Chillout, Soulout & Freakout

Shangri-La is the "Eden in dream". Since it first appeared in British novelist James Hilton's Lost Horizon in the 1939, it has been associated with the mystique of a place which could not possibly exist here on Earth. In Tibetan,Shangri-La means the "sun and moon in heart", an ideal home only found in heaven.There the lofty and continuous snowy mountains, endless grasslands, steep and grand gorges, azure lakes and the bucolic villages always leave a deep impression on visitors. As a Chinese saying goes, "The earliest sunrise is seen in Shangri-La; and the most unique place is also there". Once you visit, you will fully appreciate the meaning of this saying. In addition, the warm welcome of the residents of this land will make you feel at home.  In the past, it was called Zhongdian or "Jiantang" in Tibetan. In ancient times, it together with Batang (in Tibet) and Litang (in Sichuan) was the fiefdom of the three sons of a Tibetan King. In...

Shangri-la county is a Tibetan tribe as their majority tribe at Yunnan Province. So you will see a lot of Tibetan culture once you have reach this county. Gedan Songzanlin Monastery, also called Guihua Monastery, is the largest Tibetan Buddhist monastery in Yunnan province. It is 5 kilometers (3.1 miles) from the seat of Shangri-La County. Construction began in 1679 and was completed in 1681. During the monasteries golden age over 3,000 monks lived and studied there. To get to here: Songzanlin Monastery is located 5 km north of Shangri-La County. It is convenient to transfer from Shangri-La Dukezong Old Town to the monastery. Travelers can take No.3 Bus at the front of Moonlight Square with 30 minutes to Songzanlin Monastery.  You can get there by biking (20 minutes) or by walking (about 1 hour).  Many minivans are available at Moonlight Square that travelers can hire a van to go there. You need to discuss the price with the drivers before you get on the van. As for ...

After an overrated trip to Jade Dragon Snow Mountain, I had my disappointment redeemed by visiting Shika Snow Mountain. The highest point that we can go as a tourist is only 4500m instead of 4680m at Jade Dragon Snow Mountain. However, it is fine by us for many reasons so do read on. It is quite easy to get to the snow mountain from Shangri-la because it stands 4 miles (7 kilometers) to the southwest of the county. Take bus line 9 from Shangri-la Passenger Station, and get off at the terminus. The bus is available from 7.30am to 5.00pm at hourly intervals. The fare is CNY 3. Take a taxi to the scenic area at about CNY 30 for a single trip. Charter a car, and it costs about CNY 60 for a round trip. You should agree a time with the driver for him to pick you up for the return trip. I took the option 3 which is the convenient options ever as you don't have to waste time to take the bus. The bus is not bad actually for just CNY3 for the fare but the bus took an hour t...