In Dali you’ll be dropped off at your hotel, only a stone throw away from the southern gate of the city. The hotel you’ll stay at is extremely friendly and hospitable, completely in Tibetan style. It lies just outside of the part of the city that is surrounded by walls and where cars are forbidden in the many small streets. In your hotel you’ll see typical Tibetan, coloured flags everywhere. When you exit the hotel you’ll walk into the ancient part of town with its traditional houses, where travellers and locals live together in harmony. You’ll see mostly 'Bai' and 'Yi' minorities who only live in this part of China and who are recognizable through their traditional dress. They are hard workers, working on farmland surrounding Dali for instance.

In the evening enjoy a walk through the beautifully lit-up southern Gate into the walled in part of town. Once you pass the walls you’ll find little streets with stores on both sides. Occasionally you’ll see a temple and a beautiful garden. On 'Foreigner Street' you’ll find many fun bars and restaurants. This is where western tourists meet up and share travel stories.

Spend this day in Dali as you please. Your hotel can give you more information on possible excursions in the area. On Monday morning’s there’s a very colourful market in Shaping, near Dali and also one at the lake. An English-speaking guide can accompany you to other villages around the lake. Having an English-speaking guide with you will allow you to find out more about life in the area, you’ll see things you may have missed and you’ll gain access to places you usually wouldn’t see such as a school, a doctor’s office etc.

Another option would be to visit the Three Pagodas Temple and afterwards you could take the chair-lift into the Mountains behind the temple. Once you reach the top you can go on an independent hike over the 10km mountain ridge and you can enjoy the view of Dali and surrounding villages with Lake Erhai behind them. It’s a flat path and easily accessible by anyone who attempts to walk over it. At the end of the path you’ll take a gondola back down where you can catch a taxi cab back to the hotel (30 Yuan chair-lift, 30 Yuan entrance fee, 50 Yuan gondola, 15 Yuan taxi cab).

One other excursion option is a visit to the Yi minorities. They are the largest Group of minorities in the Yunnan province; however they are relatively unknown since they usually live in the Mountains. This excursion will take you away from Dali and the lake for an entire day; therefore we suggest booking an extra night in Dali if you decide to go on this excursion. Don’t feel up to going on an excursion? For 10 Yuan you can rent a bicycle and ride your bike through Dali and several other villages in the area. There are also horseback riding options through the wooded areas and in the mountains. In the evening return to your hotel to freshen up and head back out into the enjoyable nightlife in the walled off part of Dali.

Best time to visit Dali

The best time to visit Dali is from April through October. September and October are peaceful and quiet (except for the first week of October when the Chinese have their holidays). If you’d like to see the flowers and plants at their best, travel here in March and April. During the summer months the farmers harvest their crops, which makes for beautiful scenes. The temperature plunges deep during the rest of the year. Dali becomes a quiet town and few travellers pass through.

Physical fitness/ Altitude

Dali lies at an altitude of 1900m and this altitude shouldn’t pose a problem for anyone visiting town. An average level of physical fitness is sufficient when walking through or biking through Dali.