Dali
Advertisement
By Bus
Buses from West Bus Station take about 4,5 hours and cost for an ordinary bus and around for an express luxury bus, and will bring you to Xiaguan Dali New City). Some buses go to Dali, too, so check with the driver. In Xiaguan, there are three different bus stations, to reach the train station, go east along Jianshe Lu and Dianyuan Lu.
By train
There are several night trains from to Dali Train Station (in Dali New City) leaving 8PM-11PM, and arriving from six to eight hours later. The cost is for a night trains sleeper bunk, and for day trains hard seat. Bus 8 to the old town leaves regularly for from just outside the station, terminating at the West Gate. There are currently also 2 trains daily from Lijiang to Dali and back. The ride takes nearly 2 hours. Cost is for hard seat. The train actually only has hard sleeper cars, but you are not allowed to lay down.
By plane
Dali has an airport located to the east of Dali New City, about 45 minutes drive to Dali old town. There are no airport busses. Taxis are waiting but cannot always be trusted to take you to the guesthouse/hotel you want to go to as they get commission at a lot of hotels. Better book an airport pick-up with the hotel you booked.
Advertisement
Dali Bai Nationality Autonomous Prefecture Museum
closed between 11:30 and 14:00. Worth a visit. It has an extensive collection of exhibits, with most signs in both Chinese and English. The museum grounds are beautiful as well, the exhibits are set around a traditional garden.
Wase Market
Combine a trip to Erhai Lake with a visit to the Wase Market on the eastern shore of the lake. Wase is a traditional and conservative Bai town with a weekly market aimed at both townpeople and nearby farmers. The market offers an interesting look at life in a quiet country town.
Erhai Lake
Visit Guanyin Temple and several islands. Go with a group and enjoy a great day out. Boats can be easily arranged as the owners come into town to drum up business and you can see what you are getting from the photobooks they carry. Ferry rides at real stations cost around. There are signs indicating that fishing boats and paddle boats can't carry tourists, although it is unclear what the definition of tourist is.
Erhai Lake Villages
A total of 17 villages are spread along the Western shore of the Erhai Lake between Xiaguan and Xizhou. Take a tour by bike by riding East from Dali Old Town until you reach the lake in Caicun Village and then North beside the lake shore taking local paths and roads. A great opportunity to see village life at its best, meet locals, see the Banyan trees in each village square and admire local architecture.
The northern route
of 6km of path offers one of the sharpest cliff views of the entire Dali valley, and on a clear day you can see Jizu Mountain well beyond Erhai lake. At the bend in the main valley it also offers a path up the mountains for 2 km which ends at a mountain pool where you can take a swim on a warm day.
January - March
October - December
Information not available
Advertisement
Photo Gallery
![](javascript:winopenlocfront("1303209524792.jpeg"))
![](javascript:winopenlocfront("1303209524801.jpeg"))
![](javascript:winopenlocfront("1303209524892.jpeg"))
![](javascript:winopenlocfront("1303209524888.jpeg"))
![](javascript:winopenlocfront("1303209524165.jpeg"))