Review: Shangri-La – A Must-Visit Destination in China!

Arriving at the second city of the Yunnan trip, with the most famous city, and ‘Shangri-La’ Many people might know it by name as a hotel, but here we're going to visit Shangri-La, a city in China that is claimed to be the legendary city from James Hilton's novel. Many say it's a utopia filled with happiness and immortality. Well, let's see... Personally, I've heard the name of this place quite a while ago and often seen pictures of the golden rooftop. So, let's say this trip we'll get to experience it for real and see what it's all about. Follow along and let's check it out!

Yunnan Trip: Lijiang-Shangri-La-Meili Snow Mountain

For the trip to China Lijiang – Shangri-La – Meili Snow Mountain For this trip, God spent a total of 7 days, flying from Bangkok to Kunming, then connecting to Lijiang to continue the journey there. Time was extremely limited, and it's a shame we couldn't explore Kunming and Dali beforehand. Sigh… Anyway, for this trip, we'll divide the review into 3 parts, organized as follows:

1. Review of Lijiang
2. Review of Shangri-La
3. Review of Meili Snow Mountain Writing

And here's an extra trip to China—my most recent one before the Yunnan trip. This time, I visited Henan Province. Zhengzhou – Luoyang – Mount Yuntai – Kaifeng (Zhengzhou – Luoyang – Yuntaishan – Kaifeng) This is the first trip to China. If you're interested or planning a trip to Henan Province, read on!

4. Review of Zhengzhou Writing
5. Review of Luoyang Writing
6. Review of Yun Tai Shan (Yuntaishan) Writing
7. Review of Kaifeng Writing

Get to know Shangri La!

Many people may not know that the original name of Shangri-La City That is Zhongdian (Zhongdian) The Chinese government changed the name to Shangri-La less than 20 years ago, in 2001. To be straightforward about the reason for the name change, it was a marketing strategy to revitalize the economy and tourism in Zhongdian, making it as popular as Lijiang and Dali.

So, the Chinese claimed the name Shangri-La, which comes from the city in Novel ‘Lost Horizon’ By James Hilton Composed in 1933, it speaks of a pure, distant land in the Himalayan valleys where the people live in happiness and enjoy such longevity that they become immortal. This is precisely what the Chinese claim is the city of Zhongdian, which James Hilton wrote about in his novel. However, James Hilton never actually visited China. It's all just tourism marketing!

How to Get to/From Shangri-La

There are two main ways to enter or exit Shangri-La: by long-distance bus or by plane (the train is still under construction). For those coming to Shangri-La from Lijiang, Taking a long-distance bus is the best option, taking approximately 4 hours and costing 58 yuan. During the bus ride, you'll enjoy beautiful views of mountains, rivers, and various towns along the way, allowing you to relax and take in the scenery.

※ We recommend this website for checking bus schedules in China. Chinabusguide.com It's just that when we type in the name of the departure and destination cities, it shows all the bus times, including the distance, time, and price. This is really great!

For those coming to the airport... The airport here doesn't have a shuttle bus to the city of Najah. We have to find a taxi at the airport to go into the city ourselves. The taxi drivers usually don't use the meter and prefer to charge a flat rate instead. Based on the flat rate I paid when I took a taxi from downtown Shangri-La to the airport, I recommend not paying more than 40 yuan per trip—the lower the better. It really depends on your bargaining skills, though. Sigh.

Booking Hotels/Accommodations in China

For booking flights and hotels in China, I personally use the website Trip.com In almost all bookings, Trip.com is a Chinese online travel agency (OTA), so the flight and hotel prices are often cheaper than other OTAs. There are also more hotel options than on Agoda, Booking, and Expedia. You should compare prices to see which day is cheaper. I compare many websites when booking hotels.

One thing to be cautious about for anyone booking extremely cheap hotels is that some of these places don't actually have the proper permits to accommodate foreign guests. You might wonder if there's a way to check whether foreigners are allowed to stay there—honestly, there's no way to verify this on your own. It's best to check reviews on hotel booking websites like OTAs (Online Travel Agencies) to see if there are any reviews from foreign guests. If there are, it's a good sign that foreigners are likely allowed to stay there, almost 100%.

I'll use my own case as an example. I once booked accommodation in Zhengzhou through Trip.com. The next day, I received a call from the hotel in China asking, ‘What nationality are you?’ They accept guests from certain countries, and at that time, I mentioned ‘Thailand,’ which wasn't an issue. There was another occasion when I booked another hotel, and someone from Trip.com called to inform me that this hotel doesn't accept foreigners and asked me to find another hotel. The Trip.com support team was quite good (here, support only speaks English).

Hotel booking discounts from Agoda, Expedia, Booking, and theme park tickets, train tickets, and travel activities from Klook and KKday for 2025.

⚡️ If you're looking to book accommodations and find hotel discounts, check out the links below. They include Agoda, Expedia, Booking, and Hotels.com. You can save nearly 10-20% on hotels worldwide.

