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.