Shuanglang is situated on the "Lianhua Qu" and "Luoshi Qu" of the eastern shore of Erhai Lake, 35 kilometers from Xiaguan, and was historically called "Shuanlang." Looking around, the scenic Yujidao and Xiaojinsuo islands resemble a pair of mandarin ducks floating on the lush green waters of Erhai Lake. These two islands are located under Liling Peak between the two bays. In the Xianfeng period of the Qing Dynasty, locals considered both the "two islands" and the "two bays" as representing a “pair,” so they renamed “Shuanlang” to “Shuanglang.” The scenery of Shuanglang is uniquely beautiful, backed by green mountains, facing Erhai Lake, closely connected to the Chicken Foot Mountain, and offering distant views of the Cangshan Mountains, earning it the title of the best viewpoint of Erhai Lake. It boasts the advantages of fishing fields and boat transport, and is also graced with the picturesque views of the "wind, flowers, snow, and moon," thus enjoying the reputation of "the scenery of Cangshan and Erhai is all in Shuanglang."
Coming down from Chicken Foot Mountain, I took a long detour—Chicken Foot Mountain – Binchuan – Xiaguan – Ancient Town – North Passenger Transport Station – Shuanglang. Shuanglang was originally a fishing village by Erhai Lake, with stunning scenery. Many artists come here because Shuanglang is truly beautiful. Wealthy artists buy land and build villas in Shuanglang, while those with less money rent local houses, living with traditional Bai families just like the locals. On Yujidao Island, there’s the "Qinglu" villa built by Zhao Qing, a disciple of Nan Huai-Chin, and the Peacock Villa home of Yang Liping.
I stayed one night at each of the two most famous guesthouses. The first night was at Peninsula, featuring a fresh Japanese style. The rooms have tatami designs, and there's even a carp streamer on the sea-view terrace. The standard room costs 150 yuan per night, which isn't too expensive. Peninsula has a very beautiful sea-view living room that doubles as a bar. I hid inside, flipping through the guestbooks left by previous visitors. Each page is like an unintentionally exquisite piece of art, filled with reflections on Shuanglang and life from countless people. On a sunny afternoon, basking in the warm sunlight and feeling the gentle breeze of Erhai Lake, I couldn’t help but get lost in reading, unaware of the time passing outside.
Another standout is the Haidi Qinglvke Guesthouse. Currently, it has three courtyards temporarily, with plans to expand to six. It offers youth hostel beds for 30 yuan per night and sea-view rooms for 380 yuan per night. All the guesthouse interiors are fresh, elegant, uniquely designed, and rich in cultural flavor. See the photos for details.
Shuanglang actually has a bit of a “mini Lijiang” vibe, though it’s not overly crowded, and the local residents still live here, so it hasn’t been completely commercialized yet. What I see now are roads under construction and major building projects—it seems development is inevitable.
Even though it’s the off-season, I met tourists from all over the country, including foreigners. Perhaps girls are particularly drawn to this kind of fresh and refined place, as there were quite a few of them. Handsome guys with charm, you might want to try striking up a conversation.