China Travel Guides
Last updated 2026-08-24

Dali Travel Guide: Seven Places Worth Visiting (with a Three-Day Itinerary)

Dali sits on the Yunnan-Guizhou Plateau at 1,976 meters above sea level, at the foot of Mount Cang and the shore of Erhai Lake. Historically it served successively as the capital of the Nanzhao and Dali kingdoms, and was the political, economic, and cultural center of Yunnan for over five hundred years. Before writing this, I went through these seven Dali sights one by one against public sources. The Three Pagodas of Chongsheng Temple are pagodas left by the Nanzhao and Dali kingdoms; Dali Old Town is a prefectural city built in the Ming; Mount Cang's nineteen peaks and Erhai's three isles and four shoals define the landscape; Xizhou has the most complete Bai folk houses; and Shuanglang and Butterfly Spring lie on either side of Erhai.

When to come to Dali

Dali has a subtropical plateau monsoon climate with small seasonal temperature differences — no harsh winter, no scorching summer — and is suited to travel year-round. In traditional phrase, Dali has "four great scenes of wind, flowers, snow, and moon": the wind of Xiaguan, the flowers of Shangguan, the snow of Mount Cang, and the moon of Erhai. March to May is spring, when the rhododendrons bloom on Mount Cang and the breeze by Erhai is just right. July and August are the rainy season — frequent showers but cool. Winter is the dry season, with abundant sun and the clearest views of the Cangshan snow. Dali's altitude is high and UV strong; bring plenty of sun protection.

Sights in Dali city worth a visit

Dali Old Town

Wuhua Tower in Dali Old Town
Wuhua Tower of Dali Old Town. Photo from Wikimedia Commons, by Daniel, CC BY-SA 2.0.

Dali Old Town is a prefectural city newly built in the Ming on the east side of the old Yangjuemie City, and was listed among the first batch of National Historical and Cultural Cities in 1982. The old walls run 1,850 meters north-south and 1,500 meters east-west, with a perimeter of 7,248 meters, enclosing about 3 square kilometers. The four gates are Tonghai Tower (east), Chengen Tower (south), Cangshan Tower (west), and Anyuan Tower (north). The drum tower inside is called Wuhua Tower, the town's landmark building. Only about 300 meters of the old wall survives today; the south and north gates were rebuilt in 1984, and the west and east gates in 2001 and 2002.

The main north-south spine of the old town is Fuxing Road, linking the north and south gates, with Wuhua Tower and other sights along it. In the northwest of the old town runs a street once called Huguo Road. Because it once housed the Dali No. 2 Guesthouse, it became one of the earliest foreigner-gathering tourist zones in China — now called "Foreigners' Street" (Yangren Jie), and the main bar district of Dali Old Town.

The Three Pagodas of Chongsheng Temple

The Three Pagodas of Chongsheng Temple
The Three Pagodas of Chongsheng Temple. Photo from Wikimedia Commons, by Colegota, CC BY-SA 2.5.

The Three Pagodas of Chongsheng Temple stand within Chongsheng Temple; all three are Buddhist pagodas. The central main pagoda, Qianxun Pagoda, is a square, multi-eaved brick pagoda with 16 tiers of eaves, 69.13 meters tall, built in the late Nanzhao period. The two smaller pagodas to its north and south date to the Dali kingdom period, octagonal in plan, 42.19 meters tall, set at equal distance from Qianxun Pagoda. The three were repaired many times in the Ming and Qing, then given a thorough restoration from 1978 to 1981, largely restoring their original form and yielding a large cache of relics from inside. In 1961 the Three Pagodas were listed among the first batch of Major Historical and Cultural Sites Protected at the National Level.

The Chongsheng Temple Three Pagodas Cultural Tourism Zone, centered on the pagodas, is a national 5A tourist attraction. The Three Pagodas back onto Mount Cang and face Erhai — the best photo spot. A reflection pool in front makes the classic "three pagodas mirrored" shot. Chongsheng Temple, behind the pagodas, is a rebuilt temple complex and can be toured together. The pagodas aren't far from Dali Old Town — a ten-odd-minute taxi ride.

