HIDDEN GEMS of DALI, CHINA: Travel Guide | Must See in Yunnan

Dali in Yunnan Province, China is a city full of hidden gems. A cute ancient city, filled with hipster coffee shops and bars with live music. And so many things to do. It also has beautiful mountains, a stunning lake and some of the best temples in China. It's no wonder that it's a must see for anybody travelling through Yunnan. I hope you enjoy this travel guide!
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TABLE OF CONTENTS (a list of all of the places featured in the video)
0:16 - Bad Monkey bar in the Ancient Town
A great bar run by an English guy. They put on live music across their 2 venues in the city. Their own craft beer is really good too, it's a real cross between Camden and China!
0:40 - Exploring the Ancient Town Streets
One of the best things to do in Dali is just walk the streets of the ancient town. You can spend a few hours wandering the paved streets, admiring the traditional architecture of the Bai ethnic minority, trying their local food and snacks, and buying some souvenirs. Dali is probably the most beautiful ancient town in Yunnan, only rivalled by Lijiang (which is much busier!)
1:08 - Dali Ancient City Walls
There are 4 gates in the walls that protected the city of Dali, dating back 600 years to the Ming Dynasty and they are all really well preserved. The North Gate, East Gate, Southgate (it's coming home) and West Gate. We cycled around to see them all.
1:35 - The Three Pagodas
The 3 Pagodas of the Chongsheng Temple are a must see in Dali. You can easily cycle there from the Ancient City and spent a couple of hours exploring the temple grounds and the various gardens and towers.
3:10 - Lake Erhai
Erhai or Er Lake is an alpine fault lake outside the ancient city. Again, its very easy to cycle there. Its name means "Ear-shaped Sea", due to its shape. The second largest lake in the province after Dianchi Lake in Kunming (featured in the 3rd episode of the China Series)
3:45 - Kanshan (Cangshan) Mountain
The Cang Mountains (Cangshan) are a mountain range west of Dali City. There are a few different options for cable cars to explore the heights of the mountain, we opted for the Qingbi Waterfall area. I have heard that the Horse Washing Pond is even more spectacular though.
If you have any other questions about this part of the trip or China in general, let me know in the comments - I reply to all of them!
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#DaliTravelGuide #DaliThingsToDo #MustSeeDali #HiddenGemsDali
Music from Epidemic Sound.
This cinematic travel film comes from One Shot Adventures, an independent production company that specializes in unique travel videography.

[@OneShotAdventures]

Dali is a real all rounder - Ancient history, great nightlife, cool cafes and amazing nature. China just keeps on surprising us! What do you look for when you visit a new city? Museums and culture? Nature and parks? Would love to hear from you :)

[@OneShotAdventures]

@Joe Marano Me too! Could have guessed that from you though haha ;)

[@myworIdofexperience]

A new city? 🤔 *architecture *nature *parks *museum *foods *culture *main streets till side streets

[@OneShotAdventures]

my world of experience great choices!

[@GoTravelOnTheCheap]

Nature. And exceptional food. And nature. And mingling with the locals. And nature. 😃

[@OneShotAdventures]

@@GoTravelOnTheCheap You definitely don't like nature Wayne ;)

[@leon_z1201]

Wow, amazing vlog! I'm from Dali and now I live in Germany. Tourism is the major economic powerhouse of Dali, but when the Covid spread in China, it was almost impossible for Dali to attract tourists. I still remember the day when I left for Germany. At the Dali airport, less than 10 people went in and out of the terminal within an hour. It was so sad to see. I hope this change when I come home.

[@johnmguzman7491]

Hallo. Guten Tag. Thank you for posting. I spent 3 days in Dali.

[@biteof78]

I'm also from Dali brother!! Heard the same story from my dad so I'm going back this summer to see if things have changed.

[@nickandhelmi]

Hi Ryan, an absolute stunning video of Dali - ive never been to CHina and yet im chinese indonesian - this makes me want to explore more about this place - sony user unite :) - stunning, i like your style similar to my travel style.. so that's not a brainer.. looking forward to next episode and collaborating with you soon - glad to find you at travel videographer mate. really great story/guide - Nick -

[@OneShotAdventures]

Nick Effendi would be amazing to collaborate at some point mate! Would love to see what we could create!

