Life Is About Having a Life, a Journey, a Longing, and a Dream!
I’m waiting for you in Dali, Yunnan—by 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. Yu Hua wrote in To Live: "Time changes everything, and no one can turn it back." Time is indeed cruel, but also gentle—it takes some things away, yet gives something in return. The past cannot be revisited, and time never stands still. Having experienced it is the best reunion. Not fearing the future, not clinging to the past—that is the most beautiful response to time.
Travel is the loveliest of times and the freedom people yearn for most. The journey brings much joy and many memories, letting us immerse ourselves in carefree living. A person’s life can be captured in four words: wind, flowers, snow, and moon. Dali is also a city of "wind, flowers, snow, and moon." After living a life seasoned with these, one should also go and savor the scenery they describe.
The wind of Xiaguan, the flowers of Shangguan, the snow on Cangshan Mountain, and the moon over Erhai Lake—"wind, flowers, snow, and moon" encompass the most beautiful landscapes of Dali. Some say Dali is lonely, others say it is romantic. Everyone’s Dali is different; among its countless scenes, there is always one that will make you linger and leave a deep impression. Dali is located in the northwest-central part of Yunnan, enjoys a superb geographical position, has a pleasant climate all year round, and is a beautiful tourist city.
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I. Preparations before traveling to Dali
(1) Dali sits on the Yunnan-Guizhou Plateau at an altitude of about 1,800 meters. There is a large temperature difference between morning and evening, and strong solar radiation during the day, so pay attention to keeping warm, sun protection, and moisturizing.
(2) Summer in Dali is the rainy season; be sure to bring rain gear before setting out.
(3) Tourist attractions in Dali: Dali Ancient Town, the Three Pagodas Temple, Erhai Lake, Cangshan Mountain, Wase, etc.
(4) Must-eat foods in Dali: wild mushroom hot pot, cured rib hot pot, sour-spicy fish, free-range chicken hot pot, etc.
(5) Accommodation choices in Dali: Dali Ancient Town, Shuanglang, Wase, Xizhou, etc.
(6) Preferred travel style in Dali: mainly self-driving and independent travel.
(7) Before coming to Dali, select and book accommodation online (Dali Ancient Town offers great value for money).
(8) The ideal length of stay in Dali is 3–5 days.
II. Accommodation choices in Dali
Accommodation is a very important choice for travelers. Picking a guesthouse or hotel with good value for money is the start of keeping a good mood on the road. There are many guesthouses and hotels in Dali. For tourists, choosing a guesthouse is an excellent option. Hotels across the country offer different styles and experiences, but Dali’s guesthouses are particularly famous nationwide. The biggest difference between a hotel and a guesthouse lies in the experience and the feeling of staying. Hotels tend to be more enclosed and impose a certain sense of constraint, with fewer spaces to unwind. Guesthouses, on the other hand, are more open and distinctive, giving people a very free and comfortable feeling, with plenty of places to relax—an ideal setting for travel and leisure. Dali’s guesthouses are concentrated in areas like Dali Ancient Town, Shuanglang, and Wase, varying in style and price. Dali Ancient Town is the hub for Dali travel, with extremely convenient transportation, and Dali itself is a city with a long history. For accommodation, it is recommended to choose a guesthouse in Dali Ancient Town, which offers better value for money and easier access. The guesthouse styles in Dali are rich in local ethnic cultural features. Take one guesthouse in Dali Ancient Town as an example to fully introduce its architectural style, environment, and services.
Dali guesthouse: Waiting for You in Dali · Ark Mu Guesthouse
Waiting for You in Dali · Ark Mu Guesthouse is located on the lower section of Renmin Road in Dali Ancient Town, with convenient transportation. It is a mid-to-high-end guesthouse with a very elegant environment. The overall design combines Chinese retro and modern elements, exuding a refreshing charm.
To experience the soft, unhurried time in Dali, a guesthouse is a wonderful choice. In a quiet courtyard, sip a cup of tea, read your favorite book, savor the beauty of the moment, and feel the gentle rhythm of guesthouse life. What I love most is the courtyard of Ark Mu Guesthouse—so comfortable and cozy. Sitting in the courtyard, quietly pondering, is another kind of delight. It seems every guesthouse has a Zen-style tea room where guests can enjoy tea, talk about life, and discuss dreams. Isn’t this the "poetry and faraway places" in people’s hearts?
III. Special cuisine of Dali
The local specialties in Dali are mainly sour and spicy. Some travelers may not be used to it, but most dishes still cater to general tastes and are quite delicious. For example: homestyle stir-fries, hot pot, cured rib hot pot, and wild mushroom hot pot are all tasty and suited to most palates. Cured ribs and wild mushrooms are very distinctive delicacies in Dali. The famous sour-spicy fish, mostly run by locals, is also worth trying, though many visitors might not adapt to it. I recommend the wild mushroom hot pot, which suits the masses better and is likely more popular. Wild mushrooms are a unique delicacy of Yunnan, limited by plateau conditions and climate, which prevent other cities from providing a growing environment for them, making them extremely precious and delicious. Wild mushrooms are rich in nutritional and medicinal value. There’s a popular wild mushroom restaurant in Dali: Waiting for You in Dali · Ark Chubby Kitchen. It’s one of the must-visit spots when traveling in Dali.
