Two People, One Car, One Dog: Yunnan Road Trip Part 1 (Dali, Lijiang, Lugu Lake, Shangri-La, Meili Snow Mountain, Tengchong)

Becoming the owner of a mood boutique

Destination: Yunnan Travel Dates: September 11, 2018 · 15 days Cost per person: N/A Travel Companions: Couple

Foreword

"Do you know why people take photos?"

"To record things, I guess. So we don't forget."

"No. It's so we can allow ourselves to forget without worry."

— The Fragment Repairer of Life

I think that taking photos, posting on social media, writing travelogues... all these acts of recording are really about giving ourselves permission to forget. Otherwise, why would we feel uneasy after returning from a trip if we haven't left behind some trace of it?

This time, the decision to travel actually came from Zhou Xiao'er's mouth. I had been wondering what surprise he'd give me for our first wedding anniversary when he told me: "Let's go on a trip! We'll bring Xiao Ba!" So I secretly thought, "Could he be trying to replace our honeymoon with this Yunnan trip... or does he genuinely remember that I love traveling and planned this specially?" Later, reality proved I was overthinking. Zhou Xiao'er had simply seen a forum post about someone converting a van for a road trip and made a spontaneous decision. While I was a bit sorry to give up our comfortable Thailand honeymoon plans, I started packing for our Yunnan road trip...

Zhou Xiao'er specially printed out a map and planned our driving route.

Duration: 15 days Route: Dali - Shaxi Ancient Town - Lijiang Shuhe - Lugu Lake - Lijiang Dayan - Meili Snow Mountain - Shangri-La - Dali - Tengchong (We gave up on Daocheng Yading because the roads were too rough for his car, plus our vacation time was limited)

Travelers: Zhou Xiao'er, The Boss Lady, and a dog named "Black Shiba Xiao Ba" Vehicle: Volkswagen Golf R20 Total Cost: 11,500 RMB

Packed our bags and ready to go! Let's go~ Our back seat belongs to Xiao Ba.

2018.9.11 DAY 1: First Stop — Dali

Yunnan's rainy season in July and August is exactly when wild mushrooms grow. If you come to Yunnan during this time, don't forget to treat yourself to a delicious wild mushroom hotpot!

Zhou Xiao'er had a project he designed in Dali — Zhonghong Haixia Plaza. I accompanied him to Xiaguan to take some photos of his "firstborn."

Since our accommodation was close to Erhai Gate, we parked at the parking lot on the left side of the gate. On our first day out, we also washed the car — starting clean! I strongly recommend this car detailing shop to all car enthusiasts: MK6 Car Detailing. The owner is very nice, and parking is free if you get your car washed there.

After settling in, we took Xiao Ba for a stroll down Renmin Road. Along the way, Xiao Ba managed to charm countless stray dogs into following us, so we had to carry her and make a quick escape...

I've been to Dali several times before, but I've never done any in-depth exploration. Most of my time was spent wandering back and forth on Renmin Road. So I've gotten tired of it. This time, I noticed that many of the handmade leather goods shops I used to love had been replaced by clothing stores and tie-dye workshops.

Dali, for many people, is a poetic and romantic place. You'll find people from all over China here, all living according to their moods each day. The longer you stay, the more you love slowing down, slower and slower, until you don't want to leave — and so you stay.

Before coming to Dali, I'd done some research. I wanted to visit the Bed Sheet Factory Art District to see the secret gardens of various artists, experience the charm of starlight at the Shikong Marble Museum, learn from artisans at the Four Seasons Street Market, and enjoy a delicious vegetarian meal at Jizhao Temple, immersing myself in the serene fairyland created by the monks. That would probably take a full week in Dali — meeting different people, hearing strange and wonderful stories. As Sanmao said: "The world is accumulated from so many奇妙 phenomena. I see, I listen, and my experience becomes richer."

I'll save those places for next time. Now that the high-speed rail from Kunming to Dali is open, it only takes a few hours. Just a reminder for friends: book your tickets in advance!

Out of curiosity, we visited Zhao Lei's little shop — Jim's Restaurant. We didn't order "Uncle Miller's" noodles but instead got pineapple rice and lamb chops. They weren't as good as I'd imagined. I should have ordered the noodles. But having a few drinks and listening to music there was a nice choice. May everyone have a "Jim's Restaurant" in their hearts.

