Erhai Lake
洱海
Yunnan's second-largest plateau freshwater lake, a blue-green expanse 42 km long at the foot of Cang Mountain. Cycling the eco-corridor around the lake, the sunset at Caicun and the sunrise at Shuanglang are the soul of Dali
Erhai Lake takes its name from its shape, which resembles a human ear. It sits at about 1,970 metres above sea level, covers roughly 250 square kilometres, is about 42 km long from north to south and about 8 km wide at its widest point. It is the core of Dali's tourism.
The main way to enjoy it is to travel around the lake. On the west shore, the Erhai Ecological Corridor, a lakeside walking and cycling route of about 129 km, runs from Xiaguan through Xizhou and Zhoucheng. The busiest section runs from Longkan Wharf in Dali to Caicun Wharf. Along it you can cycle, stroll and photograph the lake and Cang Mountain. The east shore road (Shuanglang–Wase–Haidong) offers broader views, where you can capture the full range of Cang Mountain reflected in the lake.
Classic photo spots include Caicun and Longkan wharves for sunsets, the covered bridge (a popular photo spot), the Haishe Park in Xizhou, Xiao Putuo in Wase (a small island with a temple in the lake), Shuanglang town for sunrises and the Nanzhao Folk Island, and Wenbi Village in Haidong.
Getting there: from the East Gate of the old town to Caicun is about 4 km, which you can cycle. A full loop of the lake is about 120 km and can be completed in one day by car or hired vehicle (about CNY 300–500 per day). If you ride an electric scooter on the eco-corridor, it is better to cover only the western half (Caicun to Xizhou, about 25 km).
Costs: the ecological corridor is free. Admission plus ferry to Nanzhao Folk Island is about CNY 50. A Erhai boat cruise (Xiaguan to Shuanglang or Xiao Putuo) costs about CNY 140.
Note: since 2018, the area around Erhai has undergone clean-up, so the number of lakeside guesthouses has fallen, and motor vehicles are not allowed inside the ecological corridor. Parts of the corridor share the road with village traffic, so ride carefully. Photo shoots and jeep photography are often sold at group prices, so agree on the details before you start. Swimming and feeding the seagulls are prohibited along the lakeshore; in winter you may see black-headed gulls.
Opening hours
Open all day
Nearby sights
- Panxi Village & S-Bay
- Xiaoputuo Islet
- Longkan Pier
- Three Pagodas of Chongsheng Temple
- Gusheng Village
- Renmin Road (Dali Old Town)
- Luoquan Peninsula & Tianjing Pavilion
- Dali Old Town