A Journey to Yunnan: Dali - "Time Has Grown Old, and Longing Has Aged Me"

Foreword: The World Is Never Far Away, But My Heart Has Already Turned West

We always think we need to have everything ready before we set out. But reality often has other plans — your sword may not yet be sharpened, but you're already out in the world.

That plane ticket, that train, that shuttle bus — they never wait for you to be ready. They simply depart on time, carrying you toward the unknown. And Dali is that one place that makes countless people willing to drop everything and go, without a second thought.

Shuanglang: Bright Days, Gentle Years

An Unexpected "Road Closure"

The most beautiful stretch of Erhai Lake lies in Shuanglang; the most captivating waters of Shuanglang are in Wase.

Just before departure, a Weibo notification hit me like a thunderbolt: from October 2016 to October 2017, Shuanglang would be closed for major road construction. The minibus from Xiaguan was canceled, leaving only government-run electric carts and small three-wheelers. Prices were skyrocketing, and getting around was inconvenient.

I was troubled for a moment, but I decided to go ahead as planned.

So what if the road was closed? Doesn't a winding journey make it more interesting? Besides, Nuannuan was waiting for me in Shuanglang.

Nuannuan: An Invitation from a Hilltop Garden

Dajianpang Village is packed with trendy guesthouses — Haili Life, Spring Blossoms, Peninsula 63… but I fell for Nuannuan at first sight.

I couldn't book a room on Qunar no matter how hard I tried, so I sent a text message to the contact number. The phone rang quickly, and on the other end was Dongdong — Nuannuan's "treasure of the house," a tall, handsome guy from Inner Mongolia. Hearing that familiar northern accent made me feel instantly at ease.

The shuttle from Lijiang to Shuanglang takes just over two hours. Make sure to grab a seat near the door — as you approach Shuanglang, Erhai Lake suddenly bursts into view, a blue so intense it catches you off guard.

At the intersection parking lot, a three-wheeler to Dajianpang Village cost 20 yuan per person even with four people sharing. Well, during the construction period, prices were indeed soaring.

Beyond the Stairs, a Hidden World

What made me fall head over heels for Nuannuan was its staircase. A photo taken by a previous guest had me utterly captivated.

Later, in Nuannuan's group chat, several people complained that the stairs were too long and steep — some had even ended up in the hospital after a fall. I told them, "I'm different. It's precisely because of these stairs that I wanted to stay here."

When I arrived at the guesthouse, I couldn't wait to take photos. Dongdong came to help with my luggage, but I stubbornly refused to hand over my suitcase: "This is a prop — I need it for photos!"

Of course, after the photoshoot, I had to carry the suitcase up myself.

I thought the stairs would turn a corner and lead straight to the courtyard. Little did I know — after one turn, there was another stretch. I was gasping for breath, but the moment I stepped through the door, all my exhaustion vanished.

The garden was bursting with flowers in full bloom. White tables and chairs sat under sun umbrellas, and wind chimes tinkled under the eaves. A black dog named "Rich Second Generation" strutted briskly along the stone path.

Nuannuan's full name is Nuannuan Garden Guesthouse. And it truly is a garden — a garden on a hilltop, overlooking Erhai Lake with breathtaking views.

Every Window Is a Painting

After dropping off my luggage, I grabbed my camera and wandered upstairs. Once the cleaning lady finished, I slipped onto the balcony of an unoccupied luxury sea-view room to take photos. The large balcony faced the lake directly, unobstructed — you could even sunbathe with your limbs splayed out without a care.

How wonderful it must be to be rich enough to afford a sea-view room. Sob…

Back on the ground floor in the common area, I was stunned by the lake visible through the floor-to-ceiling window. The white light was dazzling, making the water appear even deeper blue.

Every window at Nuannuan was different, each with its own character. I ended up photographing them all.

Wandering Shuanglang: In Search of "Heart Road Let Go"

After the National Day holiday, Shuanglang had entered the off-season. There were fewer people, but the sun was still blazing. In the shade of the trees, an old woman selling fried fish and shrimp dozed with her eyes half-closed. We wandered through the alleys, snapping photos as we explored the town.

Remember: Every lakefront room in Dajianpang Village claims to be the filming location of "Heart Road Let Go" (Xin Hua Lu Fang). They all have white tables by the water, white door frames, and glass hanging baskets. Finding the actual filming site is tricky — Haili Life has several numbered courtyards, and the most scenic one is the real movie location.

