Mandarin Immersion (Part 17)

This entry is part 17 of 40 in the series Mandarin Immersion

May 31, 2023

Mandarin Immersion (Part 17)

By Simon J. Lau

I made it to Dali, located in Yunnan province. Yunnan, a landlocked province in southwest China, borders Vietnam, Laos, and Myanmar. Due to its strategic location, it’s one of the most ethnically diverse provinces in China. It’s historically significant as it served as the capital of the Dali Kingdom, which encompassed present-day Yunnan as well as parts of Laos and Myanmar. After the kingdom was overthrown, its people, primarily the Bai people, were ruled by the Mongol-led Yuan dynasty, followed by the Ming dynasty.

Beginning in the 20th century, rail and air transport made Dali accessible to the rest of the country. It’s now a popular tourist destination. Given its ethnic diversity and rich cultural history, I wanted to spend quality time here to explore a part of China I’ve never experienced.

First stop on my bucket list: Street food! My hotel is located in Dali Town, Dali’s old town and historic district (which is different from the modern city center, just south of here). It’s famous for its Bai architecture and diverse ethnic cuisines.

Finally, I challenged myself to beat the amazing $28/night room I found in Wuhan. I may have done so here. You tell me. How does this look for $14/night? It also includes an amazing breakfast (so I’m told, I’ll let you know later). It’s spacious and gets a lot of light.