Tigertiger- thank you! Very informative. I knew Dali was a popular tourist spot, but I didn't realize quite how many foreigners there were. We wanted to go there to avoid the big cities, find somewhere that was a little slower paced and where we could enjoy the outdoors. We also didn't want to go somewhere with enough international influence that we weren't forced to speak the language and engage with the locals. That being said, maybe Dali doesn't make as much sense if we'll be surrounded by other expats. We don't really care if we're a little off the beaten path, western amenities or great nightlife are definitely not at the top of our list of priorities. We would, however, like to be somewhere that has a compact enough city center that we can get most of what we need by bike, and I heard you could get pretty much anywhere in the Old Town that way. I don't like the idea of taking my kids to some inaccessible rural village and I don't like the idea of being stuck in traffic in a larger city. Maybe I'm being a little too picky:)

Dali is tiny.

It is an ancient walled city, and you can walk from one end to the other in under 20 mins. Even if you stray to the edge of town, beyond the city wall, that is only another 15 mins walk.

There are many other, what are termed, county level cities that would fit the bill. Many have schools that employ teachers. You will often see schools recruiting for other cities on GoKunming. Some are ok other not, but I am sure if you post on here and ask questions about a specific school you will get advice.

The first question you now ask to the forum is 'where to live in Yunnan?' and give your basic wish list for lifestyle etc.

There are others on here who have travelled extensively in Yunnan who can give you info. Someone on here also has a travel website, not 100% sure who, but he will chip in soon enough.