2024 Xizhou town Travel Guide: Must-see attractions, popular food, hotels, transportation routes (updated in October)
I found the world of Hayao Miyazaki's animation in Xizhou, Dali.
It is said that Xizhou Ancient Town is a must-visit place in Dali.
Not only is there an ancient town, but also a green rice field.
Navigation🔍: It is more convenient to navigate to Zhengyi Gate or Dong'an Gate.
Transportation🚕: It is more convenient to take a taxi or rent a car.
Travel strategy✏️:
1️⃣It is recommended to visit the ancient town first and then go to the nearby shooting location. This way, you can basically play all the fun places.
2️⃣【Fengda Tree】: You can see a big tree🌲 from the road where the small train passes through the wheat field.
3️⃣【Xizhou Wheat Field】: You can find it by walking through the ancient town and entering the main road. There is a large wheat field here!
4️⃣【Ancient Town Corner Building】: The original drum tower shape is preserved and stands in the ancient town, which is also a classic photo location.
I came to Yunnan just to take these 18 photos.
I came to Yunnan just to take these 18 photos.
Xizhou Ancient Town is so beautiful in summer!
Whether it's rainy or sunny, it's always atmospheric~
We spent five days in Dali and Lijiang, respectively, and had plenty of time to visit many places~
In Dali, it's easy to get around Erhai Lake.
In Lijiang, we only went to Lijiang Ancient Town and Shuhe Ancient Town. There are many hidden gems in the town to explore~
The weather is really important when traveling in Yunnan! Be sure to check the weather!
Xizhou Ancient Town ~ Highly recommended
Xizhou Ancient Town is not large, and you can explore it thoroughly in just half a day. Suggested travel route: Enter the ancient town through Xizhou Justice Gate - Ancient Banyan Tree - Yan Family Courtyard - Corner Tower - Wheat Field - Haixie Park
What to see in Xizhou Ancient Town?
Bai ethnic ancient architectural complex: Xizhou is an important town where the Bai ethnic group resides, so there are many preserved Bai residential buildings here: the unique house structures of 'three rooms and one screen wall' and 'four courtyards and five wells', with painted decorations such as carved beams, painted rafters, overlapping brackets, and flying eaves, allowing you to enjoy them all at once.
★ Must-see attractions include:
⊙ Yan Family Courtyard Museum (a mansion of a wealthy local merchant from over 100 years ago)
Ticket: 18 yuan
Opening hours: 8:30-18:00
⊙ Towering ancient trees:
Not far from the Justice Gate, there is a 50-year-old ancient banyan tree, still thriving today.
⊙ Corner Tower: A must-visit spot in Xizhou. If you want to take undisturbed photos, try to arrive before 8:30. Otherwise, you'll have to take photos amidst carriages, cars, and crowds, making it difficult to get good shots.
⊙ Large swaying wheat fields: From March to May, it's wheat fields: rapeseed flowers in early March, green fields in April. From June to October, it's rice fields: turning golden by mid-September.
⊙ Fragrant and hot Xizhou Baba. Actually, you don't have to insist on eating Xizhou Baba in Xizhou. The freshly made ones sold in small alleys outside are cheap and delicious. Personally, I think the sweet ones (with brown sugar filling) are tastier than the savory ones. Freshly baked ones with a crispy crust are the most delicious, with flowing brown sugar filling, but be careful not to burn yourself.
⊙ From Xizhou to Haixie Park: It is about 3km from the wheat fields of Xizhou Ancient Town to Haixie Park. You can take a taxi or a small yellow tricycle.
Xizhou Ancient Town: A Bai Ethnic Secret Realm Through Millennia
Xizhou Ancient Town has a history of over a thousand years and is an old place for the Bai people in China. Mr. Lao She once said that Xizhou is a remarkable place. The houses here retain their ancient appearance and are well-preserved, filled with the unique flavor and style of the Bai ethnic group. If you visit, you definitely won't want to leave.
Address: East of Dali Line, Dali City, Dali Bai Autonomous Prefecture
Ticket: 18/person
Opening Hours: 8:30-18:00
Transportation: Take a bus from the Cangshan Gate of Dali Ancient City to Xizhou Zhengyi Gate
Travel Guide
👀Zhuanjiao Building is a landmark attraction in Xizhou, and many people come here to take photos. However, if there are many people, you might have to queue, so it's best to go early.
👀Xizhou is home to many traditional Bai houses, which are very distinctive.
👀Sifang Street is like the central square of Xizhou. It is bustling with many small shops and restaurants, making it a favorite spot for tourists.
👀Xizhou Wall refers to Dong Jinhan Courtyard, which connects three different areas of Xizhou. It's perfect for continuous shooting, like checking in at different places.