[@roamonurowncom]

Dali is stunning, it has seemed like a Zen place, thanks for sharing information about such a beautiful city, I wasn't even aware of.

[@OneShotAdventures]

roamonurown com thanks for watching! It's a cool place to explore for sure

[@cultureatz]

Haha cool rubbish bins indeed! it really looks so charming Dali. Those pagodas are just stunning. The lake was stunning and wow that mountain circuit is nice but funny how they lead you to odd things amongst the beautiful nature.

[@OneShotAdventures]

Evelyne at CulturEatz yeah it was a strange few things they had up there! Was definitely worth getting off the tourist path a bit

[@detrickguillory7537]

Outstanding video, thank you both. China is an abundance of beauty both traditional China & modern China. Visited in 2017 & 2020, I cannot get enough. Looking forward to returning as soon as they welcome tourist VISA’s again.

[@natsumi1945]

Wow This is the First Videos I have seen in KZbin people from western visit to my hometown Dali Yuunan 😄❤️

[@OneShotAdventures]

Thanks for welcoming us!

[@Kira1Lawliet]

I was fortunate enough to have taken a semester study abroad in China when I was in college, and Dali was one of the places where we stayed for three days. It was challenging at first because of the relative lack of amenities like air conditioning and the lack of English speakers compared to places like Beijing, but I quickly warmed up to it and it became one of the most unforgettable travel experiences of my life. Watching this video brought back so many memories of it, even though I was only there for three days.

[@OneShotAdventures]

Thank you for sharing your story! I'm glad this video brought back some memories 😊

[@yitingzhao3997]

I am from Yunnan Province China but not from Dali, I first time went to Dali just falling love with this place. Perfect combination between modern and ancient Chinese culture is fascinating. Although it's a little bit touristy, I do remember when the time to leave , I just like, I don't want to leave, I will go back here. I planned to go to Dali when I was in the semester break I went back from Australia but I was sick during the break 😭 I will definitely go to Dali again when I go back to China. Thx for your nice video, everything is beautiful.

[@OneShotAdventures]

Yeah I know the feeling! It's a touristy place but still has so much charm. I would recommend it to anyone visiting China

[@adamnw2074]

Bro, Im a Dali person. 大理yyds. 有时间来玩

[@21Swayzee]

Wow that water fall was amazing...and than bam microbrews and rock N Roll! Beautiful little town, surrounded by beauty! The three pagodas are out of this world. Have a great one guys!

[@OneShotAdventures]

Brother Dunne definitely! Always a surprise around the corner in Dali. Thanks for watching!

[@journalofnomads]

This city really has everything! Wow I'm really in awe. From cool little cafes to a huge lake and cool walks in the mountain. You guys are showing a side of China that people rarely see.This place looks like it was a beautiful surprise on your trip!

[@OneShotAdventures]

Its a really cool place! Definitely a great surprise for us. China challenged our expectations everywhere we went, which was really good!

[@AlexSimeon]

wow, yet again another city in China that i haven't been to and even heard of. it has such a chill vibe to it with those coffee shops and bars at night. looks amazing. the pagodas are so beautiful. thanks for sharing! c/t

[@OneShotAdventures]

Thanks for watching Alex!

[@Kira1Lawliet]

I've been there myself and can definitely recommend it. It's one of the most romantically Chinese cities I've ever been to, and it really feels like you're in an ancient Chinese kingdom (which, technically, you kind of are).

[@HappyHourWithMatt]

Dude, your videos are incredible. I feel like im watching a professional travel show.

[@OneShotAdventures]

Thanks Matt!

[@ThisWayUpTravel]

Love your editing style! L ove the fact the locals see you as an attraction. I dont think I'll have that problem 😁

[@OneShotAdventures]

Haha maybe not! It did make me feel famous sometimes

[@jinniu]

Great shots, thanks!

[@jaydenlin1943]

If you go there at Spring，all the pink Sakura flowers blossoms in town and some snow on the mountain，it's just phenomenal.

[@OneShotAdventures]

Jayden LIN that sounds amazing!

