Who understands! After staying at Erhai for 3 days, I actually don’t want to leave—— It’s not the kind of rush pushed by influencer filters

Who understands! After staying at Erhai for 3 days, I actually don’t want to leave—— It’s not the kind of rush pushed by influencer filters, but a genuine relaxation softened bit by bit by the morning mist, the afternoon breeze, and the evening light. As a travel blogger who has run around more than 10 lakes and seas, this time I want to sincerely tell you: the romance of Erhai is hidden in those uncrowded corners and moments without time pressure. 🌅 Morning: Go to Longkan Pier to wait for a “shattered gold sunrise” Don’t believe the guidebooks saying “must arrive before 7 AM.” Locals say: in June, the sunrise at Erhai is lazy and only slowly climbs up at 7:15. When I arrived at 6:40, the pier was just waking up, the morning mist hadn’t cleared, smoke drifted from the roofs of Bai ethnic houses, and a few fishing boats were moored on the water, like ink-washed silhouettes. When the sun breaks through the clouds, you really can’t help but say “wow” — the golden light hits the water, not glaring but broken into thousands of warm pieces, and even the air carries a moist sweetness. 📸 Photo tip: Wear a light beige long dress standing on the pier, have a friend shoot from the side with the morning mist as the background, your hair will be rimmed with golden light, and the original photo straight out will get flooded with questions on your social feed! 🌿 Afternoon: Rent a small electric scooter and venture into the gap between “rice fields and the sea” Rent an electric scooter with a 100km range from Caicun Pier (make sure to choose one with a trunk! You can fit a jacket and water bottle), and slowly cruise along Huanhai West Road. Suddenly stop when passing a deserted reed marsh: on the left is waist-high green rice waves, on the right is lake water so blue it’s transparent, the wind blows, rice ears and reeds sway together, and in the distance a Bai aunt carrying a bamboo basket walks by, the wildflowers in the basket swaying. Stop the scooter and sit on the ridge eating fresh milk cheese and Sachima (made by a roadside aunt, 5 yuan each, the milky aroma mixed with sesame), watching water birds skim the surface, suddenly understanding how to write the phrase “peaceful times.” 🚲 Riding tip: The section of Huanhai West Road from Caicun to Panxi is the most comfortable, with few motor vehicles, and every 2 km there’s a stall selling iced sour plum juice (3 yuan a cup, a perfect palate cleanser). Don’t ride too fast, you might be caught by wildflowers or a sunbathing cat on the roadside. 🌊 Evening: Go to “Little Putuo” opposite Shuanglang to watch fishing boats return to port Everyone says Shuanglang is crowded, so why not cross Xing Sheng Bridge and go to Wase Town’s Little Putuo. When I arrived at 5 PM, tourists had just left, only a few fishermen were hauling nets. The small island looks like a green snail floating on the water, the shadows of dawn redwoods slant and drag in the water, red-billed gulls (still around from June to October!) chase fishing boats for food, the “quack quack” mixed with paddle sounds, lively but not noisy. Sitting on a stone by the shore watching the sunset, the fiery clouds dye the lake orange soda color, fishing boats sway toward the pier, fishermen greet in dialect, at that moment I felt: this is how Erhai should be — not existing just for photos, but a real place where people live. Avoid trap reminder: don’t buy “wild mushrooms” by the roadside! They look fresh but are mostly artificially cultivated. If you want to buy specialties, go to Wase Town market, 10 yuan can buy a big bag of sweet and crispy winter jujubes. 💡 3 local “anti-mainstream” tips ❶ Don’t just focus on “influencer styles”: light blue, off-white, and pale pink cotton-linen clothes are the most photogenic, especially in rice fields or dawn redwood forests, like stepping out of a painting; but be sure to bring a thin jacket! The evening wind comes across the lake and chills your arms. ❷ Don’t eat clustered in tourist spots: about 1 km north of Xizhou Ancient Town is “Haizhe Restaurant,” Bai-style sour and spicy fish is freshly caught Erhai fish, paired with local “Shuixing Yanghua” vegetables, 50 yuan per person to eat until full, and the owner will give homemade sour plum sauce. ❸ Don’t believe in “one-day Erhai circle tours”: Erhai is 130 km around, finishing in one day will just exhaust you. It’s recommended to split into two days: day one visit the ancient town - Longkan - Caicun (west line), day two visit Xizhou - Haizhe - Little Putuo (east line), stay in a Bai ethnic guesthouse in Xizhou Ancient Town, and at night you can fall asleep listening to the insects in the rice fields. On the morning I left, I went to Longkan Pier again. The mist was lighter than when I came, an old grandpa was doing Tai Chi by the lake, his movements slow, his shadow cast on the water, gently swaying with the ripples. Suddenly I understood: why do so many people love Erhai? Probably because here, you don’t have to rush to “check in,” don’t have to force yourself to “get the perfect shot,” just standing, sitting, and walking slowly can gently catch you in the lake’s tenderness. Next time you come, don’t make too many plans, just bring an empty heart and come to Erhai to “soak” a little.