A first visit to Dali: station, old town and lakeshore

Practical sources checked · 2026-10-27Official booking and visitor-information links are listed below.

An old-town courtyard and a room by Erhai imply different arrival points. Locate your accommodation first, then choose the landscape you want to explore.

The railway station is not the old town

Dali’s tourism transport operator publishes a connection from Dali Railway Station to the old town’s Erhai service centre. Mark the station, service centre and accommodation separately: arriving in the old town does not mean reaching your door.

Save the full Chinese address. Ask your accommodation which entrance is most convenient and how to complete the final part with luggage. A precise meeting point is more useful than a screenshot covering the whole old town.

Foothills, streets and water are different settings

Dali Old Town has Erhai to its east and Cangshan to its west. The foothills, streets and shoreline are separate places to explore. Your base affects which one is easiest to begin with.

Choose a shoreline section or a neighbourhood before adding a mountain visit. Stay beside the water to watch the light change, or give the town a continuous walk. Frequent transfers need not improve the experience.

Read the lakeside access signs

The western-shore ecological corridor manages vehicle access and public space. Hiring an electric vehicle does not establish permission to take it inside. Read the entrance signs before choosing an authorised walking, cycling or shuttle option.

Note your return entrance and pickup point. Keep to established ways rather than cutting through lakeside planting or fields. Published transport information is not a live departure board; mountain venues also have their own access notices.

Ask about the milk and the filling

Rushan is made from milk. Ask which filling a Xizhou baba contains; the accompanying historical photograph shows a meat version. Explain dairy, wheat or meat requirements rather than judging suitability by appearance.