Bright Sunshine, Gentle Waves: A Romantic Journey from Afar

In the past, Dali always conjured up the image of a hidden paradise. This visit, I truly experienced the simple pleasures of returning to a pastoral life.

We visited Dali this winter. Though winter is often cold, when we checked into Tinghuatang Hotel and lay down facing Erhai Lake, a feeling of spring warmth and blooming flowers came over us, making us look forward to the journey ahead even more.

When coming to Dali, one surely seeks the romance of wind, flowers, snow, and moon. All these beautiful elements are visible in Cangshan Mountain and Erhai Lake.

In the rush between cities, sometimes you want a change from the refined standards of hotels. Today I'm taking you to stay at Tinghuatang, and it feels like stepping into a fairy tale!

The Hua Qianxun Water Curtain Cave Hotel boasts a natural geographical advantage to enjoy the beauty of Erhai Lake. Whether in the room or the garden, you can admire the azure sky and stunning lake views.

There's a spot inside the guesthouse that I especially love—a sunken area behind the café with a circular sunken sofa. It's perfect for chatting and gathering, whether with family or a few friends, comfortably leaning on the sofa to talk about daily life, life, the future...

Rattan ball lights hang elegantly, and when they light up at night, they create a different ambience.

Tinghuatang's sub-brand 'Hua Qianxun' aims to create a more dreamy garden for young people, with flowers as the theme to satisfy everyone's girlish heart. The guesthouse garden has over a hundred kinds of flowers—succulents, hydrangeas... Each season, different flowers bloom in competition, creating a scene of colorful blossoms.

No matter which season you visit, you can smell the strong fragrance of flowers, and being there feels like accidentally stepping into Alice's dreamy garden.

Strolling along Erhai Lake, you can see this transparent house from afar. Its walls are made of clear glass; on a clear night, open the curtains and you'll encounter a sky full of stars!

The Bai-style roof architecture, with its pure white exterior, is simple and unadorned. Entering the guesthouse, a riot of flowers and lush greenery greets you; the walls are covered with green leaves, interspersed with small purplish-red flowers, as if dressing the beautiful house in an even more splendid garment. Imagining living in this green-embraced house, a faint, lingering fragrance often wafts around your nose, letting you dream deeply. The next morning, after a stretch, you'll feel instantly refreshed and full of energy.

Every corner of the guesthouse is claimed by greenery and flowers. On a sunny afternoon, leisurely lounging on a chair in the courtyard, sipping a cup of fragrant tea and holding a casual book—this is exactly the life we yearn for!

There are also many Instagram-worthy spots in the yard perfect for photos.

The garden space is vast. Besides a 'Mirror of the Sky' and various flowers, there's also a waterfall cascade design, known as the 'Water Curtain Cave.' This French-style estate is perfect for vintage portrait photography. Next time, I'll definitely bring friends back to play.

There are 19 guest rooms, 12 of which are lake-view rooms. Each room is decorated with many Instagram-style accents, and the trendy spaces boost your chances of taking great photos. Online, you'll see all kinds of intoxicating scenery; when you come yourself, you'll find it's all true—no filter needed! Staying here for a few days will definitely make your trip more delightful.

The modern room environment gives the space a high-end feel, and pushing open the door reveals magnificent natural scenery—the small doorway is like a magical 'portal through time.'

Breakfast is also exquisite and delicious, with à la carte options. The first-floor dining area directly overlooks Erhai Lake. The unique birdcage chairs and antler lamps reveal the thoughtfulness of the guesthouse's design.

[Hotel Guide] Address: Yunnan · Dali · Tinghuatang Hua Qianxun Dali Erhai Water Curtain Cave Hotel. Transportation: 8-minute drive from Shuanglang Ancient Town, 10-minute drive to Xiaoputuo. Highlights: Stay in a comfortable environment, enjoy natural beauty, cleanse the soul, and discover the charm of Dali!

Our guesthouse is located in Shuanglang Ancient Town, Dali. After a short rest, you can explore this 'first town of Cangshan and Erhai scenery.'

