Things to do in Yingjiang

It's a big lake, very beautiful. You can enjoy the beautiful scenery from a boat. There are few tourists, so it's suitable for self-driving. The scenery is like Qiandao Lake in Hangzhou.

The wetland park in Yingjiang County is a little worse in the dry season and there is no wetland, but you can see the Yingjiang River. It is very meaningful to accompany my father to see the place where he worked as an educated youth for 8 years ~ and touch the water of Yingjiang River!

Rehai Boiling Pot is a local specialty and the only geothermal scenic area in China. It's very unique and highly recommended. However, some attractions are under renovation, so the scenery is still somewhat lacking.

I visited Heshun Ancient Town last October. The weather was great; it was even warm enough to wear short sleeves on hot days. Occasional rain was brief, and most importantly, there were no mosquitoes by then. I stayed in a guesthouse inside the ancient town. The guesthouse owner would tell me the nearest taxi stand, making it quite convenient to get around the town. The ancient town is quite large, and there are performances on holidays; it's quite nice to explore.

Yunyan Mountain is located on a mountain one kilometer east of Yingjiang. It has convenient transportation and can lead directly to the mountain. There are Jingpo and Lisu cultural squares inside. Next to it is a Yunyan Tower, which is very magnificent and worth visiting.

The weather down the mountain was actually quite nice, a bit overcast but the temperature was alright. As the cable car ascended higher and higher, the entire Dali city and Erhai Lake slowly came into view below. That stretch of scenery was truly worthwhile; looking down through the cable car glass, I finally had a truly concrete feeling about "Cangshan Mountain and Erhai Lake" for the first time.

I climbed Leiya Rang Mountain at 5 PM. The 108 steps were flanked by golden dragons cascading down the slope, and I arrived at the pagoda just in time for sunset. The 76-meter-high Meng Huan Golden Pagoda is gilded, and the setting sun cast a golden glow, enhancing its shimmering quality. Walking clockwise around the prayer wheel along the prayer corridor, the wind chimes on the pagoda's roof jingled in the breeze, a sound that could be heard throughout half of Mangshi. Standing on the viewing platform for a 360° panoramic view was truly exhilarating—below me stretched the terraced houses of the Dai ethnic minority in the Mangshi plain, while in the distance, mountain mists clung to the border. Turning my head, I could even frame the pure white Meng Huan Silver Pagoda across the valley; the gold and silver pagodas facing each other across the valley created a much more photogenic scene than photographing just one pagoda alone. The 7 PM lighting was a hidden climax, transforming the entire pagoda from golden to a warm orange, as if someone had lit a fire inside it. Looking back on the way down, the golden pagoda floated in the night, instantly capturing the slow-paced, borderland spirit of Mangshi. A word of caution: the towers are extremely reflective during the day, so be sure to go in the evening; you need to take off your shoes before entering the main hall, and wearing sandals is the easiest way; allow 2 hours for visiting both the Gold and Silver Towers.

The Silver Pagoda and the Gold Pagoda are located on the hilltop, not far from the Gold Pagoda, about a 20-minute walk. The Silver Pagoda, as its name suggests, is a dark-colored pagoda. The park environment is pleasant and worth seeing.

The Three Pagodas are iconic landmarks of Dali. Although the ticket price is not cheap, and all the buildings except the Three Pagodas are newly built, they are still worth seeing. The entire scenic area is built on the mountainside and covers a large area. It takes about one and a half to two hours to walk the whole way. When you reach the highest point, you can see the entire Erhai Lake on one side and Cangshan Mountain on the other. If you are not physically fit, you can choose to take a sightseeing bus.

I hadn't originally planned to visit Beihai Wetland, but since I had some extra time, I went just for a stroll. I was pleasantly surprised by the beautiful scenery, the lack of crowds, and the tranquility. In the morning, many unidentified birds were leisurely strolling around. I sat by the lake, sipping coffee and watching the birds. I took some photos and sent them to a friend, who was captivated and came to visit too.