Yunnan 02: A Traditional Yunnan Dining Experience...

“Travelling a thousand miles is better than reading ten thousand books...” - Chinese proverb

(“Peacock Banquet” - a taste of tradition)

Day 02: 25 August 2025 (Monday)
Route: Kunming - Dali
Hotel: Dali Manyue M Garden Hotel

At the arrival hall, we were met by Miss Lee Ling, our local tour guide and she will be with us for the whole trip.

The bus took us direct to the Country Inn & Suite By Radisson, located quite near the airport. After freshening up, we had a light sleep before the wake-up call at 6.00 am. Breakfast was at 7.00 am and we checked out at 8.30 am.

We started our journey to Dali by bus. The route was on modern expressways with tunnels cutting through mountainous terrain. The bus ride lets us see much more of rural Yunnan. The highway winds through the foothills of the Hengduan Mountains, with rolling green hills and terraced farmland. The distance between the two cities is 340 km and the journey took more than 4 hours, with a brief comfort stop at one of the R&R.

Dali is a popular tourist destination for domestic Chinese tourists, one of the string of towns described in Yunnan tourist trail leading up to the beautiful Tiger Leaping Gorge. It is a medium-sized city and popular to backpackers and the ancient walled city is a hippie's heaven.

We had lunch at one of the many Muslim restaurants in Xiangyun County in Dali. The family-run restaurant serves a variety of Chinese dishes and stir-fried vegetables. Meals were served on a big round table for 10 persons. Each meal usually has 10 dishes. The food in Yunnan is less oily and spicy than Sichuan cuisine but still flavorful.

 
After lunch, we performed jamak prayers at Xianyung mosque, a short driving distance from the restaurant but we had to walk quite a distance from the main road as the road leading to the mosque is narrow and busy.

The bus took us to The "Santorini of Dali". It is a resort town in Dali that mimic the whitewashed architecture, blue-domed buildings, and cliffside views of Santorini, Greece. There were a crowd of visitors and there was a long queue at the buggy station. This tourist area features charming villas, cafes, and hotels overlooking Erhai Lake, offering romantic backdrops and Instagram-worthy photo opportunities for visitors. It is a popular destination for couples, honeymooners, and wedding photography, providing a taste of a Greek-like atmosphere.

We had high-tea at one of the many restaurants with the lake and mountain views. We had chinese tea, fruit juice, a plate of tropical fruits and cakes while enjoying the surrounding scenery.

Dinner was at the Peacock Thai Restaurant in Dali. A large decorative peacock sculpture served as a centerpiece on the dining table. Food were arranged around the base of the peacock sculpture, creating a visually appealing presentation. The dishes were also delicious and flavourful.

It was already late at night when we visited Dali Old City which is located about 13 km from Dali New Town. It is a beautifully preserved old town with traditional Bai ethnic architecture, cobbled streets, and views of Cangshan Mountain to the west and Erhai Lake to the east. It was once an important stop on the Ancient Tea Horse Road.

It was quite a surprise that there was still a large crowd at the Foreigner Street which is the main street lined with chique cafés, bars and handicraft shops. Like many Chinese tourist destinations, the old town has architecture that dates back to the Ming dynasty, but has been extensively renovated, rebuilt and modernized. The city South and North Gates were Impressively lighted. The Three Pagodas of Chongsheng Temple, the iconic symbol of Dali, is located just outside the old town.

From the old city the bus drove us to our hotel which was an hour's drive away.