Practical Dali Travel Photography Spot Guide
With so many cookie-cutter travel photography guides, I wonder if you'll notice mine, pals. Since our studio also operates on other platforms, I rarely have time to compile guides, but today I finally set aside some time to put together a few lesser-known yet classic Instagram-worthy photo spots in Dali right now. I'm sharing them with you guys. Whether you're on a self-drive trip or booking a travel photography service, these are super practical. There are loads of popular photo stops around Erhai Lake, not to mention countless natural landscapes. I suggest picking three or four spots for a day trip, as each lesser-known location is quite far apart. Here are a few recommended spots:
1. S-bend at Erhai Ecological Corridor (Panxi Village): Cars cannot enter. Driving from Dali Ancient Town via the Dali-Lijiang Highway, it takes about 15 minutes to get nearby. Park your car in a parking lot outside before entering the ecological corridor, then walk to the seaside to take photos.
2. Cool car photos on the internet-famous road near Xizhou: Located behind Xizhou Ancient Town, there are several roads perfect for shooting. The traffic there is sparse, so it's relatively safe to pull over and take photos. I don't recommend stopping along the East Erhai Ring Road for pictures.
3. Xizhou Ancient Town: The old town itself usually has lots of tourists wandering around, so I don't particularly recommend it for photos. You can snack and stroll around Xizhou Ancient Town. Special local treats include: Xizhou crispy baba cake, Xizhou old popsicles, cold chicken rice noodles, and more.
4. Haixi Photography Base (Yunshui Huatian): This photo base is about one kilometer ahead of Xizhou Ancient Town. When you exit Xizhou Ancient Town, drive along the Dali-Lijiang Highway for about a minute to get there. There's an entrance fee here: 30 yuan per person. Inside, there are many photography props: a small bus, alpacas (taking photos with alpacas costs an extra 30 yuan per person), and so on.
5. Dead trees on the east coast: Perpetually aged dead trees standing in the water. This spot is located halfway between Shuanglang and Wase, next to a water station. Be careful, guys, because Erhai's water level dips and rises seasonally. Generally, in spring and summer when the water level drops, you can photograph the dead trees.
The spots I've shared are just a few of the lesser-known photo locations around Erhai Lake in Dali—there are plenty more I haven't listed. I'll share more with you when I have time. Or if any of you have questions, just ask! Feel free to DM me! Hehe
