Finally Went to a Place with Wind: A Five-Day Itinerary in Dali, 2024

Introduction: From "Brick-Carrying" to "Wind"

"Dali's Erhai Lake — it wasn't quite what I imagined."

That was the casual remark I posted on my social media after returning from Yunnan. Then I slipped back into my daily grind, as if those five days had been nothing more than a fleeting dream. But with a relatively quiet week ahead, I decided to jot down this experience. After all, as we get older, if we don't leave a trace, those beautiful moments might really fade with time.

This trip was, in fact, a spontaneous adventure. The vacation days were booked in advance, but up until a week before departure, my travel partner PJ and I were still debating whether to go at all, and where. Work was a tangled mess, and just when we'd sorted it out, PJ suddenly suggested, "How about we go to Yunnan to unwind?" So on Monday, we decided on the destination, bought the plane tickets, and completed all the planning within three days — and just like that, a Yunnan itinerary was born.

Yunnan — a province I'd never set foot in — had been a name I'd heard since childhood: Shangri-La, Xishuangbanna, Meili Snow Mountain, Lijiang Old Town... Every name was enticing, yet always felt out of reach. It wasn't until I watched the 2023 TV series Meet Yourself (去有风的地方) that my longing for Yunnan was truly ignited. With only five days to spare, we eventually settled on just two cities: Kunming and Dali. We didn't want to skim the surface; we wanted a deep experience.

Pre-Trip Preparation: Car Rental Tips and "Bizarre" Pricing

Erhai Lake is much larger than I'd imagined, and the ancient towns we planned to visit — Fengyangyi, Xizhou, Shaxi, and Shuanglang — were far apart. Rather than wasting time on buses or being tied down by a chartered car, renting a car for self-driving offered the most freedom. After comparing platforms like Shenzhou and Yihai, we ultimately chose Ctrip's car rental service. The reason was simple: lower prices and more car options. Following a friend's advice, we opted for the most expensive insurance, which saved us a lot of hassle.

When choosing a car, we debated between a Tank SUV and a Mini Cooper. Then we stumbled upon a convertible Mini Cooper. As someone who usually drives an electric car, I suddenly found myself caring about fuel economy. In the end, we rented the convertible Mini for 1,083 yuan, including three days of the priciest insurance, with pickup and drop-off at Dali Railway Station. Interestingly, the rental platform had a strange pricing logic: 72 hours was the cheapest, but 70 or 73 hours cost over 1,100 yuan — to this day, I have no idea how that algorithm works.

Day 1: From Shanghai to Kunming, a Sneaky Departure

Escaping the "Office Grind"

I was supposed to finish work at 6 PM on Friday, but at 5 PM, I quietly rolled my suitcase to the company lobby and asked a colleague to clock me out. As soon as I got PJ's "ready to go" message, I slipped out of the office. When we met at Century Avenue metro station, she was wearing a pink tracksuit I'd never seen before, looking unusually light and carefree.

At Pudong Airport, we used our China Merchants Bank credit card to access the VIP lounge. We'd hoped for some peace and quiet, but it was packed — turns out everyone's a VIP these days. I'd wanted to try the old joke about ordering "a bowl of beef noodles, just the beef, no noodles," but they served curry beef rice instead. I piled two big bowls onto my plate and wolfed them down. Little did I know, this meal would become the most satisfying one of the entire Yunnan trip — maybe because free food always tastes better.

PJ isn't a picky eater; she'll even eat houttuynia cordata (a pungent herb). But she has her own dietary quirks: oil, fatty meat, and skin all go to me; she only eats what she considers low-calorie. After finishing the curry rice, she even ordered a coffee and kept snacking... While waiting for the plane, we started catching up on Meet Yourself, which we'd downloaded offline on an iPad. As of writing this travelogue two months later, we still haven't finished it.

First Impressions of Kunming

On the plane, PJ slept the entire way. She'd been up until 3 AM the previous two nights, and had packed her bags late into the night before departure, so she was exhausted throughout the trip. I sat still, my legs aching, afraid to move and wake her.

Midnight, Kunming Changshui Airport. As we stepped outside, a pleasant temperature greeted us. No taxis in sight, but we spotted a uniformed staff member: "Airport shuttle, 35 yuan per person, leaves when full." I glanced at the MPV nearby and, on a whim, got on. A taxi would have cost about 80 or 90 yuan, so 70 yuan for two wasn't really a bargain. But luckily, the shuttle stopped just a block from our hotel. PJ nodded off the whole way, and once at the hotel, she crashed immediately.

Day 2: Kunming to Dali, First Taste of Erhai Lake

The "Former Train Captain" at Kunming Station

Woke up at 8:30 AM. Last night's curry rice had left me surprisingly full, so I barely touched breakfast. We split a bowl of noodles, then dragged our two suitcases on foot to Kunming Station. PJ calls herself a "former train captain" and boasts about handling luggage, but in reality, she kept tripping me up — so I ended up pulling both suitcases the whole way.

