Three Pagodas

Absolutely the symbol of the town and region, the imposing Three Pagodas (三塔寺, Sāntǎ Sì), a 2km walk from the North Gate of Dali's old town, are among the oldest standing structures in southwestern China. The tallest is the 70m, ivory-white Qianxun Pagoda, which was erected in 17 tiers by engineers from Xi'an. At its side stand two smaller pagodas, each 42m high and with 10 tiers. It's a bit cheeky that the entry price is ¥75 (¥100 including a roundtrip bus ride that takes visitors around the site) given it's impossible to go inside the pagodas. Still, the Chongsheng Temple (崇圣寺, Chóngshèng Sì), located just behind them, has been rebuilt to an incredible degree following the design of the destroyed Nanzhao-era original and is well worth exploring.