Drunk on Dali's Wind, Flowers, Snow, and Moon — A Stroll Through the Clouds (Part 2) [Food Guide to Shuanglang, Xiaguan, and Xizhou in Yunnan]

Prologue: A Journey That Leaves Your Heart Behind

There are some places you have to see with your own eyes to truly understand what it means to be "haunted by a place." Even after your body returns home, your heart remains anchored to that land beneath the colorful clouds, refusing to come back. Dali is exactly that kind of place — one that intoxicates you and makes you forget the way home.

From March 28 to April 6, 2013, my wife Miaomiao and I embarked on a spontaneous free-and-easy trip. No rigid itinerary, just a heart ready to go with the flow. We set off from Beijing, transferred through Kunming, and finally landed in the ancient city that had been calling to us for so long — Dali.

Day One: Arriving in Dali, First Taste of the Ancient City

Flying Above the Clouds, Touching Down in Dali

We took China Eastern Airlines flight MU5716, a Boeing 737-700. After a brief stop in Kunming, we landed at Dali Airport around noon. Looking down from the sky, the legendary red earth of Yunnan spread out before us — though visibility was poor due to a recent mountain fire.

Everything went smoothly after landing. The airport shuttle took us directly to Dali Railway Station for 10 yuan per person, a trip of about 15 minutes. At the station, we bought hard-seat tickets to Lijiang in advance (29 yuan each). Traveling in the off-season made everything easy — plenty of tickets available. Then we took bus No. 8 (1.5 yuan per person) to the ancient city, got off at Fuxing Road intersection, walked south along the pedestrian street, passed through Yangrenjie (Foreigner Street) and Renmin Road (People's Road), and finally found our booked guesthouse in an alley across from "First Primary School" at the foot of Wuhua Tower — Yaxianju Guesthouse.

The innkeeper was so warm and welcoming that it warmed our hearts. Not only did she check us in, but she also gave us maps of Dali, Lijiang, and Shuhe, and later delivered a transport map as well. That thoughtful gesture made our first impression of the city especially lovely. The guesthouse's location was perfect — just a hundred meters from Wuhua Tower, with Renmin Road's food street right nearby. The queen-size bed room cost only 88 yuan per night through a group-buy deal. The value of off-season travel was simply delightful.

First Food Exploration on Renmin Road

At 3 p.m., after settling our luggage, we couldn't wait to head out for food. The warm sunlight bathed Renmin Road, where restaurants, bars, and shops lined both sides. What drew us most was the famous "Cang'erchun" restaurant.

We ordered three hot dishes and a bottle of Feng Hua Xue Yue (Wind, Flower, Snow, Moon) beer:

• Stir-fried snail meat (small portion, 28 yuan): The snail meat was crunchy and quite spicy, with a hint of mint leaves that Miaomiao absolutely loved. But since snails come from the lake, we didn't eat too many — concerns about parasites.
• Stir-fried chicken with papaya (small portion, 34 yuan): Zitan's favorite dish! The chicken was tender, with a sour and spicy flavor that was incredibly appetizing.
• Stir-fried bok choy (10 yuan): Slightly bitter with a sweet aftertaste, good for clearing heat and refreshing the mind — perfect for travelers.
• Feng Hua Xue Yue beer: About 8-10 yuan per bottle. Nice name, pretty bottle, but the taste was a bit light and slightly sour.

Strolling Through the Ancient City: From Renmin Road to Foreigner Street

After our meal, we wandered along Renmin Road all the way to Erhai Gate, then turned north into Foreigner Street. Since it was the off-season, there weren't many tourists, but the restaurants had their fresh vegetables displayed outside — vibrant seasonal greens that looked irresistible.

On the way, we spotted an Alaskan Malamute that gobbled up its young owner's snack in seconds, leaving the kid hopping around in frustration. It was both hilarious and adorable.

As evening approached, artists began to appear on Renmin Road. A foreigner played a dombra (a Central Asian string instrument) at his regular spot every day, performing Xinjiang music with surprising skill. There were also wind instrument ensembles, adding a unique artistic vibe to the ancient city.

Dali Food Tips

Milk fans and milk cakes: Grilled milk fan (roasted goat or cow milk curd) was Miaomiao's favorite, especially the rose-flavored version. The hard, dry milk fan is grilled over charcoal for a few minutes until it becomes warm and soft. Then rose jam is spread on it, wrapped around a small stick, and eaten while hot — the rich milky aroma mixed with the sweet fragrance of roses instantly covers your taste buds. It's a feeling of pure satisfaction and happiness. Milk cake (a hard cheese made from goat's milk) is even more nutritious than milk fan, but since we were traveling to multiple places, we couldn't take any with us.

