Southwest China
Dali Old Town & Erhai Lake
大理古城·洱海 · Yunnan, Dali
A relaxed Bai ethnic region of a historic old town, the vast Erhai Lake and Cangshan mountain scenery.
Dali pairs a relaxed old town of stone gates, Bai-style courtyards and cafés with the long shoreline of Erhai Lake, ringed by cycling paths, fishing villages and wetlands beneath the green wall of the Cangshan range. The climate is famously mild, drawing travellers for slow lakeside days and Bai culture, food and architecture.
Dali was the capital of the independent Nanzhao and Dali kingdoms from the 8th to 13th centuries before joining imperial China, and remains the heartland of the Bai people. The old town and lakeside have developed gently for tourism while preserving Bai villages, markets and the distinctive three-temple pagodas (Chongsheng) nearby.
Day-by-day routes you won't find online — now starting with an 8-day, 1,500 km loop through western Sichuan. New regions are added regularly; tell us where you want to drive next.
