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Dali Yunnan Travel Vlog: 2 Days in Dali, Erhai Lake & Ancient Towns

  • Writer: Arron Goh
    Arron Goh
  • 4 hours ago
  • 4 min read

Our Yunnan trip started with a long travel day from Kuala Lumpur to Kunming, then onward by train to Dali.


This first episode covers our first few days in Dali — from Dali Ancient City and Longkan Wharf to Xizhou Ancient Town, Zhoucheng, Majiuyi Village and Shaxi Ancient Town.


If you’re planning a Yunnan itinerary and wondering what Dali is actually like, this vlog gives you a good idea of the pace, scenery, transport and places you can realistically fit into a few days.


Watch the Dali Yunnan Vlog


This episode covers:


Kuala Lumpur International Airport→ Kunming Changshui Airport→ Kunming Railway Station→ Dali Railway Station→ Dali Ancient City→ Longkan Wharf→ Xizhou Ancient Town→ Zhoucheng→ Majiuyi Village→ Dali Bonfire Night→ Shaxi Ancient Town




Getting From Kuala Lumpur to Dali


We flew from Kuala Lumpur International Airport to Kunming Changshui International Airport, then made our way to Kunming Railway Station before taking the train to Dali.


For most Malaysians travelling to Yunnan, Kunming is one of the easiest gateways into the province.


Once you reach Kunming, China’s high-speed rail system makes it relatively easy to continue towards Dali, Lijiang and other Yunnan destinations.


Arriving in Dali

After reaching Dali Railway Station, we checked into our stay at:

西洲·拾一庭


Dali has a much slower atmosphere compared with larger Chinese cities.


You have:

  • mountains

  • Erhai Lake

  • ancient towns

  • small villages


and a much more relaxed pace.


That’s exactly why I think Dali is such a good place to start a Yunnan trip.



Dali Ancient City 大理古城


One of our first stops was Dali Ancient City.


This is one of the main areas to stay and explore in Dali.


You’ll find:

  • restaurants

  • cafés

  • bars

  • shops

  • local snacks

  • traditional-style streets


We also walked around Yangren Street 洋人街, one of the livelier parts of the ancient city.


At night, Dali Ancient City becomes much busier and is a great place to simply walk around and eat.



Nanmen Market 南门菜市场


We also stopped by Nanmen Market.


If you like seeing the more local side of a city, markets are always worth visiting.

You’ll find fresh produce, snacks, local ingredients and everyday food that you probably won’t see in tourist restaurants.


It’s a simple stop, but it gives you a better look at how locals actually live.



Longkan Wharf 龙龛码头


One of the most beautiful places we visited in Dali was Longkan Wharf, beside Erhai Lake.


This area is known for:

  • lake views

  • seagulls

  • sunrise


and peaceful walking paths along the water.


If you’re visiting Dali during the cooler months, this is also one of the popular spots to see migratory seagulls.


For first-time visitors, I definitely think Longkan Wharf deserves a stop.



Xizhou Ancient Town 喜洲古镇


Next, we visited Xizhou Ancient Town.


Compared with Dali Ancient City, Xizhou feels smaller and more traditional.

It’s especially known for:

  • Bai ethnic architecture

  • traditional courtyards

  • local food


and the surrounding countryside.


If you want something calmer than Dali Ancient City, Xizhou is a nice change of pace.



Zhoucheng 周城


We also passed through Zhoucheng, another Bai ethnic village near Dali.


The area is well known for Bai culture and traditional tie-dye, especially the famous blue-and-white fabrics you’ll see around Yunnan.


If you’re interested in local culture and handmade crafts, this is worth adding to your Dali route.



Majiuyi Village 马久邑村


One place I especially liked was Majiuyi Village.


This is a quieter area beside Erhai Lake and, in my opinion, a better place to see seagulls if you want to avoid some of the bigger crowds.


You still get:

  • Erhai Lake

  • seagulls

  • mountain views


but with a calmer atmosphere.


If Longkan Wharf feels too busy, I’d definitely consider Majiuyi.



Dali Ancient City Bonfire Night


At night, we went back to Dali Ancient City and joined a bonfire event near 大元帅府.


This was one of those experiences that made the trip feel much more lively.


People gathered around, danced and enjoyed the atmosphere together.


It’s not something I originally planned around, but it ended up being one of the fun memories from Dali.



Shaxi Ancient Town 沙溪古镇


Before heading towards Lijiang, we stopped at Shaxi Ancient Town.


We spent around 4–5 hours here.


Shaxi feels very different from Dali.


It’s quieter, smaller and much more relaxed.


If you like ancient towns but don’t want something too commercial, Shaxi is worth stopping at before continuing to Lijiang.


For us, it worked perfectly as a stop between:

Dali → Shaxi → Lijiang



How Many Days Do You Need in Dali?


For a first trip, I’d recommend around:

2–3 days


That gives you enough time for:

  • Dali Ancient City

  • Erhai Lake

  • Longkan Wharf

  • Xizhou

  • Majiuyi


and nearby villages.


If you want a slower trip, you could easily stay longer.



Our Dali Route


A simple version of what we did:


Day 1

Kunming→ Dali→ Dali Ancient City→ Nanmen Market→ Longkan Wharf


Day 2

Xizhou Ancient Town→ Zhoucheng→ Majiuyi Village→ Dali Ancient City Bonfire


Day 3

Shaxi Ancient Town→ Continue to Lijiang



Is Dali Worth Visiting?


Yes.


For me, Dali is one of the easiest places to recommend in Yunnan because you get a good mix of:


  • nature

  • ancient towns

  • local culture

  • Erhai Lake


and slower travel.


It also works really well as the first stop before continuing towards Lijiang and Shangri-La.


If you’re planning a longer Yunnan trip, I’d definitely include Dali.



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