Yunnan. Three Rivers. Day 1

You arrive in Dali, and we are already waiting for you – with open eyes and a calm pace. After all, this journey is not about rushing from sight to sight. It's about arriving. About slowly opening up to a different rhythm.

We keep it gentle today. Dali sits at 2000 meters above sea level, and your body deserves a soft landing. We begin with a walk through Dali Old Town. Cobblestone lanes, ancient city gates, Bai courtyards with carved shutters and blooming camellias. Life here moves quietly – between incense in temple courtyards and the scent of roasted Yunnan coffee drifting from tiny cafés. Artists sell handmade paper, grandmothers dry orange peels in the sun, monks pass by on silent scooters.

In the late afternoon, we check in to one of our handpicked hideaways at Erhai Lake. Each place we select is chosen for its soul – not just style. Whether you stay in a modern lakeside villa or a lovingly restored Bai mansion, the view will invite you to exhale. 

And then comes the evening. We head to a hidden beach, where the rice paddies meet the water. Local musicians set the tone with soft guitar strings, while the lake reflects the evening light in calm silver and rose. People stroll quietly along the shore, keeping an eye out for a good spot to sit down and end the day with a drink.

We dine nearby – under lanterns, with a slow-cooked meal and a view that doesn’t need many words. Just the feeling: this is the beginning of something rare.

Overnight stay in a 5-star boutique hotel at the lake