Shuanglang is a place with a long history, one of the important cradles of Neolithic and Bronze Age civilizations in the Dali area, and a fertile land that integrates Buddhist, Taoist, Confucian, and primitive religious cultures.

Shuanglang Ancient Town sits by Erhai Lake, combining the scenery of Cangshan and Erhai in one place, where outstanding people and natural beauty converge. It was originally a fishing village, and locals still love their boats.

Climb the stone steps and lean against the stone wall to watch Erhai Lake shimmering under the sunlight, gorgeous and enchanting; listen to the waves crashing against the rocks, as if washing away all your troubles.

The scattered patches of color are so beautiful it can make you lose yourself.

For lunch in Shuanglang, have a characteristic Yunnan meal—authentic Crossing-the-Bridge Rice Noodles.

As the saying goes, 'Shuanglang on the east of Erhai, Xizhou on the west.'

Because the guesthouse industry in Shuanglang is quite booming, its reputation is greater than that of Xizhou Ancient Town, which makes Xizhou seem quieter and more low-key in comparison.

Writer Lao She said Xizhou is a miracle. 'Entering the town is like arriving in Cambridge, England.'

The clean flagstone paths, the ornately carved Bai-style houses, the grand and elegant upturned eaves and brackets, the meticulously carved stone motifs… everything showcases Xizhou's thousand-year history.

It only takes half a day to explore the main streets of Xizhou. We accidentally wandered into a narrow alley and discovered the mottled old memories hidden in the ancient lanes, weathered by centuries, with lingering charm.

The bluestone paths are worn, but stepping onto them, you immediately feel surrounded by a distant ancient charm.

A yellow wall at Xilinyuan bears witness to the rise and fall of a century of history here.

The white walls and black tiles of Bai courtyards set against the clear blue sky radiate the simplicity and purity unique to Xizhou.

In addition to Shuanglang and Xizhou ancient towns, between Dali and Lijiang, there is also Shaxi Ancient Town, which can also make you feel the tranquility and seclusion as if cut off from the world.

In such an almost secluded ancient town, there aren't many modern novelties to try, but its history and culture made us stop.

Exquisite carvings, layered tree shadows, and old door lintels that creak with age...

The history of Shaxi Ancient Town dates back over 2,400 years to the Spring and Autumn and Warring States periods.

During the Tang and Song dynasties, the Nanzhao and Dali kingdoms rose in the southwest, becoming a buffer zone between the Tang dynasty and Tibet, a link between the two, and one of the main stops on the Tea Horse Road for economic and cultural exchanges.

The ancient town has been well preserved to this day, and some changes have been made to keep up with the times while protecting its history, to better achieve inheritance and development.

Walking through the alleys, you can see original yellow-mud walls and log doors and windows everywhere, experiencing the rustic charm up close.

Bright orange persimmons hang on bare branches, each seeming to glow with golden light under the sun, dazzling and healing in this bleak winter.

Delighted by the thought of having the whole ancient town to ourselves, we were striding through the lanes when suddenly the aroma of cooking wafted over.

It turned out we had caught the lunchtime of the town's original residents. In a sunny courtyard, they were in small groups, helping each other, chatting and laughing, and cooking with gusto.

Bidding farewell to the warm locals, we continued our stroll.

The more we walked and looked, the more we felt that time seemed to have been frozen here, making it so tranquil and the pace of life so comfortable.

Everyone was unhurried, doing their daily chores, living their little lives, happy and content.

Each ancient building slowly tells us a history of over a thousand years. The carvings and structures retain their most original, authentic flavor.

This was once a famous stop on the Tea Horse Road, but as the route declined, the town was gradually forgotten. However, precisely because it was forgotten, it has better preserved the look of a Tea Horse town, allowing visitors to more authentically explore the history and culture of the Tea Horse Road.

Leisurely time is always free and interesting, incredibly pleasant—whether strolling on ancient flagstones, climbing the old opera stage, or looking at the shops and horse inns on Square Street... Time flows gently here, quietly awaiting the return of old friends.