Mount Cang (Cangshan)

Mount Cang, Dali
Mount Cang, Dali. Photo from Wikimedia Commons, by Martin Moscosa, CC BY 2.0.

Mount Cang, also called Diancang Mountain, lies on the west bank of Erhai, about 50 km long and 20 km wide, made of nineteen peaks. Between each pair of peaks runs a stream — eighteen in all — whose waters feed Erhai. The highest, Malong Peak, rises to 4,122 meters; the snow on its summit is the "Cangshan snow." Mount Cang is one of China's National Geoparks. On the mountain are alpine lakes such as Ximatang, and the Cangshan cableway takes you up.

The most standard way to take in Mount Cang is to ride the cableway up. The Ximatang cableway is the longest, reaching the alpine lake Ximatang near the summit. The summit is high, windy, and much colder than below — bring a jacket. The cableway may shut down in bad weather, so confirm it's running that day before setting out.

Sights by Erhai worth a visit

Erhai Lake

Panorama of Erhai
Erhai. Photo from Wikimedia Commons, by Fong Chen, CC BY-SA 3.0.

Erhai is a famous plateau lake in Yunnan, the province's second-largest freshwater lake, with a surface area of about 250 square kilometers. It runs about 42.6 km north-south, with a maximum width of about 9 km east-west, average depth 10.5 meters and maximum 20.9 meters. Erhai's "three isles, four shoals, nine bends" are its famed features; the lake drains west via the Xi'er River. Waves are small, the shore is gentle, and the lake is well suited to cycling and driving around.

Circling Erhai is a long way; doing it in one day is rushed, so it's usually split over two. The west bank is fields and villages; the east bank is mountains and cliffs, where Shuanglang and Wase sit. Cycling is the most popular way to circle the lake; the stretch near the old town has good roads and you can rent an e-bike. The lake road is windy — mind sun and wind protection.

Xizhou

Xizhou town and rice paddies
Rice paddies of Xizhou. Photo from Wikimedia Commons, by Chris DeLacy, CC BY-SA 4.0.

Xizhou lies north of Dali Old Town. In the Nanzhao period it was called Dali City, also Shi City, and was one of the "ten jian" (administrative districts) of the Nanzhao kingdom. Xizhou is most famous for its Bai folk houses; the Xizhou Bai Old Building Complex is a Major Historical and Cultural Site Protected at the National Level. Bai courtyards favor the "three wings and a screen wall" or "four-sided compound with five courtyards" layout. Famous old houses include the Yan Family Grand Courtyard, the Yang Pinxiang Residence, and the Hou Family Grand Courtyard — preserving traditional folk-house character while blending in Chinese and Western architectural techniques.

Xizhou's rice paddies lie right beside the town — green in spring and summer, gold in autumn — a fine photo spot against the white-walled, gray-tiled houses. Xizhou baba is the local specialty, a thick charcoal-grilled flatbread, in both savory and sweet versions. A visit can take in a few old houses, then a rest at Sifang Street — half a day is just right.

Shuanglang

Shuanglang, Dali
Shuanglang. Photo from Wikimedia Commons, by Zhouqiyang, Pixabay license.

Shuanglang sits on Erhai's east bank; it originally belonged to Eryuan County and was transferred to Dali in 2002, and was named in the second batch of "Chinese Traditional Villages" in 2013. Nanzhao Isle of Customs and the Shuanglang Art Town Cultural Tourism Zone are national 4A attractions. Shuanglang's signature is the sea view — old waterfront houses turned into inns where you throw open the window onto Erhai, with Mount Cang across the water. Boats wait at the village pier to carry you to Nanzhao Isle of Customs.

Shuanglang is worth a night's stay, to watch the Erhai sunrise and sunset. Driving or cycling from Dali Old Town to Shuanglang takes about an hour, easy going now that the lake road is finished. Inn prices in peak season run high, so book ahead. The lanes in the village are narrow — park outside and walk in.

