The historic wooden corner tower of Xizhou old town

Tour 2 of 4

Bai Culture Deep-Dive

From history to houses, tea, dye and flavour, layer by layer — to understand Dali, not just pass through it.

Built to understand the Bai — not to tick them off a list.

We start with the history at the Dali Prefecture Museum, then go deeper each day: the Three Pagodas, the classic Bai courtyard houses of Xizhou, three-course tea, indigo tie-dye and Bai cooking. Designed by a host who knows local culture well and, when the lunar calendar allows, layered with a living festival.

History first

Museum before the monuments

Three houses, one wall

Xizhou's Yan Family Compound

Tea, dye & taste

Three-course tea and tie-dye DIY

Festival add-ons

Sanyue Jie, Raosanling, Torch Festival

Day-by-day itinerary · 3 days / 2 nights

Day1

History & landmarks

  • MorningArrive and visit the Dali Prefecture Museum to ground yourself in the Nanzhao and Dali kingdoms and Bai culture.
  • AfternoonThe Three Pagodas of Chongsheng Temple.
  • EveningBai specialty dinner · overnight in Dali Old Town
Dali Prefecture MuseumThree PagodasBai dinner
Day2

Houses · tea · dye · flavour

  • MorningXizhou's Yan Family Compound — a close look at the classic Bai “three houses and a screen wall” courtyard.
  • MiddayBai lunch in Xizhou, including Xizhou baba flatbread.
  • AfternoonBai three-course tea with an introduction to local customs — bitter, sweet, then a lingering aftertaste → tie-dye DIY · overnight in Xizhou
Yan Family CompoundThree-course teaTie-dye DIY
Day3

Old-town culture & farewell

  • MorningDali Old Town in depth — the Confucian Temple and the Bed-Sheet Factory Art District, with creative shops, exhibitions and cafés.
  • AfternoonDeparture
Confucian TempleBed-Sheet Factory Art District

Good to know

  • Benzhu temples and Benzhu festivals follow each village's own lunar calendar. If one falls during your trip, we can arrange it as a reservation-only special — an exclusive highlight.
  • Extend to 4 days to add Shaxi Old Town on the Tea Horse Road, or Jianchuan and the Shibaoshan Grottoes, for even more cultural depth.
  • Festival dates (Sanyue Jie, Raosanling, Torch Festival) follow the lunar calendar and change each year — book early to lock them in.
The gate tower of Dali Old Town lit up at night
Dali Old Town by night
The Three Pagodas of Chongsheng Temple in Dali before the Cangshan mountains
The Three Pagodas
A table spread of traditional Bai dishes in Dali
A Bai table
The gate of the Bed-Sheet Factory Art District in Dali
Bed-Sheet Factory
A Bai farmer carrying golden rice at harvest time near Dali
Rice harvest

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Ready for the Bai Culture Deep-Dive?

Tell us your dates and group size in a short form and we'll reply with a tailored plan and price. Any of our one-day festival & experience tours can be slotted in.

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