Dali Travel Weather in April

Gantong Cableway (Zhongsuodao) of Cangshan Mountain in Dali City

What to Wear for an April Trip

Getting warmer in April, T-shirt and jeans may be appropriate during the daytime. At night, put on a coat, thin jacket, or knitwear.

Daily Sightseeing Recommendations:

Daytime: Cotton or linen T-shirts, light denim shirts/pants or long skirts, paired with sun hats and sunglasses.

Evening/Night: Add knitted cardigans, trench coats, or jackets, and scarves to keep warm.

Footwear: Comfortable sports shoes or flat casual shoes suitable for long walks.

Festival Dressing Suggestions:

March Street Ethnic Festival (San Yue Jie, 三月街): Wear embroidered ethnic-style tops and loose pants for ease of movement, paired with lightweight cloth shoes. Bai ethnic costumes can be rented for immersive experience.

Raosanling Pilgrimage (绕三灵) and Butterfly Festival (Hudie Hui, 蝴蝶会): Layered dressing such as long-sleeve inner shirts with thin outer jackets is recommended for temperature adjustment. Women may choose floral long skirts with shawls for both style and practicality.

Special Tips:

The Cangshan (苍山) and Erhai Lake (洱海) areas tend to be windy; wearing windbreakers or softshell jackets is practical.

Though April is dry, there might be occasional rain showers—carry a compact umbrella.

Dali April Ethnic Festivals

The most important ethnic festival in Dali Bai Autonomous Prefecture is the Dali “March Street” Ethnic Festival (大理“三月街”民族节), held primarily in Dali City from April 12 to 18, with widespread participation from all counties. Other counties do not currently have major independent festivals during this period, but seasonal folk customs do exist. Details are as follows:

I. Prefecture-Wide Core Festival: March Street Ethnic Festival (三月街民族节)

Time and Location:
April 12 to 18, 2025 (Lunar calendar March 15 to 21), with the main venue at Dali Ancient City and the Horse Racing Grounds (赛马场) in Dali City.

Public Holiday:
April 12 to 14 (3 days, combined with the weekend).

Main Activities:

Cultural Exhibitions:
Performances showcasing ethnic costumes from across the prefecture, traditional folk culture, Dongjing ancient music, and Bai ethnic “Dabenqu” folk song singing.

Evening Social Events:
Community gatherings and performances, collectively known as the “Dali March Carnival” (大理三月嘉年华).

Sports Competitions:
Horse racing events (the festival’s highlight) and traditional ethnic sports like crossbow shooting and swing competitions.

Trade Markets:
The “Colorful Cloud Market” (彩云集市) features specialty products from 12 counties, local delicacies, cultural and creative goods, and old-for-new exchange programs.
Additionally, there is a Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) market in collaboration with the Prefecture Chinese Medicine Hospital, offering free consultations and cultural exchanges.

II. County-Level Folk and Seasonal Activities

Agricultural Customs:

Rice Planting Ceremony (栽秧会):
Marking the start of the rice transplanting season in April, Bai villages in Dali, Eryuan (洱源), Yunlong (云龙), and others hold planting festivals combining cooperative labor, singing, and dancing.

“Closing the Seedling Door” Ceremony (关秧门,田家乐):
A post-planting celebration common in places like Eryuan.

Other Possible Activities:

“Ben Zhu” Ritual (本主节):
Some Bai villages may hold small-scale local deity worship ceremonies this month, though dates vary and are not uniform.

Butterfly Festival (蝴蝶会, April 15):
Traditionally held at Butterfly Spring (蝴蝶泉) to commemorate a romantic legend, though in recent years large-scale celebrations have not been reported.

Places to Visit in April Dali

Erhai Lake:
It is worth to visit. If you have enough time, riding a bike around it is a comfortable and unique experience.

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