Dali

Dali (大理; Dàlǐ) is a city in Yunnan Province in China famous for its old town and handicrafts.

Understand
Dali is a popular tourist destination for domestic Chinese tourists, one of the string of towns described in Yunnan tourist trail leading up to the beautiful Tiger Leaping Gorge. It is a medium-sized city of 650,000 but its tourist draw is the "Old Town." (大理古城). Like many Chinese tourist destinations, the old town, which has architecture that dates back to the Ming dynasty, has been extensively renovated, rebuilt and modernized, including newly constructed city walls and gates. You can still see the remnants of the old wall in the form of long mounds that surround the old city, but Dali is no longer a walled city by any means. The old town section of Dali is sandwiched between two multi-lane highways. While it lacks the authentic rustic charm of other old Chinese cities (e.g. Pingyao or even Lijiang) and much of the old town has been renovated and is devoted to tacky knick-knack stores for Chinese tourists, it does sit in the shadow of a beautiful mountain range, the Cangshan and is close to the large Erhai lake. There is an expensive cable car (¥90) that you can take to reach the top and there are some hiking paths that offer beautiful views of Lake Erhai.

But do not expect to find a small ancient city in the beautiful mountains of Yunnan; this is not what you will get. Dali is very spread-out and it takes almost an hour by bus #8 to get from the train station in the modern part of town to the old town. In addition to the popular old town and various traditional villages scattered around the lake, Dali now has an urban core filled with modern buildings, 20-story residential towers, and a Wal-Mart. You can also see factories belching emissions on the other side of Lake Erhai.

History
In 738 the Nanzhao Kingdom was established; the original capital of the Nanzhao Kingdom was located in Weishan (within Dali Prefecture) and later moved to sites around Erhai Lake. The territory conquered was quite substantial; covered a large area of Yunnan and northern Burma, and parts of what are now Sichuan and Guizhou. The kingdom survived almost 200 years and had 13 kings before collapsing. After several decades of chaos the Kingdom of Dali emerged in 937.

The Kingdom of Dali established by Duan Siping in 937 was controlled by the Duan clan and survived until it was conquered by the Mongols about 300 years later. The Kingdom retained a close alliance with the Song Dynasty, and was one of the major transit points for the introduction of Buddhism throughout the rest of China. By 1000, Dali was one of the 13 largest cities in the world.

The rulers of the original Nanzhao Kingdom were probably precursors to the modern Yi peoples, while the Kingdom of Dali rulers were precursors to the modern Bai minority.

Many local people in Dali have the surname Duan to this day (rare in other parts of China). These historical events are romanticized in the Martial Arts literature of Hong Kong author Jin Yong (read by every Chinese school kid), giving Dali a fame nationwide. The Dali Kingdom had a military alliance with the Song Dynasty against the aggressive Tibetan Empire which made regular incursions into its territories.

A huge memorial stele to the Pacification of Kingdom of Dali was built during the Ming Dynasty and remains standing at the end of Sanyue Street past the city's West Gate. Entrance is free. The Mongols destroyed the old capital and palace of the Kingdom of Dali, just to the south of the Three Pagodas. Almost all records of the Nanzhao and Dali Kingdoms were burnt or destroyed, leaving much unknown about these periods. In addition, the Mongols brutally displaced many of the inhabitants of the prefecture, with the result that Bai minority people were forced as far east as Hunan Province. Many ethnic Han also moved into the Kunming area during this period.

The old Dali City was rebuilt in the early 1400s by the Ming Dynasty. What you see in Dali Old Town today is the rebuilt Ming town. Since then, the fortunes of Dali have declined and its importance as a cultural and economic centre in the Yunnan area have been overtaken by Kunming, the provincial capital.

1856-1872 Dali was the headquarters of the Panthay Rebellion led by Du Wenxiu. That rebellion commenced as an uprising against local oppressive rulers by the Hui Muslim minority and ended as open rebellion against the Qing Dynasty. The Palace of Du Wenxiu is on Fuxing Road and serves as the local museum (the museum exhibition on the rebellion paints it as a patriot workers revolt which it was not). The rebellion was brutally crushed by the Qing and hundreds of thousands of Yunnan Muslims were killed in revenge.