Waiting for You in Dali · Ark Chubby Kitchen is located on the lower section of Renmin Road in Dali Ancient Town, with an excellent location and convenient transportation. The restaurant’s environment is retro in design, simple, graceful, spacious, and carries a touch of warmth. All wild mushrooms are paired with better ingredients to enhance their nutritional value. The restaurant offers set menus for groups, allowing visitors to choose the right meal according to the number of people, with affordable prices and high value for money. You’ll often see a long queue outside when passing by, which shows how much tourists love it.
Often, the most beloved restaurants are simple, without too much luxurious decoration—just ordinary. The restaurant isn’t large, mainly a two-story structure. The wild mushroom dishes are truly delicious; the broth is fresh and tasty. There are many types of wild mushrooms, such as matsutake, bamboo fungus, and morel, all tender and flavorful. Tasting wild mushrooms in Dali might just be the most beautiful "time" of your journey.
IV. Attractions in Dali
Meet the most beautiful scenery, encounter the loveliest time, meet Dali, face Erhai Lake, where spring warms and flowers bloom.
(1) Dali Ancient Town
Dali Ancient Town is a must-visit for many tourists, one of Dali’s iconic scenic spots. Dali is a city full of stories and a strong sense of history. The "wind, flowers, snow, and moon" of Dali mainly come alive at night on the bar street, with its dazzling lights, moving music, and the constant flow of visitors. Dali Ancient Town was built during the Ming Dynasty and was formerly known as Yeyu City, the Forbidden City, Zhonghe Town, etc. There is a moat outside the town, and the buildings feature grey-tiled roofs, simple and unadorned. The ancient town has many cultural relics: ancient city towers, ancient academies, and ancient temples. The best time to stroll around Dali Ancient Town is at night, when the lights are dim, and the scenery is enchanting. The ancient town is not very large, so you can walk slowly along the bluestone paths and gradually savor the historical charm of Dali. Warm tip: Dali Ancient Town gets very crowded in peak season; if traveling at that time, parents with small children must keep a close eye on them.
(2) Chongsheng Temple and the Three Pagodas
Chongsheng Temple faces Erhai Lake to the east and leans against Cangshan Mountain to the west. It is a symbol of Dali’s history and is conveniently located near Dali Ancient Town. The temple is famous for its three pagodas, known as the "Three Pagodas of Dali," one of China’s renowned Buddhist pagoda groups. The three pagodas consist of one large and two smaller ones, standing in a tripod arrangement. Viewed from a distance, they are majestic and magnificent, making them one of the "superb sights of Cangshan and Erhai."
(3) Cangshan Mountain
Cangshan Mountain is also a well-known scenic area in Dali. It is the main peak at the southern end of the Yunling Mountain Range, composed of nineteen peaks stretching from north to south—from Dengchuan in Eryuan in the north to Tiansheng Bridge in Xiaguan in the south. The nineteen peaks of Cangshan stand tall and imposing, forming a striking contrast with the graceful beauty of Erhai Lake. The highest peak is Malong Peak, with an elevation of about 4,122 meters. Between every two peaks, a small stream flows eastward and finally into Erhai Lake, known as the famous Eighteen Streams of Cangshan. The best time to visit is from April to October. Warm tip: The best season to visit Cangshan is winter, when it snows and the mountain becomes a beautiful expanse of white—very enchanting.
(4) Erhai Lake
Erhai Lake, in my impression, is the most beautiful and romantic place—where sea and sky merge into one, quiet and serene. Escape the clamor of the world and find your own poetry and distant places! The romance, the tranquility, the seagulls on the lake, the encounters along its shores... all are part of Erhai’s unique charm. Many people lose themselves in Erhai, yet they also find themselves there—all part of Erhai’s soft, gentle time.
Erhai Lake lies between Cangshan Mountain and the Dali basin, in Xiaguan, Dali City. It features three islands, four islets, five lakes, and nine bends. You can take a boat tour of Erhai Lake from Erhai Park in Xiaguan Town. The best time to wander around Erhai Lake is after 3 p.m., when the sunlight is less intense. You can cycle around or rent a car to circle the entire lake. When tired, find a spot to rest and take photos. Photography enthusiasts can capture stunning scenes at dusk, which is extremely beautiful. The most important thing when visiting Erhai Lake is your state of mind—slow down, carefully savor the time that belongs to Erhai, and feel the beauty of life. Encountering Erhai is, in fact, about meeting the most genuine version of yourself. Best travel seasons: spring and winter. Warm tip: It can be quite windy by Erhai Lake, so remember to keep warm.
