Dali (大理; Dàlǐ) is a city in Yunnan Province in China famous for its old town and handicrafts.
Photos: Wikimedia Commons contributors.
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 only part of the actual city wall survives, in the areas next to the north and south gate.
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.
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.
ClimbDali (大理攀岩), 393 Renmin Road, ☏ +86 131 50644701. 20 rock climbing routes have already been bolted (Shuanglang and Binchuan) with potential for hundreds more. Jizu Mountain (lit. Chicken Foot Mountain) (further away from Dali to the northeast behind Wase on the east side of Erhai Lake, take a bus (2 hours) from Xiaguans Eastern Bus Station to Binchuan (滨川) and from there change to a minibus or bus (1 hour)). The mountain and its ranges look like a chicken's foot. It's a 2-3 day trip in its own right. The top and slopes are covered in temples, many in a state of disrepair. Some have been restored and have resident monks. This is a difficult hike with the summit at 3200 metres.
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.
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. Bad Monkey (坏猴子; Huàihóuzi), 59 Renmin Road, Dali Old Town (人民路59号; Rénmínlù). From 09:00. Dali's longest running foreign bar. It is hosted by two well-travelled Englishmen Carl and Scott who entertain guests before the dancing starts later in the evening with a Derek and Clive patter of jokes and one-liners.
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, beware of altitude sickness. 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.
Guide content from Wikivoyage contributors (CC BY-SA) — abridged; the full article has much more.
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In Sep, Dali typically sees ~24°C daytime highs and 21 rainy days.
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