Seeking Shangri-La

A visit to its wild northwest reveals a tranquil, rural side of Yunnan Province, writes Sarah Fung. Photographs by Malcolm Minns.

Yunnan Province has long been one of the most popular destinations for visitors to China. With its immensely diverse topography, from lush rainforest in the south to high-altitude plateaus in the north, there truly is something for every adventurous traveler.

But for those looking to escape the crowds of Lijiang or the jungle heat of Xishiangbanna, the Tibetan-influenced region of Zhongdian, now officially known as Shangri-La, is an excellent place to start. Renamed by authorities in 2002 after the fictional mountain paradise in James Hamilton’s novel “Lost Horizon, it’s easy to see how Shangri-La inspires the jaded explorer weary of the beaten track. Though the region’s high altitude (around 3,300 meters) and freezing winter temperatures have so far kept mass tourism at bay, two big-chain hotels, the Sheraton and the Shangri-La, are scheduled to open there within the next two years in response to an increased interest in visiting the area’s many mountains, national parks and indigenous villages. The time to visit this pristine area is now.

The moment you touch down in Diqing airport, the Tibetan influence on Shangri-La is apparent. Clusters of women wear bright pink headdresses as they shop in the market or work in the fields. The men wear broad-brimmed hats and loose-fitting suits in black or gray—that is, when they’re not wearing jeans. Lamas from the nearby monastery wander through town in their traditional red robes—accessorized by trendy basketball shoes and mobile phones, of course. Unlike other cities in China, the pace of life is relaxed, and no matter what they’re doing, everyone has time to call out a cheerful “hello!” or “ni hao!” as you go past.

The majority of travelers stay in Shangri-La’s Old Town. This maze of cobbled streets and 150-year-old traditional wooden houses is where you’ll find hostels, inns and cafes serving everything from traditional Tibetan hotpot to coffee and carrot cake in cozy backpacker cafes. There’s also a wealth of travel information about the area, and this is where you’ll be able to plan trekking adventures, homestays in Tibetan households and exhilarating horse rides across the Tibetan Plateau. Be sure to linger until the early evening, when townsfolk young and old—from spiky-haired teens to 80-somethings in full Tibetan regalia—form a large circle to perform traditional dances. It’s plain to see that this isn’t a show put on for the tourists, though you’re more than welcome to join in—if you can follow the rhythm.

Though the new town of Shangri-La itself is rather charmless, once you get out into the villages, you’ll see how ferociously people adhere to the Tibetan way of life, from the cultivation of yaks to provide meat, milk and warm clothing to their beautifully ornate clay-and-wood farmhouses, which farmers open up to visitors with offerings of yak butter tea, a traditional brew among Tibetan herdsmen. Made with a hefty dollop of yak butter, this rich, salty drink is heated up over an open fire and helps keep out the bitter cold of the evenings, while the oil in it also helps to soothe chapped lips. Its strong, salty taste is peculiar (even downright foul) to many, but with a generous spoonful of sugar, you can see how it would help to keep you warm—and alive—out on the plains.