11 Things You Need to Know Before Going to the Famous S Bay at Erhai Lake!

Before going to Dali, I didn't know much about the famous S Bay. After looking at some photos, I found it truly beautiful, but I also saw many comments like this: There are many S-shaped bays in Erhai Lake, and it's not necessary to go to this particular one. However, after flipping through a lot of travel content about Dali, there are indeed many winding roads, but not many can replace the S Bay of Panxi Village. In the end, we decided to go and stayed for two days. Here's a summary based on our personal experience: 🌟If you care about the following two points, you might not want to go: 1️⃣ Distance: S Bay is about 8 kilometers from Dali Ancient Town, which is a bit farther compared to Caicun Pier and Longkan Pier. 2️⃣ Commercialization: The commercial development in Panxi Village is relatively less compared to Longkan and Caicun. It might not be as lively at night, but there's no shortage of coffee, milk tea, restaurants, and accommodations. 🌟Okay, if you're sure you want to go, then the following advantages are also yours to enjoy: 1️⃣ Panxi Village has many bays, and each bend can produce very beautiful photos. 2️⃣ The Erhai Lake here is closer to the Cangshan Mountains. Whether on the rooftop of a guesthouse or on the road to Erhai Lake, a glance back reveals the majestic Cangshan silently watching over you. When the clouds disperse, the shock of the snowy mountain peaks is breathtaking. 3️⃣ Avoiding the popular bends, there are few people here, and there are large areas of Bai ethnic dwellings between Cangshan and Erhai Lake, which are very photogenic from the air. 4️⃣ In addition to a large number of seagulls, there are also some trees growing in the water, which are very photogenic. 5️⃣ Less light pollution, making it more suitable for stargazing at night. 6️⃣ Closer to Xizhou Ancient Town and the covered bridges compared to the Ancient Town. 🌟Who is suitable for staying in Panxi Village: If you're in a hurry and just want to have a quick look, Panxi Village might not be very suitable. If you have the following needs, you should definitely stay here: 1️⃣ If you want to capture the loneliness of an uninhabited S Bay, whether after sunset or at sunrise, there are few people here. Moreover, in winter, the sunrise in Dali is after 8 am, so even those who have trouble getting up early don't need to worry. The Erhai Lake View Hotel where we stayed is right on the largest S Bay in Panxi Village. 2️⃣ If you want to watch the Erhai Lake sunrise up close without leaving your accommodation. Compared to Longkan Pier and Caicun, some guesthouses here are directly on the ecological corridor, which is very convenient. You can enjoy the sunrise beauty from the room, rooftop, or the entrance of the guesthouse. 3️⃣ If you want to stargaze. The light pollution here is relatively the least among several places in Hexi, and the starry sky is very beautiful. 🏨Accommodation Strategy: There are many guesthouses by Erhai Lake here. The Erhai Lake View Hotel we stayed at is right on the ecological corridor, so you don't have to carry your luggage far, and the service and facilities are thoughtful. You can watch the Erhai Lake sunrise while lying in bed. Of course, there are also other sea view guesthouses that you can choose from. If you don't necessarily want to watch the sunrise from your room, there are also accommodations inside Panxi Village, which are cheaper. 🍗Food Strategy: Dali's cuisine is mainly characterized by Bai ethnic features. We ate at a place recommended by the hotel owner, where two people had four dishes for an average of 60 yuan per person. Coffee here is quite expensive, with Americano at 28 yuan and latte at 38 yuan, but there's a Mixue Bingcheng, which is the same price as outside. That's all for now, I'll post more if I think of anything else.