Lijiang and Dali are only about 2 hours apart by high speed train , it’s natural that we spent a couple of days on our Yunnan trip which also took in Kunming and Shangri-La. Of all these places, I knew least about Dali beforehand. Perhaps the lack of expectations worked in its favour as this turned out to be the place I most likely want to return! 

Jikuo Mijing Garden Hotel (Dali Ancient City)

Our hotel was just inside the ancient city but far enough not to be affected by the commotion! It’s a comfortable hotel in a  quiet location. There’s a pretty garden and the hospitality was top-notch! 

Three Pagodas of Chongsheng Temple 

We arrived The Chongsheng Temple at dusk. After entering the Temple I was immediately drawn to the view of the tallest pagoda framed by ginkgo trees in the front, and the Cangshan Mountains shrouded in mist as the backdrop. There were not a lot of people there. It was not long before I was enveloped by a deep sense of serenity, even spirituality!

The Three Pagodas of Chongsheng Temple are famous Buddhist pagodas in southwest China. The main pagoda is about 42 metres high. It’s a sixteen-tiered, 10-metres square, originally built in the Tang Dynasty (around the 9th century).

The south and north pagodas are smaller, each about 42 metres high, ten-tiered, octagonal brick pagodas, added during the Song Dynasty (around the 12th century). 

One of the smaller pagodas was under a green wrap for renovation at the time of my visit, but the remaining pagodas were nonetheless a striking sight! 

The grounds were too big to be covered in about an hour before the light was fading. The first thought of returning was thus germinated!

Erhai Lake

We booked a car and driver to take us around Erhai Lake. It’s where the beauty of Dali was centred as we were to find out!

The hire for the day from 9.00 to 18.00 was only ¥260 (about £27). Amazing value!

S Bay

It was a rather dull cold morning threatening drizzles when we set off. The first stop was S Bay, probably so-called because of the shape of the shoreline. The rather sombre weather somehow lent a poetic and moody atmosphere to the landscape!

Baiyuan – a home of the Bai Minority People

Baiyuan is a beautiful village known for its unique Bai ethnic culture and traditional architecture. The village features classic Bai-style houses with white walls and grey tiles, intricate wood carvings, and beautiful courtyard gardens. 

We were treated to a colourful performance of folk songs and dances of the local Bai people ….

….. and a tour of one of their elegant white-walled homes with intricate wood carvings and beautiful painted motifs

Shuanglang Ancient Town

By this time of the trip, we all had had our fill of ancient towns and local cuisine. So when we were dropped off at the gate of Shuanglang Ancient Town, our eyes lit up at the sight of this western-style restaurant with a view of the lake! Salads and pizzas had never been more enticing!

The view from our table by the window were a feast of its own!

While my brother and his wife lingered over their lunch, my sister and I went inside the gate and got on a scenic tour vehicle to go straight to the pier at the end.

It looked nothing like an ancient Chinese town! The laid-back vibe and beautiful lakeside setting were so unexpected! The promenade was lined on one side with western restaurants and cafes and on the other side an amazing lakeside view; the almost unearthly light shining through the clouds had an atmospheric beauty all of its own!

Xiaoputuo (Little Putuo) 小普陀

Xiaoputuo (Little Putuo) is a small island of only 200 metres in circumference, on the east side of Erhai Lake, dominated by a pavilion. It’s named for its similarity to the mythical Putuo Mountain – one of the four sacred mountains in Chinese Buddhism

Lixiangbang

Our last stop of the day tour was Lixiangbang, a resort built in the image of Santorini in Greece. It’s populated by expensive hotels in white and blue where people flocked to pose for photos to post on social media.

However, what interested me was the sunset views on the lake just opposite the resort!

To finish off this long post, here are my mementos of Dali to which I hope to return in 2026!