Short answer
Day one is the Old Town and the Three Pagodas, both within a few kilometres of each other, then sunset at the lake. Day two is the west shore by bike or scooter, running north to Xizhou and back, with the evening in the Old Town again.
That combination works because the mountain, the town and the lake are stacked west to east in a straight line. The one thing that breaks the plan is trying to add the east shore at Shuanglang as well, which is a 1.5-hour transfer each way. Save it for a third day. Everything here is reachable by bus, DiDi or rented wheels, and nothing needs a guided tour.
The shape of the two days
| Morning | Afternoon | Evening | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Day 1 | Old Town on foot: South Gate, Renmin Road, Wuhua Tower | Three Pagodas and Chongsheng Temple | Sunset at Caicun or Longkan Pier, dinner in the Old Town |
| Day 2 | Ride the west shore corridor from Caicun north | Xizhou old town and the market streets, ride or transfer back | Old Town, food street, early night or a bar on Foreigner Street |
Day 1: Old Town and the Three Pagodas
Morning, the Old Town
Start at the South Gate, the main entrance and the shot everyone takes, with the gate tower framing the street and Cangshan behind it. The wall is Ming era, rebuilt from 1382, about 7.5 metres high and roughly 6km around. Walking inside is free and the gates stay open.
Walk north up the main street and cut onto Renmin Road, which holds the independent shops, tie-dye textiles and coffee places. Wuhua Tower is the central landmark, and a short climb gives you the tiled roofs with the mountain wall behind. Give it two to three hours and do not try to see every lane, because you will be back in the evening. Dali Museum is free and covers the Nanzhao and Dali kingdoms if you want the history first.
Afternoon, the Three Pagodas
The Three Pagodas of Chongsheng Temple sit about 1.5km northwest of the Old Town, a 20-minute ride or a short hop on bus 4 or 8. The site is the surviving part of a royal temple of the Dali kingdom, with one tall pagoda and two smaller ones, and a reflection pool in front that produces the classic doubled image.
| Detail | What sources report |
|---|---|
| Adult ticket | Commonly quoted at ¥75. One official source lists ¥121, and some listings say the shuttle is included at ¥75 while others price it separately at ¥25. |
| Opening hours | Peak season roughly 07:30-18:30, off-peak roughly 08:00-18:00 or 08:00-17:30. Summer and winter hours differ. |
| Time needed | Two to three hours for the pagodas and reflection pool, longer if you walk the whole temple complex up the slope. |
| Getting there | Bus 4 or 8, a short taxi or DiDi ride, or a 20-minute cycle. A special tourist line from Dali Railway Station also runs here. |
Late afternoon is the better slot for the reflection pool, when the light softens and the mountain sits behind the pagodas. Photographers gather from around 4pm.
Evening, the lake at sunset
Caicun Pier is the closest lake access to the Old Town, about 3 to 4km east of the North Gate, reachable by bus C2 or 8, a taxi for around ¥20, or a 15 to 20-minute cycle. Longkan Pier is a little further north and is the popular sunrise spot, which makes it quieter in the evening.
Then back into town for dinner. Local things to look for are grilled milk fan, Xizhou baba flatbread, cold rice noodles, rose jam cakes and wild mushroom hotpot in season. Street snacks usually run a few yuan to around ¥20, and a sit-down Bai meal is in the ¥60-100 range per person.
Day 2: Erhai Lake and Xizhou
Morning, the west shore corridor
The Erhai Ecological Corridor is the car-free path along the west shore. The visitor stretch runs from around Yangnanxi in the south to Taoyuan Pier in the north, described variously as 46 to 50km, while the full ring around the lake is roughly 115 to 130km. Today you are doing the best part of it, not the ring.
Rent at Caicun Pier or in the Old Town. Reported rates for 2026:
| Vehicle | Reported daily rate | Range on a charge |
|---|---|---|
| Bicycle | ¥20-40 | Whatever you can pedal |
| E-bike | ¥60-100 | Commonly 60-80km, so not a full loop |
| Electric scooter | ¥80-200 | Higher with a second battery, ask before renting |
| Sightseeing cart in the corridor | Around ¥150-200 per ride | For groups and non-riders |
The classic half-day is Caicun to Xizhou, roughly 25km, flat and with the lake in view most of the way. Three to four hours with photo stops and lunch. On the way you pass the S-bend at Panxi, the corridor bridge and Haishe Park.
If you would rather not ride, the double-decker Erhai Lake tour bus circles the shore with about 13 stops, reported to run roughly 09:00 to 17:30 with departures every 30 to 60 minutes.