Accommodation: Jiuxi · Xiangyu Manwu, near Erhai Gate

• Parking: Convenient parking near Erhai Gate, 8-minute walk
• Cleanliness: Quiet and tidy, brand-name toiletries
• Environment: Away from the main street, quiet
• Breakfast: Steamed buns, porridge, corn, eggs, etc.
• Rating: ★★★★☆ (4.5 stars)

We didn't take photos ourselves, so I found one online. The room looked exactly like the picture — clean, tidy, and decorated in a fairly artistic style.

2018.9.12 DAY 2: Second Stop — Dali Erhai Lake

Under Cangshan Mountain, between clouds and water, this time we truly circled the entire Erhai Lake. It was a real experience of Dali's famous "wind, flowers, snow, and moon." The image above shows the hot spots along Erhai Lake. The most beautiful coastline truly lives up to its reputation. The entire loop is about 40 kilometers. We drove, stopped, and explored along the way, taking a full day. On the road, we saw many tourists renting Jeeps and MINIs, as well as people riding scooters and bicycles.

Dali is a place often blessed by auspicious clouds and sunshine.

Dali's Chongsheng Temple and its Three Pagodas.

The lower section of Wenbi Village — a holy land for wedding photography.

Facing the wind, chasing the light, our hearts bloomed with joy.

On the road, we encountered two little pink pigs, flapping their ears as they ran wildly. We chased after them, hoping Xiao Ba could play with them for a while. But the two little pigs just kept rooting in the grass, completely ignoring Xiao Ba no matter how she tried to get their attention. Well... we concluded that pigs probably don't like dogs.

Xizhou Ancient Town

A small town you can explore in an hour. It has a tiny square surrounded by snack shops and restaurants.

Xizhou's alleyways are lined with small shops like this. When I was reading travel guides, I remembered there was a great photo spot called "Telephone Booth," but we couldn't find it.

The well-known Xizhou flatbread (baba).

Of course, the road around Erhai Lake isn't just about the lake and Cangshan Mountain — there are also roads and fields.

Our lake loop ended at Xiaguan Binhai Avenue. I felt like I'd accidentally wandered into Zhuhai's Lover's Road. During dinner, I was daydreaming about taking Xiao Ba for a walk along Binhai Avenue later.

Dinner: Shanshui Renjia Folk Restaurant

The food was good, and the fish was very fresh. Later, when we ate fish by Lugu Lake and the Jinsha River, none of them tasted as sweet as this place. The view from the fourth-floor window seat was also lovely.

Accommodation: Dali 108 Degree Zen Hotel, Xiaguan Binhai Avenue

• Parking: Convenient parking downstairs
• Cleanliness: Quiet and tidy, brand-name toiletries
• Environment: Top floor of an apartment building, quiet, great views, nice decor
• Breakfast: Steamed buns, dumplings, corn, eggs, fruit, etc.
• Rating: ★★★★★ (5 stars, manually adding a star)

This hotel was probably the best value accommodation of our entire trip. It wasn't exactly cheap, but we got lucky that day. Our originally booked room wasn't available, so the owner upgraded us for free to a豪华观景大床房 (luxury lake-view king room). The hotel was converted from the top floor of an apartment building, and the overall decor was comfortable and relaxing. The experiential atmosphere was excellent — tea, books, massage chairs, chess, TV, calligraphy supplies — everything to help calm your mind after a day of play. Most notably, the hotel thoughtfully provided disposable bathtub liners, which made me incredibly happy to have my first bathtub experience.

The view of Erhai Lake from our room.

2018.9.13 DAY 3: Third Stop — Shaxi and Lijiang

Shaxi Ancient Town · Lijiang Shuhe

We set off early from Dali Xiaguan. After getting off the Dali-Lijiang Expressway, it took another hour on old roads to reach Shaxi Ancient Town. The road surface was relatively smooth, but there were many curves. The winding road, captured with my phone's time-lapse photography, had quite the "Initial D" mountain road vibe.

Shaxi Ancient Town

There aren't many shops in the ancient town, and the commercialization that erodes the古朴纯真 (ancient simplicity) of Shaxi hasn't touched it. On the contrary, the ancient buildings, ancient stone roads, ancient bridges, ancient stages, and ancient trees are all well-preserved. Compared to Dali and Lijiang, it has a bit of a "Shangri-La" feel — simpler, purer.

Even in Lijiang, you won't find mountain spring water this clear. I couldn't resist letting Xiao Ba drink some.

