Yuji Island in Erhai Lake is a nature wonderland - fresh air, colorful flowers, cooling breezes and great views across the lake to neighboring hills.

Almost half of the island - the half with the best view no doubt - is occupied by a boutique hotel said to be owned by a famous designer and dancer. Apparently a night there can cost about 3,500 yuan for one night.

Made of glass, the post-modern design hotel is built on rocky hills. But as spectacular as it is with the designer having done his best to integrate the glass and steel with nature, it is still undoubtedly an intruder.

On the last day in Dali, Cangshan Mountain beckoned. A five-yuan cab ride takes prospective climbers to the foot of the mountain and the cableway transport station.

In spite of the morning fog during our visit, the cableway afforded splendid views of jungle, forest and the roof eaves of Dali. There were not many visitors during our visit as it is the low season, but tourism is expected to peak later this month when a traditional local festival takes place.

On the mountain there is a Buddhist temple and a Taoist temple which houses just three monks who said people who visited their abode were mostly elderly local residents.

It rains four to five times a day in Cangshan and the sunshine seemed reluctant to show its face even when it was not raining.

Not surprisingly the mountain was a sea of green and afforded splendid views of its snow-streaked peaks.

It took four hours to reach the Seven Fairies' Fountain where the springs appeared in the late-afternoon sunshine, a reward for the all the hard work to get there.

Legend has it that the seven fountains were the bathing place for seven beautiful fairies in ancient times.

The fairies might no longer be there but, certainly, there is no questioning the beauty of Dali.

(Shanghai Daily April 14, 2008)