Three Generations Together: A 6-Day, 5-Night Slow Dali Journey — An Honest Guide for Travelers "Dragging the Whole Family Along"

A travel diary I casually wrote last year unexpectedly got bookmarked over two hundred times, which genuinely warmed my heart. That feeling of "oh, my experience can actually help others" was like taking a sip of hot soup — it just made everything feel right.

So, I've decided to continue this series. This time, the destination is — Dali.

If you're anything like me — a post-80s parent with aging parents above, a young child below, and a mortgage squarely on your shoulders in the middle — this article is written for you. I understand all your anxieties. I've been through all your hesitations. I'll break down every thought process, every pitfall I stepped into, every detour I took, and explain it all in plain, honest detail.

Trip Background: A Big Family, Each with Their Own "Agenda"

Travel Dates: March 28 – April 2, 2019
Travelers:
- My parents (age 60, not so steady on their feet)
- My husband and me (post-80s, the generation that can't afford to drop dead)
- My daughter (age 3, boundless energy but limited stamina)

Transportation: Rented car. This is our standard for family trips. Dali Airport has two reputable rental companies — Yihai and Shenzhou. The cheapest car for 6 days costs around 600 RMB. Pick up and return at the airport — convenient and worry-free. I don't recommend renting a car inside the ancient town; prices are opaque. Nor do I recommend renting a scooter — the cobblestone roads rattle your bones, and the construction sections on West Erhai Road and East Erhai Road are so dusty that elderly folks and kids simply can't handle it.

Trip Principle: Everyone knows about Yunnan's attractions. Trying to see everything in one go? That's just skimming the surface, and both the elderly and children will suffer. With 5 days, pick at most 2 cities — no more. I chose Dali and Shaxi this time. I originally considered Kunming too, but gave up due to fluctuating airfare. If you absolutely must go to Kunming, I only recommend Yunnan Nationalities Village — elderly folks and kids can watch performances and interact. Dianchi Lake? You can see seagulls at Erhai too; no need to make a special trip.

Itinerary Overview: One Theme Per Day, No Rushing, No Exhaustion

• Day 1: Dali Ancient Town (light exploration, adjusting to the pace)
• Day 2: Cangshan Mountain (summit challenge and compromise)
• Day 3: West Erhai Road (Xizhou, Haishe Park)
• Day 4: Shaxi Ancient Town (truly slow living)
• Day 5: East Erhai Road (Shuanglang, Xiaoputuo Island)
• Day 6: Return

Day 1: Dali Ancient Town — Don't Expect Too Much

Accommodation: Jasmine Loft Guesthouse

There are countless guesthouses in Dali Ancient Town, but when choosing one with elderly and children, there are three non-negotiable criteria: parking available, air conditioning, and electric blankets. We picked Jasmine Loft on the lower section of Yu'er Road. The loft room was 240 RMB/night, the next most expensive was just over 160 RMB. The quilts were thick and warm, the pillows comfortable, and the loft even had a bathtub — the little one had a blast.

But there was an awkward point: the bathroom was on the first floor, while the bedroom was on the second. The elderly and the child had to climb up and down for midnight bathroom trips. My husband, on the other hand, enjoyed it — he slept on the tatami downstairs and felt "finally free."

Food: First Meal Was a Stunner

After checking in at noon, we headed straight to the trendy spot 【I'm Waiting for You in Dali - Fangzhou Fatty (方舟胖子)】. Off-season, no queue. The mushroom hotpot was so delicious it made you want to lick the bowl. The fried rice we ordered for the kid was nothing short of amazing — my daughter ate it with her head down, not looking up once. This was the best first meal of the entire trip. Highly recommended.

Dinner was mediocre, so I won't mention it.

Getting Around: Ancient Town? More Like "Shopping Street"

We were too tired from the morning flight, so we rested at the guesthouse until after 5 PM before heading out. Honestly, my first impression of Dali Ancient Town was terrible — isn't it just street after street of shops? Yu'er Road and Renmin Road even have cars driving through — chaotic.

