Phoenix Hotspring Hotel Dali

... facilities are top notch. Erin, the manager is extremely friendly and helpful. A bonus point too is that the place is outside the citywall, so far away from the noise of bars and restaurants.<br>http://wikitravel.org/e n/Dali<br><br>The past two days I have been exploring the Old Town on foot, though I was planning on renting a bike and go crazy riding around the Bai communities close to Dali. The 2nd day ...

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We spent about 4 days in the Dali area, missing a subsequent earthquake by only a few days- lucky us. The town itself was fairly touristy, with an abundance of westernised cafes and souvenir stalls, and also a large population of old Dali women who would sidle up to us and whisper in our ears "Ganja, Ganja?", which we politely declined of course. The true beauty of the area was said to be around the nearby Lake Erhai, a lake shaped like an ear. So after spending a couple of ...

... will be done in a rather unorthodox manner: a 20 yuan deposit that is paid before the show and returned after the show. For more information about tickets call Annie at 15825276313. Free transportation to Dali and back and accommodation for the two days has been provided for the first 100 people to get their tickets. A further twenty tickets have been marked out for free transportation without the ...

... and going trekking by hiring a guide from one of the agencies. Luang Namtha being the northernmost town seemed an ideal place to start. "You may be able to get one from the border at Mohan. There are no direct buses from here." "Let me think on it." A Chinese guy with a hippyish mop of hair was busily engrossed in asking directions, using a map, from another member of staff. He couldn't help overhearing my enquiry. "You want to go to Laos ...

... it seemed far from my perception of a mystical place where monks roamed the street and more of a pathetic attempt of a Chinese tourist destination. The "old-town" was a small maze of shops and restaurants serving western food and selling traditional goods in the middle of a rather normal looking Chinese city. To add to the experience, almost all of the restaurants were closed because it was the low season and the place was nearly deserted. Once ...

... find but four fellow Irishmen sitting at the bar (typical:P)! Three girls en route to Australia and Eoin from Listhol, who's living here at the mo. They were all pretty sound, and we passed the night chatting and getting free drinks! I confronted my fear of the Asian squat toilets, needless to say, alcohol mixed with Chinese squat toilets doesn't lend to the best aim, that is all...! Luke for some inexplicable reason took a flaming Satan shot (on fire) and had to be put out ...

... and dinner is rice and vegetables. I'm loving it. After the daily struggle to order anything without meat in China, I eat with no fear and great appetite. The days at the monastery are all the same, yet not quite. For one, the ache in my body increases every day. It's beyond sore. I actually wake up during the night from the pain it causes to switch sides. And you have to switch sides, because it ain't a soft bed either. On day two, Shing Ming (or Shimmi as ...

... metres and still has snow on it and a large lake (the 7th largest freshwater lake in China) known as Erhai Ha. What Dali is especially famous for are the Three Pagodas which lie about 2km north of the Old Town. These are some of the oldest standing structures in this part of the country (built in the mid-9th century) and feature on many postcards. I cycled up the road to them past markets and local shops in the Old Town and arrived at the entrance gate where the ...

... dancers performing traditional Bai dances with fans and stick - instruments. There were 100 000 flowers on display, and over 300 different species. To me they just looked like poor versions of roses but Mr Zheng tells me that some of the flowers in Buckingham palace garden originated in Dali, so i suppose they must be good. The second half of the event happens this evening - a banquet. We are supposed to go in formal attire.. all we have ...