Dali Travel Guide

Dali, located at the intersection of the Yunnan-Guizhou Plateau and the Hengduan Mountains, is a picturesque city with majestic landscapes featuring the Cangshan Mountains and the expansive, clear waters of Erhai Lake. Together, these natural wonders create a stunning vista where mountains reflect in the lake. Dali is home to 25 ethnic minority groups, including the Bai, Yi, Hui, Tibetan, Lisu, and Naxi, who reside in ancient towns such as Dali Old Town, Xizhou, and Shuanglang. These towns are rich in cultural heritage, showcasing traditional crafts like tie-dye and local delicacies such as Erkuai (a type of rice cake), highlighting the area’s ethnic charm.

Dali is renowned for its “Four Wonders”: Wind, Flowers, Snow, and Moon:

  • Xia Guan Wind: The southern end of Erhai Lake in Xia Guan is known for its constant, unceasing wind.
  • Shang Guan Flowers:The northern end of Erhai Lake in Shang Guan was once a vast grassland covered with colorful flowers.
  • Cangshan Snow:The peaks of the Cangshan Mountains are perpetually snow-capped, providing a striking contrast against the blue sky.
  • Erhai Moon: The moonlight over Erhai Lake is soft and enchanting, casting a magical glow on the water.

Dali enjoys a mild climate year-round, with no severe winter or scorching summer, and the seasons are not particularly distinct. The best times to visit Dali are during the spring (March to May) and autumn (September to November) when the weather is most favorable for exploring its scenic and cultural attractions.

Most Popular Dali Attractions

dali old town
Old Town of Dali - Ticket, Opening Hours, Location, and Highlights
The Old Town of Dali (大理古城), also known as Yeyu City or Purple City, is situated in the western part of Yunnan Province, China. Its history dates back...
erhai lake, dali
Erhai Lake, Dali - Ticket, Opening Hours, Location, and Highlights
Erhai Lake (洱海), also known as Kunming Pool, Er River, or Yeyu Lake in ancient times, is located in Dali City, Dali Bai Autonomous Prefecture, Yunnan Province,...
jizu mountain dali
Jizu Mountain, Dali - Ticket, Opening Hours, Location, and Highlights
Jizu Mountain (鸡足山, Chicken-Foot Mountain), also known as Jiuqu Mountain or Qingdian Mountain, derives its name from its resemblance to a rooster’s...
cangshan mountain, dali
Cangshan Mountain, Dali - Ticket, Opening Hours, Location, and Highlights
Cangshan Mountain (苍山), also known as Diancangshan (点苍山), is part of the Hengduan Mountains range, which is the southern extension of the Himalayas. Its...
Xizhou Ancient Town
Xizhou Ancient Town, Dali - Ticket, Opening Hours, Location, and Highlights
Xizhou Ancient Town (喜洲古镇), located in Dali, is nestled between the eastern shores of Erhai Lake and the western slopes of Cangshan Mountain. It stands...
shuanglang town dali
Shuanglang Town, Dali - Ticket, Opening Hours, Location, and Highlights
Shuanglang Town in Dali (大理双廊镇) is a charming tourist destination that attracts visitors with its natural beauty and rich cultural heritage. Not only is...

