Dali (大理) is a Bai town in Yunnan, between the Cangshan mountains and Erhai Lake. The Old Town is open all day and free to walk, and so is the lakeshore. You pay for the Three Pagodas, the Cangshan cable cars and some of the Bai courtyard houses in Xizhou. The railway station is in Xiaguan, not at the Old Town. Stay three nights: a day for the Old Town and the pagodas, a day for the lake and Xizhou, and a day for the mountain.
What is Dali?
This plain was the capital of the Nanzhao and Dali kingdoms, and the Old Town’s grid of streets comes from the prefectural city rebuilt in the Ming dynasty. Bai courtyard houses with white walls and grey tiles line the lanes, Cangshan rises directly behind the west wall and the lake lies to the east. What sets it apart from rebuilt “old streets” elsewhere is that people still live in it at an unhurried pace.
What to see, and what it costs
| Sight | What it is | Cost and hours |
|---|---|---|
| Dali Old Town | The South Gate tower, the pedestrian axis of Fuxing Road, Wuhua Tower, snack stalls on Renmin Road and bars on Foreigner Street after dark | Free; open all day |
| Three Pagodas | 1.5 km north of the Old Town. The central Qianxun Pagoda is 69.13 m tall and dates from the Nanzhao kingdom; the two smaller ones, 42.19 m, were built between 1108 and 1172. The temple behind was rebuilt in 2005 | About RMB 75 in 2026 listings; 07:30–18:30 |
| Erhai Lake | Yunnan’s second-largest highland lake after Dianchi, more than 40 km from north to south. A lakeside path for walking and cycling runs along the shore | Free; boats are ticketed |
| Xizhou | A Bai town 18 km north of the Old Town, with merchant courtyard houses, a small square and the flatbread called Xizhou baba | Town free; some houses ticketed. A day trip by car or bicycle |
| Cangshan | The mountain range behind the Old Town, with cable cars and an 18 km path at over 2,000 m that looks down on the plain and the lake | 08:00–17:00, ticket sales to 15:00; Gantong cable car RMB 130 return on a ticket site in October 2025 |
Tickets and practical notes
- Three Pagodas: listed at about RMB 75 in 2026, with lower package prices on booking platforms; an older official page still shows RMB 121. Check on the day you book.
- Three Pagodas concessions listed: children 6 and under or up to 1.2 m free, students half price, ages 60–69 half price, 70 and over free. Ask whether a passport is accepted.
- The best photo of the pagodas is from the reflection pond behind them.
- Cangshan: ticket sales stop at 15:00, so go up in the morning. The cable cars can close in bad weather.
- Erhai: the west shore is the side for sunrise, and Shuanglang on the east shore is where people sit by the water for the afternoon.
Getting there and around
- Dali station is in Xiaguan, the modern city at the south end of the lake, not at the Old Town. Our station guide covers the last stretch.
- Dali is on the rail corridor between Kunming and Lijiang. Check 12306 for trains on your date.
- Inside the Old Town you walk. For the lake, Xizhou and the cable cars you need a car, a bicycle or local transport.
How many days in Dali
- Day one: the Old Town on foot and the Three Pagodas.
- Day two: the west shore of Erhai and Xizhou.
- Day three: Cangshan by cable car in the morning, an easy afternoon.
- With two nights, drop the mountain rather than the lake.
Dali questions
Where is Dali?
In north-west Yunnan Province, south-west China, between the Cangshan mountains and Erhai Lake, on the railway from Kunming to Lijiang.
Is Dali Old Town free to enter?
Yes. It is open all day with no entry ticket. The Three Pagodas, 1.5 km to the north, are ticketed.
How many days do I need in Dali?
Three nights for the Old Town, the lake with Xizhou, and Cangshan. Two if you skip the mountain.
What is Dali known for?
The Old Town of the Bai people, Erhai Lake, the Three Pagodas and the Cangshan mountains behind them.
Dali or Lijiang, which should I choose?
Dali is a lakeside stay with villages around Erhai; Lijiang is a denser old town below a snow mountain. The railway links them, and our route takes both, Dali first.
How do I get from Dali station to the Old Town?
The station is in Xiaguan at the south end of the lake, so you need a car or local transport to the Old Town. Decide which gate you are going to first.
Sources(7)
- Dali Old Town listing: history, layout and hoursTrip.com Group (Ctrip)
- The Chongsheng Temple and the Three Pagodas, Dali (updated 15 January 2026)China Bound, from China Daily
- Three Pagodas listing: hours, layout and concessionsTrip.com Group (Ctrip)
- Erhai Lake listing: size, lakeside path and boatsTrip.com Group (Ctrip)
- Cangshan listing: hours and the mountain pathTrip.com Group (Ctrip)
- Cangshan Gantong cable car prices (9 October 2025)Dahepiao
- Xizhou listing: distance, houses and day tripTrip.com Group (Ctrip)