There is a kind of life, a journey, a memory, and a dream in what is called life!

I am waiting for you in Dali, Yunnan, at Cangshan Mountain and Erhai Lake!

The most precious thing in life is to meet the right person, the right scenery, and the right life at the right time. As Yu Hua wrote in "To Live": Time changes, and no one can reverse it. Time is indeed cruel, but also gentle; it takes away some things, but also gives some compensation. The past cannot be revisited, and time never stops. Having experienced is the best reunion. Not fearing the future, not dwelling on the past, is the most beautiful response to time.

Travel is the most beautiful time, and also the freedom that people most yearn for. The journey can bring people a lot of joy and memories, immersing them in a carefree life. The experiences of a person's life can be summed up in four words: wind, flowers, snow, and moon. Dali is also a city of "wind, flowers, snow, and moon." Having experienced such a life, one must also appreciate the scenery of "wind, flowers, snow, and moon."

Xiaguan Wind, Shangguan Flowers, Cangshan Snow, and Erhai Moon — "wind, flowers, snow, and moon" encompass the most beautiful scenery of Dali. Some say Dali is lonely, while others say it is romantic. The Dali in everyone's eyes is different. Among the myriad of landscapes, there will always be one that makes you linger and leaves a deep impression. Dali is located in the central northwest of Yunnan, with a superior geographical location and a suitable climate throughout the year. It is a beautiful tourist city.

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I. Preparations Before Traveling to Dali

(1) Dali is on the Yunnan-Guizhou Plateau, with an altitude of about 1800 meters. The temperature difference between morning and evening is large, and the radiation during the day is strong. Pay attention to keeping warm, sun protection, and moisturizing.

(2) Summer in Dali is the rainy season. Be sure to bring rain protection measures before traveling.

(3) Tourist attractions in Dali: Dali Ancient City, Three Pagodas Temple, Erhai Lake, Cangshan Mountain, Wase, etc.

(4) Must-eat foods in Dali: Wild mushroom hotpot, cured pork rib hotpot, sour and spicy fish, local chicken hotpot, etc.

(5) Accommodation options in Dali: Dali Ancient City, Shuanglang, Wase, Xizhou, etc.

(6) Travel style options in Dali: Self-driving and independent travel are the main choices.

(7) Before coming to Dali, choose and book accommodation online (Dali Ancient City offers good value for money).

(8) The most suitable travel duration for Dali is 3–5 days.

II. Accommodation Choices in Dali

Accommodation is a very important choice for travelers. Choosing a cost-effective homestay or hotel is the beginning of maintaining a good mood during the journey. There are many homestays and hotels in Dali. For tourists, choosing a homestay can be a great option. Hotels have different styles and experiences across the country, while Dali's homestays are quite famous nationwide. The biggest difference between hotels and homestays is the experience and the feeling of staying. Hotels are relatively more enclosed and have fewer leisure areas, while homestays are more open and distinctive, giving people a very free and comfortable feeling, with more leisure spaces. They are an excellent choice for travel and relaxation. Dali's homestays are concentrated in places like Dali Ancient City, Shuanglang, and Wase, with various styles and prices. Dali Ancient City is a transit hub for traveling in Dali, with very convenient transportation. Dali is also a city with a long history. For accommodation, it is recommended to choose a homestay in Dali Ancient City, which offers good value for money and convenient travel. The homestay styles in Dali also feature ethnic cultural characteristics. Take a homestay in Dali Ancient City as an example to comprehensively introduce its architectural style, environment, and services. Dali Homestay: "I Wait for You in Dali·Fangzhou Muzhai" is located on the lower section of Renmin Road in Dali Ancient City, with convenient transportation. It is a mid-to-high-end homestay with an elegant environment. The overall design combines Chinese retro and modern styles, exuding a fresh vibe.

Experiencing the soft time of Dali, a homestay is a very good choice. In the quiet courtyard, sip a cup of tea, read your favorite book, enjoy the beauty of time, and feel the soft time belonging to the homestay. I like the courtyard of Fangzhou Muzhai the most—comfortable and cozy. Sitting in the courtyard, thinking quietly, it turns out to be another kind of enjoyment. It seems that every homestay has a Zen tea room for guests to sip tea, talk about life, and discuss ideals. Isn't this the "poetry and distance" in people's hearts?

III. Dali's Special Cuisine

The local specialty flavors in Dali are mainly sour and spicy. Many tourists may not be fully accustomed to it, but most of it still aligns with common tastes and is quite delicious. For example, home-style stir-fries, hotpot, cured pork rib hotpot, and wild mushroom hotpot are all very tasty and suitable for general tastes. Cured pork ribs and wild mushrooms are very special local delicacies in Dali. The very famous local specialty dish, sour and spicy fish, is mostly operated by locals and is one of the foods worth tasting. However, some tourists may not be very accustomed to it. I recommend the wild mushroom hotpot, which suits general tastes and may be more popular. Wild mushrooms are a unique local delicacy in Yunnan. They have restrictive conditions such as altitude and climate, which prevent other cities from having the environment for wild mushrooms to grow, making them extremely precious and delicious ingredients. Wild mushrooms have very high nutritional and medicinal value. There is a popular wild mushroom restaurant in Dali: "I Wait for You in Dali·Fangzhou Fat Kitchen." It is one of the must-visit spots when traveling in Dali.

