Plan your Shuanglang tour?Shuanglang is a small town to the northeast of Dali and it has a honorable title: the most scenic town around Lake Erhai. This small town, or rather a fishing village, doesn’t have many sights to offer but it is no less charming due to that tranquil, slow-pace and peaceful life it leads. It is beautiful all year around. In spring, flowers come into blossom and temperature is comfortable. In summer, it is cool and a good place to beat the heat. In fall, there is very little rain and blue sky and white clouds can be seen every day. In winter, it is the heaven to soak up the warm sunshine.

‣Where Shuanglang Is

The small town of Shuanglang ("Double Corridors") is located on the northeastern coastline of Erhai Lake [洱海]. Its name is derived from two scenic bays, each 6 to 7kms long, which connect the town from north and south. (Despite heavy hotel constructions to embrace the town's booming tourism, we had a good time strolling on its main street that runs over 1km along the coast.)

‣Basic Information

●Chinese Name:双廊 ●Total Area:218.28km2(567 sq mi) ●Elevation:2,007 m ●Population:17,570 ●Time Zone:China Standard (UTC+8) ●Postal code:671003

‣Shuanglang Activity

In a sunny afternoon, it is ideal to treat yourself to a cup of coffee while getting seated lazily on a terrace overlooking the Lake Erhai. You couldn’t help noticing the blue at the intersection of the lake and sky is so much alike that there is no apparent horizon line. And when you are simply absorbed in the soothing tranquility of the pleasant moment, the breathtaking sunset scene suddenly catches your eyes. The setting sun generously casts its last rays on the surface of the water, lending it an orange tint.Apart from this, you may also go fishing on a small boat with the villagers who live mainly on this or take a nice stroll around the village and the nearby small islands such as Yuji, Jinshuo and Small Putuo, which are also very scenic.

‣Things to do in Shuanglang

●There are many bars in the town. You can slow your pace and find a lakeside one in which to relax. Wi-Fi is available so surfing on the Internet is not a problem.

●Lakeside bicycling. The suggested way is to ride from Shuanglang to Wase Town which is about 15 kilometers. There is a slope on the way and, on top of the slope, there is a small hill. From this hill, you will get a great view of Erhai Lake.

●In the low fishing period, you can rent a small boat. You can enjoy slowly rowing on Erhai Lake, continuing on to Little Putuo Island and Nanzhao Island, where you can have some fun.

●Walk along Yuji Island and visit the Sun Palace of Yangliping — China’s famous dancer who created the Peacock Dance. The scenery on the way is fantastic.

●Visit a local family and get to know the local people’s daily lives.

●Taste all kinds of food there. The delicious foods such as marine fish, mandarin oranges, line rice noodles, hot pots and barbecues can’t be missed.

●Go to Wase Fair as it is another way to experience the local lifestyles. The fair dates are the 5th and 10th of each month. Wase Fair is 10 kilometers away and is the most popular one. During the fair, people from different villages flow into the market. You will see how they buy and sell things, and how they bargain with each other, which is interesting.

‣Shuanglang Food

If you happen to be a foodie, you should definitely try the local dishes. Top dishes include braised grass carp (黄焖草) and rushan cheese (乳扇), which is a local flavor of ethnic Bai people.

‣Shuanglang Travel Tips

●Wi-Fi is available in every hotel in Shuanglang. You can surf the Internet in your room or in the public areas. Some of the restaurants, such as the Old Horse Hot Pot, even have Wi-Fi in their dining hall. 

●Take cash only: most of the expenditure in Shuanglang is paid by cash as there are no card payment facilities. However, there is an ATM in Yuji Island for you to withdraw money.

●There is a big gap in the temperature between daytime and night-time. A long sleeved light coat is suggested. Also, the sunshine is strong there so please use some SPF 50 sun creams.