By bus
Buses from Kunming West Bus Station take about 4½ hours and cost around ¥100 for an ordinary bus (as of March 2019) and around ¥130 for an express luxury bus, and will bring you to Xiaguan (Dali New City). Some buses go to Dali, too, so check with the driver. There are three different bus stations in Xiaguan. From nearby the bus station you should be able to take bus 12 (¥2 as of March 2019) and then transfer to bus 8 (¥3 as of March 2019) or bus 4 (¥2), 45 minutes (approx. 18 km) to Dali Old Town 13 km to the north (Bus 4 also runs through the town). It's also possible to catch a white mini-bus on Jianshe Lu that run between Xiaguan and Dali, there's usually a white sign displayed inside the front wind shield that reads (大理<->下关) in Chinese. The cost for the mini-bus is ¥3 per person. Taxi fare between Xiaguan and Dali should be around ¥40.

If the expressway is closed or under construction the bus may take the more scenic route akin to the notorious "road of death" in Bolivia, though paved.

Buses coming south from Lijiang are about ¥60-80 and stop outside the old town, from where it is possible to get a taxi or walk to the main guesthouses. You can save about ¥20 on the Lijiang bus by hailing one on the highway east of the old town.

There is a bus service to Xiaguan from Jinghong, Xishuangbanna prefecture, which has buses running at 17:00 and 21:30, possibly earlier too. The ticket price is ¥195 and the journey was about 17 hours. The bus used on this route is a sleeper bus so you get a fairly comfortably bed and a blanket. This service may be useful for people who have arrived in China from northern Laos, e.g. Luang Namtha.

By train
Bullet trains leave from Kunming South train station and Central train station (short stop) to Dali train station (in Dali New City) every 30 minutes, and take two hours to reach Dali, running at speeds of up to 200 km/h. Tickets cost around ¥155 (as of October 2023). The number of slow train connecting Kunming to Dali is getting very rare, and night trains have been canceled. Once you've arrived at the train station, take bus 8 to the old town for ¥3 (2019) from just outside the station, taking about an hour and terminating near the North Gate. Another bus route named Chongsheng Tree Pagodas (崇圣寺三塔 in Chinese characters) also goes to old town, passing by West Gate. Another option is the Dali Shuttle Bus, which costs ¥5 (2019), takes about 45 minutes, and is more comfortable than the public bus; it drops you about 700 meters from the old town's South Gate.

There are also 8 trains daily from Lijiang to Dali and back. The ride takes nearly 2 hours. Cost is ¥34 for hard seat (as of March 2019). Your carriages might be hard sleeper cars, but you are not allowed to lay down as the sleeper is shared for four passengers.



By plane
There are no airport busses. Taxis are waiting but cannot always be trusted to take you to the guesthouse or hotel you want to go to as they get commission at a lot of hotels. Better book an airport pick-up with the hotel you booked. Depending on the time of year you can get discounted tickets (around ¥400 one way Dali-Kunming) but you will need to book well ahead. Full price is ¥750 (¥680 + 70 airport tax, Nov 2009). From major Chinese cities (Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou) it is possible to book a flight to Dali but always with a stopover in Kunming. Best discounts apply to tickets booked 15 days or more in advance.

Or, you can go to Kunming Wujiaba International Airport by plane. It is in the southeast of Kunming, the capital city of Yunnan Province. (It is one of the most important and the busiest international airports of China.) You can then take the Airport Shuttle bus from Kunming airport. They operate 06:30-22:00 (Beijing time).

Get around
Dali Old Town is small enough to get around on foot, and being laid out in a grid format it is relatively easy to navigate. The major landmarks are the South and North Gates with Fuxing Road running between them, and Yangren Street (Westerner's Street) lined with cafés and tourist shops. City maps are readily available for around ¥5 but tend not to follow the usual north-at-the-top standard because the natural orientation of someone in Dali is to look towards the huge looming Cangs Mountain which run north-south next to the city. As you look at the mountains and face west, the lake is at your back, or east. This method of orientation makes even more sense when you realize that the entire town gently slopes from the mountains to the lake, making those two landmarks a natural way to find your bearings.

Bikes are available at many guesthouses and rental huts around town and cost ¥5-40 per day. Bikes vary greatly in quality so shop around for the best deal. The Chinese brands Merida and Giant are among the better ones to consider.

Electric scooters and electric micro cars (smaller than a Smart) seem to be license-less, hence available for renting, no driving license required. E-scooters go for different rates depending on the range of the battery, ranging from ¥30 to just bike around the vicinity of the old city to ¥80 for enough battery to comfortably ride all the way around Erhai Lake. The e-car seems to go for about ¥140, and has a range of 100 km.

The e-taxis in Dali Old Town generally cost ¥5 for under 3 km (though most drivers will ask for ¥10). For other locations outside the old town, all prices are negotiable. A taxi to Dali New City will cost around ¥40.

