Jinsuo Islet of Erhai Lake in Dali City
Chinese Name: 洱海金梭岛
Chinese Pinyin: Er Hai Jin Suo Dao
English Name: Jinsuo Islet of Erhai Lake
Type: islet, sightseeing
Best Time: June to August
Recommended Visiting Hours: 1-3 hours
Opening Hours: 9:00-17:00
Ticket: BMB 120 for cruising
Location: Erhai Lake, Dali City
Jinsuo Islet of Erhai Lake
Looking from the sky, there is a small island like a shuttle lying in the Erhai Lake. That’s Jinsuo Island which means golden shuttle English. It is located in the southwest of Haidong Town, 250-600 m from east bank of Erhai Lake, facing Qiliqiao Village in the west across Erhai Lake. There are over 200 Bai households living on the island. Travelers can wander through Bai minority houses, fertile fields, beautiful flowers, green trees…Also, relax yourselves down to taste Bai Ethnic Minority’s “Three Courses of Tea” and local food and enjoy beautiful scenery of Cangshan Mountain and Erhai Lake quietly. Travelers need to pay 20 Yuan to visit Jade Dragon Palace. To the southeast of Jinsuo Island is situated a smaller island called Yinshuo Island (silver shuttle), the sister island of Jinsuo Island.
Why is Jinsuo Islet so special?
The scenery on the island can be compared with the scenery of Sanya. There are also a variety of activities at the seaside. There are unique dwellings, as well as the traditional ethnic culture of the Bai people the fascinating Dragon Palace and fantastic performance. It was the summer resort of King of Nanzhao Kingdom.
Where is Jinsuo Islet?
It is located in the southwest of Haidong Town, 250-600 m from east bank of Erhai Lake, facing Qiliqiao Village in the west across Erhai Lake.
How to get to Jinsuo Islet?
There are buses and taxis from Dali City to Erhai. After arriving at Erhai, travelers can take cruising ship or little boat from Jinsuo Pier in Haidong Town. It will take you 5 minutes to get to Jinsuo Island.
Legend
Looking down from the sky, there is a small island like a weaving shuttle, lying on the Erhai Lake, and the island is named Jinsuo Island. In the legend of Dali, a fairy who is well-woven in the sky left her golden shuttle in the lake, and the Golden Shuttle became a island, forming a beautiful sight of Erhai Lake.
What to See
Tranquil and Peaceful Life of Bai People
The gray tiles and white wall are used in the houses here, making this place tranquil. arranged in a “well” shape, and each fisherman’s cage is hung in front of each household. It is a fishing village, and locals live on fishing. Small shrimps, small dried fish, and a wide variety of goods are available, but here is very different from the seafood market in the city. In this small fishing village, it is more pure than the city.
Glorious and Beautiful Dragon Palace
The most unique attraction of Jinsuo Island is the Dragon Palace. This is the natural cave formed under the island. The scenery inside the cave is very strange and fantastic. There are natural wonders such as stalagmites, stalactites and stone plaques. The length of the dragon palace is about 1,300 meters. The caves are faint, the four seasons are constant, the winter is cold, and the summer is summer. You can come and play in all seasons.
Exquisite Tie-dyeing
Every minority has its own skill, which is unique. The Bai people also have their own skills, tie-dyeing. It has now been listed as a national intangible cultural heritage, and the state has a high recognition of it. The Bai ethnic group has a long history. The main successors are the women of the Bai, who are like heroes. When you look at the color and craftsmanship, you know that this is an authentic Bai tie-dyed work. Visitors will buy some as souvenir. You can also learn to make tie-dyeing personally.
Fantastic Haicaihua Performance
The Bai is an ethnic minority doing well in sings and dances. The song and dance performance “Hai Cai Hua” is based on the theme of a kind of plant growing in the Erhai. Performance shows the daily life of locals, especially the fishing. This song and dance performance also celebrates the harmony between mankind and nature, and calls on people to protect the environment and protect the Erhai Lake.
Recommended Route for Tourists
Cycle around Erhai Lake
Route One: Cycle on the west bank of Erhai Lake, 46 KM for One Day
Your biking tour begins Dali Old Town, pass Three Pagodas and stop to explore Xizhou Old Town , continue to head to Zhoucheng and drive back via the same route. You need to drive about 23 kilometers for one way and 46 kilometers altogether.
Route Two: One Circle around Erhai Lake, 128 KM for Two Days
Day 1: around 50 Km for 4 hours’ riding. Dali Old Town – Three Pagodas – Xizhou Town – Zhoucheng Village – Taoyuan Dock – Shangguan Town – Shuanglang Village (Nanzhao Island).
Day 2: around 80 km for 6 hours’ riding. Shuanglang Village – Wase Town (Little Puto Island) – Haidong Village – Jinsuo Island – Huanhai Road – Airport Road – Erhai Dock – Haixi Village Highway – Caicun Dock – Dali Old Town.
Best Time to Visit
The best time to visit Jinsuo Islet should be from June to August, during that time is very comfortable. The seasonal variation of Dali is not obvious, there is no obvious hot summer and bitter winter. And the weather in Dali is spring all the year round.
Nearby Attractions
The Three Pagodas,the symbolic building of Dali, was first built in the time of Nanzhao Kingdom and Dali Kingdom in 9th and 10th century. Looking from a distance, the pagodas are like three ballpoint pens standing between the magnificent Cangshan Mountain and elegant Erhai Lake.
Cangshan Mountain,located west of Dali Ancient Town and Erhai Lake, is with nineteen peaks and eighteen streams. Travelers can take cableways to reach the top of Cangshan Mountain or explore the breathtaking scenery along Jade Cloud Road.
Dali Ancient Town is a historic town with rich culture located between Cangshan Mountain and Erhai Lake. Unlike any other Chinese town, the traditional Bai ethnic houses give the town distinctive feel. Travelers can wonder in this leisure town to appreciate the unique ethnic architecture and discover its profound history and culture.
Useful Travel Tips
When you are at Erhai Lake, it is advisable to visit the fishing villages of Bai people nearby, which is the few fishing villages on the altiplano. The famous movie of 1950s, the Five Golden Flowers, reflected the life here. Erhai Park in Xiaguan was designed and built for tourists to sea Erhai Lake. You can get there from any place in the city proper by taxi and that will only cost you 5 yuan. If you are interested, you can take ships there to visit Erhai. There are wooden ships and yachts. Remember to bargain before you get aboard. Ordinary boats do not go to the Nanzhao Love Islands. They usually come back after arriving at Golden Shuttle Island, Small Putuo Island and Kwan-yin Pavilion. If you rent boats, safety is the most important. When it is summer and autumn, especially when Husband Awaiting Clouds turn up on the Cangshan Mountain, it is better for you not to go on the sea.
Clothing
Erhai Lake is in Yunnan, the weather is pleasant. Tourists can bring the spring clothing and do not need to bring the thick clothes. In addition to it is a little bit cold at night, the temperature is suitable during other time.
