Xizhou

Xizhou, aside from Dali, is another great place to observe typical Bai folk culture and architecture. A typical Bai courtyard home consists of rooms on three sides and a decorative screen wall on the south side. These homes have carved beams, turned up eaves, and look splendid in their green, gold, blue and white paint.

Numerous intriguing Bai festivals are held in Xizhou, almost one major festival each month. The one most worth mentioning is the "Three Spirits Festival" in April, when local young men and women gather together to choose their lovers and future spouses. During the festival, local people perform all manner of Bai folk dances wearing their very best clothing.

Xizhou is also home to embroidery and wax dying which can be used to make and decorate shoes, hats, clothing, tablecloths, tapestries and bed sheets.

Not far from Xizhou, Zhoucheng is yet another good place to see well-preserved Bai houses and architecture. The local Erhai fish is fantastic and a regular bazaar is held here regularly.

How to get there: From the ancient town, take the Yunnan-Tibet Highway which lies west of town and wait for buses heading north. Xizhou is 26km north of ancient Dali. Tell the bus operators that you are going to Xizhou and the buses will drop you off at an intersection where pedicabs wait to take travelers into Xizhou. From that point, Xizhou is about 2km east of the highway and costs a mere RMB1.
Opening Hours: While the towns themselves don't have "opening hours" per se, things quieten down early in the small town of Xizhou.