Tourists feed birds at Erhai Lake in Dali. [Photo by Yang Feiyue/China Daily]

The second-largest freshwater lake in Yunnan, Erhai covers an area of 257 square kilometers and gives Dali a springtime look even in the midst of the chilly winter.

A tour of Nanzhao Fengqing Island, less than 15-minute drive from Xiaoputuo, gives one the feeling of being in tropical Sanya, in Hainan province.

Nanzhao Fengqing Island is covered with lush green trees and flowers, rustled by the wind wafting from Erhai.

A 17-meter-tall Buddha statue stands in the center of the island's Fuxing Square. There, the smell of incense permeates the air and one can hear the prayers of pilgrims.

For those looking for more adventure, Cangshan Mountain is the place to go.

The mountain practically surrounds the prefecture.

Approximately 95 percent of the mountain is covered by forest and its complex landscape makes the mountain a labyrinth. Even those who have traveled through the Himalayas can get lost, says a local guide.

Up to 200 people lose their way each year and have to be rescued, the guide says.

So it is a good idea to seek professional guidance if you want to go hiking.

We take the 45-minute cable car ride to the mountaintop, which is 4,000 meters above sea level.