Dali Attractions Erhai LakeDali Attractions,Dali Popular Tourists Attractions Guide
Embracing 250 square kilometers, Erhai Lake lies at the eastern foot of the Cangshan Mountains and is a famous fresh-water lake, 40 kilometers long from north to south ,7 to 8 kilometers wide from east to west, lying on a plateau of 1.980 metres above sea level.
The crescent-shaped Erhai lake contains crystal cool water. In praise of the beautiful scenery, people often say "Ten thousand acres of water reflect the sky like a mirror and the surrounding mountains stand there like an evergreen screen in all the four seasons." The lake teems with fish, such as mackerel, silver carp, crucian carp, stingrays, variegated carps(bigheads) and others. The lake shapes like an ear, and waves are big enough in the lake, hence the name.
The surrounding islands, temples and villages are worth visiting too. Golden Shuttle Island (Jinsuo Dao), and the nearby fishing community of Bai Minority do really deserve a visit with its attractive Bai culture and lifestyle, and because of the rare beauty of the lake and its surrounding scenery. The most unforgettable Xiaoputuo Dao, originally devoted to Bodhisattva Kwan-yin, can be traced back to the 15th century. Though tiny and called xiao (which means small in Chinese), one can still experience and see the typical ancient Chinese Buddhist temple's unique architectural styles of its buildings' pointed eaves and decorations on this peninsular.
To give the people and tourists alike the convenience of watching the lake, Erhai Lake Park was built. In spring, the place is transformed into a wonderland of flowers like camellias, azaleas and primrose, and abundant exotic trees.
