Shangri-la

» Yun Nan

Shangri-la Overview & Map Weather Transportation Information

Shangrila, formerly Zhongdian is in Yunnan province. The town is split between Tibetan and Han Chinese residents, as well as a fair smattering of Naxi, Bai, Yi and Lisu, with the surrounding countryside entirely Tibetan. While the crass name change in 2001 was a sign of the desire for increasing mass tourism a la Lijiang, the town's got nowhere near Lijiang's crowds, and it's still possible to experience the area's Tibetan heritage and see gorgeous countryside in near isolation.

What to see

Old Town - The old town is rapidly being turned into a mini-Lijiang, complete with endless shophouses selling tourist trinkets (including fake tiger skins and counterfeit North Face jackets), minority costumed dancers and too-clean streets. However, there are still plenty of small charming streets to explore. The nightly dancing in the square beginning at 8 PM is popular for locals of all ages, and anyone is welcome to join in. The whole thing lasts for an hour and each song has its own set of choreographed moves.

Songzanlin Monastery - Tibetan: Ganden Sumtseling Monastery - The impressive structure sits on a hill a few kilometers north of town. Take bus no. 3 (the green buses) heading north for 1RMB, or a taxi for 20RMB. Songzanlin monastery is the last stop. It's becoming less of a monastic institution, more of a tourist destination. Entry is 30RMB. The temple was restored by an architect named Xu Wei Han in 2005 to reflects its passed glories.

Located three kilometers (about 1.86 miles) southeast of Shangri-La, the Wufeng Mountain is revered as a sacred mountain by the local Tibetans. Since the Tang Dynasty (618-907), the grasslands at the foot of this mountain have been used for horse racing events.

If you proceed southeast from Shangri-La for about 101 kilometers (62.76 miles), you'll arrive at another well-known attraction, the White Water Terraces. The terraces are large limestone steps, built up over the years with calcium carbonate deposited by spring waters which flow down the steps. You can take a bus from the Zhongdian Coach Bus Station to the White Water Terraces, or hire a car to get there.

The Haba Snow Mountain, a natural reserve of rare animals and plants, is about 120 kilometers (74.56 miles) southeast of Shangri-La. Both the mountain and the Tiger Leaping Gorge are located along the Dianzang Road, on the way from Shangri-La to Lijiang.

Climate

Shangri-la is about 3300 meters above the sea level and belongs to plateau humid climate. The climate is not obviously different in four seasons but the temperature here changes much between day and night. The temperature can reach up to above 30 centigrade in the sunny day, however, during the morning and at night, people may feel cold just as in winter. So, whenever tourists make a trip to Shangri-la, they should bring overcoats with them.

• Spring is the season for snow melting and it is cold, the temperature is about between 5-20centigrade.

• Summer is the season with the highest temperature and it is the rainy season, the temperature is about 15-30 centigrade.

• Autumn is the harvest season and the scenery is the most beautiful, the temperature is about 5-30 centigrade.

• Winter is the season with the lowest temperature and sometimes it has snow, the temperature is between below zero to 20 centigrade.

Dining

What to eat

Shangri-La's population is composed largely of Tibetans together with many ethnic minorities. This provides the opportunity to be immersed in beautiful scenery while tasting local food and drinks Tibetan Cake (sweet and crisp), Zanba, Pipa Meat, Saimi Lamb, Guoben Hot Pot, butter tea, yogurt, and Suolima (a kind of Tibetan Liquor brewed with the highland barley) are amongst the most popular. Zanba is the Tibetans' staple food, made from highland barley flour. Usually, the locals like to eat Zanba with buttered tea. Buttered tea is high in energy providing sustenance from the cold plateau climate. Pipa Meat, a non-greasy preserved form of pork is a delicious food usually kept for entertaining guests.

• Zanba is the main food for Tibetan people and is divided into several kinds: highland barley Zanba, pea Zanba and mixed Zanba. Zanba is nutritious and is easy to carry about. It is the most convenient food for the Tibetans living in plateau. When they go on a long journey, if they bring a bowl or Zanba bag, Zanba, butter and dry milk residue, no matter where they are, they can use water instead of buttered tea to make a meal of fragrant and nice Zanba without lighting a fire to cook. Zanba is made by drying highland barley in the sun, parching the barley and grinding the barley into flour in water mill. It is ground into coarse or fine flour according to different flavor, and it also can be ground into refined Zanba by removing the bran The way of eating it is: pour a little buttered tea into a bowl first, add some butter, fine milk residue and white sugar into it, and then put the Zanba flour into the bowl. Then hold the bowl with the left hand, mix them with the right hand in the bowl to and fro, and mould them into small balls for eating after they are mixed thoroughly.

Where to eat

• Diqing Restaurant: Holding 600 people to have a dinner together, it is the biggest restaurant in Diqing. The boss invited specially a grand cooker from inland to cook delicious food for customers. The cooker is the fame of the restaurant.
  AdderssNo11 Changzheng Road, Diqing.
  Tel0887-8229666

• Hongmu Flavor Snack Restaurant: Located at Heping Road, nearby the Longfengxiang Hotel. It serves all kinds of Tibetan snacks with reasonable prices.
  In addition, some four-star hotels, three-star hotels and two-star hotel also serve special food and drinks of different places.

