1Highlights
The Three Pagodas are the image Dali sells itself with: the main Qianxun Pagoda at about 69 metres, flanked by two smaller towers, Cangshan rising behind and a reflecting pond in front. They are roughly 1,200 years old and have stayed standing through earthquakes that flattened everything around them. Behind them, the reconstructed Chongsheng Temple climbs the slope in a long axis of halls — this was the royal temple of the Dali Kingdom, and nine of its twenty-two kings are said to have become monks here. The ticket is ¥75, the site is far bigger than the photos suggest, and the detail almost every guide omits is that you generally need a booking made before you turn up.
- Admission
- ¥75 (students about ¥37)
- Booking
- Generally required in advance
- Main pagoda
- Qianxun, about 69m
- Internal shuttle
- About ¥15–20 one way, optional
- Hours
- Roughly 07:30–18:30, seasonal
- Reflection park
- Free, just south of the site
- From the old town
- About 2km, 10 minutes by taxi
- Suggested time
- About 2.5–4 hours
2Tickets
Admission is ¥75, roughly half for full-time students, and it covers the pagodas, the temple behind them and the pagoda park. The internal shuttle cart is optional at roughly ¥15–20 one way; returns are quoted much higher and are rarely worth it, because the sensible way round is to ride up and walk down. Two combination tickets are worth knowing about because they beat buying separately: Three Pagodas plus the Gantong cable car at around ¥170 against about ¥205 bought apart, and Three Pagodas plus an Erhai cruise at around ¥150 against about ¥205. Official live prices govern, and bundles vary by channel.
| Admission | ¥75 | Covers the pagodas, Chongsheng Temple and the pagoda park. Book online before you go. |
|---|---|---|
| Student ticket | About ¥37 | Full-time students with valid ID. Seniors 60–69 are also around half price. |
| Three Pagodas + Gantong cable car | About ¥170 | Against roughly ¥205 bought separately. The best-value pairing if you are doing Cangshan anyway. |
| Three Pagodas + Erhai cruise | About ¥150 | Against roughly ¥205 separately — the larger saving of the two combos. |
| Internal shuttle cart | About ¥15–20 one way | Optional. Ride up, walk down — returns cost far more for no benefit. |
| Reflection Park | Free | Just south of the site. The classic reflection photo is taken from here, not from inside. |
| Old-town shuttle bus | About ¥5 | From the old-town visitor centre, a few departures a day. |
Book before you go — gate windows often sell nothing：This is the single most useful line on the page, and most guides leave it out entirely. Tickets are sold through the official channels — the 'You Yunnan' mini-programme and the Dali tourism accounts — typically at least a day ahead, and on-site windows frequently have nothing to sell, especially in summer. A ¥75 ticket is not the kind of thing most visitors expect to need a reservation for, which is exactly why people arrive and find they cannot get in.
Ride up, walk down：The site climbs a long way up the slope behind the pagodas, and the pagodas themselves are at the bottom. Take the shuttle to the top of the temple, walk out to Wanghai Lou, the highest viewpoint, for the panorama over the pagodas to Erhai, then come down the central axis of halls on foot. It costs one shuttle fare instead of two and you see the site in the order that makes sense.
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3Getting There
The pagodas are about 2km north of the old town — ten minutes by taxi, a few yuan by local bus, or around half an hour on foot from the North Gate through farmland. The Gantong cable car and the west shore of Erhai are both close enough to pair into the same day.
Old town → pagodas, about 10 minutes
Several routes run past the site
From the old-town visitor centre
From the North Gate, about 30 minutes through fields
Pair it with Cangshan：The Gantong cable car base is close by, and there is an official combined ticket at around ¥170 that covers both. If Cangshan is on your list at all, buying them together rather than separately is the easiest ¥35 you will save in Dali.
4Route & Photos
Suggested: the front plaza for the three-in-one-frame shot → shuttle to the top → Wanghai Lou for the panorama → walk down the axis of halls → out to the Reflection Park. The pagodas face east, so the front of them is lit in the morning and the reflection pond works best when the water is still, which is also morning.
Recommended Route
- 1
Front plaza
All three pagodas in one frame, with Cangshan behind. The shot everyone comes for.
- 2
Shuttle to the top
Saves the long climb up the slope behind the pagodas. One way only.
- 3
Wanghai Lou
The highest viewpoint in the site, looking back down over the pagodas to Erhai and the snow line.
- 4
The axis of halls
Walk down through the Rain Bronze Guanyin hall, the bell tower and the main hall. Reconstructed, but the scale is the point.
- 5
Reflection Park
Free, just south of the exit. The mirrored shot is here — not inside the paid area.
Best Photo Spots
Reflection Park pond
Pagodas and Cangshan mirrored in still water. Morning, before the wind picks up.
Wanghai Lou
Looking down the axis over the pagoda tops to the lake — the view the front plaza cannot give you.
5Food & Stay
| Around the siteBai home cooking | ¥40–80 pp | Serviceable, priced for a captive audience. Bring water instead. |
|---|---|---|
| Back in the old townErkuai, rushan, sour-spicy fish | ¥20–80 pp | Ten minutes away and far more choice. Eat after, not before. |
Where to Stay
- Dali Old Town, ¥50–500/night — two kilometres away and the obvious base. Staying nearer the pagodas gains you nothing; the site is a half-day visit, not a neighbourhood.
6Tips & Pitfalls
- Book the ticket before you arrive. Official channels, usually at least a day ahead; on-site windows often have nothing, especially in summer.
- Buy the combo if Cangshan or a cruise is on your list. ¥170 with the Gantong cable car or ¥150 with an Erhai cruise, against about ¥205 either way separately.
- Allow three hours, not one. The pagodas take twenty minutes; the temple behind them is a long uphill axis and is most of the ticket.
- The famous reflection shot is outside and free. The Reflection Park south of the site is where it is taken; you do not need to be inside the paid area for it.
- Morning light, morning water. The pagodas face east so the front is lit early, and the reflection pond only works before the wind comes up.
7Frequently Asked Questions
How much is the Three Pagodas ticket?
About ¥75 for adults, roughly half for full-time students and for seniors aged 60–69, covering the pagodas, Chongsheng Temple behind them and the pagoda park. The internal shuttle is extra at roughly ¥15–20 one way and is optional. Official live prices govern.
Do I need to book in advance?
Generally yes. Tickets are sold through official online channels, typically at least a day ahead, and on-site windows often have nothing to sell — particularly in summer. This catches people out because a ¥75 ticket does not feel like something that needs a reservation.
How long should I allow?
About two and a half to four hours. The pagodas themselves take twenty minutes; the reconstructed temple behind them climbs a long way up the slope and is most of what you paid for.
Is the shuttle cart worth it?
One way, uphill, yes — roughly ¥15–20 saves a long climb. A return ticket costs considerably more and gains nothing, because walking down the central axis past the halls is the better way to see the site anyway.
Where is the reflection photo taken?
At the Three Pagodas Reflection Park immediately south of the scenic area. It is free and outside the ticketed zone, and the water is stillest in the morning.
Combine With
Other Dali sights that genuinely pair well with this one
Before You Go
The practical guides you will actually need here
All Dali attractions
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Our team of China travel researchers combines on-the-ground contributor insights, official government sources, and traveler community feedback to create the most detailed English-language China guides available. Every guide is fact-checked against primary sources (NIA, 12367, official attraction websites, Railway 12306) before publication.