Important tip: Be determined to find the real Haili Life before taking photos. Every attraction along the way has a big sign saying "Enter here for the Heart Road Let Go filming location." If you don't care, pick any one; if you insist on the real Haili Life, stay strong.

We were misled by a sign and ended up at Peninsula 63. All the lakeside photo spots charge 5 yuan per person — you pay even if you're just taking pictures for a friend.

Even though it wasn't Haili Life, we still had a blast taking photos. The sun was so bright we could barely open our eyes, and many of our pictures came out with dark faces. But that's just how Yunnan's sunlight is — it lasts until six or seven in the evening. If you wait for the perfect light, you'll waste all your time. Forget it — just shoot and be happy.

From Sunset to Silhouettes

As the light faded, we moved from sunset shots to silhouettes.

I love taking silhouette photos — you can't see the face, so there's no need to worry about expressions. No psychological pressure. Just strike a pose, and it looks great.

Peninsula 63's café had a beautiful view, with arched floor-to-ceiling windows that felt exotic. Unfortunately, as hurried travelers, we didn't have time to sit for an afternoon reading a book and drinking coffee.

We only visited the real Haili Life the next day, after our lake circuit. Walk past Peninsula 63, through an alley, and you'll see Haili Life Café. There's just one white table, with a white wooden frame overhead. At sunset, it was breathtakingly beautiful.

Continue past Haili Life's second courtyard, through the orange-red firecracker flowers, and you'll find two other lakeside photography bases. They're especially beautiful at dusk, complete with a white piano prop. Also 5 yuan, but they have neatly built lakeside boardwalks. If you don't care about Haili Life, I recommend shooting here.

The most photographed spot with the widest lake view is Haili Life's first courtyard — the actual "Heart Road Let Go" filming location. I later rewatched the entire movie from beginning to end, but I honestly couldn't figure out where the filming took place…

The real Haili Life has a tilted white photo frame. We didn't go in, but Nuannuan's volunteer staff sent me photos — when they visited, Shuanglang was under construction for sewage facilities, and the lake wasn't as unobstructed and beautiful as before.

Returning to Nuannuan at Night: Green Plums and Wine, Facing the Sea

In the evening, we found a noodle shop in town and had dinner. We returned to Nuannuan quite early. I went to the activity room to read for a while, then opened the window to look at the dark Erhai Lake. The night wind howled, and it was a bit cold.

I asked Dongdong for a glass of plum wine. Just one small glass was enough for me — with my tolerance, that was my limit.

Facing the sea, with green plums and wine, it had a charm all its own.

Before heading to my room, Dongdong kindly offered a glass of warm milk for bedtime. Not bad, not bad at all.

Wase Cycling: All the Way West to Dali

A Pink Kitty Cat and the Blue of Erhai

The next day, we rented a beautiful pink Hello Kitty electric scooter and set off for Wase!

The scenery was endless. The roadside just outside Dajianpang Village wasn't worth photographing — don't waste too much time here, or you'll miss the truly beautiful spots later.

In Yunnan, it seems like you can see the sun and moon together almost every day. The sunlight was so perfect that the entire Erhai Lake looked like a deep blue night sky — stunningly beautiful, even bluer and more magnificent than the Haitang Bay I'd seen before.

Once you see the Wase road sign, you can start taking your time with photos. The highlight of the Erhai Lake circuit begins here.

Wase Pier: Regret Amid the Crowds

We arrived in Wase Town around noon. Every spot I wanted to photograph was packed with people, so we decided to eat first. We found a random restaurant and ordered fried rice and rice noodles — they were surprisingly good.

After lunch, I was so drowsy. It was past two o'clock, but I pushed myself to find a place to shoot. Under a lush clump of bougainvillea, there was a dirt path. I rode in and found an open area — completely filled with wedding photo shoots.

I was exhausted, so I decided to rest a bit before shooting. Shasha snapped a picture of me dozing on the ground.

After a short nap, I got up — but the wedding crowds were still there, and they were growing. Forget it, I'll just find angles without too many people.

Don't be fooled by our photos looking empty — the grove was full of wedding company vans, brides, grooms, and staff.

