As a traveller, I never imagined that the Dali Ancient City would be so mesmerizing and impressive that I already want to come back for another visit, this time longer. I have always envisioned cities in China to have that certain style, but Dali was not one of them—well, for the old part of Dali, that is.

Dali Ancient City

During a mid-2014 familiarization trip with AirAsia, we flew in via Kunming (AirAsia flies to Kunming, China) and then took an overland trip to Dali. Arriving at the Dali city centre, I saw it looked similar to places like Hangzhou or Kunming, so I thought it was another Chinese city.

But when the bus passed and continued the journey, the architectural structure began to change drastically, making things much more enjoyable. This is my story about the Ancient City of Dali, where historical structures stand tall, and the streets remind me of an old Chinese drama series.

I’m not kidding. If you want to see real old-world China, Dali is one of the places you must visit.

Dali walking street.

While the entire group stayed in an equally unique hotel that resembled a Chinese temple, our after-work journey on foot took us into the core of the ancient town for some serious exploration, and it was well worth every step.

For shopping lovers, you should be pleased to know that Dali has a powerful cultural influence, as the largest ethnic Chinese tribe, called Bai, lives here. They are literally everywhere, and their craft is being sold at every corner. From art to jewellery to clothes, you can pick them up at a reasonable price—with some Mandarin bargaining skills.

Shopping for the ladies with some interesting fashion.

Ladies would find this place a heaven for cultural handicrafts, accessories, and clothes. Did I mention bags? Well, there are a ton of them in very unique designs available, from small coin pouched to full-sized bags.

Why do I say heaven? Simply because of the 8 women in my entourage who went crazy buying items here. Silver seems to be one of the hot favourites in Dali’s old town, as I keep seeing silver vendors over and over, each offering custom-made designs or simply ready-to-wear items.

As most of us would know, silver in China is very subjective due to forgery, so I had to ask our local guide about it, and to my surprise, most of the proper shops sell authentic silverware. So, silver is on the menu for those who like jewellery and accessories.

As an amateur photographer and writer, I preferred to explore on my own walking around the huge square here. I love to walk into quirky shops selling unique stuff and also observe the local and foreign people here. To be very honest, I hardly saw many foreigners here, more of the local Chinese tourists, so I’m happy to say that this place is not overrun!

Bai Art.

Among the many places around the city we visited, our guide brought us to a Mosque in Dali because there was a Muslim journalist in our group, and they wanted to interview the Imam of the local Mosque.

I was pretty impressed to find out that there were, in fact, a vast number of Chinese Muslims in Dali and around the Yunnan province. So, for any Muslims heading here, fear not. There is a Mosque and also Halal food available. Most of the restaurants we went to also offered a section for Halal Food.

For art lovers, you will be pleased to know that numerous local Bai art pieces are available here. Some are in galleries, while pieces for the budget can be seen sold by smaller vendors in shops or even street corners and alleys.

One of the shopping streets in the Dali town centre.

Dali Walking Street

Dali Walking Street, or Shopping Street, lives up to its name. Everything is so well maintained. It kind of reminded me of a show city or a massive movie set, where every small detail was looked into.

However, this was real – the community contributes to the cleanliness here. Shop facades take you back to a time when villages, traders, and vendors work side by side. The only problem I faced was language, as everyone here generally speaks Mandarin or the local Bai dialect.

However, some of the traders do speak a little English, so it’s not the end of the world. As for tourists here, I hardly saw them, I mean the foreigners. There are a lot of local Chinese tourists here, by the way.

One of the tower tunnels leads into the shopping street.

Yunnan Coffee Shop.

Trying the Yunnan Coffee in Dali

Finally, as a coffee lover, it was my mission to try the famous Yunnan Coffee, which was apparently sold all over Dali. From the day I arrived, I was practically yearning for some great local coffee, and in most places, it was available—some great and some bland. Again, this is all based on luck, if you ask me.

However, as the coffee taste differs from shop to shop, eventually, at the Dali Shopping Street, I managed to chance upon a Yunnan coffee seller who sold all kinds and types of coffee, and I ended up buying a few types to take back home apart from some other food souvenirs.

One of the towers that protect the ancient town.

Overall, for those wanting a different kind of experience in China, I would highly recommend visiting Dali. This place is absolutely beautiful and rich with traditional culture. Again, you can forget that the commercialised image of China is not practised here.

How to Get to Dali?

I flew to Kunming from Kuala Lumpur with AirAsia before taking an overland bus to Dali, which took about 5 hours. For those who want to cut some travel time, there are internal flights to Dali from Kunming via other airlines.

Dali town square.

Haidu Hotel was an interesting place to stay here in Dali.

Our group stayed at the Haidu Hotel in Dali, which was conveniently located in the old town area, making it easy to move around. It is also recommended to spend at least 4 to 5 days in Dali to fully experience the entire place, the countryside, the fishing village, and the visit to the Bai community museum.

One of the most popular attractions in Dali is also the 3 Pagodas of Chongsheng Temple, which are located in ancient Dali.

Conclusion

When night falls, exploring Dali Ancient City and the main shopping street is recommended. There is also a Foreigners Street where you can find entertainment in small cosy bars and pubs. It’s a great place to unwind after a long day of walking.