The Erhai Lake loop spans approximately 150 kilometers, divided into the East and West sections:
The western route features dense Bai ethnic villages and primarily serves as an ecological corridor. Stretching 46 kilometers from Yangnanxi to Taoyuan Pier, this corridor offers stunning scenery along the way, dotted with wetlands and grasslands—perfect for leisurely strolls or bike rides!
The eastern route hugs mountains and lakes, offering expansive vistas along its wide lakeside highway—truly exhilarating for self-driving adventures!
There are generally two ways to tour Erhai Lake:
One-Day Erhai Lake Tour Route:
If you only have one day, we recommend driving yourself or hiring a private car. Follow this clockwise route around Erhai Lake:
Dali Old Town → Longkan Pier for sunrise → Xiaji Village for redwood trees → Xiaobu → Panxi S-Bend → Shiling Village → Covered Bridge → Xizhou Ancient Town → Haishe Park → Zhoucheng → Shuanglang Ancient Town → Luwoshan → Xiaoputuo for seagulls → Wenbi Village → Ideal Bang → Xingsheng Bridge for seagulls → Chongyi Village for redwood trees → Dali Old Town
If you only have one day, we recommend driving yourself or hiring a private car. Follow this clockwise route around Erhai Lake:
Dali Old Town → Longkan Pier for sunrise → Xiaji Village for redwood trees → Xiaobu → Panxi S-Bend → Shiling Village → Covered Bridge → Xizhou Ancient Town → Haishe Park → Zhoucheng → Shuanglang Ancient Town → Luwoshan → Xiaoputuo for seagulls → Wenbi Village → Ideal Bang → Xingsheng Bridge for seagulls → Chongyi Village for redwood trees → Dali Old Town
Two-Day Erhai Lake Loop:
If time permits, we recommend splitting the journey into two days:
Day One: Cycling the West Erhai Lake Ecological Corridor:
Arrive early at Caicun Pier to capture the sunrise. Then grab a shared bike (or electric scooter) and ride through the morning breeze, immersing yourself in the serene lake scenery!
Must-visit stops along the way: Xiaji Village (where redwoods reflect in the lake, creating a serene blue sky-blue lake contrast—utterly soothing),
Xiaobo Bay (S-shaped bays galore, scenic beauty with few crowds), Panxi Village (Internet-famous most beautiful S-shaped bay, perfect for stunning photos)
Shiling Village (featuring the viral tree and a rider heading toward Erhai Lake below), Corridor Bridge (a broken bridge by Erhai Lake, where the archway and red metasequoias in the water create a stunningly picturesque scene, perfect for standout photos),
Xizhou Ancient Town (Bai ethnic group’s distinctive dwellings, corner towers, Xilin Garden’s yellow walls + rice paddies, etc.)
If time permits, we recommend splitting the journey into two days:
Day One: Cycling the West Erhai Lake Ecological Corridor:
Arrive early at Caicun Pier to capture the sunrise. Then grab a shared bike (or electric scooter) and ride through the morning breeze, immersing yourself in the serene lake scenery!
Must-visit stops along the way: Xiaji Village (where redwoods reflect in the lake, creating a serene blue sky-blue lake contrast—utterly soothing),
Xiaobo Bay (S-shaped bays galore, scenic beauty with few crowds), Panxi Village (Internet-famous most beautiful S-shaped bay, perfect for stunning photos)
Shiling Village (featuring the viral tree and a rider heading toward Erhai Lake below), Corridor Bridge (a broken bridge by Erhai Lake, where the archway and red metasequoias in the water create a stunningly picturesque scene, perfect for standout photos),
Xizhou Ancient Town (Bai ethnic group’s distinctive dwellings, corner towers, Xilin Garden’s yellow walls + rice paddies, etc.)
Ocean Tongue Park (a peninsula surrounded by sea on three sides, featuring the Husband-Wife Trees, Dead Tree, and sunset views; daily visitor limit of 200 people requires advance reservation).
Day Two: Drive Around Erhai Lake’s East Coast:
Head to Longkan Pier early in the morning—the sunrise paired with seagulls and redwoods is truly a Dali masterpiece, not to be missed!
Head to Longkan Pier early in the morning—the sunrise paired with seagulls and redwoods is truly a Dali masterpiece, not to be missed!
Next, we arrived at Chongyi Village to photograph the most beautiful redwood trees. Along the coast stretches an exceptionally long redwood forest, featuring expansive lawns and viewing platforms extending into the sea!
After driving along the eastern route of Erhai Lake:
Must-visit spots along the way: Xingsheng Bridge (Western-style bridge architecture paired with seagulls, pavilions, and small boats—a picture-perfect scene),
Ideal Town (white-walled, blue-roofed buildings reminiscent of Santorini, Greece—absolutely picture-perfect)
Wenbi Village (The Rainbow Highway leading to Erhai Lake—perfect for Japanese-style photos, absolutely a bohemian masterpiece)
Xiaoputuo (the smallest island on Erhai Lake, where seagulls gather most densely in winter),Wase Town (features abandoned old boats and cliffs, teeming with seagulls—ideal for capturing forest-themed or desolate-feeling photos, also perfect for sunset viewing),
Deer-Resting Mountain (also known as Lovers’ Cliff, a window to ruins facing Erhai Lake, traversing island-like caves for a thrilling sense of adventure), Deer-Resting Mountain (also known as Lovers’ Cliff, a window to ruins facing Erhai Lake, traversing island-like caves for a thrilling sense of adventure),
Shuanglang Ancient Town (The premier town for Cangshan-Erhai scenery, a prime spot for sunset viewing).
Friend, let’s go! Come to Dali to encounter the vibrant colors of autumn and winter, and enjoy the healing blue skies and warm sunshine!
