Dali City Overview

‣Basic Information

●Chinese Name:大理

●Key Words:A land of letters

●Altitude:1,974 metres

●Population:40,000

●Recommended Visiting Time: 1 0r 2 days

‣Useful Numbers
●Consumer Complaint: 12315
●Tourist Complaint: 0872-2670384
●Telephone Number Inquiry: 114 
●Weather Forecast: 121
●Taxi complaint: 0872-2128951
●Tourism Information Inquiry: 0872-2124707 / 2125214 / 2124463 
●Airport Information Desk: 0872-2315335 / 2315339 / 2315280
●Passenger Transport Information Desk of Railway Station: 0872-3146002
●Passenger Information Desk of Long-distance Bus Terminal: 0872-2135303 / 2123436 / 2670315

‣Administrative Division: There are 10 towns and 1 Nationality Township under the jurisdiction of Dali City: Xiaguan Town(下关镇), Dali Town(大理镇), Fengyi Town(凤仪镇), Xizhou Town(喜洲镇), Haidong Town(海东镇), Wase Town(挖色镇), Wanqiao Town(湾桥镇), Yinqiao Town(银桥镇), Shuanglang Town(双廊镇), Taiyi Yi Ethnic Township(太邑彝族乡).

‣Climate: Its low latitude tempered by its high elevation, Dali has a mild subtropical highland climate with short, mild, dry winters and warm, rainy summers. In winter, there is much less rainfall than in summer. The temperature here averages 15.6 °C. The rainfall here averages 1024 mm. During summer, a majority of the days features some rainfall and daytime temperatures rise to 25 °C .

‣Dali History: The city has a long history. About the year 738 AD, it became the seat of the Kingdom of Nanzhao. The Nanzhao Kingdom had control of important trade routes to Southeast and South Asia. It was a major trading center. The rulers of the Nanzhao became Buddhists, and Bali became a center for the spread of Buddhism from Southeast and South Asia to the rest of China and East Asia.

‣Transportation: Throughout its years of development, local endeavors for advancement have been rewarded with a great rise in area living standards. Nowadays, this is a tourist destination replete with every convenience in transportation and public facilities, making it accessible for visitors from home and abroad.

‣Best Time to Visit: The best time for touring Dali is between March and June every year, because at that time there is the celebration for the March Street in Dali. It is also the time when the camellias are in bloom. It is warm and there is no wind or sand. Similarly, the best time for touring Dali City is also between March and June.

●Dali Old Town:one of Yunnan's most popular tourist destinations with historic sites, ancient buildings and temples.
●The Three Pagodas:the symbolic building of Dali, the pagodas are like three ballpoint pens 
●Erhai Lake:reputed as "Pearl of Plateau", is the second largest highland lake of Yunnan.
●Cangshan Mountain:Located west of Dali Old Town and Erhai Lake, is with nineteen peaks and eighteen streams.
●Butterfly Spring:the tree puts forth fragrant white and yellow flowers, attracting thousands of real butterflies to gather on its leaves.

‣Ethnic Culture in Dali

Dali is known for its historical and cultural status, being a capital of ancient kingdoms, but it is also known as the home of the Bai ethnic group.In the past, the group was known as the “Heman,” “Baiman” and “Bairen” people. In the 1950’s, The Dali Bai Autonomous Prefecture was founded and the group was officially named as the Bai nationality.Bai means “white” in Chinese, referring to the white clothes that the Bai people like to wear. The Bai worship the color white, and their architecture reflects this. Like many other ethnic groups, the Bai people have their own language. The Bai language, with its dialects, is still spoken among the group, but mandarin Chinese is their main language nowadays.

‣What to Eat in Dali: Each place has its own special dishes in China. When you get to Dali City, sand-pot fish, Er Kuai, Rushan, Dali bittern duck, Dali rice cake, roasted bean curd are good choices.

‣Festival: The major festivals around Dali City include Visiting Three Spirits, March Street Festival, Bai Torch Festival, Open- Sea Festival, Gegen Meeting, Shuahai Meeting, Hungry Ghost Festival, Caishen Temple Fair, Benzhu Worship Festival…