Dali has an old town lying within fortified walls with impressive gates. It is pleasant to stroll the clean pedestrian streets. Outside the walls, many horses and horse cariages are available for a ride. Backpackers appreciate this town for the relaxing atmosphere and the food, not the least being the copious banana pancakes, a rarity in China. Outside of the old town, the most remarkable structure are the Three Pagodas (San Ta Si), erected in the 9th century. However, the main attractions might consist of the surroundings, including the 4000m high Cang Shan mountains, and the beautiful Erhai lake, where you can watch the old art of cormorant fishing. Dali is in Yunnan, 370km west of Kunming and can be reached from there with a (short) overnight train ride.
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