In addition to the Old Town, Dali is a Prefecture of over 10,000 km2. A whole range of destinations exist within the Prefecture that are perfect for the adventurous traveller. All are relatively easily accessible from either Dali Old Town or Dali New City, the major city 13 km to the south. A lot of useful information is available from the cafes within the old town on day trips around the prefecture.

By bus
Xiaguan Northern Bus Station

Old Town

 * Foreigner Street (洋人街) In the ancient city of Dali," the road" in the beginning of Yunnan people against Yuan Shikai proclaimed himself Emperor, named after the war of asylum. The road east-west, 1000 meters long, 7 meters wide, green stone pavement. Dali of Foreigner's Street is on the road in the West Dali section.
 * City Wall: Take a walk in Dali Old Town's city wall for an elevated view on the town. Access from the Southern Gate.
 * Wuhua-Tower (五华楼): Climb the stairs to the old gate-looking tower for a nice view. It's in the center of the pedestrian street of Dali Old Town. Entry free of charge. The tower is in accessible (as of March 2019).

Cangshan Mountains
There are two accessible "peaks" of mountain you can choose: First, the 2500-m altitude that hosts Gantong Temple, Zhongho Temple and "Cloud Traveler's Path" that lies between the two temples. To reach here, you have options of:
 * 1) taking a cable car from the city (near Guan Yin Temple) to get to Gantong Temple; or riding a horse to Zhongho Temple from Dali Tianlongbabu TV City; or walking up (1½ hours) to the somewhat middle of Cloud Traveler's path from Dali Tianlongbabu TV City; or
 * 2) riding a horse or walking up (1½ hours) to Zhongho temple from the city (from the gate across Ren Min Lu street).

Second, the 3700-m altitude that hosts Horse Washing Pool. To reach here, you can use the cable car from Dali Tianlongbabu TV City or use cable car in direction of Gantong Temple and walk the Cloud Traveler's Path for around 3 km until you find a chairlift service and then take chairlift to Horse Washing Pool.

As the cable car to get to Horse Washing Pond is really pricey (¥285 for return as of January 2014), the most economical (yet still fascinating) hike to the mountain is to hike to and walk the Cloud Traveler's Path with the following route options:


 * The northern route of 6 km of path offers one of the sharpest cliff views of the entire Dali valley, and on a clear day you can see Jizu Mountain well beyond Erhai lake. At the bend in the main valley it also offers a path up the mountains for 2 km which ends at a mountain pool where you can take a swim on a warm day.
 * The southern route winds down for 11 km through a few valleys to Gantong temple. This hike will lead you to most of the sights mentioned below and will take 4–5 hours. You can even turn this into an 8 hour hike if you continue southwards Xiaguan along good paths (with several early exit points down the mountain) and enjoy the spectacular view.
 * A suggested route would be to hike to Zhonghe Temple (by walking or riding horse), take the northern path for 3 km enjoying the clearest view of the entire valley, then head back south past Zhonghe Temple towards Gantong Temple. You can buy refreshments at the temple, so take a break, then keep walking the full 11 km until you reach Gangtong. If you are not up to the full walk, you can exit the mountain about 3 km past Zhonghe Temple down a well made stairway behind Dali Tianlongbabu TV City. If you are planning to get down using cable car at Gantong Temple, make sure you reach there before 16:30 (the cable car service closes at 17:00 but they may close earlier than that), otherwise there is a path to climb down (even though the map on your ticket only shows that the only way to get down is by cable car) to get back to city for about 1–2 hours hike down.

Entrance to the Mountain Park costs ¥30 and the cable car from/to Gantong Temple: ¥80 round trip or ¥50 one way. A taxi to/from Gantong temple (about 8 km south of the old town) is ¥30. If you are particularly dedicated, you can gain an access (also ¥30) to the mountain by taking a longer route behind the One Pagoda (follow the stone road) and up the stairway behind the Dali Tianlongbabu TV City.

Other sights
For a route around Erhai Lake that stops in several old towns, parks, and traditional temples, see Around Erhai Lake by electric scooter.





Buy
Dali has a number of famous local products. Any part of the city that gets a good number of tourists will have plenty of souvenirs, and probably hats (the sun is strong due to the altitude) and fruit. As ever, be prepared to bargain when shopping in Dali. See Yangshuo for advice on prices in Chinese tourist towns.


