ll likely pass through here multiple times during your stay. If you need a break from the hustle and bustle, head to the outskirts of the Old Town!
Use Trip.com!
Trip.com is one of the best options for booking hotels in Dali, and throughout the rest of China. You can easily book hotels, transportation, and tours through the app.
2. Visit the Three Pagodas of Chongsheng Temple
One of the most recognizable landmarks in Dali is the Three Pagodas, which sit just outside the Old Town at the base of the Cangshan Mountains. The pagodas date back to the Tang Dynasty and have been around for more than a thousand years.
Behind the pagodas you’ll find the Chongsheng Temple complex, which includes gardens, courtyards, and several temple halls.
It’s absolutely beautiful, with the pagodas sitting directly in front of the mountains. On clear days you can see the entire Cangshan range towering.
The area is pretty large, so most people spend at least an hour or two exploring the grounds.
3. Explore Erhai Lake
Erhai Lake is one of the main attractions in Dali. The lake is more than 25 miles long and is surrounded by small towns, farmland, and mountain views in every direction.
One of the most popular ways to experience the lake is by renting a bike or scooter and following the lakeside road. Some travelers attempt to cycle the entire loop, but most people simply explore a portion of the shoreline over the course of a day. Unfortuantely we didn’t have a chance to explore the full loop on our visit, but I’d love to do it one day.
There are plenty of small cafes and guesthouses along the route where you can stop for tea or lunch. Even if you don’t want to biek far, simply spending a few hours near the lake gives you a completely different perspective on the region.
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4. Take the Cable Car into the Cangshan Mountains
Just behind the city of Dali, you’ll find the Cangshan Mountains. Several cable cars run from the outskirts of the city up into the mountains, giving visitors access to hiking trails and viewpoints high above the lake.
At the top, you’ll find walking paths that follow the mountainside and offer views over Erhai Lake and the surrounding countryside.
Because the mountains sit at a much higher elevation than the city, the weather can be noticeably cooler and foggier than in Dali itself, so make sure to pack layers and watch the weather reports before heading up!
Even if you’re not planning a long hike, riding the cable car up for the views is worth the trip.
5. Visit the Night Markets and Food Stalls
One of the most fun things to do in Dali in the evening is explore the night markets and food stalls around the Old Town. As the sun sets, many of the streets begin to fill with small vendors selling snacks, grilled skewers, and local specialties.
Walking through the night markets is a great way to try lots of local dishes. You’ll see everything from sizzling barbecue stands to stalls selling fresh fruit, dumplings, and sweet desserts.
Yunnan cuisine is known for its bold flavors and fresh ingredients, and the street food scene here definitely reflects that. My favorite was the stall serving made-to-order stir fry noodles.
6. Enjoy the Local Cuisine in Dali
Dali has a grear restaurant scene, especially around the Old Town. In addition to traditional Yunnan restaurants, there are also quite a few cafes, bakeries, and casual bars that cater to travelers passing through the region.
Many restaurants focus on local Yunnan ingredients, including mushrooms, herbs, and fresh vegetables grown in the surrounding countryside. Because Yunnan borders several Southeast Asian countries, the food here is also a bit different from what you’ll find in other parts of China.
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If it’s your first time visiting the region, there are a few local dishes that are worth trying while you’re here:
- rose cakes – a pastry filled with rose petal jam that’s popular throughout Yunnan
- erkuai – a chewy rice cake that’s usually stir-fried or served with sauces
- rice paper pork wraps – a street snack where thin rice sheets are filled with pork, herbs, chili, and peanut sauce (veggie options available as well)
- wild mushroom dishes – which are common across the province (although mushrooms aren’t for me, i’ve heard they’re amazing here)
- stir fried Erhai lake seaweed – a local vegetable harvested from the lake and usually cooked with garlic
7. Enjoy a traditional tea ceremony
Drinking tea is a huge part of Chinese cultural, and Yunnan is no exception to this. I highly recommend enjoying a traditional tea ceremony to appreciate the way tea is drank in Chinse culture.
Our hotel offered a complimentaty tea ceremony with our stay, and it was one of the highlights of our visit. It was the perfect way to pass a rainy afternoon in the ciry.
8. Rent a scooter
One of the best ways to get around Dali is by scooter. You’ll find scooter rentals all around town, that offer both daily and weekly rentals. We grabbed one for a day to explore the outskirts of the Old Town, exploring the Three Pagodas and driving down to visit Erhai Lake.
Rental for the day cost about $6 USD, including two helmets.
Where to stay in Dali
There are tons of great lodging options in Dali. We opted to stay close to, but just outside of the main Old Town. This made the area around our hotel super walkable, without being right in the heart of the tourist center.
We were just a few blocks away from a great walking street with food stalls and shops, and a short walk to the gates of the Old Town.
We stayed at Dali She Yu Inn that we booked through Trip.com.
How Many Days to Spend in Dali
Most travelers spend between two and three days in Dali.
Two days is enough time to explore the Old Town, visit the Three Pagodas, and spend a day along Erhai Lake. If you want to explore more of the surrounding villages or hike in the Cangshan Mountains, adding an extra day can make the pace more relaxed.
Dali also works well as a stopping point between Lijiang and other destinations in Yunnan, making it easy to include in a longer trip through the province.
Visiting China? Here are some articles to check out:
- Chongqing Travel Guide: China’s Spiciest City
- 10+ Best Things to do in Lijiang, China
- 11 Things to Know Before Visiting China
- Day Trip to Wulong Karst
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