The Most Beautiful City in China | 3 Days in Dali, Yunnan

SUMMARY

JHMedium (Jeffrey) and Rika revisit Dali, Yunnan Province, China, exploring Erhai Lake's ecological corridor, the bustling Ancient City, vibrant markets like Sanyuejie, local delicacies such as mixian noodles and wild mushroom hot pot, while cycling, skateboarding, and witnessing sunrises in this picturesque, tranquil haven blending nature and Bai culture.

STATEMENTS

Dali Prefecture in Yunnan Province captivates with its position between the majestic Cangshan Mountains and serene Erhai Lake, creating a landscape that feels like a living painting and drawing visitors for its natural and cultural allure.
The village of Xia Ji Yi Cun, just five kilometers from the Ancient City, offers a peaceful, low-tourist stay with easy access to Erhai Lake, featuring local buildings, convenience stores, and small eateries for an authentic experience.
Breakfast in Dali highlights regional specialties like mixian, a slippery rice noodle soup, and ersi, soft rice cakes in noodle form, providing lighter or more unique options depending on preference, with customizable toppings for personalization.
Cycling the 129-kilometer Erhai Ecological Corridor provides breathtaking views of mountains, lakeside towns, and wildlife, ideal during low season for a comfortable, uncrowded ride, accessible via rentals from hotels for foreigners without Chinese IDs.
Sanyuejie market, inspired by the Bai people's Third Month Festival, buzzes weekly with vendors selling street foods like erkuai dumplings, rose yogurt, cumin chicken, and handmade crafts, offering a chaotic yet vibrant dive into local culture.
The repurposed bed sheet factory, now Dali Art Factory, hosts an artistic market with jewelry, knitted items, and unique pieces like sealed bread necklaces, blending industrial history with creative stalls for a calmer shopping alternative.
Wild mushroom hot pot, a Yunnan staple, features six edible varieties boiled in chicken soup for umami depth, paired with barbecue options, best enjoyed for its warming, soul-soothing qualities after a day outdoors.
The Dali Ancient City's main streets feel overly commercialized, but nighttime exploration reveals lantern-lit charm, while alleyways hide unique cafes and bookstores for a more authentic, less crowded vibe.
Skateboarding along Erhai's paths offers a thrilling way to navigate the scenic route, with rentals available in Caicun, evoking a sense of flying amid Cangshan's backdrop and the lake's edge, suitable even for beginners.
Erhai sunrise transforms the landscape into a spectacle of light and peace, with well-maintained surroundings where locals tend to grass and water, emphasizing Dali's effortless beauty and potential as a long-term living destination.

IDEAS

Staying in lesser-known villages like Xia Ji Yi Cun balances tranquility with convenience, revealing hidden local life just minutes from major attractions.
Ersi noodles, rarer outside Yunnan, showcase innovative rice-based textures akin to mochi, challenging typical noodle expectations with their gooey appeal.
Foreigners face rental barriers for shared bikes around Erhai, pushing reliance on hotel options that often provide superior equipment.
Feeding migratory seagulls from Siberia adds an interactive wildlife element to lake cycling, timed perfectly in early March before their northward return.
Sanyuejie's lunar calendar market underscores Bai cultural festivals, turning a weekly event into a sensory overload of crafts, foods, and haggling.
Repurposing abandoned factories into art hubs like Dali Art Factory revives industrial spaces, fostering artist communities amid Yunnan's dry climate for craft preservation.
Mushroom hot pot's 20-minute boil unlocks natural sweetness and umami from wild varieties, elevating simple ingredients into a comforting regional ritual.
Skateboarding on Erhai's wide paths reimagines mobility, blending adventure with scenery for beginners, despite weather challenges like March chill or rain.
Dali's commercialization in tourist hubs contrasts with its natural immersion, prompting strategic visits at night or in alleys for genuine charm.
Sunrise at Erhai demands multiple viewings from varied angles, highlighting the city's maintenance efforts that enhance its pristine appeal.

INSIGHTS

Embracing low-tourist villages unlocks authentic local rhythms, fostering deeper connections to a destination's soul beyond crowded icons.
Regional specialties like ersi challenge culinary norms, revealing how texture innovations preserve cultural uniqueness in a globalized food landscape.
Barriers for foreigners in rentals highlight adaptation needs, turning potential frustrations into opportunities for quality, personalized experiences.
Interactive wildlife moments, like seagull feeding, enrich travel by syncing human curiosity with natural migrations, creating memorable, ephemeral bonds.
Cultural markets rooted in festivals blend chaos with heritage, offering insights into ethnic identities through everyday commerce and crafts.
Revitalizing industrial relics into creative spaces demonstrates sustainable urban evolution, where history fuels artistic expression in harmonious climates.
Slow-cooked dishes like mushroom hot pot teach patience's rewards, distilling nature's flavors into profound, warming nourishment for body and spirit.
Alternative transport like skateboarding infuses exploration with playfulness, reminding us that imperfect skills amplify joy in stunning environments.
Navigating commercialization requires selective timing and paths, preserving a place's essence amid tourism's pressures.
Dawn rituals at natural wonders like Erhai reveal a location's true serenity, underscoring communal stewardship's role in timeless beauty.

QUOTES

"Dali is such a gorgeous city. During sunrise, I don't even know which direction I'm supposed to point my camera."
"A bowl of this soup really warms your soul up completely."
"Dali is a city that lets you slow down. With Cangshan on one side and Erhai on the other, you are always immersed in nature and its beauty."
"It's really so scenic here. It's around noon right now, so there are very few people."
"You gotta come watch the sunrise at least once. I kind of want to do it again on this trip."