"I Wait for You in Dali·Fangzhou Fat Kitchen" is located on the lower section of Renmin Road in Dali Ancient City, with an excellent location and convenient transportation. The restaurant has a retro-style design, simple, elegant, spacious, and with a touch of warmth. All wild mushrooms are paired with better ingredients to enhance their nutritional value. The restaurant offers multi-person set menus, allowing tourists to choose suitable meal packages based on the number of people. The prices are affordable and offer good value for money. Often, when passing by the restaurant's entrance, you can see long queues, indicating its popularity among tourists.

Restaurants that are often loved by people are usually simple, without too much luxurious decoration—just ordinary. The restaurant is not large; it is mainly a two-story structure. Wild mushroom dishes are really delicious. The mushroom soup is delicious and tasty. There are many types of wild mushrooms, such as matsutake, bamboo fungus, and morel mushrooms, all tender and delicious. Coming to Dali and tasting wild mushrooms might be the most beautiful "time" of the trip.

IV. Dali's Scenic Spots

Encounter the most beautiful scenery, meet the best time, encounter Dali, face Erhai Lake, with spring blossoms.

(1) Dali Ancient City

Dali Ancient City is a must-visit place for many tourists coming to Dali. It is one of Dali's iconic attractions. Dali is a city full of stories and history. The "wind, flowers, snow, and moon" of Dali are mainly reflected in the bar street at night, with bright lights, moving music, and a flow of tourists. Dali Ancient City was built in the Ming Dynasty and was formerly known as Yeyu City, Forbidden City, Zhonghe Town, etc. There is a moat outside the ancient city, and the buildings are all green-tiled roofs, simple and unadorned. Dali Ancient City has many cultural relics: ancient city towers, ancient academies, and ancient temples. The best time to wander around Dali Ancient City is at night. In the night, Dali Ancient City is brightly lit with a pleasant view. The ancient city is not very large. You can slowly walk on the bluestone pavement and savor the historical charm of Dali. Reminder: During the peak season, Dali Ancient City is crowded. When traveling at this time, parents with children must take good care of their kids.

(2) Three Pagodas of Chongsheng Temple

Chongsheng Temple faces Erhai Lake to the east and leans against Cangshan Mountain to the west. It is a symbol of Dali's history. It is located near Dali Ancient City with convenient transportation. Chongsheng Temple is famous for its three pagodas, also known as the "Dali Three Pagodas," which are one of China's famous Buddhist pagodas. The three pagodas consist of one large and two small pagodas, standing in a tripod-like formation. Seen from afar, they are majestic and magnificent, one of the "Scenic Wonders of Cangshan and Erhai."

(3) Cangshan Mountain

Cangshan Mountain is also a well-known scenic area in Dali. It is the main peak of the southern end of the Yunling Mountain Range, composed of 19 peaks from north to south, starting from Eryuan Dengchuan in the north and reaching Xiaguan Tiansheng Bridge in the south. The 19 peaks of Cangshan are towering and majestic, forming a stark contrast with the beautiful Erhai Lake scenery. The highest peak is Malong Peak, with an altitude of about 4122 meters. Between each pair of peaks, there is a small stream flowing eastward, eventually entering Erhai Lake. These are the famous 18 Streams of Cangshan. The best travel time is from April to October. Reminder: The best season to visit Cangshan is winter. In winter, Cangshan is very beautiful; it snows, and the vast white snow is extremely charming.

(4) Erhai Lake

Erhai Lake is the most beautiful and romantic place in my impression. The sky and the water merge into one color—quiet and beautiful. Escape the flashy hustle and bustle, and seek your own poetry and distance! The romance of Erhai Lake, the tranquility of Erhai Lake, the seagulls in Erhai Lake, the encounters by Erhai Lake... These are all unique sceneries of Erhai Lake. Many people may lose themselves by Erhai Lake, but also find themselves. It is all the soft time belonging to Erhai Lake.

Erhai Lake is located between Cangshan Mountain and the Dali Basin, in Xiaguan, Dali City. It has three islands, four islets, five lakes, and nine bends. You can take a boat tour of Erhai Lake from the Erhai Park in Xiaguan Town. The best time to visit Erhai Lake is after 3 PM, when the sun is not too strong. You can choose to cycle around or rent a car to tour the entire circumference of Erhai Lake. When tired, find a place to rest and take photos. Photography enthusiasts can choose to take pictures in the evening, which is very beautiful. The most important thing when visiting Erhai Lake is the state of mind—slow down and savor the time belonging to Erhai Lake, and feel the beauty of life. Encountering Erhai Lake is actually about encountering the truest self. The best travel seasons are spring and winter. Reminder: The wind at Erhai Lake can be strong, so pay attention to keeping warm.