A bit of Erhai Hu
The reason to stop in Dali was mainly because it was on the way to Lijiang and the Tiger Leaping Gorge further north. After reading a bit about it we didn't have much hopes for the old town but some for the Erhai Lake. And we were right: while Dali old town is totally spoilt and focused towards Chinese tour groups, the Erhai lake and its surroundings were a beautiful surprise, so the point is going straight to the lake, renting a bike and give pedals around the lake and through its beautiful small villages.
It took us quite a while to get from the rice terraces in Yuanyang to Dali. One hour to Xianjie, another one to Nansha, 3 more hours to Jianshui, and waiting there 4 hours to take a 12-hour train to Xiaguan. The train ride was again overnight in a hard sleeper, only disturbed by the hordes getting on it in Kunming on the way to Dali.
When we arrived in Xiaguan (Dali new town) early morning, we could already see that Dali old town was not going to be a tranquil and peaceful Chinese village. Actually we already knew that by reading the guide and on the Internet. Dali is just a touristified place full of Chinese tour groups, souvenir shops and so on. But as it was on the way to the Tiger Leaping Gorge and we read that the nearby Erhai Hu (or Erhai Lake) is really nice to bike around, we decided to give it a try.
Dali Old Town Gate
So from Xiaguan we took a bus to Dali old town, which is some 40 minutes away. First of all we went to the hostel, in this case 5 Elements Youth Hostel, a quite good one but with all the common problems: no heating and shitty Internet. Hungry as we were we ordered some banana pancakes and chocolate waffles and here it came the first small acident of the trip: my fake tooth fell off. Yes, by eating a simple banana pancake I lost one tooth. Luckily I didn't swallow it but now instead of going sightseeing we had to look for a dentist.
The 3 pagodas and the mountains behind
As the guy in the hostel was totally useless advicing some nearby dentist, we looked up on the Internet and headed back to the new town, went to a hospital and after the usual communication problems they told me that my tooth couldn't be put back again, I needed a new one. False. So again looking for another dentist, which we found randomly on the street. This one looked like a serious place despite of not having electricity that day, but anyway they could put my tooth back. Not a permanent solution, but at least they sticked it and so far it's still standing.
So with my tooth back in its original place we went back again to the old town for second time in a few hours. And that rest of the day was spent having a first look at the streets of Dali.
So with my tooth back in its original place we went back again to the old town for second time in a few hours. And that rest of the day was spent having a first look at the streets of Dali.
Dali hordes
And yes, our thoughts were confirmed. Dali is a totally rebuilt city full of Western bars, cafés and restaurants, souvenir shops and Chinese tourists. So not really much to do there than have a look around and head back to the hostel to have a couple of beers and some food before going to bed.
The following day we decided that instead of visiting Dali, we would rent a bike and head to the nearby Erhai Lake. And so we did. We took a mountain bike and went outside the city. The first stop was visiting a pagoda which was near our hostel. We couldn't enter it so we went to the most iconic sight of Dali: the 3 pagodas complex. It is a quite big complex with a 3 pagodas and a temple inside, but the entrance ticket is really overpriced, so we just went around the complex and down to the main road to start heading towards the lake, admiring at the same time really nice views from the 3 pagodas and the mountains behind them.
The following day we decided that instead of visiting Dali, we would rent a bike and head to the nearby Erhai Lake. And so we did. We took a mountain bike and went outside the city. The first stop was visiting a pagoda which was near our hostel. We couldn't enter it so we went to the most iconic sight of Dali: the 3 pagodas complex. It is a quite big complex with a 3 pagodas and a temple inside, but the entrance ticket is really overpriced, so we just went around the complex and down to the main road to start heading towards the lake, admiring at the same time really nice views from the 3 pagodas and the mountains behind them.
Surrounding landscape around Erhai Hu
We started biking along the main road to soon take the first crossing right. From that moment you get totally out of the crowds, of the souvenir shops and restaurants and you are in the middle of the nature surrounded by the beautiful Erhai Lake on your right and small villages and the mountains on your left.
Really, the bike ride around the lake is a really nice surprise after Dali and definitely one of the highlights of Yunnan. We went following the road that circumnavigates the lake, perfectly signposted, going through beautiful small traditional villages, stopping in small tiny Buddhist temples... and only seeing a couple of Chinese tourists riding electrical scooters and a few other bikers. It felt like paradise!