[@travelpockets]

I don't really see this side of China much with trendy bars and cafes. That McDonalds definitely looked cool! I was basically drooling at those food shots hahaha! So funny that the locals wanted to take pictures with you guys. That happens in the rural areas in Japan too and it always cracks me up.

[@OneShotAdventures]

Oh man, we got photographed so much in China! Sometimes you'll be standing in line ay a train station, backpack on, sweating - then a guy will just walk up to you and take a photo right in your face. So surreal haha

[@andyl3655]

@@OneShotAdventures you should have just said no to them, so anooying

[@welcometothechineseinterne334]

dude your videos are seriously great. loved the saigon as well

[@OneShotAdventures]

Thank you!

[@buytheticketstaketheride]

Another quality video that makes you feel we are right there with you! Thanks for putting together such a wonderful experience.

[@OneShotAdventures]

TRAVEGRAPHICS thank you!

[@EllaMcKendrick]

Your b-roll is just awesome! Haha, I love the cat street art. You're right that the town looks so cute. I can sure see why it's a popular tourist destination. I love the city walls :)

[@OneShotAdventures]

Ella in Wanderlust thanks Ella!

[@omgisthatvik]

The best thing about watching fellow vloggers is finding new places to add to the list. Dali now added :)

[@OneShotAdventures]

omgisthatvik glad you've added it to your list! China is awesome 😊

[@geoffreycurrie5949]

well rounded video. cheers!

[@joon3900]

Great video! Nice editing!

[@facefunny2518]

Beautiful beautiful place

[@alexteachesromanian]

Another one very well done. I loved the contrast between day life and night life. ❤️

[@OneShotAdventures]

Alexandra Dumitrescu thank you Alexandra! The contrasts were really surprising!

[@iheartchina8160]

Greetings from Dali!!! So glad to see our home spotlighted!! It is truly a wonderful place to visit, and even better place to live!!!!

[@OneShotAdventures]

Can't wait to visit again one day!

[@christyevershappily4eversafter]

Awesome! I love it, Great channel!

[@OneShotAdventures]

Thanks!

[@fredm5245]

Been there. Got the Bad Monkey T shirt, and everything you say is correct... enjoy.

[@OneShotAdventures]

Cheers!

[@AlbertoMendoza]

I've never been to China but its definitely in my bucket list. Dali looks like it has a chill vibe. Great and informative video.

[@OneShotAdventures]

Alberto Mendoza thanks man! Dali was a proper hippy town about 10 years ago, but has grown a lot since. Very cool place to spend a few days

[@RadiantRealty]

Ha, you're famous!!! So fun. Dali looks adorable and quaint. Great views of the pagodas! c/t

[@OneShotAdventures]

Radiant Wanderings haha it did feel like that!

[@meletispix]

I feel like I'm right there with you guys! Well done on making these videos so engaging mate! 👌👌

[@OneShotAdventures]

meletispix thank you mate! Been trying something a bit different with the last 2 videos. Back to a little cinematic short next 😊

[@iheartchina8160]

I am lucky enough to call Dali my home!!!! Heading out to do some exploration this weekend!!! Thanks for the super great look into Dali!!!

[@OneShotAdventures]

Nice, enjoy!

[@bugsandbears]

Looks like a city we'd really enjoy, especially with the cute coffee shops ☕️🌿! And the nature surrounding this water full is epic for sure! When we visit a city, we do enjoy cultural stuff like museums, but most of all we like just walking around and getting lost, finding places only locals go to. And we love getting outside of the city, finding a spot with a view and overlooking the whole city 😀!

[@OneShotAdventures]

Bugs & Bears it really does sound like you guys would love it here! There's a little bit of everything you need 😊

[@TravelRocksOurWorld]

Some of that food looked tasty. You just don't realize how much natural beauty is in China.

[@OneShotAdventures]

Travel Rocks Our World its true!

[@GoYvon]

The famous 3 pagodas! I haven't had a chance to see them for myself. The are looks really nice and calming with all the green, the streams and peacefulness.

