The east-west axis of the old town, running from the West Gate to the lake-facing East Gate, and the centre of contemporary Dali life. Renmin Lu has gradually replaced Foreigner Street as the place where the more interesting cafes, bars, bookshops, and small restaurants cluster — both Chinese-run boutique places and a smaller number of Western-run operations.
The upper section near the West Gate has more bookshops and cafes; the lower section toward the East Gate has more bars and live-music venues. Walking the whole length takes about 20 minutes; the side lanes are often more interesting than the main street itself. A few hours in the late afternoon and evening is enough to get a sense of the contemporary Dali scene.