What are the most worth visiting ancient towns in Dali?
There are many ancient towns in Dali that are worth recommending to friends to visit. Dali not only has ancient towns, but also many other interesting Dali ancient towns. Let’s introduce it in detail below! Friends who want to travel must not miss it!
1. Dali Ancient City
Dali Ancient City borders Erhai Lake to the east and Cangshan Mountain to the west. The main streets of the ancient city run from north to south. There are various shops selling marble products, tie-dye, straw weaving and other Dali specialties as well as delicious Bai restaurants. Clear streams flow in the city, and ancient traditional Bai houses can be seen everywhere. Residents here, whether rich or poor, have the habit of planting camellias and azaleas in their courtyards. Although this town is not the most beautiful, it must be the most special.
Transportation: Take bus No. 4 or 8 from Xiaguan and you can reach the ancient city in about 40 minutes. Ticket price is 1.5 yuan. In addition, tourists can also take minibuses located on Jianshe Road and Wenhua Road to reach the ancient city in about 30 minutes. Tourists mainly explore Dali Ancient City on foot. If you are coming from Lijiang, the bus will pass by Dali Ancient City. You might as well get off here to avoid looking back.
Accommodation: There are many small hotels and inns in the style of Bai folk houses in Dali Ancient City, which are not expensive. It is recommended that tourists stay here for one night. Compared to Dali Ancient City, accommodation in Xiaguan is cheaper. Standard rooms in residential inns generally last for 30 to 50 nights. They are fully equipped, clean and comfortable. Xiaguan is not far from the ancient city of Dali, so you can go back to Xiaguan and stay there.
Food: Most of the best restaurants in Dali are concentrated in the ancient city. Dali specialties that cannot be missed are milk fans (a kind of dairy product, baked or fried, coated with special rose sugar, it tastes great!), Xizhou Baba, Dali carved plums, sour pears and other preserved fruits, Yongping Braised Chicken , wild mushrooms, fried white flowers and other wild vegetables. To taste Dali cuisine, you can go to Yangren Street (Huguo Road) in the ancient city. Western-style coffee shops and bars with Bai and Tibetan ethnic characteristics can be seen everywhere here, and many foreign tourists gather here. In Foreigner Street, many restaurants sell both Chinese and Western food, and visitors can taste Yunnan-style dishes and local Bai dishes.
Main attractions: Foreigner Street, Renmin Road, etc.
Of course, the attraction of the ancient city is not only the food, but also the quiet and relaxing atmosphere provided by the cafes and restaurants here, where people can listen to music, drink cold beer, and spend a leisurely time afternoon.
2. Xizhou Ancient Town
Xizhou is one of the main birthplaces of Bai culture in Dali. Since Nanzhao in the Tang Dynasty, it has played an important role in Dali's politics, economy and culture. The ancient town of Xizhou, which has been preserved to this day, has been listed as a famous historical and cultural town by the Provincial People's Government. It has profound connotations and rich relics in terms of history, culture, ancient town style and commercial traditions, and is a classic of Bai folk residences. In 2001, the State Council listed "Xizhoubai Folk Residence" as a national key cultural relic protection unit.
The layout of Xizhou Bai folk residential buildings is mainly composed of the typical Bai courtyard pattern of "three squares and one wall" and "four entrances and five patios". The layouts include square, Wushou, Liuhequan, and Zoumajiaolou. The building is a civil masonry structure, and the doors and windows are made of finely carved wooden flowers and birds. The key protection units of residential buildings in the Western Zhou Dynasty include Yang Pinxiang's house, Yan's courtyard, Dong's courtyard, Zhao's building complex, etc. It not only retains the tradition of Bai folk houses, but also integrates Western architectural techniques.
Transportation:
Self-driving: 1. Starting from Xiaguan City, take the Dali-Lijiang Highway to Lijiang (North) for 33 kilometers, turn right at the Xizhou intersection, turn left at the first T-intersection, go straight for 200 meters, and you will arrive at the entrance of Yanjia Community. 2. Starting from Dali Ancient City, take the Dali-Lijiang Highway to Lijiang for 15km (north), turn right at Xizhou Intersection into Xizhou, turn left at the first T-junction, go straight for 200m, and you will arrive at the entrance of the Yan family residence.
