"Dali is not just about Erhai Lake! These 8 hidden experiences help you avoid the crowds, plus the coastal road

Besides Erhai Lake, Dali also has the charm of wind, flowers, snow, and moon~ This year, I toured around Erhai Lake with friends, queued for two hours at the popular S Bay influencer spot, and ended up sunburned like a 'black coal ball' from UV rays. Now the trend is 'reverse touring Dali'! Follow me to explore these 8 local hidden gems, guaranteed to make your social media posts a hit. 1. Say no to crowds! These 8 secret spots let you own all of Dali 1. Covered Bridge: The cinematic 'Erhai Canal' Highlight: The same canal featured in "Go to the Windy Place," with a dozen semi-circular bridge arches extending into Erhai Lake. When shrouded in morning mist, it looks just like the water train in "Spirited Away." Must-do: Morning backlit silhouette shots: Arrive before 7:30 at the bridgehead, wear a light-colored long dress facing away from the sunrise, have your friend shoot with a wide-angle lens, your hair will glow. Canal stroll: Walk under the arches at low tide, the water reflects the bridge, creating a 'walking in a painting' effect. Posting this on social media will have people asking if it’s a stolen photo. 2. Shaxi Ancient Town: The 'Ultimate Chill Spot' on the Tea Horse Road Highlight: A living ancient town with 2,000 years of history, featuring the horse caravan culture of Ouyang Mansion and the millennium-old stone slab road of Yujin Bridge. Even National Geographic praises it as "the last soul of ancient Chinese towns." Hidden gem: Pioneer Bookstore Café: Order a "Pu'er Tea Latte," sit by the old book wall watching the rice fields outside, and caption your post 'Wasting time in an ancient town bookstore.' Late-night diner: The "Farmhouse Home Cooking" small eatery on Sideng Street offers a full meal for 10 yuan. Don’t miss the owner’s homemade plum wine; after a little buzz, listening to Bai elders play the sanxian is super healing. 3. Nuodeng Ancient Village: The 'Millennium Salt Well' on the palate Highlight: The same ham village featured in "A Bite of China," with a millennium-old salt well still producing salt. The stone slab roads built along the mountain are more pristine than Lijiang. Must-visit: Ham feast: At local farmhouses, order the "Nuodeng Ham Stewed Free-range Chicken," the salty ham combined with tender chicken is so delicious it’ll make your eyebrows drop. Yuhuang Pavilion Viewing Platform: Climb up at dusk to overlook the ancient village’s blue-tiled roofs and curling smoke. Snap a 'thousands of lights' photo for social media; it gets three times more likes than selfies. 4. Fengyangyi Tea Horse Road: The 'Hidden Corner' from "Go to the Windy Place" Highlight: The stone slab road of the thousand-year-old Tea Horse Road, with clear horse hoof prints left by caravans. The "Windy Courtyard" where Liu Yifei and Li Xian walked is nearby. Photo tip: Caravan horseback trek: Rent a horse (50 yuan/hour), wear an ethnic-style shawl walking the ancient road, have your friend shoot from the side to capture the 'caravan heroine' vibe. Coffee break: At "Windy Café" halfway up the mountain, sit inside an old house sipping hand-brewed coffee with Cangshan Mountain outside the window. Caption your post 'Waiting for the wind at the ancient road café.' 5. Zhoucheng Tie-dye: The intangible cultural heritage of 'Erhai Blue' Highlight: The largest Bai ethnic tie-dye base in the country, with hands-on teaching by Granny A at the Puzhen Tie-dye Museum. Even Zhao Liying and Bai Lu have tried it. Must-try: DIY tie-dye: Choose a piece of white cloth (starting at 30 yuan), learn to sew, tie, and dye with Granny A, dry your finished product and take it home. A unique souvenir more meaningful than buying trinkets. Zhoucheng Market: Get fresh mushrooms and Rushan cheese at the early market. The 5-yuan grilled Rushan brushed with rose sauce tastes ten times better than the popular shops in the old town. 6. Wuwei Temple: The 'Martial Arts Secret Realm' from Jin Yong’s novels Highlight: The royal temple of the Nanzhao Kingdom, where legend says Duan Yu became a monk. The temple’s Tang firs and Yuan plum trees are over a thousand years old. Hidden gem: Vegetarian feast: Arrive before 11 am for a 20-yuan all-vegetarian meal. The tofu banquet and wild mushroom soup are so fresh you’ll want to lick the bowl. Meditation at the Heart-cleansing Pool: Sit by the pool behind the temple listening to the tinkling spring water. Post with the caption 'Emptying my mind in a martial arts world,' and watch the comments explode. 