It was too hot, so I took off my shoes and waded into the water. Cool and refreshing — it felt wonderful.

Wase Pier had a guard preventing anyone from walking to the submerged section. The whole reason people come here is to take photos standing in Erhai Lake — but we couldn't.

We just made do, taking a couple of shots from a safe spot.

Pro tip: If you want those photos of standing in the lake with no one around, blue skies and white clouds, stay overnight in Wase. Go early in the morning before the crowds arrive. By afternoon, self-driving tourists and tour buses will have flooded the area.

Regret Over Skipping Xiaoputuo

After shooting at the pier, it was around four o'clock. We were tired, hot, and exhausted. Since it was October and there were no red-billed gulls anyway, we decided to skip Xiaoputuo and head back to Nuannuan for dinner.

I've regretted it countless times since — we were right there in Wase, just one step away, and we gave up.

The entire route around Erhai was lined with red and white road barriers. In the afternoon, there were too many cars and people. Running across the road for a full-back silhouette shot was too dangerous, so the angles weren't as good.

We stopped at the highest point of the lakeside road and sat on the red and white barriers. From a passing private car, we heard music — "Go to Dali."

The lyrics spoke straight to my heart:

Are you not quite satisfied with life? Haven't laughed in a long time, and don't know why. Since you're unhappy and don't like it here, Why not go all the way west to Dali?

Even if it's just a temporary escape, please allow me — just one trip to Dali.

How many people fall in love with a city because they fall in love with a song? At least I do.

Sichuan and Yunnan are neighbors. I'd always wanted to visit simply because it was so close — it would be a waste not to. But my real love for the place came after watching the movie and hearing the song.

So this is how beautiful Erhai Lake is. So this is how, even with a chance encounter, heartbreak can still unfold.

The Return: Under the Six-Pointed Star

It was almost five o'clock, and the sun — like a six-pointed star — still blazed with brilliant light.

On the road back from Wase to Dajianpang Village, we passed two more paid photo spots. If you didn't shoot at Haili Life, you can shoot here. You'll also pass two wooden figures — my favorite was a pair of them, closer to Dajianpang Village.

Shasha had been looking for someone to take a photo of her speeding along with me on the scooter, but we couldn't find anyone willing to go that far. So we had to take selfies.

You might wonder why we covered ourselves up so much. Go experience Yunnan's sun for yourself, and you'll understand.

Night at Nuannuan: Life Is but a Dream, Time Flows Like Water

The Light Waiting for You to Come Home

Night fell, the wind turned chilly, and we returned to Nuannuan.

Seeing that light waiting for you, that path home — doesn't it instantly warm your heart?

The twilight was beautiful — vast and profound, like a quiet, enchanting legend.

Dinner was pre-ordered with Dongdong. Four dishes and a soup. Every meat dish had pork — I don't eat pork, so I could only pick at the vegetables. Luckily, the soup was good; I managed two bowls of rice soaked in soup.

It was my first time trying pork rib soup with carrots — surprisingly sweet and delicious.

One small complaint — why are all the tables in Yunnan so low? I practically had to lie down to eat.

The "Rich Second Generation's" Attitude

After dinner, it was still early. Shasha suggested finding a place to listen to folk music, but neither of us felt like moving.

I went back to my room, grabbed the last two corn sausages, and went to feed "Rich Second Generation." He was lying on the ground, paws tucked in, and wouldn't eat.

Damn — those were my last two sausages! If you won't eat them, I can't exactly pick them up and eat them myself!

When I passed his food bowl, I understood why he turned up his nose at my sausages — his bowl was filled with finely chopped meat and rice, which he didn't even glance at. Why would he accept charity from me?

I wanted to go back and apologize: "Sorry, sir, I've offended you." But I noticed the corn sausage by his mouth was gone. I asked him about it, but he ignored me, still lying there elegantly, his face saying, "I have no idea what you're talking about."

So you do eat street food — you're just playing hard to get.

Well, with a name like "Rich Second Generation," you have to live up to it. A rich kid wouldn't touch a commoner's sausage. Of course, he'd act like nothing happened.

The Final Night

It felt like rain was coming — the wind was noticeably stronger than the night before. We decided not to go to the glass-walled activity room. Instead, we spread a blanket on the bench under the eaves, each curling up at one end, playing on our phones.

