48 | Dali: The Chiang Mai of China?

In this fourth and final episode from China, Christoph Huebner travels to Dali – a small town in Yunnan province that's often described as the "Chiang Mai of China."

After exploring megacities like Shenzhen and Shanghai, and spending time in Chengdu, this stop feels very different. Slower. More relaxed. And with a much stronger sense of community.

Christoph arrives at a co-living space in Dali where he's immediately welcomed into the group – complete with karaoke night, shared meals, and something they call a "mentor system," where new arrivals are paired with someone from the community to help them settle in.

In this episode, you'll hear from Wendy and Yellow, two members of the co-living space, as they talk about what makes this place special, how the community works, and why Dali has become a hub – not just for international nomads, but for Chinese remote workers as well.

We also visit another co-living space in town, where the vibe is more modern and locally driven, and where most residents are Chinese – giving a different perspective on what the digital nomad scene looks like inside China.

This episode wraps up with a conversation reflecting on Christoph's time in Dali – but as you'll hear, there's more to unpack, which we'll continue in the next episode.

Key Takeaways

• Dali offers a completely different experience from China's major cities – with a slower pace and stronger community vibe
• Co-living spaces play a key role in the digital nomad ecosystem in China
• The "mentor system" helps new arrivals quickly integrate into the community
• Many digital nomads in Dali are Chinese, not international
• The local scene is closely connected through networks like 706
• Dali is more about lifestyle, nature, and connection than career growth
• Compared to other places in China, Dali feels more aligned with what international nomads expect from a co-living destination

Relevant Links

• Nomad Summit: https://nomadsummit.com
• Episode produced by RadioGuru: https://radioguru.co.uk