Picture perfect: Chinese tourists flock to lake to recreate viral photos

A woman takes selfies with a mobile phone near Erhai Lake in Dali Bai Autonomous Prefecture, Yunnan province, China June 15, 2019. REUTERS/Tingshu Wang

DALI, China (Reuters) - Chinese tourists are flocking to a lake in southwest Yunnan province to recreate photos that have gone viral on social media, the country's latest selfie craze.

Visitors to Erhai lake say photography sets offering everything from rare animals to fields of brightly-colored flowers are essential to creating their Kodak moment.

Women sit atop a vehicle as they pose for photos during a photoshoot session near Erhai Lake in Dali Bai Autonomous Prefecture, Yunnan province, China June 15, 2019. Picture taken June 15, 2019. REUTERS/Tingshu Wang

"A lot of my friends have come here to take their photos, so I thought I would try it too," said Zeng Xinyue, 18, a recent high school graduate.

She decided to visit after seeing videos and photos of Erhai lake on Douyin, a video platform owned by startup ByteDance Technology.

Erhai is one of China's biggest freshwater lakes and a backdrop to the city of Dali, which drew 47 million visitors last year, more than triple the number in 2010.

A couple poses with a bus which serves as a prop during their wedding photoshoot near Erhai in Dali Bai Autonomous Prefecture, Yunnan province, China June 15, 2019. Picture taken June 15, 2019. REUTERS/Tingshu Wang

Hotels and homestays have sprung up along a 50-km (31-mile) stretch of lakeside road to accommodate tourists. But officials ordered some hotels demolished after President Xi Jinping during a 2015 visit called for the lake to be protected.

The selfie seekers can take a picture with wooly alpacas imported from South America's Andes Mountains. Others can take a picture sitting in a hanging bubble chair or on a mirror-covered platform.

A package of 35 photos costs 199 yuan ($29), said Zhang Hongtao, who manages a photo stall.

Women posing for pictures are seen through a heart-shaped prop near Erhai Lake in Dali Bai Autonomous Prefecture, Yunnan province, China June 15, 2019. Picture taken June 15, 2019. REUTERS/Tingshu Wang

Yan Mengjie, a tourist from Shanghai, wore a sequined dress with a mermaid tail as she struck a pose in a bubble chair. She was surprised by the half-demolished buildings nearby.

"I did feel a little disappointed, because it didn't look like the pictures," Yan said, referring to images she had seen on social media.

"But I can photoshop it," she said.

Women pose with props during a photoshoot session at a photo booth near Erhai Lake in Dali Bai Autonomous Prefecture, Yunnan province, China June 15, 2019. Picture taken June 15, 2019. REUTERS/Tingshu Wang

(Reporting by Tingshu Wang; Writing by Huizhong Wu; Editing by Ryan Woo and Darren Schuettler)

Yan Mengjie poses for photos near Erhai Lake in Dali Bai Autonomous Prefecture, Yunnan province, China June 16, 2019. Picture taken June 16, 2019. REUTERS/Tingshu Wang

A woman poses for photos next to a field of flowers near Erhai Lake in Dali Bai Autonomous Prefecture, Yunnan province, China June 15, 2019. Picture taken June 15, 2019. REUTERS/Tingshu Wang

A woman poses with a scarf on the top of a car which serves as a prop near Erhai Lake in Dali Bai Autonomous Prefecture, Yunnan province, China June 15, 2019. REUTERS/Tingshu Wang

Tourists walk under a flower-covered walkway which serves as a prop for photoshoots near Erhai Lake in Dali Bai Autonomous Prefecture, Yunnan province, China June 15, 2019. Picture taken June 15, 2019. REUTERS/Tingshu Wang

Qin Weigang sits with his alpacas under a tent as he waits for photo-taking customers near Erhai Lake in Dali Bai Autonomous Prefecture, Yunnan province, China June 15, 2019. Picture taken June 15, 2019. REUTERS/Tingshu Wang

A man driving a motorbike looks on as tourists pose with props at a photo booth near Erhai Lake in Dali Bai Autonomous Prefecture, Yunnan province, China June 15, 2019. Picture taken June 15, 2019. REUTERS/Tingshu Wang

A woman jumps up on a bus which serves as a prop for photoshoots near Erhai Lake in Dali Bai Autonomous Prefecture, Yunnan province, China June 15, 2019. Picture taken June 15, 2019. REUTERS/Tingshu Wang

Tourists pose for photos on a mirror platform at a photo booth near Erhai Lake in Dali Bai Autonomous Prefecture, Yunnan province, China June 15, 2019. Picture taken June 15, 2019. REUTERS/Tingshu Wang

Photographers are seen in front of a woman sitting on a prop during a photoshoot session near Erhai Lake in Dali Bai Autonomous Prefecture, Yunnan province, China June 16 2019. Picture taken June 16, 2019. REUTERS/Tingshu Wang

Zhang Hongtao, manager of a photo booth, looks at his staff members processing photos for customers near Erhai Lake in Dali Bai Autonomous Prefecture, Yunnan province, China June 15, 2019. Picture taken June 15, 2019. REUTERS/Tingshu Wang

A photographer directs Zhang Xiaoxia as she poses on a swing above a mirror platform near Erhai Lake in Dali Bai Autonomous Prefecture, Yunnan province, China June 15, 2019. Picture taken June 15, 2019. REUTERS/Tingshu Wang

Workers install a mirror platform which will serve as a prop for photoshoots on the top of a building near Erhai Lake in Dali Bai Autonomous Prefecture, Yunnan province, China June 16 2019. Picture taken June 16, 2019. REUTERS/Tingshu Wang

Tourists are seen on the bank of Erhai Lake in Dali Bai Autonomous Prefecture, Yunnan province, China June 16 2019. Picture taken June 16, 2019. REUTERS/Tingshu Wang

People walk past a board showing tourists' photos taken inside an attraction, in front of a fruit stall near Erhai Lake in Dali Bar Autonomous Prefecture, Yunnan province, China June 15, 2019. Picture taken June 15, 2019. REUTERS/Tingshu Wang

Tourists pose for pictures on a mirror platform which serves as a prop for photoshoots near Erhai Lake in Dali Bai Autonomous Prefecture, Yunnan province, China June 15, 2019. Picture taken June 15, 2019. REUTERS/Tingshu Wang

Tourists are seen on the bank of Erhai Lake next to buildings under construction in Dali Bai Autonomous Prefecture, Yunnan province, China June 16 2019. Picture taken June 16, 2019. REUTERS/Tingshu Wang

Women ride an electric scooter past props for photoshoots next to a building under construction, near Erhai Lake in Dali Bai Autonomous Prefecture, Yunnan province, China June 15, 2019. Picture taken June 15, 2019. REUTERS/Tingshu Wang

Tourists pose with props for pictures at a photo booth near Erhai Lake in Dali Bai Autonomous Prefecture, Yunnan province, China June 15, 2019. REUTERS/Tingshu Wang

Yan Mengjie sits on a boat as she poses for photos near Erhai Lake in Dali Bai Autonomous Prefecture, Yunnan province, China June 16, 2019. Picture taken June 16, 2019. REUTERS/Tingshu Wang