I went for another glass of plum wine and brought out the oranges I'd bought in Wase.

"Second Generation" darted around in the darkness, then suddenly jumped onto the bench and ran across our blanket to follow Dongdong to the pool table. I was furious — we still needed that blanket for the night! Couldn't he at least bark a warning before taking a shortcut?

Even under the blanket, my hands and feet were freezing. I thought to myself, it's probably going to rain tomorrow.

Then Dongdong closed the door to the pool room, cutting off the wind. The entire courtyard instantly warmed up.

The common area had a warm, cozy glow. When there were more people, they'd play pool or the murder mystery game — losers had to crawl under the table and back.

The sky was a dark blue, the moon slightly hazy. The vines in the courtyard grew silently in the darkness. The yellow lamplight cast blurry shadows.

I took the last sip of plum wine, feeling my face flush.

Nights like this are truly beautiful.

Too bad I have to leave tomorrow.

Xizhou: A Mistaken Glimpse of Jiangnan

A Pleasant Surprise: The Big "囍" Character

I woke up early and left Shuanglang. The entire Nuannuan was still asleep — only "Rich Second Generation," lying in the hallway, was awake. This goodbye could only be said to him.

The shared rides in town were charging exorbitant prices — two or three times the normal rate. After some hassle, we managed to get a Didi ride to Xizhou.

The highway was jammed for a long time. By the time we reached Xizhou, it was already noon.

Compared to Shuanglang, Xizhou didn't have much presence for me. I only came because it was on the way to Dali's old town — since we were passing through, I figured we might as well stop.

The car dropped us off on a roadside with little bridges and flowing water. My first thought was that I'd somehow ended up in a Jiangnan water town.

A three-wheeler took us to Miwan Youth Hostel for 8 yuan. We passed large fields of freshly turned soil, with green grass growing between them. I was disoriented — was it spring? Or had the autumn harvest already passed?

Shasha mentioned that there was a giant "囍" (double happiness) character somewhere in Xizhou and asked if I knew where it was. I said no — I hadn't researched Xizhou.

No sooner had I spoken than the three-wheeler stopped. I stepped out, and there it was — the wall with the giant "囍" character, right on the wall of our hostel, Miwan.

It was an unexpected delight. But this "囍" character was as popular as Nuannuan's staircase — getting a photo with it was hard because waves of people kept coming to take pictures.

The wall on the right, with its sleeping baby mural, was also eye-catching.

Miwan: A Kingdom of Flowers

The bright moon shines on Erhai, a jade belt wraps around Cangshan. These two lines are everywhere in Dali's Bai ethnic homes.

Pushing open Miwan's wooden door, I was greeted by a world of flowers — like a kingdom of green fairies. I thought Nuannuan's succulents were impressive, but Miwan's were even more vigorous — one plant filled an entire large pot, like a giant green peony.

A large Old English Sheepdog was locked in a cage by the entrance, along with a tiny, fragile kitten. The hostel owner repeatedly reminded us to close the door when going out — the kitten had previously only played in the yard, but two days ago, someone left the door open, and it ran out. It discovered a whole new world and now wants to escape every day.

Our female dorm was at the far end of the second floor, with flowers planted all along the walkway. Every morning, the auntie would come to change the sheets and water the flowers.

From the first floor to the second, it was filled with all kinds of flowers. There was one incredibly beautiful flower that I couldn't name — I wanted to make earrings out of it. Later, back home, I happened to scroll past a botany post on Weibo and identified it as "Fuchsia" (also known as "lady's eardrops" or "hanging bellflower"). Absolutely stunning.

Besides the bold magenta and purple varieties, there were also pale white and pink ones. But I thought the bright red and purple were more beautiful.

The Blue Cottage and the Swing Dream

I washed my dress and shoes, then climbed the creaky wooden stairs to the rooftop to dry them. The sun was fierce, and the wind was strong. The international youth hostel flag flapped loudly on the roof, like clouds rolling and unrolling.

The sunlight was so brilliant that I felt inexplicably happy.

My favorite part of the entire hostel was the blue cottage area. There was a hanging basket swing — my absolute favorite. I could lie in it for a lifetime and never get up.

The midday sun felt like it was setting me on fire. I wore a hat covering my entire face, refusing to get off the swing, pretending I wasn't afraid of the sun.