Sour plum drinks and yogurt: Favorites among the ladies, both 5 yuan per bottle. The sour plum drink comes in three flavors — Miaomiao preferred rose, while Zitan liked osmanthus. The yogurt was rich and thick, absolutely delicious.

Beer recommendations: Dali has two local beers — "Dali" beer and "Feng Hua Xue Yue" (Wind, Flower, Snow, Moon). Zitan recommends "Dali Chunshuang" (12 degrees), which has a full-bodied taste and rich aroma. At Sifang Street Supermarket on Fuxing Road, it's only 3.3 yuan per 560ml bottle. "Feng Hua Xue Yue" (8 degrees) is lighter and slightly sour — not really to our taste.

Day Two: Watching the Lake at Shuanglang, Seeking Flavors in Xizhou

Dawn in Dali

At 7:20 a.m., Zitan was woken by the faint light outside the window. He pulled back the curtain — the sky was clear, and clouds were tinged with red. He jumped up, grabbed his camera, and rushed to the guesthouse's third-floor terrace. The sun was about to rise!

In the eastern sky, the clouds grew redder and redder. Golden beams of light pierced through the gaps, painting the sky and clouds crimson. Zitan spent 20 minutes capturing the magnificent Dali sunrise: the sun leaped above the horizon, and Cangshan Mountain was bathed in a faint red glow, as if it had been drinking with the sun god the night before.

Breakfast: The Comfort of Small-Pot Rice Noodles

After photographing the dawn, we set out lightly. Early morning on Fuxing Road was quiet and peaceful — only hardworking locals and tireless backpackers were on the move. We had breakfast at "Mengziyuan Cross-Bridge Rice Noodles" at the corner of Foreigner Street: Miaomiao ordered small-pot rice noodles (11 yuan), while Zitan went for something more adventurous — small-pot rice noodles with stinky tofu (13 yuan). The steaming hot noodles filled our stomachs and gave us confidence. With food in our bellies, we were ready for a new day's adventure.

Heading to Shuanglang

From the square at Feng Hua Xue Yue Hotel near the ancient city's east gate, we originally planned to take a minibus to Shuanglang (16 yuan per person), but after waiting for a long time, no bus appeared. Several unlicensed taxi drivers asked for 80 yuan per person — we firmly refused. Then we met two girls also heading to Shuanglang. A driver in a red Xiali suggested the four of us share a car for 40 yuan each. We bargained down to 25 yuan, and the driver surprisingly agreed without hesitation.

Driver Chen was a Hui (Chinese Muslim) and we hit it off during the ride. When he learned about our travel plans, he generously offered plenty of advice.

Food and Travel Practical Guide

Dali Must-Eat List

1. Cang'erchun Restaurant: Stir-fried snail meat, stir-fried chicken with papaya, stir-fried bok choy
2. Grilled milk fan (roasted goat/cow milk curd): Rose flavor is best, 3 yuan per serving
3. Small-pot rice noodles / rice noodles with stinky tofu: At Mengziyuan Cross-Bridge Rice Noodles
4. Sour plum drink: Rose or osmanthus flavor, 5 yuan per bottle
5. Dali Chunshuang beer: 3.3 yuan per bottle at Sifang Street Supermarket

Practical Tips

• Transportation: Airport shuttle from Dali Airport to the railway station costs 10 yuan per person. From the railway station to the ancient city, take bus No. 8 for 1.5 yuan per person.
• Accommodation: Off-season travel offers great value. Yaxianju Guesthouse's queen-size bed room costs 88 yuan per night and has an excellent location.
• Shopping: Sifang Street Supermarket is open until 11 p.m. and has affordable beer prices.
• Note: Avoid eating too many lake-based dishes like stir-fried snail meat — be mindful of food safety.

Epilogue: Dali, a Dream You Never Want to Wake From

Every day in Dali was a conversation with the wind, flowers, snow, and moon. Whether it was the first ray of sunlight on Cangshan Mountain in the morning, the aroma of grilled milk fan drifting through Renmin Road, or the twilight over Cangshan beyond Erhai Gate, this ancient city always gave you reasons to stay.

Even after returning home, my heart remains in that land beneath the colorful clouds. Dali is not a place you can say goodbye to after just one trip. It's a dream — one that intoxicates you and makes you never want to wake up. If you long for such a journey, take this guide with you and go find your own wind, flowers, snow, and moon in Dali.

Remember: The best travel isn't about how far you go — it's about leaving your heart there.