Shangri-la originate from James Hilton's novel, The Lost Horizon in 1933, which was a fictional hidden paradise whose inhabitants lived for centuries. Hilton, who never went to China located his Shangri-la in the Kunlun mountains. However, elements of his story were apparently inspired by the National Geographic articles about various places in eastern Tibet (including Zhongdian). Shangri-la county was presently situated in Yunnan Province, China. The town is spilt between Tibetan and ethnic Han residents, as well as a fair smattering of Naxi, Bai, Yi and Lisu, with the surrounding countryside entirely Tibetan.
We bidded goodbye to the wonderful Tea Boutique Inn in Lijiang and travelled for 4hrs towards Shangri-la. Along the way, the mountainous view as spectacular but definitely not for the faint-hearted for there were much turning on the steep slopes.
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| We travelled in this tiny car |
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| Deep mountainous view to Shangri-la |
1. Yang-Tze River First Bend
We stopped for a visit to the spectacular view of Yangtze first bend. Yangtze river is one of the longest river in China. While I couldn't identify the first bend of the river, the sight was really amazing.
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| Yangtze River first bend |
2. Tiger Leaping Gorge
We then headed straight to the famous Tiger Leaping Gorge, which is one of the deepest gorges on the planet, and it has the best hiking trail. Tiger Leaping Gorge is a scenic and natural highlight. The gorge is divided into three segments, Upper Gorge, Middle Gorge and Lower Gorge.
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| Tiger Leaping Gorge |
The whole valley is about 18 kilometers long. It goes from southwest to northeast. Climbing up at least hundreds of steps was indeed strenuous but fulfilling when you reached the top and gasped at the magnificent view created by the work of nature. There were rows and rows of gorges creating the valley. The towering river created lots of lines on the rock and presented an interesting art piece to those who knows how to appreciate it. The thundering sound of the river crashing onto the rock also created a symphony that left a lasting impression in my mind. Another interesting fact is that the gorge separated two provinces, Lijiang and Shangril-la.
3. Shangri-La Songzanlin Hotel
We travelled for another 2.5 hours to reach Shangri-la. The sky was a magical blue, weather was cold at only 2 degree and most importantly, the entire town was quiet and peaceful.
I fall in love with the town instantly. We arrived at our hotel just next to Songzanlin Monastery. The hotel was specially chosen for its Tibetan style interior design. Indeed, when we arrived at the hotel, the first thing was to change into a pair of the Tibetan shoes, similar to those worn by the monks. When we were inside the hotel, the staff were quick to settle us onto the sofa at the lounge and brought us hot towels and a cup of refreshing ginger tea. There were a few heaters in the room to keep us warm. In no less than 15 mins, we were ready to explore our room. This was one of the best room I've ever stayed.
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| our hotel |
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| cosy lobby, served with hot ginger tea |
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wearing these funny shoes while inside the hotel           |
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| courtyard |
The Tibetan design was unique and colourful. The entire room had a zen feel and the window and balcony had an antique look. Outside, the view was awesome. We had a nice lake view and a partial view of a snow-capped mountain. We wasted no time to explore the remote village near the hotel. The houses, mostly made of clay was entirely different from the wooden houses in Lijiang. There were large meadow fields outside the houses. I gathered, the villagers must be farmers. I love the structure of those houses as they looked antique. We also took a stroll around the lake outside of our hotel before retreating for dinner.
The ambience of the dinner at the hotel was perfect. The lights were dim and we had candles on the table that really feels so romantic. We ordered Tibetan fried noodle, curry chicken rice and chicken hotpot. The food was not bad except that it's a little too salty for my husband. I had the chance to taste the exquisite "Su You Cha" also known as butter tea (made from Yak butter and Chinese tea) Well, it's not really my expected taste as what I would have imagined (tasted buttery and salty).
4. Songzanlin Monastery
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| Chicken Hotpot |
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| Nice ambience |
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| Curry chicken rice |
4. Songzanlin Monastery
Next morning, we visited the Songzanlin Monastery which of course was a smaller one as compared to the one in Tibet.
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| Tibetan cakes |
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| Su you cha, butter tea |
The entire monastery was an impressive one even though small in scale. There were many steps to climb in order to reach to the top. At the main temple, the view downward was an impressive sight. There were many lamas chanting and praying which gave the entire place a very holy ambience.
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| Songzanlin Monastery |
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| Potatoes |
5. Pudacuo National Park
Pudacuo National Park is about 50mins drive from main town of Shnagri-la. The park was huge and housed many variety of plant and bird species. Inside, the park is well connected by shuttle buses.
The best way to explore the park is by foot to ensure you don't miss the beauty. Indeed, the entire park feels so enchanted with willows, tall pine trees and colourful yellow flowers blooming during spring. There is a lake known as Napahai lake within the park. The lake looks clam like a mirror that reflects the sky. During summer, the lake would be packed with people for some fun-filled activities such as lake pedaling or fishing.
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| Napahai lake |
6. Zhongdian Old Town
Zhongdian Old Town is the old town at Shangri-La. The town is like a mini-Lijiang, complete with endless shophouses (made of wood) selling tourist trinkets, cafes and too-clean streets. The entire town is charming in its own way and I really enjoyed exploring the town for hours (even though it is a very small town).
There is a temple in the middle of the town, known as the Golden Temple. The temple is made up of three temple buildings and the world's largest golden prayer drum that requires at least 6 people to spin it. To reach the golden prayer drum, you need to climb up flights of stairs. However, once you reached the top, you will be greeted with the breathtaking view of the entire Shangri-La city.
In the main street of the old town, there is a nightly dancing in the square beginning at 7pm where the locals of all ages and anyone is welcome to join in the dance. The whole thing lasts for an hour. Near the square, there were some stalls selling barbequed food such as meat, chicken wings and potatoes, marinated in Tibetan sauces and spices. It was really delicious.
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| dancing at the square begins |
There were many cafes to choose from if you needed a quiet afternoon tea. We had tea at one of the café - Miss Meadow. It was a small café with limited seats and I loved the pinkish interior that looked so cheerful. Not to mention, the cakes, tea and coffee served were delicious.
I have to introduce one cafe that is owned by a Singaporean - Compass cafe. The shop sells western food, similar to those in Holland V. Food was definitely good. In particular, I like the ambience of the cafe and the warm hospitality of the owner.
We also visited one local restaurant that sell Tibetan hotpot where I tasted the best chicken soup hotpot to-date. The restaurant was small and a little run down. Nonetheless, the restaurant had a scent of old charm. We also had a cup of Tibetan Yogurt which was amazingly rich!!!
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| best chicken soup I had |
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| Tibetan yogurt |
7. Shika Snow Mountain
We also engaged a guide to bring us to the top of Shika snow mountain. To get to the top, we took a cable car ride. It was windy and the cable was a little shaky. When we get to the top, it started snowing. Instantly, it feels like Christmas again. Everywhere was white... Arriving at the top, we took the marked hiking track. As it was too windy, the snow flakes flew directly on our face and blurred our vision. It was quite impossible to complete the entire hike. What a waste! Nonetheless, the whitish sight was deeply imprinted in my mind. I just love the snow and the entire white landscape.
Overall, I enjoyed my visit to Shangri-la, a peaceful paradise that I would love to re-visit again.
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| Check in to gaoyuan hotel |