Get around

By City-bus

In Shangri-La, there are some minibuses to the surrounding towns. In the tourism high season, the minibuses will open more routes to the surrounding attractions.

Taxi

Within Shangri-La County the taxi fare is 5RMB. But if you go out of the county, the cost will be higher.

By Chartered Vehicle

You can hire a car to the surrounding attractions. But according to the law, the International Driving License or the foreign Driving License can not be used in China. So you should hire a local driver when you rent a car. Here is some information about car rentals in Shangri-La.

By Horse

Horses are provided by local Tibetans. Some attractions can not be reached by vehicles easily so it is easier to do so on horseback. For instance, Shangri-La is 32 kilometers (19.88 miles) from Bitahai Lake but the bus can only go as far as Shuangqiao. From there you can hire a horse or walk to the lake.

Sleep

For money-savers

Several budget guesthouses can be found in the old part of town, prices for a double should be in the region of 50RMB per night (low season). Heating is not provided even in the winter months, but additional blankets are happily provided and electric blankets are common.

• Bright Hotel - Amenities include western style toilets, 24-hour hot water, and free wireless internet and computer to use at reception for free. Laundry 2RMB per piece. Owner can help with booking tours. Clean, comfortable rooms. Five minute walk from main square. 90RMB double bed standard room.

• Harmony Guesthouse - In the old town, just up from the square, opposite The Raven. Rooms are cozy and clean. En-suite rooms have just been added (May 2008). Popular with travellers.

• Shangri-la Traveller Club (HI Affillited), 98 Heping Road Tel: 0887-8228671/6878210. Great youth hostel with clean and comfortable dorms and rooms with electric blankets. Good hot showers and decent toilets. The best part is the bar/restaurant/common room with a wood fired-stove. The staff are friendly, even if a little eccentric! Good travel advice and information. Dorm beds cost 20RMB (15RMB for HI members). Information correct as of 18 January 2008.

For money-blowers

• Gyalthang Dzong Hotel: Tel:+86 887 822-3646, Fax:+86 887 822-3620, E-mail:gyalthang@angsana.com - opened in 1996, the hotel is the home base for travelers heading to/from in the Kham region of Tibet and beyond. Beautifully situated on an alpine meadow in the lap of Ru Ta Po Hill, it was designed in the traditional Tibetan dzong architectural style. The renovation preserved the traditional character of the hotel and enhanced many of the Tibetan aesthetic elements, while making it more comfortable and luxurious for guests.

• Songstam Hotel - next to Songzanlin monastery, about 10 minutes from town centre. The most charming hotel in Zhongdian. Excellent service and beautiful rooms.

• The Compass Lodge: have only 4 units of town house (double story per unit) with a courtyard. Fully heated, 24 hours hot water and wireless. Excellent for families with children. It's right in the middle of Old Town Square.

Entertainment

Shopping

Shangri-La abounds in various herbs, such as saffron and angelica. Saffron is said to have the ability to promote blood circulation in order to remove blood stasis and beautify the skin; angelica is held in high regard for its curative effect on irregular menstruation, chronic pelvic inflammatory disease, and dysfunctional uterine bleeding and blood deficiency. The unique climate of the Shangri-La plateau is very suitable of the growth of Chinese caterpillar fungusDongchong-Xiacao in Chinese, a combination of fungus and dead caterpillar. It's a valuable medicine which is thought to improve human immunity. Moth larva is inflected by the fungus. The fungus absorbs its nutrition from the larva and grows out from the caterpillar's head.

Wooden bowls and boxes, Tibetan silver ornaments, Tibetan knives, Tibetan incense and the meat of yak are popular items of the region. The wooden bowls and boxes are exquisite and very practical. The Tibetan ornaments mainly include various necklaces, rings and bracelets. These items are often purchased by women as a memento of their visit.

Nightlife

The night life of Shangri-La is always colorful. When night falls, Sifanglou Plaza of Shangri-La County becomes a big dance stage. There a large number of people perform the Tibetan folk dance Guozhuang.

Here are two places that we recommand:

• Raven Hot Pot (Old Town): Serves a great Guizhou-style lemony hot pot. Also BBQ and desserts. The building is an old house that's been nicely renovated.

• Compass Cafe

The best wood-fire pizza! Cozy atmosphere. In the Old Town

Natural Scene

• Shangri-la
• Meili Snow Mountain
• Lake Bitahai
• Lake Shuduhu
• Lake Napahai
• Baishui Tableland

Historical Site

• Songzanlin Temple

Shangri-la Highlights

Ancient Tea Horse Road attraction highlights

Ancient Tea Horse Road is an ancient important commercial passage. Along the unpaved and rugged pathway, commodities like tea, salt and sugar flowed into Tibet. Meanwhile, horses, cows, furs, musk and other local products made their way to the outside world. It stretched across more than 4,000 kilometers mainly in Southwest China's Sichuan and Yunnan provinces and the Tibetan Autonomous Region.