[@OneShotAdventures]

They are definitely worth a visit :)

[@travelquartz]

From green landscapes to coffee shots to gondola rides this place offers everything one need for a vacation. I enjoyed watching a video esp when each second we move to different experience with perfect editing. The live music reminded me of Thailand and Gondola rides of New Zealand . I hope to see more of the world through your eyes . Kudos .

[@OneShotAdventures]

Thanks!

[@UnravellingTravelling]

Wow that's awesome. I'm literally sat here writing down the Cities in China I need to visit! Currently living in Beijing! Thanks for this, will add it to the list.

[@OneShotAdventures]

Unravelling Travelling oh awesome! Dali is really easy to fit in with some more of Yunnan, so definitely worth the trip!

[@whoisrichardedward3597]

you are a poet with your images, congrats!

[@OneShotAdventures]

Pan Theory wow, thank you! 😊

[@MamitagAdventures]

Fantastic video of showing us around in the city of Dali. Looks like you guys are big time celebrities with the locals that wanted to take pictures - with your great video content, who knows it can only get bigger! LOL! Keep up the great work Ryan!

[@OneShotAdventures]

Mamitag Adventures haha thanks man, really appreciate your support 😊

[@Zhen-Lin-CHN]

I like your Photography style and editor, looks very professional. 😻

[@OneShotAdventures]

Thank you!

[@mouadboumia3855]

Great content guys I hope you get more followers later

[@TheJourneyest2016]

Hidden gems are where it is at. The 3 pillar looking buildings were gorgeous. Looks like it had a [pretty lively music scene and bar scene mixed with old world charm.

[@OneShotAdventures]

The live music/bar scene was the last thing I expected to find there, it was a really cool surprise :)

[@TheTravelBugBite]

What a cute town! So it's surrounded by walls like Xian. That's so cool. I lived in Shanghai and I know exactly what you mean about the contrasts. I loved how you narrated this video, thank you for teaching me something new! Crazy that it was believed to be overrun by dragons. I love stories like that. Keep up the great videos!

[@OneShotAdventures]

Yeah it's similar to quite a lot of ancient Asian cities with the city walls. These ones are nowhere near the scale of Xian though :) Thanks so much for watching!

[@treasurehuntfoodies]

We lived in Beijing for 2 years. There was never enough time to take it all in!! Love your video!!

[@OneShotAdventures]

Treasure Hunt Travelers thanks for watching! It's true, there's always something more to explore!

[@Somedayilllearn]

Wow looks like you visited some really awesome places! Hopefully one day we can visit some of these spots for ourselves!

[@OneShotAdventures]

Someday I'll Learn Dali is a great place to explore!

[@wcx5822]

Welcome to dali , China. We love peace and friendship.

[@adamnw2074]

bro也是大理的吗

[@davyc3]

Dali does seem like a cool city. Haven't been but definitely on my list.

[@OneShotAdventures]

It's a cool place for sure!

[@fan1080Travels]

Very nice video, again. You have a really good production style to your videos. c/t

[@OneShotAdventures]

fan1080 Travels thanks so much!

[@TravellerBabaG]

Nice 👍👍

[@OneShotAdventures]

Traveller BabaG thank you!

[@WanderfulRevolution]

Wow, looks like a really great place! Really beautiful and the pagodas looked amazing! The McDonalds even looks cool! HAHA!

[@OneShotAdventures]

Wanderful Revolution haha I've never seen such a pretty Macdonald's!

[@KingTolentino]

really awesome vlog... love how you do your videos..looks really pro.. your voice is also pretty clear.. im struggling on that part... hahaha.. that place is beautiful...thanks for sharing

[@OneShotAdventures]

Thank you man, really appreciate it! The voiceover takes me a while as there's so many variables... Microphone positioning, my performance, the room you record and them obviously mixing it into the final product (Emma actually does that part, which helps me a lot!)