 * Marble - Dali is famous for marble; the Chinese word for marble is Dalishi or Dali stone. Products included vases, ashtrays, carved animals and equipment for the game of Go. Some of this is just touristy trash, but much of it is exquisite. Larger items are heavy enough to be a little difficult to carry or a problem for airline luggage allowance.
 * The marble stone can also be cut and polished revealing pictures on the surface. These are known as chushi and can be bought framed. They make beautiful wall decorations; many people mistake them for traditional Chinese paintings. Cheaper chushi, generally the white and grey type, cost ¥60 or more each. More expensive and coloured stone with clear mountain landscapes can be priced at ¥10,000 or more.


 * Tie-dye - The local tie-dye fashioned from dye and wax is also popular and cheap. One of the main production places is the Bai village Zhoucheng, about 40 minutes ride from Dali, which also has a nice daily small afternoon market and some nice old Bai houses.
 * Embroidery - You can also purchase beautiful embroidery made by ethnic minorities, generally Miao minority from Guizhou Province, at a number of shops. The items include baby carriers, clothing or decorative patches that were attached to traditional costume.
 * Teahouse - Dali has great teahouses. Relax in a teahouse regularly, buy a little tea and you will be welcome to come back at any time, with friends, usually for free. Sample new teas and as long as you buy something every so often, you will be welcomed again and again.
 * Antiques - There are many antique shops very close to each other on Yù'ěr Lù (玉洱路). Start at the intersection of Yěyú Lù (叶榆路) and walk west. It can be very interesting to browse. Even if you're not a collector you may be tempted to buy something when you see how badly some of these treasures are being handled and stored.
 * Rose products: roses are a big specialty here, and if you head out into the countryside you may spot rose farms. You can buy rose pastries (鲜花饼), rose juice, rose alcohol, rose jewelry, rose skincare products...you get the idea. Products made from other flowers, from peach blossom to osmanthus, can be found too.

If you are looking for light bites or other daily needs with fair price without paying the "tourist price", check out the 'Si Fang Jie' supermarket, they have three branches in Dali Old Town (Fuxing Street, Yu'er Rd, and near North Gate). Alternatively, you may check 'Da Chang Sheng' supermarket at the junction of PingDeng Rd and Yu'er Rd.

Eat
There are lots of local specialties, especially Bai cuisine (Bai people are the local ethnic group). Bai restaurants are plentiful, especially in the northern part of the old city. Try shuǐxìng yánghuā 水性杨花, an underwater plant whose name is also an idiom meaning "promiscuous"; shùhuā 树花, or "tree flower", a bitter tree fungus; or shùpí 树皮, literally "bark" but actually an even more bitter tree fungus.

Another local specialty is roses, which find their way into juice and pastries.

Try rǔshān 乳扇 the local "Fried cheese" that is a crispy snack often wound around bamboo skewers. Available at restaurants or sometime street stalls.

Xizhou's famous dish is bābā 粑粑, a slightly oily, slightly chewy, slightly flaky thick pancake-like pastry, which you can get sweet or savory.

A bowl of noodle ranged between ¥10-15 (slightly more expensive than Kunming) (as of March 2019). Chinese meal served catering for four people along with beer expect to pay ¥80. Western meals average around ¥25, including a bottle of the local beer. Breakfast prix fixe menus are served everywhere and average around ¥25 including coffee.

Fruit stands and corner stores abound. Try to get a feel for prices before buying if you want to avoid paying exorbitant prices. You can buy apples for ¥4/jin (a half kilo), a bottle of water for ¥2 (as of March 2019).

Western

 * Kaiyi's Kitchen (一线天), Foreign Street (洋人街). They have a nice mix of western and Chinese food available. The environment inside is relaxing and one can watch travelers walking down the Foreign Street of Dali from inside.
 * Kaiyi's Kitchen (一线天), Foreign Street (洋人街). They have a nice mix of western and Chinese food available. The environment inside is relaxing and one can watch travelers walking down the Foreign Street of Dali from inside.
 * Kaiyi's Kitchen (一线天), Foreign Street (洋人街). They have a nice mix of western and Chinese food available. The environment inside is relaxing and one can watch travelers walking down the Foreign Street of Dali from inside.
 * Kaiyi's Kitchen (一线天), Foreign Street (洋人街). They have a nice mix of western and Chinese food available. The environment inside is relaxing and one can watch travelers walking down the Foreign Street of Dali from inside.
 * Kaiyi's Kitchen (一线天), Foreign Street (洋人街). They have a nice mix of western and Chinese food available. The environment inside is relaxing and one can watch travelers walking down the Foreign Street of Dali from inside.
 * Kaiyi's Kitchen (一线天), Foreign Street (洋人街). They have a nice mix of western and Chinese food available. The environment inside is relaxing and one can watch travelers walking down the Foreign Street of Dali from inside.
 * Kaiyi's Kitchen (一线天), Foreign Street (洋人街). They have a nice mix of western and Chinese food available. The environment inside is relaxing and one can watch travelers walking down the Foreign Street of Dali from inside.
 * Kaiyi's Kitchen (一线天), Foreign Street (洋人街). They have a nice mix of western and Chinese food available. The environment inside is relaxing and one can watch travelers walking down the Foreign Street of Dali from inside.
 * Kaiyi's Kitchen (一线天), Foreign Street (洋人街). They have a nice mix of western and Chinese food available. The environment inside is relaxing and one can watch travelers walking down the Foreign Street of Dali from inside.
 * Kaiyi's Kitchen (一线天), Foreign Street (洋人街). They have a nice mix of western and Chinese food available. The environment inside is relaxing and one can watch travelers walking down the Foreign Street of Dali from inside.