Under the swing was a glass roof, below which was the hostel's small bar. Since it was the off-season, there was no one there, so I could be shameless. But if there were people below, girls might want to avoid walking around in long skirts.

Xizhou Flatbread and Sour Bamboo Shoot Fried Rice

After resting a bit, we went out for lunch. I searched everywhere for my wallet — it turned out I'd left it on the white table in front of the swing, along with my guidebook and phone.

Speaking of which, that table was perfect for writing. If I had the time, I'd love to stay here for ten days or half a month, undisturbed, and finish writing my novel.

We rented another scooter — the third time on this trip. It was the same red-and-blue model as in Lugu Lake — really stylish.

We went to the archway area to eat. We stopped at a random shop claiming to be a "century-old establishment" and bought Xizhou flatbread (xizhou baba). This bread was so dense that even sharing one between the two of us, we were almost full.

According to the guidebook, the most authentic Xizhou flatbread is sold at the shop on the left side of the square archway, where there's always a long line. I went to check it out but decided their bread had too much meat — I didn't like it, so I walked away.

I looked at several small restaurants — almost all of them were packed. I chose one with fewer people — Yunge Snacks. I ordered sour bamboo shoot beef fried rice.

It was amazing. The best fried rice I'd had on the entire trip. I didn't leave a single grain — I wanted to order another portion.

Epilogue: Time Is Your Own

In Yunnan, you understand why some people find Sanya boring. Sanya is just endless sea and sand, but Yunnan's Erhai Lake also has that boundless blue — plus trees in all kinds of twisted, elegant shapes, growing right out of the water, shimmering and dreamy.

I always feel like this is a place where you could spend a lifetime. Spring all year round, flowers everywhere.

If I weren't just a passerby, but someone coming home, I could find a cozy spot to settle in, bask in the sun, and sleep to my heart's content. A book in my hand, a dog at my feet — sleeping together until the end of time.

After returning, I joined Nuannuan's group chat. I watched everyone banter and joke around every day, saw the staff at Nuannuan's Shuanglang and old-town locations share snippets of their lives — and I was so envious.

Who says that being young means you have to chase fame and fortune, to live a hard life? Why can't you just leisurely waste your time?

Time is your own. How you choose to waste it is also your own business. Who says you can only live one kind of life — the safe, conventional way — to be considered secure and successful?

You might think every inch of time is worth gold, that it should be spent on making big money, building retirement savings for your old age.

But I'd rather take that golden time and skip it across the water — watching the golden light and the blue Erhai Lake create little ripples.

What an interesting life that would be.

Dali truly lives up to its reputation as the best place to escape the world. I'd only been here for two days, and I was already completely relaxed from the inside out. I wished I could live this lazy life forever — not dwelling on the past, not asking about the future.

Life is but a dream, time flows like water.

The mountains and rivers remain, but the old friend returns late.

Practical Tips Summary

1. During the Shuanglang road closure: Getting in and out is inconvenient, and prices go up — but it's still worth visiting. Shared ride prices may double. It's best to arrange transportation with your guesthouse in advance.

2. Photo spots: Haili Life's first courtyard is the actual "Heart Road Let Go" filming location, but many guesthouses along the way claim to be. If you're not picky, any 5 yuan per person spot will do. Confirm in advance.

3. Wase Pier: If you want photos of yourself standing in the lake with no one around, stay in Wase and go early in the morning. It's packed by afternoon.

4. Lakeside cycling: The pink Hello Kitty scooter is very photogenic. The highlight section starts after the Wase road sign — don't waste too much time before that.

5. Xizhou food: Xizhou flatbread (xizhou baba) and sour bamboo shoot beef fried rice are must-eats. The most authentic flatbread is at the shop on the left side of the square archway.

6. Accommodation recommendations: Shuanglang — Nuannuan Garden Guesthouse (hilltop garden, stunning lake views); Xizhou — Miwan Youth Hostel (kingdom of flowers, blue cottage with an amazing hanging swing).

7. Sun protection: Yunnan's sun is intense — make sure to protect yourself. Your face might come out dark in photos, but as long as you're happy, that's what matters.

"Are you not quite satisfied with life? Haven't laughed in a long time, and don't know why. Since you're unhappy and don't like it here, why not go all the way west to Dali?"

Even if it's just a temporary escape, please allow me — just one trip to Dali.