Meet Yourself filming locations are the C-drama settings that made a generation of viewers want to quit their jobs and move to Yunnan. It is also, conveniently, the easiest of the big C-drama pilgrimages to actually complete — because almost all of it was shot in one small area you can cover on foot and by bus.
This is where it was filmed, how to get there, and what to actually do once you arrive. Every one of these Meet Yourself filming locations is a real place you can stand in.
The Short Answer: Meet Yourself was filmed in and around Dali (大理) in Yunnan province, with the village material shot largely in and near Shaxi (沙溪) and the lakeside scenes around Erhai Lake. Dali has its own airport and a high-speed rail station, so no tour is needed. Allow 4–6 days, ¥2,000–3,500 on the ground, and go between March and May or September to November.
Why Meet Yourself is the C-drama trip to start with
Every other major C-drama pilgrimage involves a studio park, a rebuilt historical city, or a 6-hour drive to a mountain. Meet Yourself does not. It was shot in real Yunnan towns and villages that were already beautiful, and the production’s contribution was mainly to point a camera at them.
The result is that a Meet Yourself trip is not really a film-location tour at all. It is a genuinely good Yunnan holiday that happens to also be the show. If you are nervous about travelling in China for the first time, this is the trip to book.
Meet Yourself filming locations at a glance
| Location | Where | What was filmed | Effort |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dali Old Town (大理古城) | Dali, Yunnan | Street scenes, the town the characters arrive in | Easy — walkable |
| Erhai Lake shoreline (洱海) | Dali, Yunnan | The lakeside sequences, cycling scenes | Easy — bus or bike |
| Shaxi Ancient Town (沙溪古镇) | Jianchuan, Yunnan | The village material, the slow-life sequences | Medium — 2–3 hours by road |
| Xizhou (喜洲) | Dali, Yunnan | The Bai architecture and market scenes | Easy — day trip |
| Cangshan foothills (苍山) | Dali, Yunnan | Mountain backdrop, walking scenes | Easy to medium |
Dali Old Town and Erhai Lake
Dali’s old town supplies the show’s human-scale texture: narrow lanes, whitewashed Bai houses with painted eaves, and the constant low hum of a town that has been a travellers’ crossroads for centuries. The unmistakable Erhai Lake — the long blue water that appears in nearly every establishing shot — sits immediately east of it.
The classic way to do this is the Erhai loop by bicycle or e-bike, which most visitors split over two days. The lakeside road passes through the small villages the show used, and stopping at random is encouraged.
Practical note: the lakeside road is genuinely long — roughly 130km for the full circuit. Nobody does it in one go on a bike. Pick a section and do it properly.
Shaxi: the village that carries the show’s emotional weight
Shaxi Ancient Town, in Jianchuan county, is the source of the material that gives Meet Yourself its particular quietness. It is a former tea-horse road market town, small enough to walk end to end in twenty minutes, and it has not been over-developed in the way Dali old town has.
Getting there takes real effort: two to three hours by road from Dali, typically by bus or hired car. That effort is what keeps it uncrowded, and it is the reason Shaxi is the part of the trip most people remember.
Getting there: buses run from Dali’s Xiaguan bus station, or you can arrange a car and driver. Detailed options are in our Dali and Shaxi guide.
Xizhou and the Bai architecture
Xizhou, a market town north of Dali old town on the way toward Shaxi, supplies much of the show’s architectural detail: the Bai courtyards, the elaborate painted facades, the morning market. It is an easy half-day stop and fits naturally into a route heading north.
Suggested 6-day Meet Yourself itinerary
The 6-day Meet Yourself route, day by day
This one is deliberately slow. The show is about staying still, not ticking off sights.
Day 1 — Arrive Dali. Fly or rail in, settle in the old town. Walk the lanes in the evening.
Day 2 — Dali old town and Cangshan foothills. Slow day. Get a feel for the place the show treated as home.
Day 3 — Erhai Lake, southern section. Bike or e-bike the southern shoreline and the villages along it.
Day 4 — Erhai Lake, northern section and Xizhou. Push north via Xizhou, stopping for the market.
Day 5 — Shaxi. Full day. Early road transfer, wander, stay overnight if you can.
Day 6 — Return to Dali or continue to Lijiang. Shaxi sits roughly on the way to Lijiang, so many travellers continue rather than backtrack.
How much it actually costs
| Item | Typical cost (CNY) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Dali old town accommodation | 150–400/night | Wide range; book ahead in peak season |
| Bike or e-bike rental | 50–100/day | E-bikes need no licence for the smaller models |
| Dali to Shaxi bus | ~40–60 | Or ~400–600 for a private car |
| Erhai loop day trip | 100–200 | Shared vehicle or boat depending on route |
| Meals | 40–120/day | Yunnan food is cheap and good |
Six days on the ground runs roughly ¥2,000–3,500 excluding flights to Yunnan.
For the per-person, per-stop version — the station shuttle, the cableway fares and what meals really run — see the cost table on the Dali guide.
Common questions
Where exactly was Meet Yourself filmed?
The show was shot almost entirely in Yunnan, across three places you can visit on one trip. The urban and lakeside material comes from Dali Old Town and the shore of Erhai Lake; the village storyline was filmed in and around Shaxi, a few hours north-west; and the Bai courtyard houses appear throughout Xizhou, a market town on the lake’s west side. There was no studio build for this one — the shooting locations are the real towns.
Was Meet Yourself filmed in Dali or in Shaxi?
Both, and the split matters when you plan. Dali and Erhai Lake carry the city and lake scenes and are the easy part. Shaxi carries most of the emotional weight — the village, the courtyard, the slow-life storyline — and is the reason to give yourself six days rather than four.
Do I need a tour to visit Meet Yourself locations?
No. Dali is a well-established destination with flights, high-speed rail and local buses. Shaxi is harder but still doable independently. Independent travel here is entirely normal.
What is the best time of year for Dali?
March to May and September to November are ideal. Yunnan’s rainy season runs roughly June to August, which brings dramatic skies but frequent downpours. Winter is dry and clear but cold at altitude.
Is Shaxi worth the detour?
Yes, and it is the single most worthwhile detour on the route. If you only have time for one thing outside Dali old town, make it Shaxi rather than a second lake day.
How many days do I need?
Four days is the minimum for Dali and the lake. Six days lets you include Shaxi properly. Anything less and you are rushing a show that is entirely about not rushing.
Can I combine this with other C-drama locations?
Yes — Dali sits in Yunnan, and Lijiang is a few hours onward. Most other major C-drama locations are in Zhejiang, Hubei or Guizhou, so a combined trip usually means a domestic flight.
Your next move
Still exploring?
The other modern dramas shot in real cities, from Shanghai to Ningbo.
Worried about the practical stuff?
Visas, payment, trains and the apps you’ll need before you land — the four things you cannot work out on the ground. Each guide is dated and sourced.
Ready to go?
Dali plays itself here. The city guide covers the cableways, the old town and a per-person day cost.
Last verified
Sources: Dali Prefecture Government - official tourism information · Yunnan Provincial Government - visitor information · China Railway 12306 - ticket pre-sale and refund rules
Spotted something out of date? Email us — or read how corrections work. We check every report against the source and update the page.
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Not sure where to start? Take the drama-city quiz — seven questions, one city, and a route waiting at the end.