Splurge
Dali Wall Hump Garden (驼峰厨房-点苍虹鳟). 53 Hong Long Jing. At the top of Hong Long Jing (waterfall street), right before the Hong Long Jing gate on the right. This newly opened restaurant specializing in Rainbow trout is set in a beautiful garden built over the remains of the original Dali wall. Dali's rainbow trout is considered the best in China, and spring water carried down from the mountains is used for every step of the cooking process.

Drink
A 500 ml bottle of Dali Beer will cost you around ¥10-12 in a bar and about ¥4-5 from a grocer. A large selection of beer is on offer but some are coloured green and require an acquired taste. But for the price, there is no excuse not to sample the lot.



Sleep
Dali has some of the cheapest accommodation options available in all China. Lots of accommodation to chose from. Expect to pay ¥15-30 for a dorm bed, ¥40 and above for rooms, ¥60-300 for a double room with private shower and toilet.

Splurge

 * Linden Centre: in Xizhou, 20 km north of Dali. Lovely Bai architecture; very nice hosts and lovely surroundings. Very tasteful. ¥700 (incl breakfast).
 * Linden Centre: in Xizhou, 20 km north of Dali. Lovely Bai architecture; very nice hosts and lovely surroundings. Very tasteful. ¥700 (incl breakfast).

Connect
The old town has free WiFi. Use the network "DaliTravel".

Stay safe
There are a few scams and petty crime targeting tourists in Dali. Watch your belongings carefully to protect from pickpockets and theft, though perhaps the major risk you take if staying in cheap accommodation is theft by other foreign travellers. Overall Dali is a very safe place with little crime directed at tourists.

If you are planning to hike up the Cang mountains, travel in a group both to protect yourself from robbery and as back up in case of accident. Stay on the paths and don't take any risks climbing no matter how experienced you are, as fatal accidents do happen!

Drugs disguised as strange artifacts are usually sold by women in traditional Bai costume, who will then lead you to their homes. Marijuana is still widespread, of course, but it is no longer tolerated in public. It is not uncommon to see marijuana growing in the wild. Women may also offer you "opium", but it is just worthless garbage, possibly sesame oil pressed with some unknown substance. It is no longer easy to purchase marijuana in Dali.

Don't get your shoes fixed by men approaching you on the corner of Fu Xing Rd and Foreigner St. Even if a price is agreed, they will add a couple of extra stitches and charge ridiculously inflated prices (¥200-300). You're in a difficult position to argue because they have your shoes! Just go to a regular established shoe shop (there are several towards the east end of Renmin Rd) where you can get your shoes repaired well for less than ¥10.

Go next
Most of the hostels and travel agents can organise bus tickets anywhere in Yunnan. They can also arrange flights farther afield.

Many travelers from Kunming continue on from Dali to Lijiang (either by bus or by train). Consider taking a bus to the Old Southern Silk Road town of Shaxi, which is about half way between Dali and Lijiang. The town has been well preserved and still holds much of its traditional character. The valley around it is littered with Qing and Ming Dynasty homes, bridges, theatres and temples. It is also the main jumping off point to visit the beautiful grottos at Shibaoshan. After your visit to Shaxi it is easy to continue your journey. Direct buses are now available from Shaxi to Lijiang.

There are also bus services to Shangrila. Most of these buses depart from the Dali North Bus Terminal, though a few a buses depart from the Dali Old Town Bus Terminal.

If you prefer to take the train to Shangri-la, you will need to change trains in Lijiang.