In Dali, a Must-Visit: SereneCorner Garden with Mountain Views

|SereneCorner Garden with Mountain Views.## **SereneCorner Garden with Mountain Views: A Hidden Dream by Erhai Lake in Dali** When I pushed open that vine-covered wooden gate, I felt as if I wasn't checking into accommodation but had accidentally wandered into an artist's private courtyard. Sunlight filtered through the branches of an old pear tree, casting dappled light on the stone pathway. An orange cat lazily curled up on a bamboo chair, barely lifting its eyelids at my arrival before returning to its daydream. This is Cai Village on the quiet western shore of Erhai Lake. **SereneCorner**—a name that perfectly captures both its location (near water, just a hundred meters from Erhai Lake) and its essence (distant mountains, with Cangshan Mountain clearly visible on clear days). The description "garden courtyard with mountain views" couldn't be more accurate. ### **Courtyard: A Corner Blessed by Plants and Sunlight** The courtyard isn't large, but thoughtful touches are everywhere. A tea table made from an old millstone, a long table pieced together from reclaimed boat wood, wildflowers casually arranged in clay pots, and even a rusty vintage bicycle in the corner—each item seems to have naturally grown here rather than being deliberately placed as "decoration." Most captivating is the mature pear tree with two lounge chairs beneath it. In the morning, I drank coffee here, watching sunlight gradually climb the contours of Cangshan Mountain; in the evening, I curled up with a book, listening to the rustling leaves in the breeze. The owner says that in spring, the entire tree blooms with white flowers, and when the wind blows, petals fall like snow across the courtyard. Just imagining this scene makes me want to return to Dali. ### **Rooms: A Blend of Wabi-Sabi Aesthetics and Comfort** I stayed in a first-floor "mountain view room" with greenery right outside the window. The room style is minimalist yet full of texture: natural wood furniture, linen curtains, handcrafted clay teacups. There are no extravagant decorations, but the details that truly affect sleep—mattress support, pillow fluffiness, hot water stability—are all impeccable. The bathroom was the biggest surprise. Rough gray plaster walls paired with brass-finish faucets, and the shower area even featured a layer of pebbles that reminded me of mountain streams when stepped on barefoot. The toiletries were from a boutique brand with woody notes, perfectly complementing the natural character of the space. ### **Local Experience: Everyday Moments More Moving Than Tourist Spots** Unlike standardized hotels, this place doesn't offer "service" but rather "shared lifestyle." The owner, A-Jie, is a photographer who takes interested guests to the pier for sunrise shoots. The breakfast prepared by the kitchen auntie isn't fancy, but that steaming bowl of rice noodle soup with freshly baked local bread is more authentic than anything you'd find at trendy spots in the old town. The courtyard has no TV but features a wall of bookshelves filled with travel journals about Dali, plant guides, and studies on ethnic minority cultures. One afternoon, I discovered a hand-illustrated "Erhai Lake Fish Guide" and found myself engrossed for two hours—these unexpected, serendipitous discoveries are the most precious part of travel. ### **Surroundings: The Poetic Slow Pace of Cai Village** A five-minute walk from the courtyard takes you to the Erhai Lake ecological corridor. In the early morning, you can often see local fishermen casting nets from small boats, with egrets standing quietly in shallow water. Unlike the bustle of Shuanglang or Xizhou, Cai Village still maintains the tranquility of a fishing village. In the evenings, I often cycled along the shoreline, passing reed marshes, wetlands, and scattered cafes, until sunset turned Erhai Lake golden. ### **Conclusion: Not a Hotel, But a Time Worth Living** On my departure day, A-Jie gave me a small package of flower tea dried from the courtyard's pear tree. "Come back when the flowers bloom next year," he said. I suddenly realized that good accommodations are never just places to sleep—they should be like magnets, making you willing to adjust your itinerary or even embark on another journey for them. SereneCorner is exactly that kind of place. It's like a secret of Dali that only those who stay there understand: true vacation isn't about checking off tourist attractions, but immersing yourself in the everyday poetry created by a courtyard, a tree, distant mountains, and nearby waters.