Kunming Station is quite old, a bit like Shanghai Station, with blue acrylic panels that give it a nostalgic feel. PJ started sharing her railroad knowledge and name-dropping people from the Kunming Railway Bureau. Once on the train, she stretched out and slept all the way to Dali — this was our first time taking a train together.

Unlocking the "Neon Green" Mini

Noon, Dali Station. A wave of heat hit us. We contacted the rental company and found our Mini Cooper in the parking lot across the street — a neon green convertible. We couldn't choose the color, so getting this one felt like winning the lottery. PJ hid in the shade while I carefully inspected the car and filmed a verification video.

After a smooth handover, the first thing we did was pop the top. It looked cool, but the leather seats were scorching hot.

Our plan was to circle Erhai Lake clockwise, starting and ending at Dali Station. First stop: Xingsheng Bridge. Many online comments say it's not worth visiting, but it was on our route. We found a parking lot before the bridge, PJ used the restroom, and we snapped a quick photo of the bridge, which appeared in Meet Yourself. In the distance, clouds over Cangshan Mountain looked as soft as cotton candy. The weather was perfect.

Fengyangyi: Little Joys on the Ancient Tea Horse Road

Fengyangyi sits at the foot of Cangshan's Foding Peak. Originally named "Brick Kiln," it was later renamed to mean "Phoenix Facing the Sun." The ancient Tea Horse Road that runs through the village stretches 1,900 meters, lined with stone benches and platform stalls. Despite centuries of wear, it still retains original features like horse posts where caravans once rested.

We parked under a big tree near the village entrance and started exploring. Passing a house hosting a banquet, we saw fish and cured meat spread all over the ground — probably fish from Erhai Lake. Fengyangyi is a quiet, peaceful little village, not overly commercialized, built into the hillside in a charmingly haphazard way.

We stepped into a café filled with yellow flowers, where a cute little dog posed for photos (I mean, PJ posed with it). As we climbed higher, the crowds thinned, and every spot was perfect for pictures.

On the main Tea Horse Road, street snacks appeared. It was 1 PM and we hadn't eaten yet, so we tried grilled tofu, grilled milk fan, and grilled zucchini. The grill owner even poured us a cup of his homemade bayberry juice — ice-cold, sweet and sour, absolutely delicious. The girl selling grilled milk fan said, "First time? Here's a small piece for 5 yuan." Milk fan is a dairy product, grilled soft and brushed with rose jam. One taste and I knew PJ would love it — sure enough, she craved it for the rest of the trip.

The "Windy Courtyard" where Xu Hongdou lives in Meet Yourself is on this street, but entry requires a ticket (includes two drinks), so we skipped it. Next door, another café courtyard was bursting with blooming hydrangeas. From here, we could see Erhai Lake in the distance. The earthen bricks and tiles felt like they could pull you out of the city's concrete jungle.

Three Pagodas of Chongsheng Temple: The Iconic Check-In

The Three Pagodas are Dali's symbol and its only 5A-rated scenic spot. We paid 75 yuan each to enter, but as online reviews say, this is the least worthwhile attraction. The Reflection Park offers views of the pagodas mirrored in the lake, but the site is huge and the weather was hot. We only made it to the base of the pagodas before calling it quits. We consoled ourselves: "It's Dali's landmark — you have to check it off."

The Cave Hotel in Majiuyi Village

Our accommodation was in Majiuyi Village, right next to the ecological长廊 (corridor). The hotel was unique, with a private courtyard and an outdoor pool, and rooms shaped like caves. PJ was exhausted; the Three Pagodas had drained all her energy, and she slept straight through until dinner. The hotel's rooftop was an influencer photo spot, packed with trendy elements.

Due to the time zone difference, it was still light at 6 or 7 PM in Yunnan. We finally opened the convertible top for the first time and enjoyed the feeling of driving with the wind. If not for PJ, I would have done it under the midday sun.

Dali Old Town: Mushroom Hotpot and "See-Hand Green"

For dinner, we headed to the mushroom hotpot restaurant at the south gate of the old town — the same place where the character Ayuan works in Meet Yourself. A friend recommended "spring chicken feet," which turned out to be "pounded chicken feet" — a cold dish made with Yunnan's special spices, sweet and sour, very appetizing.

After waiting about 30 minutes, we got a table outdoors. We ordered a set meal plus "see-hand green" (见手青), a type of mushroom rumored to make you see dancing little people if undercooked. The waiter dropped various mushrooms into the pot in front of us, and the timer showed 40 minutes... Good thing we had the chicken feet to tide us over. As we waited, the queue grew longer, confirming we'd chosen well.

We ordered a pot of flower-brewed wine, but since I was driving, I didn't have a sip. After a hearty meal, PJ was too tired to explore the old town. When we retrieved the car, we realized private cars could enter the old town at night. So we drove the convertible straight through Dali Old Town back to the hotel.