We filled our stomachs outside the ancient town first. This halal restaurant's flavors suited our tastes perfectly. Across the street, there was a self-proclaimed old-brand pastry shop. We bought some酥饼 (crispy pastries) to try, and they were really delicious.

Entering from Sideng Street into Shaxi's central square, the famous photo spot — the ancient stage — is right here. The small square had only about a dozen or two scattered tourists, making it feel quite peaceful.

At the end of the alleyway, we came to the ancient bridge mentioned in many travelogues. Horse caravans were waiting to take tourists on an experience of life along the ancient Tea Horse Road. Many people say, "Isn't this exactly 'Withered vines, old trees, crows at dusk; small bridge, flowing water, people's homes; ancient road, west wind, lean horse. The sun sets, and the heartbroken man is at the end of the world.'"

On the way back, I couldn't resist the temptation of these white reeds. They waved in the wind, calling to me: "Come on, come on, take a picture with me!" So I had to pressure Zhou Xiao'er into getting out of the car to take photos for me.

Lijiang Shuhe

This was my third visit to Shuhe, and each time it's been different. The first time was five years ago, when Shuhe was still a place untouched by severe commercialization. Compared to Dayan, those who preferred peace and quiet came to Shuhe. In their free time, they'd walk along the river, and in the early morning, they'd climb the back mountain to watch old ladies tending their vegetable gardens. Five years later, when I saw her again, she was filled with bars, clothing stores, and large groups of travel photographers — she had begun to acquire the poetic and romantic气质 (character) of Lijiang.

By the time we arrived in Shuhe that evening, it was already dusk, and a light rain was falling. But the central square and Qinglong Bridge were still bustling. Newlywed couples were working hard on their wedding photos. We must have seen at least 15 couples having their travel portraits taken.

Since I didn't want Xiao Ba to drag her belly on the wet ground, I carried her for a full hour and a half. My arms were so tired I didn't want to talk.

We recreated the pose from our wedding photos taken here last year. One year later, we've aged a lot.

Accommodation: Lijiang Yunshan Meidi Style Theme Inn, halfway up the north slope of Jiulongtan

• Parking: Convenient parking at the bottom of the slope
• Cleanliness: Quiet and tidy, average toiletries, no mirror light
• Environment: Halfway up the mountain, away from the noisy area, relatively quiet; the overall environment should be nice in good weather, but since it rained a lot during our stay, it was quite damp and cold
• Breakfast: Didn't have any, but there probably was some
• Rating: ★★★★ (4 stars)

2018.9.14 DAY 4: Fourth Stop — Lugu Lake

At the Foot of Jade Dragon Snow Mountain · Lugu Lake

When we took our wedding photos here last year, there weren't so many clouds, and we could still see the snow mountain in the background. But the weather hasn't been good lately. Thick clouds have separated the snow-capped peak from our view.

Lugu Lake

Entrance Fee: 100 RMB/person

This is a place I come to and want to come back to. My first visit was in November. This mysterious place was bathed in sunshine, with golden leaves everywhere. The sky was a clear blue, and the lake water was as clear as a mirror. In the early morning, I watched boatmen emerge from the mist on the lake. In the evening, I sat on the lakeside rocks and gazed up at the brilliant Milky Way, so close it felt within reach. When I left Lugu Lake that time, I declared that this lake made me want to die in her embrace.

This time, when I saw her again, Lugu Lake had turned a lush green. The tourist facilities and transportation had mostly been improved. I could clearly see more tourist buses on the road and more boats carrying tourists on the lake. She had become livelier.

The road to Lugu Lake isn't easy. It took 40 minutes just to get out of the 18 bends. After reaching Ninglang, the road became a bit easier. Excluding our photo stops, the entire journey took about 4 hours. The mountain roads are dangerous, so friends driving themselves should be careful and go slowly. We passed by the Jinsha River and stopped for lunch at a farmhouse by the river. We were tricked into eating river fish at 150 RMB per kilogram. The taste was mediocre, and the portions were small. Friendly tip: Some vendors price according to the customer, so beware of being cheated.

We stopped frequently to take photos along the way, so we didn't arrive at Lugu Lake until after 6 PM. On the way to our inn, we were pleasantly surprised to see a rainbow.