Afternoon, Xizhou
Xizhou (喜洲) is 20km north of the Old Town on the lake plain, a Bai town that made its money on the Tea Horse Road and spent it on courtyard houses. It is called the museum of Bai residential architecture for good reason, and the Yan family mansion is the showpiece. The town square, the archways and the lanes of carved white-walled courtyards are the point.
The morning market is one of the largest in the Dali valley and draws farmers from surrounding villages. Riding up in the afternoon means missing it, which is a decent argument for flipping the day: market and Xizhou first thing, then ride south back to Caicun with the wind at your back. Zhoucheng, the tie-dye village, is about 3km away, with workshops commonly quoted around ¥80 including materials.
Evening, back in the Old Town
Dinner, then a slow lap of the town with the lanterns on. Foreigner Street has the bars and live music. If your legs are still working, the gate towers lit up at night are worth the walk.
Where the two-day plan breaks
Three add-ons are commonly squeezed into day two and all three cost you the lake.
- Shuanglang. The east-shore town is 1 to 1.5 hours from the Old Town by car or tourist bus, longer in holiday traffic. It is a fine overnight stop and a rushed day trip. If you want it, take a third day and stay the night, which also gets you the sunset over the lake toward Cangshan.
- Cangshan cable car. A half-day on its own. Park entrance is reported at around
¥35-40on top of the cable car, and the reported fares disagree between sources. See the attractions guide for the three cable cars and what each one reaches. - Shaxi. The Tea Horse Road town is about 1.5 to 2 hours away by road. It deserves an overnight, not a slot in a two-day plan.
If you have three days, the cleanest version is: day one Old Town and Three Pagodas, day two the lake and Xizhou, day three either Cangshan in the morning and Shuanglang in the afternoon, or a full day out to Shaxi.
Practical notes for the two days
- Start early. Light is best before 10am and the corridor is empty. Midday UV at 2,000 metres is strong in every season.
- Layers, not a coat. Days can be warm and nights close to freezing in winter, and the gap is large year round.
- Rain shell, June to August. The wet season delivers showers rather than all-day rain, so a flexible plan beats cancelling anything.
- Cash backup. Set up Alipay or WeChat Pay before arrival. Market stalls and small rental shops may take nothing else. See paying in China.
- Luggage. Cars cannot reach many guesthouses inside the walls, so ask which gate is nearest and whether someone can meet you.
Frequently asked questions
Is two days enough for Dali?
It covers the Old Town, the Three Pagodas and the west shore of Erhai Lake properly. It does not cover Cangshan, Shuanglang and Shaxi as well. Three days is the number most visitors say they wish they had booked.
Do I need to book the Three Pagodas in advance?
No. You can buy at the gate. Online platforms sometimes sell a few yuan cheaper and skip the queue at busy times. The hours change between summer and winter, so check the day you plan to go.
Can I do the lake loop in one day on day two?
Fit cyclists do the full 115 to 130km ring in a long day, but it leaves no time for Xizhou or Shuanglang. E-bikes are commonly reported to run out around 60 to 80km, so a full loop on one charge is unreliable. The Caicun to Xizhou section is the better use of the day.
Should I stay in Xizhou or Shuanglang instead of the Old Town?
The Old Town is the easier base for two days, with more food and transport options. One night in Shuanglang or Xizhou makes more sense on a three or four-day trip, when the sunset over the lake is worth staying for.
How do I get from the Old Town to the lake without a bike?
Bus C2 or 8 to Caicun Pier, about 3 to 4km, or a taxi or DiDi for around ¥20. The Erhai Lake tour bus also circles the shore with around 13 stops, reported to run roughly 09:00 to 17:30.
What should I eat in Dali?
Grilled milk fan, Xizhou baba, cold rice noodles, rose jam cakes, and wild mushroom hotpot in season. Street snacks are cheap, usually a few yuan to about ¥20, and a sit-down Bai meal runs around ¥60-100 per person.
Do I need a guide for these two days?
No. Every stop is reachable by public bus, DiDi or a rented bike, and the Old Town and Xizhou are made for walking. A guide adds context on the Bai architecture and the Dali kingdom, but nothing here is locked behind a tour.
What if it rains?
June to August brings the wet season, usually as showers with clear spells. Swap the riding day for the Old Town and pagodas, which work in light rain, and take the lake on the first clear morning.
Related reading
Distances and travel times follow published Dali transport information and the Erhai Ecological Corridor route descriptions. Ticket prices for the Three Pagodas and the Cangshan cable cars are quoted as approximate and the sources disagree on several figures, so confirm them on the operator's official channel. Rental rates are quoted as ranges reported for 2026.