Live Your Best Lives
The epidemic is over, and we can have fun again. The difference from before is that now we are two people, hahaha, thank God. The destination chosen this time is Dali. What is the reason? It seems that there is no reason. Neither of us has been to Yunnan, and August is extremely hot, so Yunnan is the perfect place. Then it’s time to decide which city. Lijiang and Dali are undoubtedly the most famous. Shangri-La, Xishuangbanna, etc. are all good choices. Let’s start with the most famous. Lijiang and Dali are both ancient city + scenic spot models. The difference is that Lijiang’s scenic spots are far from the ancient city. It takes 3-4 hours to go to Lugu Lake and Jade Dragon Snow Mountain. I think it’s too tiring. So in the end, I chose a 7-day tour to Dali.
Erhai Lake Erhai Lake Cruise Departure was a rollercoaster. Flights were repeatedly rescheduled, and we finally booked a Friday afternoon flight from Daxing Airport to Wuhan Tianhe and then Kunming Changshui. Summer airfares are incredibly expensive. Beijing-Kunming is typically 2,000+, and Beijing-Dali 3,000+. In the end, we compromised by transferring in Wuhan. We arrived in Kunming at 9 PM and checked into a hotel near Changshui Airport. We woke up and left for Dali the next morning.
The next morning, I got up and took a taxi directly to Kunming Railway Station. I had a small pot of rice noodles next to the station. This was my first meal in Yunnan. I was a little surprised to be able to have a cheap and delicious meal next to the city’s railway station.
Kunming Small pot rice noodlesAfter eating and drinking, we can get on the high-speed rail. Along the way, we have half beautiful scenery and half caves. After two hours, we finally arrived at the destination of this trip: Dali.
Out the high-speed train windowAs expected, it started to rain after we got off the high-speed train. We crossed the popular temporary overpass in front of the train station, which was jammed with people, and finally got a taxi to Xizhou. Xizhou Ancient Town is actually far away from Dali Station. Our taxi passed by Dali Ancient Town and other attractions and drove for about an hour and a half before arriving in Xizhou. Our homestay was in the southeast corner of the ancient town, across from the vegetable market. It was called Dali Chayan Fish House Inn. It was very good, with a very good value for money and a great environment. I recommend it with my real name. I originally booked six nights here, but actually only stayed three. The owner readily agreed and refunded three nights. I will tell you the reason later.
Xizhou Ancient Town Inn CourtyardIt was already two o'clock in the afternoon when we arrived at the hotel. We couldn't wait to have our first meal in Xizhou. I can't remember the name of this restaurant, but it's just near the Enrongfang Archway, a small two-story house that specializes in casserole. But the pig brain here tastes so good, better than what I had at Yunhaixiang, and the price is only half and the quantity is twice as large!
Xizhou Ancient Town After dinner, we wandered around the ancient town. It wasn't much different from other ancient towns. The core area, Sifang Street, was bustling with people and sold only souvenirs. It wasn't a particularly pleasant experience, and the corner building didn't impress me. We kept walking, and suddenly, we came upon the legendary Xizhou wheat fields!
On the way back, we deliberately avoided the heavily commercial Sifang Street. Looking at the traditional Bai ethnic minority houses, we suddenly realized that the beauty of Xizhou lay there.
Xizhou Ancient Town I was so hungry that I bought a Xizhou baba on the roadside and it was so satisfying. A few days later, after visiting Dali Ancient Town, I suddenly realized the difference between Xizhou and Dali.
Xizhou Ancient Town Xizhou BabaIt was raining again on the third day, so we chose Zhoucheng, not far from Xizhou. Zhoucheng is to the north of Xizhou and is the base camp of tie-dyeing technology. The village is full of tie-dye factories. We had an authentic local meal here at the restaurant called Xiayi Shiyue. I recommend friends who are visiting Zhoucheng to try it. The hot and sour fish, fried mushrooms, raw hide, fried milk fan, water hyacinth soup, etc. are all very unique. After the meal, we walked through the entire Zhoucheng to the Butterfly Spring Scenic Area.