Accommodation: Manwu Genu Bay "Dear Inn," located on Wangfei Island, accessible only by boat

• Parking: Park at Luowa Pier
• Cleanliness: Quiet and tidy, brand-name toiletries, complete facilities
• Environment: Since it's on an island, "secluded" would be the right word; it's hard to describe the beauty in words — better to look at the pictures
• Breakfast: Chicken rice noodles
• Rating: ★★★★★ (5 stars)

Zhou Xiao'er is in architecture, and he has a special fondness for the Manwu series. Last year, he dragged me to stay at [Manwu · Lanqing] by Erhai Lake in Dali for 1,000 RMB a night. This time, he insisted on staying at the "Dear Inn." Our total accommodation cost for the entire trip was 3,000 RMB, and this place alone took up 1,400...

To satisfy Xiao'er's desires, I had to drag Xiao Ba onto the boat. By the time we reached Manwu, it was already 8 PM.

There's no nightlife here, no bustling streets, no tourists — only the tranquil lake before us. As darkness fell, even the lake became invisible. The inn's staff turned off the service desk lights at 9 PM, signaling that everyone should rest. The lake must be going to sleep too.

As a night owl accustomed to staying up late, I rummaged through the room looking for things to do. I wanted to take a bath, but there were no disposable bathtub liners, so I gave up. Might as well finish reading the books I should be reading.

2018.9.15 DAY 5: Lake Loop

Today we began our loop around Lugu Lake. Manwu Genu Bay is already a tourist attraction in itself. It would be outrageous to leave such an expensive place early in the morning. Since I kept thinking about Lugu Lake shrouded in morning mist, I got up at 7 AM and peeked through the curtains. Disappointingly, the lake was quiet and perfectly clear — no mist in sight. I tiptoed back to bed and buried myself under the covers, sleeping until 8:30 when I heard the noise of tourists outside. Only then did I get up to properly appreciate Lugu Lake's beauty.

Starting at 8 AM, tourists came in an endless stream by boat to Manwu, just to photograph the "Dear Inn" sign and prove they'd been there. The staff said that tourist numbers only start to decrease around 5 PM. You could say the place is quite lively during the day. But the inn has thoughtfully separated the tourist area from the guest area to avoid disturbing guests. This created a humorous scene: I watched them from the left, while they looked at us from the right, wondering aloud, "How did they get in there? We want to go in too!" I quickly averted my eyes from those burning gazes.

We encountered some lively and adorable middle-aged aunties who saw the drone I was using to take photos. A whole boatload of them started waving at the drone: "Hi, hello~ We're over here~" Hearing their enthusiastic greetings, I instantly thought of my own mom. Zhou Xiao'er turned the drone toward the aunties and pressed the shutter for them, making the atmosphere even more lively.

The water of Lugu Lake is so clear you can almost see the bottom. The official maximum transparency is up to 12 meters.

Check-out time was 12 PM. We reluctantly left Manwu, watching the inn fade into the distance. Suddenly, it felt like a dream. I probably won't come back for a few years.

Our half-day lake loop began. We were about to throw ourselves into the embrace of Mother Lugu Lake.

Road Section

Roads are still a theme we never tire of photographing, especially since we got a drone.

Prayer Flag Section

Most local residents follow Tibetan Buddhism. Mani stone piles and wind-horse prayer flags fluttering in the wind are everywhere. Being among them, I felt like I had developed some kind of faith and beautiful wishes myself.

Lake Section

We drove along, circling the lake. The happiest moment wasn't sitting in the car with the wind blowing, but the process of getting out and walking toward the lake. The closer we got, the more my heart raced — it was like falling in love with her. PS: Lover's Beach is a must-visit spot.

Discovery Section

One of Lugu Lake's signature dishes is called "水性杨花" (literally "water-natured, willow-flower"). Later, when we were on the boat, we saw its true form — it's actually a type of algae that floats on the water, blooming with white flowers. Along the way, we noticed that the cosmos flowers were blooming profusely, and other flowers were equally vibrant. The grass in the wetlands was still lush green. Personally, I think the golden grass in late autumn would have more charm.

Accommodation: Anyi Inn · Baige Lantiao Branch, Daluoshui Village

• Parking: Has an inner garden, parking available
• Cleanliness: We stayed in a first-floor lakeside room. Cleanliness was average. There was a field of cosmos flowers between the balcony and the lake, so there were many mosquitoes and bugs in the balcony area.
• Environment: Since it's been around for a while, it's quite old. The overall feel was average.
• Breakfast: Didn't have any, but there probably was some.
• Rating: ★★★ (3 stars)

(Regarding accommodation at Lugu Lake, aside from some scenic but expensive hotels, I personally think that lakeside inns in Lige and Dazui Village offer better overall value. If you go after October, try to find newly renovated or newly opened inns. Their insulation and hot water supply might be more reliable. Lugu Lake starts getting very cold at the end of October.)