Bus: Dali Xizhou Yanjia Residential Bus Route: 1. From Xiaguan North Bus Station, take the Xiaguan-Xizhou bus; 2. When tourists arrive in Xizhou Town, they must go to the authentic Yan Family Courtyard w
1. Children under 1.3 meters in height are free; 2.1. Tickets for children between 3 meters and 1.5 meters are 25 yuan; senior citizens aged 70 and above with a provincial senior citizen ID card are 35 yuan for senior tickets; 3. Tickets include a visit to the scenic spot and a Bai San Tea song and dance performance. Please don’t be deceived by being taken to the wrong place by an illegal car driver!
Opening hours: 8:00-18:00
Recommended attractions: The more famous ones include Yang Pinxiang's Residence, Yan's Family Courtyard, Hou's Family Courtyard, etc.
It not only maintains the characteristics of Bai traditional residences, but also integrates Chinese and Western architectural techniques.
Xizhou Food Snacks
Dali Xizhou Baba, also known as broken cake, is a wheat flour scone with good color, aroma and taste. It is a snack in urban and rural areas of Dali, and the traditional dada of the Xizhou Bai ethnic group is the most famous. The main raw material of Xizhou Baba is wheat flour, and the dough is quite delicate. Add an appropriate amount of alkali, knead thoroughly, then apply essential oil in layers, sprinkle with chopped green onion, pepper, and salt to taste; add ham, diced meat, oil residue, and brown sugar for a sweeter taste. After making round cakes, make six pieces at a time, half salty and half sweet, and place them neatly on the round chopping board. Then, use an oil brush to brush a layer of sesame oil on the upward side of the cake, and then place it in the oil pan to bake. About ten minutes later, a pot of golden, delicious, and crunchy food came out. Zhouba is not only delicious, but also cheap and affordable. As a convenience food in daily life, it has always been loved by people. It is also an excellent portable food for working or traveling outside. The price is a quarter of a dollar.
3. Shuanglang Ancient Town
Shuanglang, surrounded by mountains and rivers, is a paradise for outdoor sports. The list of "What can we do in Haiti" provided by the "Haiti Life" inn basically covers various games you can participate in at Shuanglang: kayaking, swimming, fishing, self-service kitchen, making milk fans, feeding dogs, Building a house, watching movies, photography, growing flowers, growing vegetables, environmental protection, teaching, sharing books, music, watching stars, doing yoga under the fig tree on the beach, walking in Bai villages, kayaking around Nanzhao Island and Yuji Island in Erhai Lake .
Address: Shuanglang is located in the southeast of Eryuan County, on the east coast of Erhai Lake, 35 kilometers away from Xiaguan. It was called "Tianlang" in ancient times.
Transportation
Dali Airport - Shuanglang: about 2 hours, driving along the Erhai Lake, the scenery is beautiful.
Shuanglang Xiaguan North Station:
Option (1): Take a shuttle bus from Xiaguan North Station to Shuanglang every 40 minutes, with the morning bus at 8:40 and the last bus at 17 :30. If there are many passengers, it will be postponed to around 6 o'clock, about an hour. The fare is 15 yuan.
Option (2): Take the shuttle bus from Xiaguan North Station to Jiangwei, get off at Jiangwei (Shangguan) on the way, and then take the bus to Shuanglang (you can take a van), about 20 minutes, 5 Yuan. I want to go to Dali from Xiaguan first. There is no No. 8 bus in Xiaguan, and it costs 1.5 yuan to wait for the bus. After playing in Dali, if you want to go to Shuanglang, you can take a bus like this:
Dali Ancient Town Shuanglang -: It takes about 1 hour to take a bus to Dali Caicun Pier. The bus is from Xiaguan North Station, and there are other places where you can take the bus.
Shuanglang-Dali Ancient Town: Buses with "Xiaguan" written on them can stop at Shuanglang Town. Shuanglang is generally crowded, and if there are many people, you can also choose to rent a car.
From the train station to Shuanglang: You can take bus No. 8 (1.5 buses from the train station to Dali West Gate) and get off at the North Bus Station (***12 stops), and then transfer to Shuanglang Buses run every 40 minutes, with the morning bus at 8:40 and the last bus at 17:30. The ticket price is 16 yuan and the journey takes about 1 hour and 20 minutes.
Tickets: Free.
Accommodation: There are about 30 large and small inns in Shuanglang, with average prices ranging from 150-3,000. Some of the more distinctive ones, such as Dali Shuanglang Chunnuanhuakai Inn, Dali Shuanglang Yunqipishe Seaview Courtyard Inn, Peninsula No. 63, and Fensi Hotel (owned by sister Yang Liping), are difficult to book. Sea view rooms can only be booked in advance, and ordinary standard rooms are relatively less stressful.