Zhoucheng Town Zhoucheng Gate Tower
Xiayi Shiyue Restaurant
Dali White House Inn The Butterfly Spring Scenic Area is not big overall. In April every year, there will be butterflies flying all over the garden. At other times, it is basically an ordinary park. The ticket is 40 yuan. You can see Erhai Lake from the pavilion on the top of the mountain. It was our first time to see Erhai Lake from a distance. We were quite excited and took a lot of photos. In fact, after the whole trip, we realized that the view of Erhai Lake from here was really too ordinary. Butterfly Spring - Wanghai Pavilion
The sun finally came out today, so we decided to go to the beach. We'd been looking forward to it for a long time. From that day on, Dali's weather improved in a way that was convenient for our trip. It usually rained at night, then became cloudy and clear during the day. The scenery of Cangshan Mountain, Erhai Lake, and the clouds was truly stunning, and no one could miss it.
First, we had breakfast. We bought it near the vegetable market, and it tasted pretty good. We're a casual traveler, so we usually sleep in until 10 a.m., so you could call it lunch... After breakfast, we set off and rented an electric scooter to ride to the ecological corridor. It's 20 yuan an hour, and it only takes about 20 minutes to ride to Xizhou. The ancients said that the scenery along the road is the most beautiful, and it's true.
Walking through the village to the end is the ecological corridor. Electric bikes rented outside are not allowed to enter. There are barrier piers at all intersections. You must rent a bicycle from the villagers or a special electric bike for the corridor. Today, because it was too sunny, I didn't ride a bike. I strolled for half a day and arrived at the Haishe Ecological Park, but it was closed. If it is not open, you can put a sign at the intersection. I walked 800 meters to the gate, but it was closed. The experience was very bad.
After coming out, we took a boat tour of Erhai Lake at the pier. It is still necessary to take a boat ride, provided that the weather is good. We bargained with the villagers and got 150 yuan for two people. The eldest sister bought an internal ticket for 60 yuan each and made 30 yuan out of us with tears. If we bought it ourselves, it would be 100 yuan per person.
After the boat ride, we started our return journey. I rode my beloved scooter with my beloved back to the ancient town to find food. The ancient town is always jammed with traffic, but it wasn't too bad. We could move around after a while.
The west gate of the ancient town is the main entrance. We had been there for three days before we remembered to go there. There were many lotus flowers at the gate, and the flowers were very unique colors.
On the way back, we saw a very unremarkable little restaurant and decided to check it out. Once inside, we found it was run by a local uncle, a few tables set up in his home. He told me that his braised chicken was absolutely a Xizhou specialty, so we ordered it. Braised chicken and stir-fried pork with bait blocks. It was delicious. The name of this restaurant is "An Jia Yi Wei." You should give it a try; it ranks second to all the meals I've had.
On the third day, we realized we'd exhausted all the fun things to do north of Erhai Lake. It wasn't convenient to get to the southern attractions or Haidong from Xizhou, or to rent a car, so we decided to change hotels. However, the hotel was booked for six days, so we had to negotiate with the owner to end the reservation early. The owner was generous and readily agreed. We moved to a hotel in Xiaboqing Village, which is closer to the sea. The price was similar, but the facilities were a bit older, which was a bit disappointing. However, since we were only staying for one night, the location was more convenient, so we were fine with it. After settling in, we headed towards S Bay, a popular check-in spot in Panxi Village. After 5 p.m., when the administrator got off work, we could rent a three-wheeled rickshaw. It cost 50 yuan for a two-hour ride. Honestly, it wasn't very easy to ride, but it was quite strenuous, perhaps because we were traveling with someone else...
Actually, there are S-bends all along the Erhai Lake, but the one along Panxi is more famous and positioned there, and the shops and hotels there are more fun-loving, so it's the most famous and has the most people, but the scenery isn't necessarily the best.
A normal S-bend
A popular S-bend
We were exhausted after riding 5 kilometers back and forth, so we had to treat ourselves. We had a Bai ethnic minority barbecue meal on a stone slab in the village. The meat wasn't very special, but the grilled bait was incredible. It tasted a bit like grilled rice cakes, but not as sticky as rice cakes, and had just the right softness and firmness.
I wanted to watch the sunrise in the morning, but it was cloudy and my wife couldn't get up, so I went out for a walk by myself. This was the only time we got up early, and I got up alone. I also recorded the quiet Erhai Lake in the morning. I envy the people who live here. It's so healthy.