Really, the bike ride around the lake is a really nice surprise after Dali and definitely one of the highlights of Yunnan. We went following the road that circumnavigates the lake, perfectly signposted, going through beautiful small traditional villages, stopping in small tiny Buddhist temples... and only seeing a couple of Chinese tourists riding electrical scooters and a few other bikers. It felt like paradise!
A woman praying in one of the Buddhist temples found along the road
We spent 4 hours including stops for lunch, pictures, visiting temples and so on until we reached the village of Xizhou. All the way was really pleasant, the only bad point we noticed was the massive construction of buildings along the road, which unfortunately means that the lake area is likely to become a touristry place soon, so go there before it gets spoilt!
Once in Xizhou, we parked the bikes, went for a beer in the main square and then for a walk around the village and to visit the small temple. Xizhou is a really nice and traditional Chinese village with narrow streets, red lamps and stuff, but is quite in danger of becoming a mini Dali, as we could notice already quite a lot of souvenir shops, a Western restaurant and many Chinese tourists. Still, right now it remains a really nice place to visit.
Once in Xizhou, we parked the bikes, went for a beer in the main square and then for a walk around the village and to visit the small temple. Xizhou is a really nice and traditional Chinese village with narrow streets, red lamps and stuff, but is quite in danger of becoming a mini Dali, as we could notice already quite a lot of souvenir shops, a Western restaurant and many Chinese tourists. Still, right now it remains a really nice place to visit.
As it was getting late and we still had almost 2 hours to get back to Dali and return the bike, we decided to take the main road and go as quick as possible back to town. It took us 1,5 exhausting hours to get to Dali through the main road, dealing with the wind and the traffic, so totally opposite to what we had previously enjoyed while biking around the lake.
Anyway, once in Dali we returned the bikes, and exhausted as we were, we went for a recovering foot massage. The one-hour massage felt like heaven after the long day, and after it there was only time to go back to the hostel, eat a bit, have a beer and go to bed.
Anyway, once in Dali we returned the bikes, and exhausted as we were, we went for a recovering foot massage. The one-hour massage felt like heaven after the long day, and after it there was only time to go back to the hostel, eat a bit, have a beer and go to bed.
Chinese sheeps following their shepherd
The last day in Dali was devoted to visit the old town. Even if the first impression was bad and we knew that it was a totally spoilt place, once we were there we could check the situation to have a first-hand opinion. We walked through the 3 main streets (Foreigner Street, Renmin Street and Fuxiou Lu) and went up to a couple of main gates to have some views of the town.
And yes, Dali probably was a really nice city in the past in which to relax and so on, but now the only thing you see are shops, restaurants and Chinese tour groups walking like sheeps following their shepherd, who in this case is normally a Chinese woman dressed in traditional local clothes and wearing a speaker and a flag or similar in order not to lose the sheeps. Pathetic.
And yes, Dali probably was a really nice city in the past in which to relax and so on, but now the only thing you see are shops, restaurants and Chinese tour groups walking like sheeps following their shepherd, who in this case is normally a Chinese woman dressed in traditional local clothes and wearing a speaker and a flag or similar in order not to lose the sheeps. Pathetic.
Dali Old Town
Still, the day in Dali old town was not bad, it is quite something to see Chinese mass tourism and you can even enjoy some banana pancakes, coffee or Western food, quite appreciated after more than 3 months travelling.
The rest of things to do in Dali were to sleep a bit and the following day to go back to the train station to take a train to Lijiang to spend a couple of days there before taking on the Tiger Leaping Gorge trekking. And actually, after Dali, we were not very excited about Lijiang, which according to the guide and the Internet is even more touristified. We will see in the next post!
If you are planning a visit to Dali, I would tell you to skip it and go straight to the Erhai Lake area, but don't forget our Travel Guide!
The rest of things to do in Dali were to sleep a bit and the following day to go back to the train station to take a train to Lijiang to spend a couple of days there before taking on the Tiger Leaping Gorge trekking. And actually, after Dali, we were not very excited about Lijiang, which according to the guide and the Internet is even more touristified. We will see in the next post!
If you are planning a visit to Dali, I would tell you to skip it and go straight to the Erhai Lake area, but don't forget our Travel Guide!
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