[@KingTolentino]

@@OneShotAdventures wow.. that's not simple... got a long way to go... but thanks for the tip :)

[@ParichayMehta]

This was a beautiful journey, Ryan. Dali looks amazing. Can you share your itinerary of China maybe? I'd love to follow your footsteps. :)

[@OneShotAdventures]

Parichay Mehta thanks Parichay! I was going to do a Top 10 video at the end of this series with my full itinerary in that, so stay tuned 😊

[@davyc3]

Beautifully shot and edited! It gets old after feeling like a celebrity in China, doesn't it? ;D

[@OneShotAdventures]

Haha it definitely does, by the time we were in our last week there wasn't as many smiles in photographs :)

[@simonkimber1152]

Great video…. Although Dali is struggling now….. no real tourism for 2 years and half the shops and hostels are closed

[@luxi2701]

You must be professional at editing. The scenery looks stunning in your eyes. Keep it up！

[@OneShotAdventures]

Thank you so much!

[@TimezoneJunkies]

Amazing place, but for us it felt more like an amusement park for all the Chinese tourists. Only 10 years ago it was a chill backpackers town. Unfortunately for us when we were there it rained all day every day and we didn't get to go up the mountain. Thanks for sharing!

[@OneShotAdventures]

Timezone Junkies I can see that, which is why we were pretty happy to find that quiet section of the mountain near the end. We still quite enjoyed the vibe though. The rain caught up with us in Lijiang.. Which is what the next video is about 😜 Thanks for watching guys

[@TimezoneJunkies]

@@OneShotAdventures Yeah, the rain...it always manages to catch up haha! Looking forward to seeing the next video as we never made in to Lijiang! See you in the next one!

[@OneShotAdventures]

Timezone Junkies thanks for the support guys, Lijiang will be up on Tuesday 😊

[@wuzo8688]

nice

[@OneShotAdventures]

Thanks!

[@penguinswander]

I liked the three pagodas. In World of Warcraft there are some similar towers that dragons live in. Dali looked like a very interesting walled city.

[@OneShotAdventures]

The legend says that the Dragons wouldn't destroy the city because they revered the pagodas so much :)

[@suarditan]

Great vlog 😍 Greeting from Indonesia KZbinr😋

[@OneShotAdventures]

Thanks Suardi, I just spent 2 months in Indonesia - beautiful country!

[@myworIdofexperience]

😍😍😍

[@OneShotAdventures]

my world of experience thanks for watching 😊

[@berisf]

I just want to go straight here... hoping we can hurry up and make it!

[@OneShotAdventures]

Beris Forde I loved Dali, hope you can make it there 😊

[@berisf]

@@OneShotAdventures wanted to go here for so long... stupid really considering how much time I've spent in China already! ...(can make it, no probs). Leaving NZ asap!

[@OneShotAdventures]

@@berisf Awesome! Yunnan province is great in general. Where have you been in China already?

[@berisf]

@@OneShotAdventures yes !!! (even though I haven't been there quite yet). lived in Guangzhou, Shenzhen and Tianjin. Travelled all way the over to sicchuan just to hear the music. Very incredible... Still have to pinch myself that it's true sometimes! Hoping to get here ASAP!

[@OneShotAdventures]

Beris Forde wow! I would love to visit Sichuan - I didn't have enough time on my trip 😢

[@MarcoPoloski]

Thank you very much for sharing this video. How do you put text behind landscape in your video edition?

[@OneShotAdventures]

Marco Poloski thank you for watching Marco! I use the tracker and masking tools in after effects to make the text effects

[@NomadicBuff]

That looks like a really fun place to visit! I love hearing the history of the Pagodas and the legend about the dragons! Funny that everyone likes taking pictures with westerners! That trail and waterfall at the end looked amazing! I'm curious, what do you use to do your text tracking in your videos?? Is it an app or computer software??

[@OneShotAdventures]

I use Adobe After Effects to do my text tracking (it's pretty much all I use it for haha).

[@pooi-hoongchan8680]

👏👏👏👍👍👍

[@GoTravelOnTheCheap]

Another great episode that makes me even more excited to (eventually) get to China! I had a similar experience with locals wanting to take pics with me when in South Korea; a group of students bombarded me--they were cool...did you & Emma feel like celebrities? ;-) We laughed a few times again--really enjoy feeling like we are getting to know you. What was your favorite part of your time in Dali? What does Emma do while you edit film? :)

[@OneShotAdventures]

Haha amazing! Yeah the people in China were always very friendly when they wanted photos - and very appreciative too! We definitely felt a little bit famous! I think just generally exploring the streets was my favourite thing, it was like stepping back in time at points. Emma is actually a sound editor and she does a lot of remote work on various podcasts (as well as helping me on these films), so she keeps pretty busy :)

[@GoTravelOnTheCheap]

I am big on just exploring the streets. Oh, that's cool about Emma. Tell her she does a stand-up job on your films!

