6 Best Things To Do In Dali, China

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1. Dali Ancient City

Dali Ancient City

@wanderwithlou

With a blend of old architecture and many modern cafes, you could spend hours exploring the streets and discovering craft stores, coffee shops and street art.

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The Ancient City is a fantastic place to wander around without a plan and is definitely one of the best things to do in Dali. I recommend finding a hotel in the Ancient Town to stay for the duration of your trip.

2. Erhai Lake

Erhai Lake

@wanderwithlou

Cycling along the lakeside is a perfect way to take in the beautiful scenery. There are also many cafes to relax and enjoy the views.

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Erhai Lake is a stunning, expansive lake surrounded by small villages and mountains. The lake is not too far from the old town and it’s worth cycling or renting a scooter to get there.

3. Three Pagodas and Chongsheng Temple

Chongsheng Temple

@wanderwithlou

One of Dali’s most iconic landmarks. Standing tall against the Cangshan Mountains, these ancient pagodas date back over a thousand years.

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Behind the Three Pagodas is Chongsheng Temple, a serene place to explore – when I visited we pretty much had the entire place to ourselves! I really enjoyed my time here and would absolutely say it’s one of the best things to do in Dali.

4. Xizhou Ancient Town

Xizhou Ancient Town

@wanderwithlou

Xizhou is home to the Bai ethnic group and is a great place to experience the traditional folk technique of tie-dyeing.

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Escape the hustle and bustle of Dali and step back in time to Xizhou. This ancient town offers a quieter experience with local life on full display. 

5. Dali Art Factory

Dali Art Factory

@wanderwithlou

Considered one of the key hubs for the creative arts in Western China, and here you can find exhibitions, murals, sculptures, as well as a few cafes and shops.

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A cool, industrial style space where local artists showcase their work and is often overlooked by tourists visiting Dali. This was actually one of my favourite things I did in Dali and it was not busy at all!

6. Hang Out and Make Friends!

Dali has a friendly, laid-back vibe, making it easy to connect with fellow travelers and locals alike. With its cosy cafes, live music spots and so much more, Dali is the perfect place to meet new people. When I visited, I was wandering around the night market and came across a group of people drinking together, so I joined in and had lots of fun!

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Wander With Lou

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