HABITS

Prioritizing low-season visits to avoid crowds, allowing for relaxed exploration of natural paths like Erhai's corridor.
Incorporating daily local breakfasts such as mixian or erkuai to immerse in regional flavors and start the day authentically.
Renting scooters or alternative transport for efficient navigation between sites, maximizing time in both bustling markets and serene fields.
Seeking out alleyways and nighttime wanders in ancient cities to discover unique, less commercialized spots like cafes.
Balancing active pursuits like cycling or skateboarding with restful moments, such as balcony dinners, to appreciate scenery fully.

FACTS

The Erhai Ecological Corridor forms a 129-kilometer loop ideal for cycling, with the main path along the lake's west side accessible from Caicun Wharf.
Seagulls migrate to Dali from Siberia between October and March, flocking near the lake for feeding opportunities before returning north.
Sanyuejie market operates weekly on the lunar calendar, tied to the Bai people's Third Month Festival celebrating their culture.
An abandoned 1990s bed sheet factory was transformed into Dali Art Factory in 2014, now hosting artist studios and weekend craft markets.
Low season in Dali, from after Chinese New Year to Labor Day, offers discounted stays like 115 Yuan per night for guest houses.

REFERENCES

Sanyuejie market and Bai Third Month Festival for cultural immersion through crafts and foods.
Dali Art Factory, a repurposed bed sheet factory with artist stalls selling jewelry and knitted items like bread necklaces.
Mushroom hot pot restaurant Jun Shan Fu near the factory, featuring wild varieties and barbecue.
Shared bikes and scooters along Erhai, plus rentals from Caicun skate shop and hotel options.

HOW TO APPLY

Arrive in a quiet village like Xia Ji Yi Cun for easy lake access; book via Trip.com during low season for rates under 120 Yuan nightly, ensuring proximity to essentials like stores without tourist crowds.
Start mornings with local breakfast: Order mixian or ersi at a small eatery, customizing toppings like cilantro and pickled vegetables, to experience Yunnan's slippery rice noodles and gooey rice cakes firsthand.
Rent a bike from a hotel (20 RMB/day) or use a borrowed ID for shared options to cycle the Erhai Corridor; begin at Caicun Wharf, stopping for seagull feeding and views, covering the 129-km loop leisurely over a day.
Visit Sanyuejie market on its lunar calendar day (check with hotel); navigate the crowds for erkuai snacks, rose yogurt, and crafts, limiting to 1-2 hours to avoid overwhelm, then retreat to alleys for calmer shopping.
End with mushroom hot pot: Head to a spot like Jun Shan Fu after an art market; let six wild mushroom types boil 20 minutes in chicken soup, pair with custom sesame-garlic sauce and minimal barbecue for a warming meal.

ONE-SENTENCE TAKEAWAY

Dali's blend of natural serenity, cultural vibrancy, and local flavors invites travelers to slow down and rediscover life's simple beauties.

RECOMMENDATIONS

Opt for village stays over central areas to escape tourism while staying connected to Erhai's peace.
Time market visits to low-season weekdays, focusing on unique Bai crafts to support local artisans without the frenzy.
Experiment with lesser-known foods like erkuai for textural surprises that deepen cultural appreciation.
Watch Erhai sunrise early, ideally multiple times from different spots, to capture the transformative light and maintenance efforts.
Combine active transport like skateboarding with reflective meals, enhancing mobility and sensory immersion in Dali's landscapes.

MEMO

In the shadow of the Cangshan Mountains and beside the mirror-like Erhai Lake, Dali emerges as China's understated gem, a place where ancient Bai traditions mingle with effortless natural splendor. Travel vlogger JHMedium, alongside partner Rika, returns to this Yunnan haven after years away, their 2025 revisit capturing a city that has only deepened its allure. Far from the neon bustle of larger metropolises, Dali invites a deliberate pace—cycling windswept paths or wandering lantern-lit alleys—reminding visitors that beauty often lies in the unhurried.

Their base in the sleepy village of Xia Ji Yi Cun, mere minutes from the lake, underscores Dali's dual nature: authentic and accessible. Here, mornings begin with steaming bowls of mixian, those slippery rice noodles synonymous with Yunnan, or rarer ersi cakes that evoke mochi's chew. As they pedal the 129-kilometer Erhai Ecological Corridor, the duo encounters migratory seagulls from Siberia, a fleeting winter gift, and pauses for sunsets that paint the sky in soft pinks. Low season's quiet amplifies these moments, with rented bikes gliding past wildflower fields unmarred by crowds.

Vibrancy pulses in markets like Sanyuejie, a chaotic tribute to the Bai's Third Month Festival, where erkuai dumplings burst with spicy crunch and rose yogurt carries floral whispers. Yet JHMedium notes the Ancient City's commercialization—streets like Fuxinglu now echo generic souvenirs—urging explorations of hidden cafes in quieter lanes. At the repurposed Dali Art Factory, once a 1990s bed sheet mill, handmade treasures like sealed bread necklaces bridge craft and whimsy, a nod to Yunnan's dry air preserving such delicacies.

Culinary highs peak with wild mushroom hot pot, a soul-warming ritual of six foraged varieties simmering in umami-rich broth, best savored after a day of wind-swept adventures. Even novice skateboarding along Erhai's expanse feels liberating, the lake's edge blurring into flight. Rain may interrupt, but dawn's promise endures: Erhai's sunrise, meticulously tended by locals, bathes the scene in golden serenity.

Dali, JHMedium reflects, rivals Chiang Mai as a long-term haven, its geography enforcing immersion in nature's rhythms. As they depart for northern towns like Xizhou, the city lingers as more than a destination—a call to slow down amid China's vast tapestry, where tranquility and culture coexist in harmonious balance.