Dali Ancient Town Liubai Coffee Hostel

There’s plenty to look at inside the citadel, including the Confucius Temple and the five-storey building, and each gate has its own design. It’s well preserved and feels close to its original state. People still live here alongside the tourist businesses. The streets are quieter during the day, then get brighter and livelier at night when the lights come on and the bars and pubs open. Taxis are fairly cheap, but you have to go outside the citadel to catch one.

There’s a lot of traffic, and the e-bikes and motorcycles on the streets can feel overwhelming. I think this area may once have been a wonderful way to experience Yunnan, but all the tourists and commercialization have taken away some of its original charm. I’d recommend the nearby old towns for a more authentic experience with fewer tourists.

The architecture is beautiful, and there’s so much to look at. Shopping wasn’t much fun for me, with the same cheap-looking souvenirs and lots of overpriced silver and jade shops. Plenty of people dress up in traditional outfits or costumes for professional photos, which is actually pretty fun to watch. It’s always crowded, so keep an eye on your belongings and watch your step, especially after dark.

Dali felt like a pretty relaxing place, and renting an e-bike for 50 rmb for the day was a convenient way to get around. One charge can take you 100km. The city is huge, though, and it took us a full day to finish our tour. The architecture was the main highlight, and the buildings were well maintained, but food and services weren’t cheap. We stumbled on a fried dough sticks and soy milk shop and loved it. The fritters were fresh, the frying oil looked very clean, and the freshly made soybean milk was delicious even without sugar. Free refills, too. We tried the barbecue as well. It was a little pricey but worth trying, and we were lucky to get a table early because the line behind us was so long.