3-Day Dali Essential Travel Guide

Here's a curated Dali itinerary: Itinerary •Day 1: Ancient City First Impressions: Arrive in Dali in the morning and explore Dali Ancient City, visiting the North Gate Market. In the afternoon, check out the viral "Hong Sheng Road" photo spot. At night, browse the People's Road stalls and enjoy the sunset over Cangshan Mountain and rooftop views from the 4th-floor terrace of "Big Bowl Island Coffee". •Day 2: West Erhai Lake Adventure: Start early to catch sunrise at Longkan Wharf, then cycle along the ecological corridor to Panxi S Bend. In the afternoon, visit Xizhou Ancient Town and take photos in the rice fields like scenes from "Meet Yourself". •Day 3: Offbeat Cangshan Experience: Visit Jizhao Temple in the morning for their ¥20 all-you-can-eat vegetarian meal. Take the Gantong Cableway up Cangshan Mountain in the afternoon and hike the Jade Belt Cloud Trail. Those with limited stamina can opt for the Ximatan Cableway (bring oxygen). •Day 4: Shuanglang Relaxation: Head to "Lakeside Clouds" B&B at 10am for afternoon tea and Erhai Lake + floral photoshoots. Feed seagulls at Little Putuo Island at dusk (no boat ticket needed). •Day 5: Shopping & Departure: Buy specialty souvenirs like flower cakes and rushan cheese at North Gate Market, and hand-dyed scarves at South Gate Wenxian Road. Food Recommendations •Grilled Rushan: "Yang Ji" at North Gate Market offers fragrant grilled cheese - the sugar-topped version is more authentic than rose jam. •Bai Stone Grill: Try the local specialty at "Old Fisherman" in the ancient city - pork belly with fermented tofu is delicious. •Sour-Spicy Fish: "Corner Time" in Shuanglang serves fresh fish in rich broth, perfect over rice. •Xizhou Baba: This crispy-outside, soft-inside pastry comes in sweet or savory versions. Accommodation Tips •Dali Ancient City: "Ark Mu House" offers great value at ¥100+/person, featuring Bai-style courtyards and star-gazing terraces with free maps. •Erhai Lake: "Cloud Sail Inn" in Caicun provides sea views from ¥280 - half the price of Shuanglang options. Photo Spots •Lonely Tree at Langqiao: Navigate to "Sea Area No.1 Inn" for stunning backlit silhouettes in the afternoon. •Deer Mountain Ruins: A 5-minute climb offers perfect frame compositions for magazine-worthy shots. •Zhemo Mountain Night Views: Dali's version of "La La Land" is romantic (¥200/car, bring warm clothes). Tips to Avoid Pitfalls •Skip convertible rentals - west Erhai roads are car-free and east routes are narrow. Hiring a car (¥400/day) is better. •Beware cheap tours. For mushroom-foraging trips, choose "Jizhao Temple + Foraging" packages (¥198 includes vegetarian meal and guide, with mushrooms to take home). •Sun protection is crucial - bring sunglasses, UV clothing, and sunscreen as Dali's sunlight is intense.