Top Things to Do & See in Dali

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Dali is not only famous for the charming ancient town, but also renowned for the beautiful landscapes like Erhai Lake and Cangshan Mountain. There are “Four Wonders” in Dali, Xiaguan’ wind, Shangguan’ s flowers, Cangshan’ s snow and Erhai Lake’ s moon reflection.

The attractions below are collected by our travel experts with the purpose of helping you get some knowledge of Dali and preparing for your tour to here.

Dali Ancient City

Dali Ancient City is 13 kilometers away from Xiguan in Dali city. It was an important gateway to the Silk Road in Southwest China and can be dated back to the year 1382 during the Ming Dynasty. The ancient city is near to the beautiful Cangshan Mountain to the west and Erhai Lake to the east. The ancient architectures with the original design, the grand city wall, the traditional Bai ethnic minority folk houses and the stream running through the city together makes Daili Ancient City an ideal place to relax and get away from the noisy business city. Tourists will find the deep peace in their hearts as they walk along the cobble-paved streets.

Dali Ancient City

Xizhou Town

Xizhou is an important town inhabited with Bai ethnic people with a population of about 32,000. It is about 18 kilometers north of the Dali Ancient City. The highlight here is the well-preserved Bai traditional houses which are among the best examples of traditional Qing architecture in China. The houses here are almost decorated with colorful pictures, gardens, marbles and upturned eaves. Visitors will get a better understanding about the history and culture of Bai Minority.

Xizhou Town

Three Pagodas

The Tree Pagodas of Dali is located about 1 kilometers northwest of the ancient city of Dali, standing at the foot of Canghsna and facing Erhai Lake. The three independent pagodas forms a symmetrical triangle which is rare in China. The tallest one was built during the reign of King of the Nanzhao Kingdom about 1,150 years ago, which is one of China’s best preserved buildings from the time of the Tang Dynasty. The other two were built about 100 years later. They are the symbols of the history of Dali City and witness the Buddhism developing in this area.

Three Pagodas

Cangshan Mountain

Facing the Erhai Lake in the east, Cangshan Mountain is made of 18 peaks which are all over 3,500 meters above sea level with the highest peak reaching to an altitude of 4,122 meters. It is enjoy a great fame for its snow, clouds, springs and marble. The unmelted snow on the mountain is the most charming view when the sun rises. It is so dazzling and splendid. The varied clouds over the Cangshan Mountain are also beautiful and mysterious. The most magical clouds is called Yudai Cloud. The springs runs out of the rocks on the mountains, which are all crystal and valuable. The most famous marble in the mountain is called Cangshan Stone with unique patterns.

Cangshan Mountain

Erhai Lake

Erhai Lake is one of the seven largest fresh water lakes in China, covering an area of about 250 suare kilometers and spanning 9 kilometers. The name Erhai means “sea shaped like an ear” in Chinese. Indeed, it is like an ear and a crescent between Cangshan and Dali city seen from the Cangshan Mountain. On a sunny day, the crystal water will be glistening with the sun light, which form a beautiful views with the snow-capped Cangshan Mountain. Except the lake itself, the the surrounding islands, temples and villages are also worth visiting.

Erhai Lake

Butterfly Spring

The Butterfly Spring is a famous sight in Butterfly Spring Park, which is located at the foot of Yunlong Peak of Cangshan Mountain. It is a square shaped pool with spring spurting out of the foot. And there is an ancient decumbent trss above the pool called “Butterfly Tree”. As spring turns to summer, the fragrant blossom will attract thousands of colorful butterflies to assemble around the spring. During this time, a local festival called “Butterfly Fest” will be held in the park on April 15th. On that day, young Bai boys and girls will dress up and come to the Butterfly Spring. The young boy will sing and play instruments for the girls they love and get engaged with the love of his life.

Butterfly Spring