We aimed for the South Gate, but only made it to Wuhua Tower before we couldn't go any further. It wasn't the distance — it was the cobblestone roads and slopes, a nightmare for the elderly and kids. My dad can normally walk 5-6 kilometers in Beijing, but here, a 1.2-kilometer stretch took us nearly two hours. Never overestimate the "travel speed" of elderly folks and children.

We skipped Honglong Well and the Bed Sheet Factory (Chuangdan Factory) — the former is no different from the rest of the ancient town, and the latter is an artsy exhibition space, which Beijing has plenty of. We tried one stick of roast milk fan (烤乳扇) from Yang Ji's stall — 7 RMB. Just give it a taste.

Conclusion: One night in Dali Ancient Town is enough. Don't spend an entire morning wandering around — it's not worth it.

Day 2: Cangshan Mountain — A Textbook Case of "Decision Paralysis"

Clothing: Down jacket required for the summit; a light jacket is enough for the mid-mountain area

Getting Around: Complete Breakdown of Cable Car Routes (Including Bloody Lessons)

Cangshan has three cable car lines, but most people only agonize over two: Gantong Cable Car and Ximatan Cable Car. These two branch into five different routes. I studied countless guides and thought I was well-prepared, but reality still slapped me in the face.

Route One: Gantong Cable Car up and down (most conservative)
Cheap, 110 RMB/person. Get off and you're on the Jade Belt Road. But the Jade Belt Road is 4.5 kilometers long (maybe more). Elderly folks and kids walking the whole thing? Forget it. Walk a short section and turn back — about 2 hours. Usually paired with a vegetarian lunch at Jizhao Temple.

I originally chose this route, but it backfired —
When we got to the travel agency, we found out the road to Gantong Cable Car was under construction. The park's sightseeing bus was shut down, so from the park entrance to the cable car station, you had to walk 2 kilometers — all uphill. My dad gave up on the spot. So a word of advice: Ask clearly before you go which cable car is under maintenance. This has been happening frequently in recent years.

Route Two/Three: Gantong up, Ximatan down (or vice versa)
Sounds like no backtracking, but in reality, you'd walk 7-8 kilometers. In the middle is the Nine Dragon Maiden Pools (九龙女池) — all stairs going up and down. The elderly took one look and turned back, saying the stairs don't even have handrails. Extremely low value for effort.

Route Four: Ximatan mid-section up and down
No scenery, unless you go to the Nine Dragon Maiden Pools. But as I said, elderly folks and kids can't handle it.

Route Five: Ximatan full route up and down (our final choice)
This is the most thrilling and the most exhausting route. I was originally worried about altitude sickness — both my parents have high blood pressure, my dad smokes, and my mom has a heart condition. But fate had other plans. On that day, the upper section of the cable car actually opened (apparently it had been closed for nearly 3 months). My husband said, "There's no reason not to go up."

Practical details:
- Half-route ticket for Ximatan is 150 RMB/person. If the upper section opens when you reach the mid-station, you can buy a supplemental ticket for 112 RMB/person. Kids are free.
- We bought oxygen canisters — 85 RMB each. Better safe than sorry.
- After reaching the summit and getting off the cable car, you still need to walk 1 kilometer to actually see Ximatan Lake. But that 1 kilometer was all snow! Extremely slippery. Our 3-year-old kept falling while walking. We gave up after 400 meters.
- My husband, refusing to accept defeat, went on alone. He came back 1.5 hours later. And the result? Ximatan Lake was frozen solid! Instead of shimmering blue water, we saw an icy hole.

Conclusion: With elderly folks and kids, don't go to the summit. The mid-section is good enough.

Food: An Unexpected Hidden Gem

It was almost 2 PM when we came down. The full-route Ximatan ticket includes free entry to the Tianlong Babu Film City (The Semi-Devils and the Eight Fairies Film City). Inside, we found a small shop with no signboard. The boiled rice noodles (饵丝) and boiled noodles were so good they made you want to cry. This was the second best meal I had in Dali.

For dinner, we went to 【Mr. Deer (鹿先生)】 because they had a guitarist performing live. My husband said the guitarist was incredibly professional. You must order their fish — there's a group-buy deal on Meituan. But if you're not into live music, there's no need to go out of your way.