Cycling around the Erhai Lake: refreshing and healthy. The roads around Erhai Lake are in good condition, and the scenery is magnificent and colorful, especially in the sunshine. On the plateau, the changes in light refraction are sprinkled on the Erhai Lake. This is the best cycling route: start from Shuanglang and ride towards Chuse Town, about 15 kilometers. At the top of the only road up the mountain, there is a small hillside with a beautiful view of the sea. Further down, there is a small beach where you can rest and replenish some food. Dig for color and then ride about 4-5km. Pass the legendary Little Putuo first, and then ride forward. Next comes a few corners, which is where the ride ends.
Go to a bar and sing in KTV: The Tang Dynasty Bar is near Shuanglang Pier, and you can also sing in KTV at the Barbecue Half Street.
Eat all the delicious food and become a "foodie": eat sea fish, eat oranges, eat rice noodles, and eat local dishes. When you arrive at Shuanglang, you can open your heart and be a foodie.
Walking around the streets of the ancient fishing village: To experience Shuanglang in depth, you have to experience the life of the locals. In the eyes of Shuanglang people, the busiest market is the color digging market more than ten kilometers away.
Every year on the 5th and 10th of the Gregorian calendar, there is a street that can be caught. In fact, it's fair to rush out into the streets. Eight villages from ten miles away and eight villages from four townships flocked to the market. You can’t miss the lively life of the locals. Reminder again: every year on the 5th and 10th of the Gregorian calendar, there is a street!
4. Shaxi Ancient Town
Shaxi is a small town with a long history, which can be traced back to the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period more than 2,400 years ago. During the Tang Dynasty, Nanzhao and Dali Kingdoms emerged in the southwest and became the buffer zone between the Tang Dynasty and Tubo at that time. They are also one of the main routes of the Ancient Tea Horse Road, which connected the powerful and communicated their economic and cultural exchanges. It is currently the only surviving ancient market on the Tea Horse Road.
Shaxi Ancient Town is not as messy as Dali Ancient Town, nor as commercialized as Lijiang Ancient Town. There is only silence here, the only quietness and simplicity on the Tea Horse Road. Little Red Riding Hood has no piles of tour buses, no hordes of tour groups, no small commodities and crowded tourists on the streets. There were only a few people on the empty streets, basking in the sun, reading, taking photos, and chatting.
The center of Sideng Street is Sifang Street. Sifang Street is the soul and core of Shaxi and the place where Shaxi trades. It is located in the middle of Shaxi Bazi, on the top of Fengjiao Mountain, surrounded by mountains and rivers. It is an excellent Feng Shui treasure land. It is a thousand-year-old market with complete functions, including temples, ancient stages, shops, horse shops, open red sandstone streets, century-old trees, ancient alleys, and village gates.
Denggu Street has three gates: Dongzhai Gate, Nanzhai Gate and Beizhai Gate. The west side is backed by Aofeng Mountain, so there is no village gate. Dongzhimen leads to Dali via Yujin Bridge, Nizhimen leads to other villages in the ancient town and the salt mine behind Eryuan Bridge, and Beizhaimen leads to Tibet via Jianchuan County, Lijiang, and Diqing. After exiting the gate of the village, a long and narrow ancient lane came slowly, with dilapidated ancient roads standing quietly on both sides of the lane. At the end of the narrow alley is Sifang Street, the trading center of Sideng.
Transportation: You can take the shuttle bus to Jianchuan from Dali Xiaguan North Bus Station, which takes about 3 hours. Arriving at Jianchuan County, take the Shaxi bus to Shaxi Town.
Tickets: Shaxi Ancient Town is not big. If you are short on time, you can visit it in half a day without tickets.
Local specialty snacks include thin bean noodles, goat milk cakes, etc. Every Friday is market day in town, so you can join in the fun.
Accommodation recommendations
There are many inns and youth hostels in Shaxi Ancient Town. Staying in a farmhouse outside the ancient town is also a good choice, where you can enjoy the pastoral scenery and taste delicious food.
Surrounding attractions: Huacong Mountain (Sandaotan, Dayangchang), Shibaoshan (Baoxiang Temple, Shizhong Temple, Haiyun Temple), Bailongtan, Heilongtan, Mapingguan.