China Discovery Tour: DALI (Yunnan Province)

6 March 2026

We picked our way through the crowds milling in and around Kunming railway station, then passed through the stringent passport and baggage security checks before finally slumping into our reserved seats. We were on the fast China Railway train to Dali, just over two hours away. It departed right on time, like a Swiss train. But this was even more impressive because the population of Kunming alone exceeded that of the whole of Switzerland. China continued to amaze us and it was not finished.

Dali is the old capital of Yunnan and a city with a millenary history. Located at a strategic point along the ancient Tea Horse Road (also known as the South Silk Road), the Erhai Lake naturally protects it on one side and the Changshan Mountains on the other. It is also home  to the Bai minority (Bai meaning white), with a rich culture and  famous for their craftsmanship with silver and marble.

Dali’s main attraction is the Ancient City, located about an hour’s drive from the modern city of Dali and is one of the few in China still surrounded by walls. Our hotel room was located about 300m from one of the old city gates. A walk on the walls allows you to enjoy a panoramic  view of the lake on one side and the mountains on the other. The two main streets within the Ancient City  town  were crowded and full of shops, but once we started wandering around a bit, we began to see Dali’s more authentic side.

We spent the first morning of our stay at The Three Pagodas of Chongsheng Temple, an iconic 9^th century landmark located about 1.5km from the old town.  The three pagodas are different from most other religious buildings in China because they are truly ancient (unfortunately, after the Cultural Revolution in China, many ancient buildings were destroyed).

Apart  from the three pagodas, there was a whole complex of temples, each built at a higher level than the other; it took us a couple of hours to see them all as we slowly ascended the mountain. Far away in the distance, beyond the old city, Lake Erhai shimmered in the morning sun. It was a magnificent site, so quiet and serene, and ideal for meditation, which some visitors were doing, amid the trees showing off their best spring blossoms.

We had lunch there, in a small visitors’ canteen offering the same vegetarian food that the monks were served with. Then we took the electric bus back down to the entrance and took a cab back to our room to rest.  The evening was spent wandering around the old town looking for a place to eat while  admiring the ancient architecture of houses, courtyards and temples.

As in Kunming, we did not come across any other tourists in Dali and we caught some locals  staring at us. They seemed especially intrigued by the hairy fuzz on my arms. Several asked for a photo with us, as if we were a trophy to show to friends. But our interactions with the people there were overwhelmingly friendly and respectful; they were also very patient as we tried to explain to them what we wanted. The only downside was the old Chinese habit of clearing your throat and then spitting the phlegm thus accumulated onto the street. We appeared to be the only ones to be disgusted by this. It was however less noticeable in urban areas, especially among the younger generation. 

We also found that the Chinese smoke a lot, much more than is the case in Western Europe. The high smoking rates are apparently driven by deep-seated social and cultural norms (for instance, offering a  cigarette is an essential part of business etiquette and social gatherings) and the relatively low cost. The government also runs a monopoly on tobacco sales, seemingly  prioritizing financial gain over widespread public-health efforts.

The next morning, we took a cab to Erhai Lake, passing through some Bai villages on the way. It seemed that  the whole town had migrated there to make the most of the beautiful weather, either walking or cycling along the lakeshore. It was a very busy scene.

Many young women were dressed up in traditional costume and some had even brought their own photographer for their photo shoot. We opted for a caricature drawing by a talented young Chinese lady followed by a delicious lunch in a modest-looking restaurant,  located in a side street a little back from the lake. The beef noodle soup and dumplings, with drinks, cost 78 CNY (about 10 dollars). 

Back in the Ancient City, I had a great haircut by a Chinese hairdresser, which we followed with a traditional Chinese massage which was very enjoyable. Dinner that evening was street food and it was at that point that we decided that yes, we had finally cracked it: we had now fully adapted to China. We were already looking forward to our next destination.