This city is astounding. Well to be honest the city isn’t the most impressive sight it’s the surrounding environment that will take your breath away. Once you get to the outskirts or near Lake Er Hai everywhere you look will be a pleasant experience. Honestly, before living in China I had an image of what it might look like in my head. Having watched way too many Kung Fu movies I thought there would be rice field, mountains, lakes, streams and people living simpler lives. It was only once I got to Dali that I found out that places like this still exist in China. This city left a very deep and memorable impression in me.
Now Dali is also known as one of the famous party cities in China. Apparently around Lake Er Hai there are quite a few nightclubs and bars. It is almost philosophical in how this one city can embody the changing of eras, when the old traditions meet the new customs.
Anyway what I am trying to say is that there is a peaceful side to this city and a party side. Pick whichever suits you best.
Lake Er Hai 洱海湖 Ěr Hǎi Hú
Lake Er Hai is the main attraction in Dali. If you were to miss going to Er Hai you wouldn’t be able to say that you really went to Dali. While the nightlife in Er Hai is known throughout most of the country, there is more to this city than just the nightlife. There is also a subtle beauty to the area immediately adjacent to the lake, where farmlands meet the the wetlands and ponds. There is greenery as far as the eye can see.
Be aware of two things. First, everything that I describe above is based on my experiences at Lake Er Hai but I only ventured to the West side of Lake Er Hai. The second thing that you should be aware of is that Lake Er Hai is just under 25 miles long. Take that into consideration when selecting sights to see and deciding upon a means to get there.
I did not get to visit to many sites while I was there. I passed by the old town, which was very nice, but it wasn’t a can’t miss place. It is a nice place to see if you are in the area or have the time. I passed by the three pagodas but didn’t have the time to stop and visit them. They seemed very nice but more like something that you could do if you had the time. It wouldn’t ruin your trip if you missed a chance to go there.
What I would highly recommend is that you rent a bike and take a ride around the lake. I can only speak for the beauty of the west side of the lake, the north, south and east sides I do not have first hand information of the scenery.
Or if you would not like to expend so much energy pedaling around the lake you could also rent a scooter. This would be a good way for you to cover more ground, see more of the surrounding area and save some energy.
How long should you stay in Dali?
If you would like to see the all sides of the lake, I would recommend staying in Dali for anywhere between 2-3 days.
During the days you can either go to Lake Er Hai or explore the mountains in the surrounding area. At night you could find yourself a bar or nightclub that suits you and relax a bit.
Helpful Tip
Like Li Jiang it is very expensive to fly into or out of Dali. You may want to consider flying into to Kunming and then taking a train to Dali.
International Kev 