• Lijiang Old Town
• Jade Dragon Snow Mountain
• Shangri-la
• Lake Luguhu
• Yak Meadow
• Butterfly Spring
• Dali Ancient City
• Yufeng Lamastery
• Dongba Valley

city highlights

• Lhasa
• Shangri-la
• Lijiang
• Dali
• Gyangtze
• Tsetang

Shangri-la, the Lost Horizon attraction highlights

For long in the heart of those who have been eager to encounter it, Shangri-La has been a wonder worked by nature and a place "full of sunshine and moonlight." It plays as the meeting point of the sun and the moon, time and again embraces beautiful flowers, white clouds, snowcapped mountains, untouched forests and mirror tranquil alpine lakes.

• Shangri-la

Tibetan Medicine city highlights

Tibetan medicine, one of the world's oldest ancient medical systems that began over 2,300 years ago, is a mix of science, art and philosophy that takes a holistic approach to health care.

• Lhasa
• Shangri-la
• Gyangtze
• Shigatse
• Tingri
• Tsetang

Tibetan Buddhism attraction highlights

Tibetan Buddhism incorporates Madhyamika and Yogacara philosophy, Tantric symbolic rituals, Theravadin monastic discipline and the shamanistic features of the indigenous religion. Among its most unique characteristics are its system of reincarnating lamas and the vast number of deities in its pantheon.

• Potala Palace
• Jokhang Temple
• Sera Temple
• Drepung Temple
• Norbulingka Park
• Songzanlin Temple
• Tashilhunpo Temple
• Temple of Universal Peace
• Putuo Zongcheng Temple
• Eight Outer Temples
• Lama Temple
• Tar Temple
• Barkhor Street
• Ramoche Temple
• Ganden Temple
• Temple of Universal Happiness
• Wudangzhao Temple
• Nietang Buddha
• Jiegu Temple

city highlights

• Lhasa
• Shangri-la
• Chengde
• Gyangtze
• Shigatse
• Tsetang
• Ganzi

Shangri-la FAQ & Travelers's Tips

  Weather

1. When to go
2. Changeable weather

  Food

1. Tibetan drinking custom: do as the Tibentan does
2. Useful butter tea custom info

  Other Hints

1. Are there any tips for me to know when traveling on altitude place?
2. How is the telecommunication there?
3. Can I get online there?
4. How to bring back the Tibetan knife I bought?
5. Useful Numbers:
6. Emergency Numbers:

• When to go

  Spring and summer are the best seasons to visit Shangri-la when temperatures are moderate. The scenery is also gorgeous during these periods, with flowers blossoming and wildlife thriving in this pretty area.

  Autumn in Diqing Plateau is also spectacular. 10 days after the Mid Autumn Festival, the leaves fall form the teas and the area takes on a picture postcard appearance.

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• Changeable weather

  Bear in mind however, that Shangri-la is very high, and temperatures can change fast here. It is not unusual too, to see some snow fall in the autumn months. What's more, the temperature can vary greatly within the space of one day. Visitors to this region should come prepared- packing a variety of clothes and shoes. As usual in China- always carry your umbrella!

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• Are there any tips for me to know when traveling on altitude place?

  
  After arriving in Shangri-La, you may have altitude stress: shortness of breath, chest tightness and dreaminess. At this moment, do not do strenuous exercise or drink alcohol; have a good rest and keep warm, and you will be fine.

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• Tibetan drinking custom: do as the Tibentan does

  Before you drink a toast proposed by Tibetans, you should moisten your index fingers with the liquor, flick this finger three times, and then say Zha-xi-de-le'. ('Zha-xi-de-le' means 'as lucky as one's wishes' in Tibetan.) According to the Tibetan customs, you should sip three times and the host will refill your cup three times. After that, you ought to drink up. If you really can not stand much liquor, you can tell the host politely.

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• Useful butter tea custom info

  In a Tibetan family, there is an order to the drinking of butter tea. The elders, parents, guests and the persons they pay respect to will drink first; then, the host himself and lastly the younger people. The host will add the butter tea into your cup from time to time. So, if you have drunk enough, you should use your palm to cover the cup mouth and the host will understand. When you leave the family, you should leave a little buttered tea in your cup, which signals for your respect to the host.

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• How is the telecommunication there?

  China Mobile Communications Corporation is in the process of making the communication net cover the whole county. Now, the mobile phones can be used in most areas of Shangri-La. The signal strength may be very poor sometimes, especially in the mountains or in a gorge.

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• Can I get online there?

  Usually in your hotel, there will be internet service; but if not, you can find internet bars on Changzhen Road, and there you can go to post office to get online. It charges 4 RMB an hour in the post office.

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• How to bring back the Tibetan knife I bought?

  The Tibetan knife with not be allowed through customs at the airport however it can be taken to the train and sent by post.

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• Useful Numbers:

  • Diqing Shangri-La Airport Inquiry: 0887-8229901
    
  • Tourist Complaint: 0887-8225390

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• Emergency Numbers:

  • Fire: 119
    
  • Ambulance: 120
    
  • Police: 110
    
  • Traffic: 122
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