Strolling Along the Scenic Erhai Lake Park in Dali City, Yunnan

While exploring the beautiful Dali Ancient City don’t forget to make a quick stop at Erhai Lake Park. It’s hard to miss as well as Erhai Lake is massive and it’s the lake of which the city of Dali is built around.

Erhai Lake is a nice (and large) scenic park, I went here during my trip to Yunnan China, and while I wouldn’t say it’s the best place to have a picnic or do regular park activities, it is a nice place to bike around or just take some nice photos.

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The Erhai Lake of Dali City

A little bit of context before we take a walk around the Erhai Lake Park. Erhai Lake is HUGE, spanning approximately 40 kilometers long and covers an area of about 250 square kilometers. It’s so large in fact that Erhai Lake is actually the second largest spanning lake in the Chinese highlands, the first being Dianchi Lake in Kunming City.

Erhai Lake is a popular place for mostly biking and sightseeing, which I’ll talk more about later. I came here for just a little bit to admire the views of the lake, though my time at Erhai Lake was short, you can definitely spend a lot of time at the park as there are lots of things to do.

Hotel Recommendations in Dali City

Dali Old Courtyard Boutique Inn - Charming Inn with a traditional and cozy Chinese aesthetic
Dali Yanyuan Mountain Retreat - Exceptional comfy hotel that’s located only 5 minutes away from the ancient city (I recommend this one)
China Old Story Inns Dali Ancient Town - The decor is a bit strange, like a messy mix of Western vintage paraphernalia and traditional Chinese decor, other than that pretty charming and a comfortable place.
Holiday Inn Express Dali Xiaguan - Your trusty Holiday Inn, Western style modern and clean rooms, good standard service.

Exploring the Erhai Lake Park

Entry to the Erhai Lake Park is totally free. But that’s kind of false advertisement because you’ll want a way to get around, which you’ll need to pay for.

I’ve mentioned biking a lot, but yes, the most popular mode of transport around (or at least a part of it) is by bicycle. Trust me you don’t wanna walk… Unless that’s your thing. Bicycles can be rented for around 20 - 50 RMB at various vendors, tourist centers, and guesthouses around the lake. The prices vary per vendor but 50 RMB is pretty reasonable, that comes to around 6 USD.

If you guys know me and my adventures, you’ll know that my skills with the bike are… Terrible. I mean, I’m a city boy who lives in a high rise building for my entire life, there’s no spaces to practice riding a bike. I’ve been learning though and I am getting better but I still don’t trust myself to not ride off the railings and into the lake. But lucky me, there is another mode of transport around Erhai lake, and that is the scenic shuttle bus.

Riding the Erhai Lake Scenic Shuttle Bus

The scenic shuttle bus is great. Just sitting there with a Chinese aunty next to you, enjoying the passing cool breeze, admiring the pristine waves rippling through the lake.

The scenic shuttle bus costs around 50 RMB per person and it’s a great way to enjoy the views of the lake. The shuttle bus stops at various points of Erhai Lake for you to hop off to take pictures or visit some of the attractions or points of interests around the lake.

Another mode of transportation that is enjoyed by many at the Erhai Lake is the Pleasure Boat.

The Erhai Lake Scenic “Pleasure Boat”

Erhai Lake Pleasure boat — *The most pleasurable cruise in all of Erhai Lake*

NO! Not that kind of “Pleasure” >:(

The pleasure boat is a luxury sightseeing boat that tours around Erhai Lake and stops at various landmarks for you to enjoy, namely the Nanzhao Island and a point where a performance is held for tourists by the local ethnic Bai people. The Erhai Lake cruise starts at one of three piers around Dali and the price is around 140 RMB (includes island visit and performance) which is a good deal in by book.

Sadly I didn’t get a chance to go on the cruise because the tour takes around 3-4 hours to complete and I simply do not have the time to sit in a boat for 4 hours, there are more things I need to explore in Dali!

But don’t let me stop you, if you want to enjoy a nice scenic cruise along Yunnan’s most popular lakes you can purchase an Erhai Lake cruise tour here in advance, this tour package includes visits to other famous Dali city attractions as well as included lunch and dinner!

Enjoying the Natural Beauty of Erhai Lake

As I mentioned before, the Erhai Lake is really huge, and at some points, looking out into the scenic blue lake feels like looking out into a never ending ocean.

At Erhai Lake Park there are various points of interests where you can stop and relax. Mostly there are a few cafes, some statues, landmarks, and so on. Not really anything that stood out.

If you are wondering, no. You can’t swim in the lake. At least I didn’t see anyone going for a swim, not that you really want to either because the water temperature can be as low as 7°C. There may be some spots which allows for swimming though.

There is one point of the Erhai Lake Park where the area is a whole cluster of shops, cafes, and guesthouses. This area is also packed full of people and it was a bit hard to take a picture without someone walking into frame every couple of seconds…

Be sure to bring your umbrellas and some water if you are planning to spend some time at the Erhai Lake Park, especially if you are going during the early hours of the day.

Despite on the lake, the weather is really hot and there are little places for shading. Even though the skies are cloudy a lot of the time, the sun’s rays are too powerful.

If you can, wear some sunscreen as well, I didn’t and my skin looked like Neapolitan Ice cream…

One interesting things that I observed was that Erhai Lake Park seems to be a very popular place to take wedding photos. I am not sure if I just happen to be at Erhai Lake Park the same day every couple in Dali decided to take wedding photos, or if it’s always this packed full of young men and women in snazzy suits and elegant gowns.

It was a bit funny to see photographers “fighting” with each other to get a chance at taking photos at certain photogenic spots.

Details About Erhai Lake Park

Erhai Lake Park is a park which borders the majority of Dali City and is a part of the greater Erhai Lake, the second largest highland body of water in China. Here you can enjoy scenic views and beautifully sunny weather, perfect for an afternoon (or morning) of cycling!

Location: China, Yunnan, Dali, 洱河南路1号邮政编码: 671000

Opening Hours: 24 Hours | Mon - Sun

Entrance Fee: Free Entry

How to get to Erhai Lake Park

It’s pretty easy to get the Erhai Lake Park if you are already located within Dali City or even in the Dali Ancient City. The Erhai Lake Park is bordering the whole of northern Dali City so you can easily walk there.

If walking is too far then a taxi

Looking for Things to Do in Yunnan, China?

6 Day Shangri-La in Dali, Lijiang, Yunnan Tour - Encountering Cangshan Erhai Lake & Climbing Jade Dragon Snow Mountain & Viewing Rizhao Jinshan Mountain
5 Day Once in a Lifetime Yunnan Tour - Yubeng Village, Ancient Temples, Rizhao Jinshan Mountain

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