Day 3: West Erhai Lake to Shaxi, Mountain Roads and Ancient Towns

Morning at the Erhai Ecological Corridor

The guesthouse offered breakfast for one person per room. PJ went back to rest, and I walked alone to the Erhai Ecological Corridor. Cars aren't allowed here — only bikes. I spent 10 minutes strolling by the lake, afraid that if I took too long, PJ would complain. If I could stay here a while, I'd run along this path every day.

A light rain fell today, but it cleared quickly. That's Erhai's weather: sunny one moment, rainy the next, with a refreshing coolness after the rain.

The Corridor Bridge: A Lonely Tree and a Broken Bridge

First stop: what Baidu Maps calls "Corridor Bridge" — really just a broken bridge, but with a lonely tree growing in Erhai Lake, perfect for photos. We drove as close as possible, but the roads were narrow, winding through villagers' homes. Taking advantage of the Mini's small size, we parked secretly on the roadside, saving 10 yuan in parking fees. We jumped out quickly, afraid of being spotted by the locals — a bit sneaky, but worth it.

Here, we were close enough to touch the water. Each arch of the bridge had a group of people taking photos. PJ was hungry again, and finally got her long-awaited grilled milk fan.

Xizhou Ancient Town: Bai Architecture and the Viral Wheat Field

Xizhou Ancient Town is an important Bai ethnic settlement, home to the best-preserved cluster of Bai residential buildings. We first navigated to "Dali Hetianli Guesthouse" to find the iconic banyan tree where Xu Hongdou sat in the show. Using a wide-angle lens, I made PJ look tall and slender. She was thrilled, thinking she looked both tall and slim.

The roadside was lined with morning glories. I secretly picked one and placed it on PJ's new straw hat — it looked lovely. PJ usually avoids cats and dogs, but she dared to pet a horse's face — probably because it was a handsome one.

We drove into the town, parked, and started hunting for food. We tried a sweet Xizhou flatbread and beef rice cakes. The flatbread had a crispy crust and soft interior, absolutely delicious. The rice cakes were like slices of rice cake stuffed with beef — nothing special.

The corner tower on the main street is Xizhou's landmark, built in 1945, but it was too crowded to get a people-free shot. PJ was hungry again, so at "Silver Rice Yunnan Traditional Crossing-the-Bridge Rice Noodles" near the tower, she ordered a bowl of copper-pot rice noodles. The presentation was spectacular: 15 small plates of various ingredients arranged around the bowl. It tasted great.

After eating, we walked to the viral wheat field. With wooden boardwalks, good weather, and strong sunlight, every shot was photogenic. PJ had wanted a balloon since morning, so she bought one for 10 yuan from an elderly woman — a sunny yellow balloon. She posed for a few shots, then we moved on. The balloon refused to float properly, and the sun was too glaring.

Puzhen Bai Tie-Dye Museum

On the way to Shaxi Ancient Town, we passed through Zhoucheng Village. The entire village is dedicated to Bai tie-dye. We found the Puzhen Bai Tie-Dye Museum, China's first museum of Bai tie-dye. In the courtyard, several pieces of dyed fabric were stretched across. PJ's red outfit stood out beautifully against the blue-and-white fabric. Short on time, we snapped a few photos and left.

Shaxi Ancient Town: Mountain Roads and Tranquility

We chose the winding mountain road to Shaxi instead of the highway. Driving the 1.5T convertible Mini on the red-earth mountain roads felt like a rally race. There was even a rest stop on the way, where we grabbed a coffee and took photos — every spot was picture-perfect.

After nearly two hours, we reached our guesthouse — a second-floor room in a self-built house, nicely decorated. The owner offered to upgrade us to a larger room for just 20 yuan. I shamelessly handed over 20 yuan for a room with a view. The owner said honestly, "It's empty anyway, but charging nothing would feel weird to me." He also told us to bring some fruit upstairs.

Shaxi Ancient Town is peaceful and serene, shaded by trees, filled with birdsong and flowers. We wandered aimlessly. PJ was hungry again, so we started looking for food. I'd done some research and picked out Four Happiness Restaurant and another place recommended by netizens...

Conclusion: A Place with Wind, More Than Just Scenery

Five days and five nights — from Kunming to Dali, from Erhai Lake to Shaxi, we drove the convertible Mini, felt the wind, ate milk fan, and checked off scenes from Meet Yourself. But what I'll truly remember aren't the viral spots. It's the unexpected moments: the little dog in the Fengyangyi café, the lonely tree by the corridor bridge, the red earth and coffee on the mountain road, the quiet night in Shaxi Ancient Town.

Some say Dali is too commercialized. Others say Erhai Lake isn't as beautiful as they imagined. But travel isn't about the destination — it's about who you share the journey with. PJ's drowsiness, my sneaky escapes, that neon green Mini, and the endless cravings for grilled milk fan — those are the real meaning of "a place with wind."

If you're planning a trip to Dali, my advice is: rent a car, take a less-traveled route, don't try to check off every attraction, and leave some time just to sit and stare. Because a place with wind isn't found in a guidebook — it's found on the road.