Rice noodles and rice vermicelli are still the most popular choices. You don't have to worry about making a bad choice when eating these in Dali.
Then we continued moving south and moved to a hotel near the east gate of Dali Ancient Town. Each one is really worse than the last. Haha, the B&B in Xizhou was still the most comfortable. The clouds over Cangshan Mountain are a sight to behold. After settling in at the hotel, we took a taxi to the Ximatan Cableway. That's when the only unexpected incident of this trip occurred. I usually use AutoNavi, which offers ride-hailing services on various platforms. This time, I got a metered taxi. The woman in the cab was very welcoming and engaged us in a lively conversation. Upon learning we were going to Ximatan, she strongly advised us against it, saying the scenery wasn't good at this time of year. She suggested we go horseback riding along the Ancient Tea Horse Road in Fengyang instead, praising the attraction profusely. I asked her how much it would cost, but she didn't give a direct answer. So, we took her advice and went to Fengyang. 
Just go, it's not a big deal. As long as you don't ride a horse, you'll find out it's 280 yuan per person. There's also a more expensive option for 380 yuan. It really lived up to a comment about a tourist attraction: "You'll regret a minute if you don't ride, but you'll regret it forever if you do." There's absolutely no need to ride; just stroll around and you're done. It's just an ancient village with a few vendors, and I think it's a place designed to rip off tourists. These small villages are everywhere in Dali, so there's no need to visit. A horseback ride for two costs 560 yuan, a 30-minute round trip, while the Ximatan Cableway costs 640 yuan, offering panoramic views of the entire Cangshan Geological Park. Which is more worthwhile? The horse handlers were incredibly unprofessional. When we passed each other, we practically rubbed shoulders with the horses on the opposite side. Once, I couldn't avoid it and collided with a rider's leg, leaving me with a bruise. On the way back, pedestrians and the horseman got into an argument over right of way. It was truly infuriating. I have no idea what the taxi driver was up to, and the more I thought about it, the more angry I became. I filed a complaint that evening. It delayed my trip for half a day, and my leg was injured, delaying my plans for the next few days. This was the only time I was ripped off in Dali. We took the Gantong Cable Car from Fengyang County, but there was a huge queue. A taxi driver who was almost there told us it would take two hours, so we gave up on getting a taxi back to Dali Ancient Town. Dali Ancient Town is much busier than Xizhou Ancient Town and is much more commercialized. While we were strolling, it suddenly started to rain. We hid in a silver shop and ended up spending 1,750 yuan on two snowflake silver bracelets for an elderly man. Next time, I'll try to find a cheaper place to avoid the rain. Local taxi drivers said that the Old Town doesn't start picking up passengers until 10 p.m., while Xizhou is practically empty by 9 p.m. It's a stark contrast. In that respect, I prefer Xizhou.
The hotel in Dali offers car rentals, including a BMW convertible for 260 RMB a day. Renting a car is quite convenient near Dali Ancient Town, where many attractions are nearby, including Ximatan, Gantong, the Three Pagodas, March Street, and Longkan Wharf. This is why I've been moving south. The hotel owner is a man from Northeast China, and through our interactions, I've gotten the feeling he's quite forthright, so I felt comfortable renting a car with him. We set off at 8 AM and drove clockwise north, passing Xizhou and Zhoucheng, then circling to the northern end. We continued south to Haidong, where our first stop was Shuanglang Ancient Town, known for its coastal location and unique scenery. Upon arrival, traffic was incredibly heavy, so we parked our car at 11 AM and boarded a boat directly to Fengqing Island. The fare was 50 RMB per person, including the boat and entrance fees.
Shuanglang Town Fengqing Island is actually a clubhouse, which was originally used for meetings. Later it was discontinued and transformed into a tourist attraction. You can enjoy the view of Shuanglang Ancient Town from across the shore. This may be the only function of this island as a paid tourist attraction.