👀Yan Family Courtyard Museum is a historical site. It was originally a luxurious mansion of a wealthy family over 100 years ago and is now a place to showcase history.
👀The ancient tree near Zhengyi Gate is over 500 years old but still thriving and very spectacular.
👀If you want to find the ancient tree mentioned in the TV series "To a Place with Wind," you can navigate to Hetianli Boutique Inn and walk a few minutes to find it. The photo effect is particularly good when there are fewer people.
🔥When you step into Xizhou Ancient Town, you will see many beautiful Bai houses. These houses have three small houses surrounding a large courtyard (San Fang Yi Zhao Bi) or four houses surrounding five courtyards (Si He Wu Tian Jing). The corners of the roofs are high and pointed, like birds about to take flight, and the decorations are very intricate, like works of art. The carvings and paintings are exquisite, making people marvel at their beauty.
Xizhou Ancient Town Tour, Check-in and Eat, Half a Day is Enough
🎈Compared to the grandeur of Dali Ancient City, I prefer the tranquility and delicacy of Xizhou Ancient Town. This thousand-year-old town is bordered by Erhai Lake to the east and Cangshan Mountain to the west, attracting countless tourists with its famous 'wind-blown wheat waves.'
🎈Unfortunately, when I visited in early July, there were no wheat fields left🌾, but there were endless green rice fields, which were equally pleasing to the eye. The small train travels through the fields🚂, accompanied by blue skies and white clouds, making it feel like being in a Hayao Miyazaki anime world. Taking a break at a coffee shop in the fields, a sense of relaxation washes over you☕.
🎈Walking into Xizhou Ancient Town, numerous Bai ethnic residences come into view. The 'three rooms and one screen wall,' 'four courtyards and five patios,' high-pitched eaves, exquisite brackets, and beautifully carved beams and painted rafters🏫.
🎈The uniquely shaped corner buildings attract countless tourists, and I am one of them😄. However, it was too crowded to take good photos. I suggest visiting Xizhou Ancient Town either at 8 am or in the evening.
🎈Yan Family Courtyard is a large courtyard in Xizhou Ancient Town, revealing the glory and honor of the past everywhere. It features exquisite wood carvings, ingenious stone carvings, and colorful paintings🌟. It is said to be the mansion of a wealthy local merchant over 100 years ago.
🎈Everywhere in Xizhou Ancient Town🎬, you can see scenes from the TV series 'Where the Wind Goes.' Besides the wooden carving house of Xia Xia, Xiufang, and the yellow walls of Xilin Garden outside the ancient town, the wheat fields (now rice fields)🌾, the couple tree where Li Xian and Liu Yifei led their horses, and a 300-year-old big green tree🌳 where Liu Yifei cried in the drama. For specific navigation, search 'Hetianli Boutique Homestay.'
🎈Xizhou Ancient Town Tour Route:
Justice Gate➪Ancient Banyan Tree➪Yan Family Courtyard➪Corner Building➪Rice Fields➪Haixie Park
🎈Xizhou Ancient Town Food:
Xizhou Baba is a local specialty snack with sweet and salty flavors. I prefer the brown sugar filling, which is the most delicious when freshly baked. In the ancient town, and in the alleys outside, it costs 💰5 yuan each. There are many coffee shops in Xizhou, and I recommend going to the coffee shops in the fields outside☕, with a wide view and great scenery, where you can enjoy the breeze even in the hot summer🍃.
🎈Xizhou Ancient Town Transportation:
I went with my best friend on a group tour, starting from Justice Gate for free activities, and spent half a day there. For those traveling independently, you can take a bus from Dali Ancient City🚌 for 20 yuan per person, or a small minibus near San Yue Street. For those touring Erhai Lake, you can take a tricycle from Haixie Park to Xizhou Ancient Town.
🎈Little Tips:
① There are many beautiful tie-dye items in the ancient town, and you can bargain💰. No need to buy too many, as many are also available online.
② Many enthusiastic ladies in the ancient town will ask if you want to braid your hair💰. It's best to ask for the price first.
💖Spending half a day in Xizhou Ancient Town, we had no hurried or tight schedule, only pure tranquility and beauty. Every grass, tree, brick, and tile here filled me with endless warmth and comfort💖.
Roaming Plan in the Market: Dali·Xizhou Ancient Town Market Guide
- Xizhou Ancient Town has more than just wheat fields! The market is also great for strolling around~ Just in time for the Torch Festival (called 'Fu Wang Wu' in Bai language), the wood 🪵 we saw earlier turned out to be torches! The colorful paper-made Shengdou (a mascot on the torch, symbolizing 'abundant harvest and favorable weather~') is very eye-catching! Such a great atmosphere!
