Dali Travel Guide
By China On Arrival Editorial Desk · Checked and updated 2026-09-23 · Research basis: Editor research
At a glance
Erhai Lake under the Cangshan peaks, a laid-back Bai-culture old town and China's best cycling loop on a 46 km traffic-free lakeside path - the relaxed counterpoint to Lijiang, 2 hours from Kunming by train.
Suggested stay: 2-3 days · Airports: DLU (Dali Fengyi) · Train hubs: Dali Station (all Kunming/Lijiang trains)
What is Dali known for?
- Dali Old Town
- Erhai lakeside path
- Three Pagodas
- Xizhou
What do you eat in Dali?
Bai three-course tea · er kuai (rice cakes) · grated Erhai fish. Bai sour-fish and rushan cheese with a lake view.
How do you arrive in Dali?
DLU (Dali Fengyi) handle the international arrivals; Dali Station (all Kunming/Lijiang trains) is the high-speed rail entry point.
Where should you stay in Dali?
Dali Old Town is the default first-timer base — first-timers — food, bars and buses on your doorstep. Before paying, check the property's guest policy and, for smaller hotels, confirm the front desk can register a foreign passport — licensing rules still exclude some budget properties. Hotel-by-hotel picks: where to stay in Dali →
| Area | Best for | The honest note |
|---|---|---|
| Dali Old Town | first-timers — food, bars and buses on your doorstep | cheapest all-round base |
| Caicun / Panxi S-bend | cyclists — step onto the lakeside corridor | sunrise spots; 15-20 min ride to town |
| Xizhou | slow travellers — Bai courtyards, rice fields | quietest; 40 min north |
Area picks are editor research, verified 2026-09-23 — not sponsored placements. Book through the links below to support this site.
How do you get in from the airport?
Most visitors arrive by high-speed train from Kunming, about 2 h (¥114-145 (about $17-22)) to Dali Station - no metro; buses and taxis reach the old town in about 40 min (¥10-30 (about $1.50-4.50)). DLU airport, 30 km from the old town, flies domestic routes only.
Plan your trip around these questions
- 🔍 The 3-day route that never doubles back
- 🔍 Do you even need a visa?
- 🔍 The Kunming-Dali-Lijiang rail run
- 🔍 Which hotels can foreigners book
- 🔍 Paying without a Chinese bank card
- 🔍 Landing with data: eSIM setup
Explore the Dali guides below, organised around the questions travelers ask before booking.