After visiting Fengqing Island, it was already 2 PM when I returned to Shuanglang Ancient Town. Starving, I quickly found a restaurant with parking. I think this was, if not the best meal I'd had in Dali during those few days, the most memorable. Clay Pot Fish + Steamed Pork Ribs with Carved Plums. The former, needless to say, was generous with its ingredients. The fish was fresh, tender, and flavorful. The side dishes were also delicious, and the fish broth was even better. The latter, steamed pork ribs with Carved Plums, left such a deep impression on me that I couldn't even find a close-up photo (bottom left corner of the photo below). First bite: Weird, tasted...? Second bite: Wow, quite fragrant, neither sweet nor salty, and quite intoxicating. Then, I couldn't stop eating it all in one go, so much so that I bought some Carved Plums to take home when I got back to Dali Ancient Town.
It was already past three o'clock when we finished this meal, so we quickly set off to drive back. On the way, we took a section of the highway from Wase Town to Haidong Town, avoiding the traffic jam in the Xiaoputuo section in the middle. The traffic jam was really bad, so let's enjoy the beautiful scenery around the lake (video below).
It was already past 6 o'clock in the afternoon when we got back to the hotel. It was really tiring to drive around. The traffic jams in Shuanglang, Xiaoputuo, and Santorini were too severe. If it was peak season, we would have avoided driving if we could. It would have been more comfortable for a few people to rent a car. In the evening, we found a mushroom pot to eat and then rested.
We missed out on going to Ximatan the day before, so we had to make it to this day! That's right, we decided to go to Ximatan again. This time, we set off early, but ended up getting up early and arriving late. At 9:00 a.m., we arrived at the ticket office and were told that the cable car was closed due to weather. We were so disappointed, thinking we'd miss out on going to Ximatan. We wandered over to the pavilion at the west end of March Street and sat there for about a quarter of an hour (this is actually the main venue for the Torch Festival that evening). Looking at Cangshan Mountain slowly emerging from the clouds, we decided to go back to the ticket office. We had a feeling the cable car would open today, so if it didn’t, we’d just wait there until it did! Hard work pays off! As soon as we arrived at the ticket office, we were told the cable car had resumed operations. The online taxi driver we’d taken was still waiting for us at the ticket office. It was like heaven’s help! After buying the tickets, the driver took us to the scenic spot’s gate. We had no problem checking in and queuing for the cable car. The whole process took no more than 20 minutes. It really lived up to the old saying: “Those who survive a great disaster will surely have good fortune in the future.” Hahahaha. I had mentally prepared myself to wait in line for two hours, but it turned out to be so smooth.
Needless to say, the scenery on the cable car is amazing.
After getting off the cable car, you still have to walk along the plank road for about an hour to reach the location of Ximatan. We bought oxygen and windproof jackets at the foot of the mountain. It is said that this is cheap. Oxygen is 60 yuan per bottle and windproof jackets are rented for 40 yuan each. In fact, you don’t need to buy them if you don’t need them. After we went up that day, we felt that these two things were actually not necessary. It became a burden to carry them all the way. It would be better to buy them after we get up. It would be a waste if we didn’t need them.
Don't rush to leave after arriving at Ximatan. Be patient and wait. You will see a completely different view, with ever-changing clouds. Below are some photos we took after waiting at the observation deck for an hour.
Walk up for another ten minutes and you will reach the top, which is also an observation deck with a panoramic view of Ximatan.
You can also buy wishing cards for NT$60 each. It's nice to leave something behind.
For descent, it's recommended to return the same way. The other route offers few views, so you can simply take the cable car down. Alternatively, you can walk halfway up the mountain to the Gantong Cable Car, where the internet-famous nunnery is located. Alternatively, you can take the second half of the cable car to the Tianlongbabu Film and Television City, where you can just wander around. There's not much else to do. We took a taxi directly from the entrance to the scenic area to return our windbreakers, then walked to March Street for dinner and prepared to join in the fun of the Torch Festival that evening.
A bowl of mutton soup was only 25 yuan and generously prepared.
It wasn't even dark yet, but the atmosphere was already heating up. August 25th of each year is the traditional Torch Festival of the Bai ethnic group. After being suspended for three years, it finally resumed this year. The Torch Festival on March Street is more of a celebration for tourists like us, and isn't as authentic. The most authentic ones are probably found in traditional villages like Zhoucheng. But for us, it was enough to join in the fun and make for a very fulfilling day.
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