[@OneShotAdventures]

Go Travel On The Cheap she says thank you! 😊

[@demlinnalo2030]

👍👍👍👍👍👍

[@OneShotAdventures]

talin nalo 👍👍👍

[@phillewee]

I actually really enjoyed this video first of all great editing. second your voice is really pleasent to listen to, it feels similiar to a BBC Travel program (hope you dont dislike that comment haha) and third did you found out what the celebrity forrest was ?

[@OneShotAdventures]

Phillewee thank you, that's a great compliment! I never did find out what the celebrity forest was, there were no English signs and there's nothing when I google it... It was just a few small sculptures amongst the trees, so I guess it was some kind of memorial?

[@phillewee]

@@OneShotAdventures haha ok at least you tried to find out of it ;)

[@AdventureEverywhere]

Huge thumbs up my friend. Love the contrasts theme here - great storytelling. "Even the rubbish bins look cool" lol. It looks like you're getting quite a following. Anyone ask you for autographs too? BTW...How do you put your titles behind/between images in your video?

[@OneShotAdventures]

Thanks Brian, glad you enjoyed it! I haven't quite graduated to autographs, but very popular with the selfies haha! I do those text effects in Adobe After Effects. It has a "tracker" tool where you can attach text to a certain part of the frame. Then I use a masking tool to make it look like it's hidden behind things (eg. the pagodas). I was considering doing a tutorial at some point, which is something I've never tried before

[@AdventureEverywhere]

@@OneShotAdventures A tutorial would be awesome.

[@OneShotAdventures]

It's on my list of video ideas for when I finally get through all this China footage haha

[@user-hg9gj1zo3s]

I'm a travel KZbinr. Yunnan is a good place.

[@OneShotAdventures]

It is!

[@kiddo.d.monster3518]

you are now celebrities!!! i kinda envy my neighboring asian countries (i'm also from asia) they care for their culture and infrastructure

[@OneShotAdventures]

Kiddo Monster it really felt like we were famous haha! Where are you from in Asia?

[@kiddo.d.monster3518]

@@OneShotAdventures ahahaha I'm from the Philippines

[@OneShotAdventures]

Kiddo Monster amazing! I'm hoping to come to the Philippines next year!

[@kiddo.d.monster3518]

@@OneShotAdventures ohhh nice, have an open mind, be prepared and you'll enjoy the country better go to the provinces, most places in Metro Manila are already crowded and polluted

[@OneShotAdventures]

Thank you, I will! Hoping to explore more nature as I prefer it to the big cities :)

[@TheTravelsOfZ]

This place looks more mainstream certainly a lot is happening here, maybe more popular among tourists. Is renting bike pretty easy?

[@OneShotAdventures]

The Travels Of Z strangely enough, Dali is a lot smaller than Lijiang. I think the weather just makes a huge difference! Renting a bike is really easy, there's so many rental shops and most hotels have their own too

[@teexiannibiru687]

GIVE YOU A SUPPORT. SUBSCRIBED.

[@rambotan5867]

zake yusaf loves yunan

[@mami1530]

Is Qingbi waterfall far from gantong cable car station?

[@OneShotAdventures]

No, very close!

[@jiwenguan4604]

How you guys get the funds to support your international trips?

[@OneShotAdventures]

Jiwen Guan we worked and saved for a long time!

[@bell1855]

This is my hometown. That’s CANGSHAN Moutain Not Kanshan Moutain

[@angie23575]

People in China want your photo at least once a day? Wait til you visit India 😂 it's constant, I was holding everyone's babies for photos

[@gavin8535]

b/c they don't see foreigners a lot.

[@OneShotAdventures]

😊

[@madeinchina1450]

。

[@simonkimber1152]

Great video…. Although Dali is struggling now….. no real tourism for 2 years and half the shops and hostels are closed