Dali is in Yunnan Province in the southwest of China. This colorful city is surrounded by mountains with innumerable opportunities for hiking. A bike ride around beautiful Erhai Lake is a relaxing way to enjoy the beauty of this ancient city. Dali's Old Town is easy to navigate and wander through. The town is as colorful as the traditional dress of some of the local minority women wearing their bright headdresses and smocks. When I travel, I am most interested in the people. Dali smiles are some of the brightest in the world. And why not be happy? The town is quaint, the mountains majestic and the food exquisite. In addition to the beautiful fresh vegetables at the local markets, my camera lens is drawn to the people selling their produce. I can't help but smile too. |

The majority of the people in Dali are Bai ethnic minority. The Bai community is famous for its artistic creativity. One only need to visit the women who do batik to understand the artistry. Batik is one of the famous handicrafts of the Bai people.
There is an ancient Chinese proverb that in Yunnan, "the mountains are high and the emperor is far." Indeed we feel almost like we are in another country. The bright and colorful old city of Dali seems a sharp contrast to the seemingly black and white political center of China, Beijing, thousands of miles away, literally and figuratively.
Contact Chow Fun Tours to visit Dali and other Yunnan gems. A traditional trip to Beijing and Xian, coupled with Dali and other Yunnan cities and villages, is sure to give you a feel for the diversity of what westerners believe is a homogenous society.