Dali: One of the Most Scenic Places in China

Yunnan is often regarded by Chinese locals as the most beautiful province, and after visiting, I couldn’t agree more. I visited Dali, one of the most scenic places in China and was absolutely stunned by its natural beauty. If you’re in China, Dali is one place you should visit.

How to get to Dali

Assuming you’re not already in Yunnan province, first you’ll need to fly to Kunming, the capital of Yunnan. Next, you’ll need to decide whether you want to go to Dali by bus, train, taxi, or plane. There are several night trains leaving Kunming from 8 to 11 that take about 6-8 hours on average. You can often purchase these tickets beforehand on a site like Ctrip.com

There are also buses running throughout the day from Kunming West Bus Station. The ticket is 138 or 180 RMB depending on the seat and take 4 to 5 hours. Always double-check the schedule and make sure the bus stops in Dali Old City, not the new part of Dali, otherwise, you’ll need to take additional transportation for the rest of the way there. New Dali isn’t too far from Old Dali, but it’s better to get there directly, especially after a long bus ride.

One of the most scenic places in China

I rented an electric bike for just 50 RMB ($7.80) for the entire day and rode north from Old Dali towards the ancient city of Xizhou. You can find bike rental shops all over the city. All you need is a deposit of 100-200 RMB on average and some form of ID to give to the shop.

The first stop was Caicun Village, which was probably one of my favorite places along the journey.

After Caicun Village, I rode for another 20 minutes until I reached Bai Village, the home of the Bai people (one of China’s 55 ethnic minority groups).

I spent about 2 hours here just admiring the tranquil lake before continuing north. The route was just so scenic, I couldn’t help but stop to take more photos.

I visited a number of villages and sites along my journey, but Erhai Lake was the highlight of it all. Erhai Lake is a huge lake, which can be accessed from most parts of the city; however, the further you go from the city, the less people and better the views.

Many tourists visit Dali to see the city, but the real highlight is renting a bike or car and riding to the small villages and soaking in the scenery.

Dali, and just Yunnan Province in general is a must see in China if you have the time!