Shuanglang Ancient Town
If you want to escape the bustle of the city and find a quiet place, come to Shuanglang! In this small fishing village, you can face Erhai Lake, look west toward Cangshan,…
Shuanglang Ancient Town, Dali
Key facts
- Time needed
- 1–2 days
- Getting there
- Take a boat from the Erhai Lake pier; take a minibus from Xiaguan Coach Station; or catch a shuttle from the Dali–Lijiang Highway on the east side of Dali Ancient Town, fare about ¥10
- Guidebook rating
- 4 / 5
From China Self Guided Travel 2025, page 219. Open in Google Maps
About Shuanglang Ancient Town
If you want to escape the bustle of the city and find a quiet place, come to Shuanglang! In this small fishing village, you can face Erhai Lake, look west toward Cangshan, and enjoy a relaxed pace of life.
Frequently asked questions
How do I get to Shuanglang Ancient Town?
Take a boat from the Erhai Lake pier; take a minibus from Xiaguan Coach Station; or catch a shuttle from the Dali–Lijiang Highway on the east side of Dali Ancient Town, fare about ¥10
How long should I spend at Shuanglang Ancient Town?
Plan on 1–2 days for Shuanglang Ancient Town.
Where is Shuanglang Ancient Town?
Shuanglang Ancient Town is in Dali, Yunnan Province, in the Southwest of China. Eryuan County, Dali Prefecture
More places in Dali
Cangshan–Erhai National Nature Reserve
“Xiaguan wind, Shangguan flowers, Cangshan snow and Erhai moon” are together known as the Four Scenic Wonders of Dali. Cangshan stretches along the western shore of Erhai Lake, like a pair of lovers standing side by side. Touring Cangshan from Shangguan, you can see the water-eroded cave where Tianlong Babu was filmed, where Duan Yu met his fairy sister and learned his peerless martial arts. From the mountain you can take in the full view of Erhai Lake, and if the weather is clear, you can see the “Cangshan snow” on the summit. On the way down, you can enjoy the “Shangguan flowers” blooming across the hillsides.
There are two cable cars up Cangshan Mountain, and cruises on Erhai Lake: 1. Xima Pool Cable Car round trip ¥335 (includes admission to the Film and Television City and the Geological Park) 2. Gantong Cable Car one way ¥115 (Cangshan admission + cable car). It is recommended to ride up and hike down, as the descent offers views of the Tianlong Babu Film and Television City, Dali Ancient Town and Erhai Lake 3. Erhai Lake cruise ¥142 · 1 day
Dali Ancient Town
People often compare Dali with Lijiang. Dali may lack Lijiang's graceful charm, but it is more unpretentious and expansive. Some say Dali is the birthplace of China's hippie culture. Underground musicians and painters have brought a free-spirited atmosphere here, so it is no wonder people say that after staying in Dali for a while, you may become “decadent.” The whole old town sits with Cangshan Mountain at its back and faces Erhai Lake. Its streets follow a grid layout, and its houses, with stone-slab paths and grey-tiled sloping roofs, reflect Bai architectural style. Traditional customs are still alive in the old town, and you can feel the long history and culture of the Bai people.
3+ hours
Yuji Island
Yuji Island is one of the three islands in Erhai Lake and is considered the essence of the Cang-Er landscape, earning it the nickname “the Number One Village of Cang-Er.” From the island, you can gaze at the Nineteen Peaks of Cangshan and look down over the scenery of Erhai. The island has well-preserved Bai ethnic dwellings with a distinctive fishing-village character. The famous inns, such as Moon Palace and Qinglu, generally do not admit visitors, but other inns are open for viewing in the afternoon. Touts on the island will offer to take you by boat so you can see Moon Palace up close.
¥10 · 1–3 hours
Tianlong Babu Film and Television City
Backed by Cangshan Mountain and facing Erhai Lake to the east, the Film and Television City is the filming base for the TV series Tianlong Babu (Demi-Gods and Semi-Devils). Its architecture is modelled on the painting “Along the River During the Qingming Festival” and consists of three major zones: the palaces of the Dali Kingdom, the Liao and Western Xia kingdoms, and a Jurchen tribal area. Built as a large-scale production base for Tianlong Babu, it has also been used as a location for other productions, including Tea Horse Road, Legend of Yin Shang, Princess of Dali, Ten Perfect Girls and The Four Great Constables of Youth.
¥40 · 1–3 hours
Nanzhao Fengqing Island
One of the three islands in Erhai Lake in Dali, with scenery so breathtaking that it feels like paradise. If you come early, the island is quiet and uncrowded, with the shimmering waters of Erhai stretching out before you. Many visitors head to the island's center to pose beside the Nanzhao historical sculptures, but the small paths along the lakeshore offer even better views and are more suitable for photography.
¥50 · 1–3 hours
Gantong Temple
Backed by the Cangshan Mountains, whose peaks hold snow year-round, and facing the misty expanse of Erhai Lake with its scattered white sails, Gantong Temple gathers the spirit of heaven and earth. The late-Ming monk Dandang (担当) once inscribed a couplet here: “An ancient temple among dense pines, the finest vista in the southwest; horses neigh and flowers bloom, Cang and Er famed as the foremost mountain.”
Free · 3+ hours