Other Attractions in Dali

shibao mountain, jianchuan
Shibao Mountain, Jianchuan - Ticket, Opening Hours, Location, and Highlights
Located in Jianchuan County, Yunnan Province, Shibao Mountain (石宝山) is renowned for its unique peaks and rocks formed by Danxia landforms and spherical...
Tianjing Pavilion Dali
Tianjing Pavilion, Dali - Ticket, Opening Hours, Location, and Highlights
The Tianjin Pavilion (天镜阁), which can be translated in Sky Mirror Pavilion, stands proudly on the Luoquan Peninsula, on the eastern shore of Erhai Lake...
weibao mountain dali
Weibao Mountain, Dali - Ticket, Opening Hours, Location, and Highlights
Located in Dali, Yunnan Province, Weibao Mountain (巍宝山) spans an area of 19.4 square kilometers, with its summit towering at an altitude of 2509 meters....
xima pool dali
Xima Pool (Horse-Washing Pool), Dali - Ticket, Opening Hours, Location, and Highlights
Xima Pool (洗马潭), located in the Cangshan Mountain range of Dali, stands at an elevation of 3920 meters, earning it the title of “Lake at the Peak”....
west lake eryuan
West Lake, Eryuan - Ticket, Opening Hours, Location, and Highlights
West Lake in Eryuan (洱源西湖) is situated at the foot of Yunlong Peak, the highest peak of Cangshan Mountain in Dali, Yunnan Province, China. Nestled beneath...
zibi lake dali
Zibi Lake, Dali - Ticket, Opening Hours, Location, and Highlights
Zibi Lake (茈碧湖), located in Eryuan County, Yunnan Province, is a natural freshwater lake formed by the depression and dissolution of the plateau. It is...
gantong temple dali
Gantong Temple, Dali - Ticket, Opening Hours, Location, and Highlights
Gantong Temple (感通寺), also known as Dangshan Temple (荡山寺), is nestled at the southern foot of the Shengying Peak of Diancang Mountain in Dali, with the...
wuwei temple, dali
Wuwei Temple, Dali - Ticket, Opening Hours, Location, and Highlights
Wuwei Temple (无为寺), built in the ninth year of the Tang Dynasty’s Yuanzhen era (793 AD), holds a profound historical and cultural significance in...
Shimen Pass (Stone Gate Pass), Dali
Shimen Pass (Stone Gate Pass), Dali - Ticket, Opening Hours, Location, and Highlights
Shimen Pass (石门关), also known as Stone Gate Pass, is a significant part of the Cangshan National Geological Park in Dali. Historically, it served as a...
Dali Bar Street
Dali Bar Street - Location and Highlights
Dali Bar Street (大理酒吧一条街), nestled in the southern part of Old Town of Dali, near the picturesque Erhai Lake and the scenic Wa Mountain, epitomizes a laid-back...
Jinsuo Island, Dali
Jinsuo Island, Dali - Ticket, Opening Hours, Location, and Highlights
Jinsuo Island (金梭岛, Gold Shuttle Island), with a length of approximately 2000 meters and an average width of about 370 meters, covers a total area of 740,000...
Sakura Valley in Wuliang Mountain
Sakura Valley in Wuliang Mountain, Dali - Ticket, Opening Hours, Location, and Highlights
Sakura Valley (樱花谷), nestled in Wuliang Mountain (无量山) at an altitude of 2175 meters, owes its name to the winter cherry blossoms planted within the tea...
zhoucheng village dali
Zhoucheng Village, Dali - Ticket, Opening Hours, Location, and Highlights
Nestled amidst the picturesque landscapes of Dali, Zhoucheng Village (周城村) stands as a testament to the rich cultural tapestry of the Bai ethnic community....
Fuxing Road In Dali Ancient Town
Fuxing Road, Dali - Ticket, Opening Hours, Location, and Highlights
Fuxing Road is the main thoroughfare in Dali Ancient Town, running from south to north. Its construction dates back to the 15th year of the Hongwu reign...
weishan old town
Weishan Old Town - Ticket, Opening Hours, Location, and Highlights
Located at the foot of the Ailao Mountains in western Yunnan Province, Weishan Old Town (巍山古城) dates back to the Yuan Dynasty and was reconstructed with...
zhang's garden dali
Zhang's Garden, Dali - Ticket, Opening Hours, Location, and Highlights
Zhang’s Garden in Dali (大理张家花园) is a masterpiece of Bai ethnic residential architecture and a prominent attraction in Dali tourism. Originating from...
renmin road in dali
Renmin Road, Dali - Location and Highlights