2018.9.16 DAY 6: Sixth Stop — Lijiang Dayan

Lijiang Dayan Ancient Town

Just as we were preparing to head back the next day, we happened upon the "2018 International Lugu Lake Cycling Race." The entire lake loop road was closed, so we joined the crowd watching the race. The road reopened after only two hours — the race was already over! We could only marvel at how fast the competitors were! The black guy we saw at the end seemed to have given up on the race, or maybe he wasn't even there to compete. He rode past us leisurely, taking in the scenery. If it weren't for his professional gear and race number, we would have thought he was just a tourist mixed in with the competitors. Even funnier, when the crowd saw a foreigner riding past, they cheered him on in Chinese: "Jiayou~ Jiayou~ You're falling behind~" He turned around, smiled, and said in perfect Chinese: "Thank you!" We all cracked up.

The scenery on the way back was still beautiful.

Lijiang Dayan Ancient Town

This is probably what most people think of when they think of Lijiang — bars, romance, charm. So Dayan had at least twice as many tourists as Shuhe. Both sides of the ancient alleyways were lined with all kinds of snack shops. Grilled yak meat skewers, chicken wings stuffed with rice, stuffed tofu, and fruit platters were very popular. We wanted to find a quiet bar to sit in, have a few drinks, and listen to some music, but unfortunately, there was nothing that suited our taste, so we gave up. What I remember vividly was that Xiao Ba charmed another dog in the ancient town — a little black poodle. It followed us for a whole hour. We had no choice but to help it find its owner. We waited for a long time, but no owner appeared. After asking around, we found out it was a stray dog that had gotten lost a couple of days ago.

Perhaps because it's tourist season, you can often see tourists and local Naxi people dancing around a bonfire in the central square. That's when the square is at its liveliest. The ancient town also has a newly planned music area where teachers teach tourists how to play hand drums. Walking outside, you could hear "dong dong qiang qiang," which made curious people want to go in and take a look. Zhou Xiao'er even gave it a try~

Umbrella Alley and Flower Alley are also characteristic alleyways in the ancient town.

Don't forget to climb Lion Hill in the early morning, breathe in the fresh air at the top, and overlook the morning scene of Lijiang Dayan.

Accommodation: Lijiang Gucheng Yao Fu Boutique Inn, near the Mu Mansion

• Parking: Bailong Parking Lot, 5-minute walk to the inn
• Cleanliness: Clean and tidy, brand-name toiletries
• Environment: Quiet, tastefully decorated with character, complete facilities
• Breakfast: Rice noodles, steamed buns, porridge, eggs, etc.
• Rating: ★★★★★ (5 stars)

I really liked the decoration style of this inn. The retro charm was just right. The value for money was decent. I'll probably come here again in the future. Wherever we stayed, everyone who met Xiao Ba would say, "Your dog is so well-behaved!" And it's true — she didn't make a peep at night, sleeping quietly on her mat, occasionally waking us up in the morning.

This little Bichon Frise didn't play with Xiao Ba. It just sat next to me, staring at me while I ate breakfast, making me feel a bit awkward.

After breakfast, we headed toward Meili Snow Mountain. We had originally planned to go directly from Lugu Lake, but after calculating the time — it would take about 10 hours — we decided to come back to Lijiang for an overnight stay. The journey from Lijiang to Meili Snow Mountain is long, with many landslide-prone sections. We drove very carefully, and it still took us 10 hours to reach Meili. Since there are still many photos from the later part of the trip, I've divided this travelogue into two parts. The second part covers Meili Snow Mountain, Shangri-La, and Tengchong. This travelogue was hard-won — my account was inexplicably banned midway, I couldn't save my work after writing it, and then I couldn't find the article again. After a few days of frustration, I finally managed to finish and publish it. I hope these two travelogues can help you, who are about to embark on a journey. This is just a memento.

— Ariel, The Boss Lady

This travelogue is copyrighted by @Ariel The Boss Lady. Please contact the author for any form of reproduction. © 2026 mafengwo.cn