7. Wenbi Village: The 'Sky Mirror' on the cliff edge Highlight: A secret spot even navigation can’t find. At low tide, the shallow beach reflects Cangshan Mountain like a mirror. At dusk, the sunset dyes Erhai Lake pink. Photo guide: Cliffside temple: Follow the path down to the water, find the small temple dedicated to the 'God of Erhai,' wear a red dress standing in front of the temple to create a 'divine maiden' look. Road blockbuster: The S curve on East Ring Road, have your friend shoot with a telephoto lens. Walking on the road with Erhai Lake and Cangshan Mountain in the background, people will ask if you’re in Kenting. 8. Cibi Lake: The 'Highland Pearl' stamped by Xu Xiake Highlight: A quieter highland lake than Erhai, with Cibi flowers swaying in summer. Xu Xiake once praised it as "West Lake reflected upside down." Must-do: Rowboat flower picking: Rent a small boat (80 yuan/hour), row to the lake center to pick Cibi flowers. Remember to bring mosquito repellent. The 'West Lake Sunset' photo spot on the lakeside corridor is stunning. Geothermal Guo Hot Springs: Soak in the hot springs at dusk, watching the sunset over Cangshan. Post a 'hot spring + snow mountain' photo and people will ask if you’re in Switzerland. 2. Three steps to shoot viral Erhai photos Step 1: Gear — Spend a little Ethnic-style outfit: Buy a tie-dye skirt (50 yuan) at the old town’s "March Street," pair with canvas shoes, more down-to-earth than influencer hanfu. Props list: Bamboo bag (10 yuan), colorful headscarf (5 yuan), wildflowers (free from roadside). Photo gear: Use portrait mode on your phone, wide-angle for panoramas, telephoto for close-ups, easily outshining DSLRs. Step 2: Composition — 3 tricks to avoid tourists Frame method: Use door frames or windows as frames, center people inside, even random passersby become 'background.' Reflection magic: Crouch to shoot water reflections; people look slimmer in reflections. Increase phone brightness to avoid overexposure. Diagonal composition: Stand on the diagonal of roads or steps, tilt your body slightly to create a 'walking in a painting' effect. Step 3: Expression management — Say no to 'tourist photos' Eye gaze: Look into the distance, at petals, or water—just don’t look at the camera. Your friend’s 10 candid shots will yield 3 cinematic ones. Interaction: Pretend to brush hair, smell flowers, or spin around. Have your friend shoot continuously; a 9-grid post tells a complete story. Atmosphere king: Shoot backlit silhouettes at dusk, wear light-colored clothes standing on rocks. You don’t need to show your face to look stunning. 3. Local’s secret 'Dali survival guide' 1. Transportation: Electric scooters are the 'wings' of Dali locals Rent an electric scooter: At the old town’s "Little Electric Donkey Station," 50 yuan/day, three times faster than taxis, easy to explore small paths on West Ring Road. Avoid scams with car hire: Choose reputable companies (like "Dali Tourism Group"), 350 yuan/day including driver, more reliable than street touts. 2. Food: Breakfast: At Beimen Vegetable Market, try rice bean powder with fried dough sticks (6 yuan), locals have eaten this since childhood, the chili oil is so fragrant you’ll want to take some home. Lunch: At the old town’s "Look Back Again," try cold chicken rice noodles (12 yuan), perfectly balanced sweet, sour, and spicy, with fragrant shredded chicken and crushed peanuts. Dinner: At Shuanglang’s "Five Star Homestay," enjoy matsutake mushroom free-range chicken hotpot (80 yuan per person), freshly sliced matsutake, chicken broth so fresh you can drink three bowls. Erhai cycling: Don’t choose the full "Caicun - Shuanglang" route (60 km), pick the half route "Longkan Pier - Xizhou," 20 km is easy to handle. Cangshan cable car: The Ximatan cable car has at least a 2-hour queue; choose the Gantong cable car (fewer people, better views), and visit Jizhao Nunnery to see succulents on the way. 5. The honest truth to end with The beauty of Dali is not in crowded places but in the surprises around every corner. Instead of squeezing into Erhai Lake’s S Bay, follow this guide to discover the 'small and beautiful' hidden in deep alleys. Remember to wear comfortable shoes because every corner deserves hundreds of photos."