Erhai Lake · Cangshan Mountain · Dali

Here is a travel guide for Erhai Lake, Cangshan Mountain, and Dali: Pre-trip Preparation👌 Documents: Bring your ID card, student ID (for discounts), bank cards, etc. Clothing: Dali has significant temperature differences between morning and evening, so pack light outerwear like windbreakers or jackets. Also, consider bringing a white maxi dress or ethnic-style shawl for photogenic outfits.🧥 Sun protection: Prepare a sun hat, sunglasses, high-SPF sunscreen, sun-protective clothing, and arm sleeves, as Dali has strong UV rays. Medications: Bring common medicines like stomachache pills, cold medicine, motion sickness tablets, band-aids, and iodine swabs.☂️💊 Other items: Phone, headphones, power bank, camera and charger, toiletries, disposable items, skincare, and makeup. Transportation Guide 🚉Transport Tips: External transport: You can reach Dali by plane, train, or bus. After arriving at Dali Airport, take the airport shuttle or a taxi to the city. From Dali Railway Station, take a bus, taxi, or rent a car to your destination. Local transport: In Dali, options include taxis, buses, or renting e-bikes and bicycles. Car rentals (regular sedans or SUVs) cost around 200-400 RMB/day; e-bike rentals are about 50-80 RMB/day. Attractions🌊 **Erhai Lake** Cycling and driving tours: Start cycling from Caicun Village, passing Panxi S-Bend and Xizhou Ancient Town along the western route. For a driving tour, loop around Erhai Lake clockwise or counterclockwise from Dali Ancient Town, stopping at Longkan Dock, Panxi S-Bend, Xizhou Ancient Town, Shuanglang Ancient Town, Wenbi Village, Ideal State, and back to Dali Ancient Town. Boat tours: Take a cruise from Dali Port to enjoy the lake’s scenery, with stops at Nanzhao Folk Island. Rent a glass boat at Xiaoputuo for close-up views of the lake and underwater sights.🚣‍♂️ Photo spots: Longkan Dock is perfect for sunrise; Panxi S-Bend is a viral hotspot; Xizhou Ancient Town showcases Bai ethnic culture; Shuanglang Ancient Town is famed for its "Cang-Er scenery"; Luwoshan is a hidden cliffside spot; Wenbi Village has a rainbow road; Ideal State features blue-and-white architecture; and Xingsheng Bridge has a European style. **Cangshan Mountain⛰️** Cable car rides: Ximatan Cableway takes you to the highest viewpoint (2,240–3,920m) for sea of clouds and snow peaks. Gantong Cableway (2,200–2,600m) suits light hikers. Zhonghe Cableway is the only one leading to a mountain temple, where you can try vegetarian meals. Hiking: The Jade Belt Cloud Trail (2,600m, 18km long) connects three cableways, offering views of Erhai Lake, fir forests, and streams. A classic route is Gantong Cableway → Zhenlong Chessboard → Qingbi Stream → Cangshan Grand Canyon → Jade Belt Cloud Trail → Qilongnu Pool → Ximatan Cableway → Tianlongbabu Film City (17km, ~8 hours). Must-see spots: Jizhao Nunnery, known as "China’s most beautiful nunnery," features succulent gardens and vegetarian food. Gantong Temple dates back to the Yuan Dynasty. Qingbi Stream, the prettiest of Cangshan’s 18 streams, has three pools and a stunning rainy-season waterfall. Ximatan is Cangshan’s highest lake, surrounded by rhododendrons in May–June. Qilongnu Pool consists of seven clear springs. **Dali Ancient Town**: Once the capital of Nanzhao and Dali kingdoms, it’s perfect for gardening, café-hopping, boutique shopping, and bar-hopping.🍸🍸 **Xizhou Ancient Town**: A 1,000-year-old Bai cultural hub with rapeseed flowers in spring and rice fields in autumn. Don’t miss Xizhou baba (savory cake). **Chongsheng Temple Three Pagodas**: A royal temple from the Dali Kingdom era and one of China’s iconic landmarks. Food Recommendations☕️🧇🥞🥓 Snacks: Xizhou baba, grilled rushan cheese, crispy baba, Wase pea jelly, Zhoucheng rushan ice pops. Meals: Sour-spicy fish, sour papaya fish with plum dip, Xiaguan Haishao fish, sour pork hotpot, Baoshan copper pot beef hotpot, raw pig skin. Accommodation🏨 Dali Ancient Town: Boutique inns (~800–1,500 RMB/night), budget guesthouses (~400–700 RMB/night). Shuanglang Ancient Town: Sea-view rooms (~1,000–2,000 RMB/night), standard guesthouses (~500–800 RMB/night). East Erhai lakeside: First-row sea-view rooms (~500–1,000 RMB/night). Hillside sea-view lodgings: Quieter with panoramic views (~800–1,500 RMB/night). Summer Travel Guide