Embracing 250 square kilometers, Erhai Lake lies at the eastern foot of the Cangshan Mountains and is a famous fresh-water lake, 40 kilometers long from north to south, 7 to 8 kilometers wide from east to west, lying on a plateau of 1,980 meters above sea level. The lake shapes like an ear ("ear" is pronounced "er" in Chinese), and waves are big enough in the lake, hence the name.
Erhai lake contains crystal cool water. In praised of the beautiful scenery, people often say "Ten thousand acres of water reflect the sky like a mirror and the surrounding mountains stand there like and evergreen screen in all the four seasons." The lake teems with fish, such as mackerel, silver carp, crucian carp, stingrays, variegated carps (bigheads) and others. The lake is also home to the water birds. During the breeding season, the four alluvions in the lake are often packed with birds.
Erhai Lake has serval peninsulas and islets. Among them, the Luoquan Peninsula and the Jinsuo Islet are the most famous. The former has a big historical temple with many ancient buildings, interesting legends and stories. The latter is home to the Bai people who are proud of their traditional houses and live on fishing. A unique temple and a small primary school are found in this tiny island.
Travel to Erhai Lake from the Dali Old Town is very convenient. Tourist can walk there (Erhai Pier) directly or take bus (No. 2), taxi or carriage to get there. From the pier, they can board on the ships (Safely!! They are operated by the local travel companies) to enjoy a cruise or pay some visit to the islets and nearby fishing villages.