- Various fruits 🍇🍑🫐🍎/local specialty vegetables 🫛/seasonal mushrooms 🍄~ Fresh Sichuan pepper with a strong aroma~ There are also tea leaves 🍵, bamboo crafts 🎋, zongzi 🍘, tofu pudding 🍥, pickled fruits 🍐, pea jelly 🍮... A wide variety of items~ visually appealing and fun~
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Go to a Windy Place｜Xizhou Ancient Town
🎈Hi, dear friends! Today I want to share with you a fantastic summer getaway - Xizhou Ancient Town!
🌳 Xizhou Ancient Town is located in the northern part of Dali, Yunnan, backed by Cangshan Mountain and facing Erhai Lake. This perfect location is like a cool harbor meticulously crafted by nature.
💖 Speaking of history, Xizhou Ancient Town has a profound heritage. It is one of the important birthplaces of Dali culture and has witnessed the vicissitudes of time.
🌡 Here's the highlight! The summer here is incredibly cool, with an average temperature of around 18 - 25℃, like a cool fairyland in the scorching weather. When you stroll on the stone-paved roads of the ancient town, the gentle breeze can instantly dispel the summer heat.
🎉 The humanistic charm of Xizhou is rich and unique. As a settlement of the Bai ethnic group, its traditional folk culture is fascinating.
🌟 There is the famous Corner Tower here, whose unique shape makes it a popular spot for social media. It cleverly integrates Bai architectural style with Western architectural elements, making it uniquely charming and attracting many tourists to take photos.
🚂 Taking a small train tour around Xizhou is another kind of enjoyment. The breeze gently caresses your cheeks, and the picturesque scenery outside the window seems to take you into a dreamy world.
🌾 And there's the rice field hotspot, where golden rice ears sway gracefully in the breeze, contrasting with the blue sky, white clouds, and ancient buildings, creating a beautiful pastoral picture.
Xizhou Ancient Town in Dali is a new landmark for a quick visit
Spend half a day to enjoy Xizhou Ancient Town
Leave a stop for Xizhou Ancient Town when you travel to Dali~
Feel the refreshing and healing breeze through the wheat fields in Xizhou
Create your own tie-dye work and learn about the Bai nationality culture. I'll share the Xizhou Ancient Town travel guide with everyone
Interested friends are welcome to follow and save...
Half-day itinerary:
Enter the ancient town through Xizhou Justice Gate, Corner Tower, Xizhou-character wall for check-in, tie-dye, Yan Family Courtyard Museum, Woodcarving inheritance (go to the place with wind for shooting), the same big tree where Liu Yifei and Xu Hongdou were, Xizhou wheat fields
1 Corner Tower
A must-visit spot in Xizhou
If you want to take photos freely, it's recommended to arrive before 9 am!
2 Xizhou Wall
Turn left from the Corner Tower into the alley
You can navigate to Dong Jinhan Courtyard
There are three consecutive 'Xizhou' characters here
3 Tie-dye
If you come early, you can experience tie-dyeing
It takes about 2 hours
If you're short on time, you can visit the Yan Family Courtyard Museum
4 Yan Family Courtyard Museum
The mansion of a local wealthy merchant from over 100 years ago
18 yuan
8:30-18:00
5 Go to the place with wind for shooting
Free visit to the woodcarving inheritance
Next to it is the Windy Courtyard Coffee Shop
6 The same big tree as Liu Yifei
The ancient tree where Liu Yifei and Xu Hongdou shed tears
This is a 300-year-old ancient banyan tree
Navigate to Hetianli Boutique Homestay
7 Xizhou Wheat Fields (visit the ancient town and go to the wheat fields after lunch) Just walk down from the ancient town and you'll find many coffee wheat fields
I visited 'I Have a Field by Erhai Lake', 'Bridge with Wind Wheat Field', 'Roadside Picnic Coffee Gallery', 'Half Summer Coffee'
For details, you can check my homepage, all are very photogenic!
There is also a Haishu Park here, but you need to book in advance, limited to 200 people per day, I didn't go because I didn't book...
I didn't eat Xizhou baba, but I had beef skewers, which tasted good
15 yuan for two skewers, buy four get one free
I recommend the cheap and delicious ones sold in the small alleys outside!
Xizhou Ancient Town
Xizhou Ancient Town is located in the Dali Bai Autonomous Prefecture of Yunnan, in the northern part of Dali City. The town is home to many distinctive Bai ethnic residential buildings📸🏠. Walking into Xizhou Ancient Town, you can see the 'Three Rooms and One Wall Screen'📸, upturned eaves📸💯, and intricately carved beams and painted rafters📸🌹, making you feel like you've stepped into an architectural museum💕. Along the streets, you'll find tie-dye shops🏚️, the fragrant Xizhou Baba😋, wisteria with clusters of flowers hanging from the branches🪻, and the brilliantly colored geraniums💮🌸... The rich cultural atmosphere is palpable🥰📸.
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