Day 3: West Erhai Road — Xizhou and Haishe, Surprises and Pitfalls

Getting Around: Skip Caicun and Majiuyi

Caicun's so-called "farmland gardens" are all paid entry — 10 RMB/person, and the scenery is just okay. We searched forever for the water station at Majiuyi but couldn't find it. The surrounding houses were demolished beyond recognition.

The only stop worth making is the small path called "Xiangzhi Tian" (乡之田) — cherry blossom trees and real farmland. Beautiful.

Xizhou Ancient Town: Just Stop by for a Photo

Xizhou has very little greenery. It's scorching hot. I recommend taking the local electric buggy — 10 RMB per vehicle (not per person), fits 4 adults and 1 child. Just have the driver take you around. We walked there and took the buggy back. Much less exhausting.

Food: Cold Chicken Rice Noodles Are Legendary

We had lunch at the trendy spot 【Yulanxuan (玉兰轩)】. The cold chicken rice noodles (凉鸡米线) were explosively delicious. This was the third best meal I had in Dali. But the kid couldn't eat it, so we also bought Xizhou flatbread (喜洲粑粑) from Yang Shunbao's stall — honestly, it's just like Beijing's leavened flatbread. 10 RMB each, 20 RMB with an egg added. Very average. The only purpose was to fill the kid's stomach.

Haishe Park: Worth Visiting, but the Road Is a Problem

From Xizhou to Haishe, navigation said we could drive, but the road was actually under construction! Local villagers blocked the way, saying "you can't get through ahead." We didn't believe them and got stuck for half an hour. Take the advice: ride the villagers' electric buggy. 60 RMB round trip (negotiable to 50 RMB). They'll take you through the alleys.

Haishe Park itself is worth visiting. Nice scenery.

Day 4: Shaxi Ancient Town — The Real "Slow"

Shaxi was the biggest surprise of this trip. Compared to the hustle and bustle of Dali Ancient Town, Shaxi is quiet like another world. Cobblestone streets, an old stage, ancient trees, a small stream... Elderly folks and children can walk slowly without rushing.

Accommodation: We picked a guesthouse in the town with a courtyard. The kid could run around, and the elderly could bask in the sun.
Food: I recommend a restaurant called "First Encounter (初见)." The braised pork and green vegetables were both excellent.
Getting Around: The ancient town is small. Half a day is enough to wander. In the afternoon, find a cafe, sit down, watch the clouds, and zone out — that's the correct way to experience it.

Day 5: East Erhai Road — Shuanglang and Xiaoputuo

Shuanglang was more commercialized than I expected, but it's still pleasant to walk along the lakeshore. Xiaoputuo is just a tiny island — take a photo from a distance. No need to actually go on it.

Reminder: The ring-road along East Erhai has beautiful scenery, but there are many curves. Elderly folks are prone to motion sickness. Bring motion sickness medication.

Day 6: Return

Woke up early, packed up, returned the car at the airport. And just like that, the "dragging the whole family along" Dali trip came to an end.

Final Summary: Honest Words for All "Dragging the Whole Family Along" Travelers

1. Renting a car is non-negotiable. Don't skimp on this. The comfort of the elderly and children matters above all else.
2. Leave "blank space" in your itinerary. Plan only 1-2 core attractions per day. Use the rest of the time to rest, eat, and zone out.
3. Never overestimate the stamina of the elderly and children. Beijing's asphalt roads and Dali's cobblestone streets are two completely different worlds.
4. "Split meals" for dining. Trendy spots aren't necessarily kid-friendly. Prepare snacks in advance.
5. Don't summit Cangshan Mountain. Unless your child is over 6 and has exceptional stamina, the mid-section is enough.
6. Shaxi deserves an extra day. If you want to experience the real Dali, Shaxi is far better than the ancient town.

Travel isn't about checking off spots. It's about the time a family spends together. Slow down. Slow down even more. Those little mishaps and compromises along the way will eventually become the warmest parts of your memories.

I hope this article helps you avoid a few pitfalls and hold onto a bit more ease. Wishing you a wonderful journey.