Butterfly Spring

Butterfly Spring, Dali
Butterfly Spring. Photo from Wikimedia Commons, by sean1573, Pixabay license.

Butterfly Spring lies at the foot of Mount Cang, about 27 km from Dali Old Town, a famous tourist spot. The spring is a square pool of about fifty square meters, with exceptionally clear water. The Ming traveler Xu Xiake's journal described the marvel here: tens of thousands of butterflies, linking legs and hooking antennae, hanging from the treetops down to the spring surface in five colors. In 1961 the poet Guo Moruo, visiting Butterfly Spring, also wrote: "By the butterfly tree at Butterfly Spring, butterflies come by the tens of thousands."

Sadly, in recent years this string-of-butterflies spectacle — butterflies hanging linked together — has grown hard to see. In today's scenic area, the spring pool and butterfly tree remain, and there's a butterfly museum with specimens on view. Butterfly Spring, Xizhou, and the Three Pagodas fall along one line, so they can share a day. There are some steps to climb in the area — wear comfortable shoes.

Eating in Dali

Dali cuisine is Bai-flavored; famous foods include rushan (milk fans), rubing (milk cake), the Bai "three-course tea," the "eight bowls," clay-pot fish, Erhai sea-vegetable, Erhai bow fish, and Haidong snow pear. Rushan is a thin sheet made of cow's milk, grillable or fryable, and is Dali's most representative snack. Xizhou baba is most authentic eaten in Xizhou. Xiaguan tuocha tea and Gantong tea are Dali's teas. Bai tie-dye is a local specialty, sold in both the old town and Xizhou — you can take a piece of tie-dye cloth home.

How to arrange the route

Dali plus Mount Cang and Erhai: three days is comfortable.

Day one: arrive in Dali; Dali Old Town in the morning; the Three Pagodas of Chongsheng in the afternoon; dinner and drinks on Foreigners' Street in the old town.

Day two: up Mount Cang by cableway to see the alpine lake; back to the old town in the afternoon, or head to Xizhou for Bai houses and rice paddies.

Day three: circle Erhai, stay a night in Shuanglang, and watch the Erhai sunrise and sunset. If time is tight, do only the east bank on day three and fit Butterfly Spring and Xizhou into day two.

Things to confirm before you go

Frequently asked questions

How many days for Dali?

Three days covers the old town, Three Pagodas, Mount Cang, and Erhai; if you want to cycle Erhai at a slow pace, add a fourth day.

When is the best time to come to Dali?

March to May for the Cangshan rhododendrons; winter for the Cangshan snow; the rainy season is July and August. It suits year-round visits — just mind sun protection.

How to fit the Three Pagodas and Mount Cang?

The pagodas are beside the old town and need half a day. The Cangshan cableway plus time on the mountain takes a day, so split the two across different days.

How to see Erhai?

Cycle or drive around — over a hundred-odd kilometers, most comfortably split over two days. The west bank for fields and villages, the east bank for sea views and cliffs; Shuanglang is worth a night.

Sources

The facts in this article were checked against the following Chinese Wikipedia entries, retrieved August 11, 2026.

  1. Dali (city) https://zh.wikipedia.org/wiki/大理市
  2. Mount Cang (Dali) https://zh.wikipedia.org/wiki/苍山_(大理)
  3. Erhai https://zh.wikipedia.org/wiki/洱海
  4. Three Pagodas of Chongsheng Temple https://zh.wikipedia.org/wiki/崇圣寺三塔
  5. Dali Old Town https://zh.wikipedia.org/wiki/大理古城
  6. Xizhou https://zh.wikipedia.org/wiki/喜洲
  7. Shuanglang Town https://zh.wikipedia.org/wiki/双廊镇
  8. Butterfly Spring https://zh.wikipedia.org/wiki/蝴蝶泉

All photos are from Wikimedia Commons, used under CC or Pixabay licenses; re-use requires attribution.