Shuanglang

双廊

A fishing village on the eastern shore of Erhai, the best spot opposite Cang Mountain for sunrise, with Nanzhao Folk Island, Yang Liping's Sun Palace and lakeside guesthouses as its signature features

Shuanglang town lies on the northeastern shore of Erhai, backed by the foothills of Mount Jizu and facing the 19 peaks of Cang Mountain across the lake. It is the best place around Erhai to watch the sunrise and the full view of Cang Mountain.

Highlights include the stone-paved streets and Bai fishing villages of Shuanglang Old Town, Dajianpang Village and Yuji Island. On Yuji Island, Yang Liping's “Sun Palace” and the painter Zhao Qing's “Qing Lu” can be seen from the outside, and the Sun Palace is now a hotel and does not admit visitors to the interior. Nanzhao Folk Island is a five-minute boat ride away, where you can see the statue of Sha Yimu and the Yunnan Fuxing Guanyin statue; admission plus boat ticket costs about CNY 50. The sunrise from Shuanglang Wharf in the morning is beautiful. Further along East Erhai Road, about 10 km from Shuanglang, are Wase and Xiao Putuo, a lake island with the Guanyin Pavilion, where there are many seagulls in winter. The old town itself is free to visit.

Suggested plan: arrive in Shuanglang in the afternoon, stroll the old town and Yuji Island, and watch the Cang Mountain glow with sunset colours in the evening. The next morning, watch the sunrise between 5:30 and 6:30 (around 7:00 in winter), then cycle to Wase and Xiao Putuo, and continue around the lake from the east shore back to the old town.

Getting there: the Dali Old Town to Shuanglang is about 50 km, which takes about an hour by hired car, or about 1.5 hours by bus from the North Bus Station in Xiaguan. To cycle around the lake from the old town via Xizhou and Shangguan to Shuanglang is about 70 km, so check your electric scooter's battery range.

Note: many Shuanglang guesthouses were closed during the Erhai clean-up, and the lakeside rooms that remain are relatively expensive, so book ahead in peak season. The town's streets are narrow and vehicle access is restricted, so most people park in the car park outside the town. The Sun Palace on Yuji Island is not open to visitors inside.

Shuanglang

Opening hours

Nearby sights

Places to eat nearby