Renmin Road (人民路) is a thoroughfare situated in the heart of the ancient city area of Dali, Yunnan Province. Stretching approximately 1500 meters in length,...
jizhao nunnery in cangshan mountain
Jizhao Nunnery in Cangshan Mountain - Ticket, Opening Hours, and Highlights
Jizhao Nunnery (寂照庵), nestled at the southern foothills of the Shengying Peak in Cangshan Mountain Scenic Area, Dali City, Yunnan Province, can be reached...
little putuo island dali
Little Putuo Island, Dali - Ticket, Opening Hours, Location, and Highlights
Little Putuo Island (小普陀岛) is situated near the eastern shore of Erhai Lake in Dali. It is a limestone island with an area of approximately 100 square...
yuji island dali
Yuji Island, Dali - Ticket, Opening Hours, Location, and Highlights
Yuji Island (玉几岛) boasts a unique natural environment and is one of the three islands on Erhai Lake, earning the reputation as the “number one village...
wase town in dali
Wase Town, Dali - Ticket, Opening Hours, Location, and Highlights
Wase Town (挖色镇, Digging Color Town), formerly known as Haibianyi, was renamed Wase after colored minerals were excavated from the nearby mountains, coloring...
Cai Village Dali
Cai Village (Caicun village), Dali - Ticket, Opening Hours, Location, and Highlights
Cai Village, also known as Caicun Village (才村) is nestled along the western shore of Erhai Lake in Dali. With over 3 kilometers of lakeshore, the village...
Nuodeng Village Yunnan
Nuodeng Village, Yunnan - Ticket, Opening Hours, Location, and Highlights
Nuodeng Village (诺邓村), situated in Yunlong County, Yunnan Province, is the earliest economic hub of the Bai ethnic group and one of the oldest villages...
nanzhao folk island dali
Nanzhao Folk Island - Ticket, Opening Hours, Location, and Highlights
Nanzhao Folk Island (南诏风情岛), situated amidst the serene waters of Erhai Lake, is one of the three islands adorning its landscape. Renowned for its breathtaking...
Haishe ecological Park, Dali
Haishe Ecological Park, Dali - Ticket, Opening Hours, Location, and Highlights
Haishe Ecological Park (海舌生态公园) is situated on the western bank of Erhai Lake, surrounded by water on three sides. The park, shaped like a tongue, extends...
butterfly spring dali
Butterfly Spring, Dali - Ticket, Opening Hours, Location, and Highlights
Butterfly Spring (蝴蝶泉), situated between Cangshan Mountain and Erhai Lake in Dali, covers an area of over 50 square meters, with a depth of 6 meters. The...
chongsheng temple dali
Chongsheng Temple, Dali - Ticket, Opening Hours, Location, and Highlights
Located in Dali, Chongsheng Temple (崇圣寺) sits to the east overlooking Erhai Lake and is backed by the Cangshan Mountains to the west. Historically, it...
shaxi ancient town, yunnan
Shaxi Ancient Town, Yunnan - Ticket, Opening Hours, Location, and Highlights
Shaxi Ancient Town (沙溪古镇), nestled in Dali, was once a significant stop along the Ancient Tea Horse Road. As the Tea Horse Road faded into obscurity, Shaxi...
three pagodas of chongsheng temple
Three Pagodas of Chongsheng Temple - Ticket, Opening Hours, Location, and Highlights
The Three Pagodas of Chongsheng Temple (崇圣寺三塔) form a magnificent architectural ensemble in Dali, Yunnan Province, China. This trio of towers consists...
erhai park dali
Erhai Park, Dali - Ticket, Opening Hours, Location, and Highlights
Erhai Park (洱海公园) is located in Dali City, Dali Bai Autonomous Prefecture, Yunnan Province, serving as the gateway to exploring the Cangshan Mountain and...
erhaiyue wetland park dali
Erhaiyue Wetland Park - Ticket, Opening Hours, Location, and Highlights
Erhaiyue Wetland Park (洱海月湿地公园, Erhai Moon Wetland Park), located on the western shore of Erhai Lake in Dali City, Yunnan Province, is a vibrant and dynamic...
wuhua building in dali old town 2
Wuhua Building in Dali Old Town - Ticket, Opening Hours, Location, and Highlights
Wuhua Building (五华楼, Wuhua Tower, Wuhua Pavilion), originally constructed in the tenth year of the Tang Dynasty in 856 AD, stands as a towering symbol...
Subscribe
Notify of
4 Comments
Newest
Oldest Most Voted
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments