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Top 6 attractions in Dali
#1
Shaxi Ancient Town (Shaxizhen)
Once an important caravan town on the Tea Horse Road between Yunnan and Tibet, Shaxi Ancient Town (Shaxizhen) ranks among the most beautiful village squares in China and offers a rare glimpse at what one of these ancient trading hubs might have looked like in its heyday. Many of the wooden facades surrounding the Sideng Village’s old trading market and caravansary have been painstakingly restored. And while Tibetan horses are no longer being traded for Chinese tea, visitors will find old-style cafes, traditional restaurants, shops and a few locals selling horse rides for a small fee.More
#2
Xizhou Town
Go back in time to visit Xizhou, an ancient village town near Dali in Yunnan. People of Bai ethnicity live here and have preserved their culture, architecture, and local delicacies, like Xizhou Baba, a savory or sweet bread. Some well-preserved Bai houses are dated to the Ming Dynasty. Visitors can barter at the large daily market, explore the tea culture, make local tie-dye textiles, and much more.More
#3
Dali Old Town (Dali Ancient City)
Sandwiched between Cangshan Mountain and Erhai Lake sits one of China’s most spectacular ancient cities, Dali. Dating back to the late fourteenth century, Dali got its start as a gateway to the Silk Road from Southwest China. Today, Dali Old Town (Dali Ancient City) — navigable on foot — is ringed by a 25-foot (7.5-meter) stone wall with grand gates facing in each direction. Within those walls, traditional Bai ethnic minority architecture now house shops, cafes and guest houses.Fuxing Road, the busiest street through Dali Old Town, links the South and North Gates and is a popular spot for buying souvenirs. The upper portion of Huguo Road, nicknamed ‘Foreigner Street,’ is lined with Chinese and Western restaurants, art galleries, antique shops and small boutiques.More
#4
Erhai (Lake Er)
Erhai (Lake Er is a 97-square-mile (250-square-km lake sandwiched between the town of Dali and the Cangshan Mountains in China’s Yunnan Province. The local Bai people—one of China’s 56 recognized ethnic minority groups—have long used the waters of the lake for carp fishing with cormorants.More
#5
Cangshan Mountain
Located west of Dali Ancient City, Cangshan Mountain stretches for 31 miles (50 kilometers) and encompasses 19 peaks, with the highest at 13,523 feet (4,122 meters). There’s also 18 streams, numerous waterfalls, alpine lakes, pools, and temples. Accessible by hiking or cable cars, a scenic paved path winds its way around six mountains.More
#6
Three Pagodas
Located on the fringes of Dali Old Town, the iconic Three Pagodas of Chongsheng Temple date back to the ninth and tenth centuries. The middle of the three, named the Qianxun Pagoda, was erected in the ninth century during the Tang Dynasty as one of the tallest pagodas ever built in China. The two other pagodas went up about a century later, and their architectural styles are more similar to buildings of the Song Dynasty.While Dali has endured numerous earthquakes through the centuries, including a severe one in 1925, the Three Pagodas were some of the few buildings to survive undamaged (though one now leans slightly). The well-maintained park that houses the pagodas is also dotted with smaller Buddhist temples, statues and several small lakes, all with the Cangshan Mountains as a backdrop.More
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