Dali is the heartland of the Bai people and the place people go to slow down: a walled old town at the foot of the Cangshan range 苍山, with Erhai Lake 洱海 stretched out below. Two or three days is right.
The key decision is which shore to use. The west shore (the old town, Caicun, the S-Bend and Xizhou) sits between the mountains and the water and is easiest to get around. The east shore (Shuanglang, Xiaoputuo, Wase and Wenbi village) faces the mountains and the sunsets, but it's spread out and you'll want a car.
Top things to do
Prices as of 2026; check before you go.
Dali Old Town 大理古城
Gate towers, stone-paved lanes and a great many shops; it works more like a pedestrian shopping district than a museum piece. Come for the food, concentrated around Yu'er Road 玉洱路, and for the quiet early mornings.
Caicun and the lakeshore path 才村 · 洱海生态廊道
A lakeside village about 2 km from the old town, and the easiest way onto the water. A walking and cycling path, the "ecological corridor," runs north from here toward the much-photographed S-Bend S湾. Go at sunrise; sunsets are hidden behind Cangshan.
Xizhou 喜洲
A Bai market town about 20 km north of the old town, where merchant families built grand courtyard houses with carved gateways and painted screen walls. Buy flatbread off the griddle, then walk out through the rice fields toward the lake.
Jizhao Nunnery 寂照庵
A small Cangshan nunnery packed with potted succulents and flowers, known for its vegetarian lunch. Reviews are split: the lunch line can be long and the courtyard busy, so arrive well before noon or come just for the garden.
Shuanglang 双廊
The east shore's main village, with the most dramatic lakefront hotels and the best sunsets over Cangshan. It's also pricey, crowded in peak season and short on good restaurants.
The east shore: Xiaoputuo, Wase and Wenbi 小普陀 · 挖色 · 文笔村
A slow drive south from Shuanglang links a tiny temple on a rock islet (Xiaoputuo), a working Bai lakeside town (Wase) and the quieter village of Wenbi.
Side trip: Shaxi 沙溪
If Dali feels too busy, the Tea Horse Road market town of Shaxi is about two hours' drive north and far quieter. Give it a night; see our Shaxi guide.
Where to stay
Sleep in or near the old town and take a taxi to the lake.
- Old Town, on a quiet edge: The most food and the easiest taxis. Pick a courtyard guesthouse away from the bar lanes and main streets. Best for first-timers.
- Caicun: Easy eating, the lakeshore path on your doorstep and sunrise over the water. Best for cyclists and early risers.
- Shuanglang: Front-row lake views and sunsets, from about ¥400 a night off-season to around ¥1,000 at peak times. Few dinner options, and you'll need a car to go anywhere. Best for a one-night splurge.
- Xizhou: Rural and calm; a good second base for a longer stay.
What to eat
Xizhou baba 喜洲粑粑
A crisp, layered flatbread baked with charcoal heat from above and below, in savory (pork and scallion) or sweet versions. Eat it hot.
Rushan 乳扇
Dali's cow's-milk "milk fan," a thin sheet of cheese grilled on a stick and brushed with rose jam. People find it either cloyingly sweet or addictive.
Sour and spicy fish 酸辣鱼
A Bai home-cooking favorite: freshwater fish braised in a sour, spicy broth, often soured with local quince.
Fried goat cheese 乳饼
A firm, fresh goat's-milk cheese, pan-fried until golden and eaten with salt and chili or a little sugar.
Ersi 饵丝
Chewy strands of pounded rice cake, served in broth or stir-fried. The version from Weishan, just south of Dali, is the region's best-known breakfast.
The honest take
Filtered photos oversell Erhai. The turquoise lake in most online pictures is usually a saturated edit; in person it's a big, pleasant lake, often gray-green under a changeable sky. Some widely shared reviews even suggest cutting Dali when time is short, and a popular alternative is to trade lake days for Shaxi.
What people love: the slower pace, sunrise rides along the shore, Bai villages and snacking in Xizhou. What they complain about: a mall-like old town, scarce taxis and jams on narrow lakeside roads, the lake-view premium and e-bike deposit disputes.
Getting there and around
- By train: Bullet trains take about 2 hours from Kunming and about 1.5 hours on to Lijiang. They arrive at Dali Station 大理站 in Xiaguan, the modern city at the lake's southern tip, roughly 30 minutes by taxi from the old town. See trains.
- West shore: Taxis and ride-hailing are easy from the old town. Lakeside villages have far fewer cars, so arrange your ride back before you go.
- Around the lake: Many visitors rent cars to circle Erhai, but foreign licenses and International Driving Permits aren't valid in China, so a hired driver is the practical option. E-bikes suit short hops on the east shore; bicycles suit the lakeshore path.
- To Shaxi: About 2 hours by road; a driver can take you on to Lijiang afterward.