Many people might not know that these hotel booking websites offer additional discounts when you use certain credit cards, including Citibank, KBank, SCB, Krungsri, KTC, Bangkok Bank, UOB, and TMB. There are even discounts from mobile carriers like AIS, DTAC, and True. These discounts change every month, and we update them regularly. 🧡

> Agoda.com Discount (Agoda)> Booking.com Discount>  Expedia Discount> Klook Discount> KKday Discount

Accommodations in Shangri-La
Yi's Hostel

Yi's Hostel It's a small hostel that most foreigners choose to stay at because the staff can speak English and the location is extremely good. The hostel is centrally located. Dukezong Ancient Town The hostel is surrounded by restaurants and mini-marts. The cutest thing about it is that they have a lot of cats in the lobby, and they're so adorable. Another great thing is that the hostel is close to Wat Dao. The hostel's benefits don't stop there; they also offer pick-up and drop-off services at the bus station. Shika Snow Mountain It's also free, which is amazing because we don't have to deal with the hassle of haggling with overpriced taxi drivers.

Rooms Yi's Hostel We stayed in a room on the second floor with a window overlooking Dafo Temple (also known as Guishan Park). The view was absolutely stunning. The room itself was quite nice and had a heater, a heated mattress pad, a TV, and a decent bathroom with hot water. Overall, it was a great value.

Shika Snow Mountain / Blue Moon Valley

The first stop on your trip to Shangri La is to visit Blue Moon Valley or its Tibetan name as Shika Snow Mountain That's it! The Blue Moon Valley is just like the one in Lijiang that you've already visited. So don't get confused, okay? The name is exactly the same! Haha.

※ Ticket Price + How to Get to Shika Snow Mountain I recommend taking a taxi. Have the hotel arrange it for you. Luckily, the hostel where I stayed took us there for free. That's awesome! As for the cable car ticket, the price at the counter is 270 yuan, but the hostel charges only 180. Only yuan! Oh my goodness! Not only did I get a huge discount on the ticket, but they also gave me a free ride. Thank you so much!

Before you travel, I want you to know that Shika Snow Mountain First, the word "Shika" or "Shi Ka" in Tibetan means "a place abundant with red deer." Many people may not know that another Buddhist symbol is an image of two deer facing each other and bowing toward the Dharmachakra (the wheel of dharma), which is a symbol of the Buddha's first teaching. Tibetans hold deer in high regard. If we look closely, we'll see deer symbols all over the city. Therefore, the name "Mount Shika" (Shika) given to this mountain indicates that it is considered a sacred place by the locals.

Date of Visit Shika Snow Mountain I woke up very early and made an appointment with the hostel staff to drop me off at the cable car station at 8 AM. When I arrived at the cable car station, the hostel staff took care of buying the tickets for us at 180 yuan per person, as previously mentioned. After that, they handed me the tickets and left. Now, whenever I want to come down from the mountain, I just need to send a WeChat message to let them know, and they will come to pick me up.

I don't know if I came too early or what, but there were hardly any tourists. It looked a bit deserted. There was only a group of about three or four people who came before us. The vibe was just... Wow, it's sooooo different from climbing Jade Dragon Snow Mountain yesterday in Lijiang! And the cable car is gonna be 4 cabins connected together, right? That cabin just had us and our couple friends, so it was super private, like a whole other world! 555555

Who will go up? Shika Snow Mountain I recommend coming early in the morning so you can see the breathtaking sea of mist covering Shangri-La. The month I visited was early November, which is the beginning of spring. Many trees were already turning orange and yellow. Overall, it was incredibly beautiful.

Take the cable car down to the mid-station. Here, you'll find a grassland where you can walk in a circle before heading up to the summit of Mount Snow. The atmosphere here is absolutely amazing and incredibly beautiful. We can see distant villages nestled among the mountains, where the leaves have turned colorful. This is a great way to warm up and stretch before heading up to face the cold at the top.

If anyone happens to see a deer around here, they say it means good luck for us too. Ohhhhh (but I haven't seen any at all, just dogs and horses in the distance, sigh).

Who's ready to step up? Shika Snow Mountain Let's take another cable car ride to reach the highest point at an elevation of 4,449 meters above sea level. At the summit, there are several paths for you to choose from. No matter which way you go, they all eventually connect in a circular route. So, just pick a path and start walking! 55555

The period referred to is the spring season, specifically the upper part. Shika Snow Mountain The grass on the mountaintop turns a golden orange, which is absolutely stunning. Each season brings a different view. If you visit in the summer, it's lush and green with flowers blooming everywhere. If you come in the winter, it's covered in white snow. It's all about what you prefer. Personally, I'd rather skip the winter. Even in the spring, it's so cold that I shiver and my hands go numb!

At the top of the mountain, they've built a really nice walking path. There's also a viewpoint platform and a Tibetan shrine where people tie colorful prayer flags. Overall, I really like this place.

Personally, I feel like we came at the perfect time. The trees and grass are a beautiful yellow-orange, the sky is clear, and you can see the view all the way to the horizon. Plus, there aren't many people around. It's really amazing.

After walking around taking photos for a while, I took two cable cars back down, sent a WeChat message to the accommodation saying, ‘We're coming down now, please come pick us up,’ and laughed.

Songzanlin Monastery

Coming down from Shika Snow Mountain Then, we'll return to the accommodation to grab something to eat before continuing our trip. Songzanlin Monastery There's a bus route number 3 that stops right in front of the temple, but I didn't take the bus because I was already late. It was really late in the afternoon and I wanted to save time, so I just took a taxi. The driver charged a flat rate of 8 yuan instead of using the meter. If anyone gets charged more than that, make sure to negotiate the price.

What you need to know is that you must purchase an entrance ticket at the Ticket Office first, which costs 115 yuan. The ticket booth is not located at the same place as the temple. Songzanlin Monastery After purchasing the tickets, we took their free shuttle bus to the temple. The full price ticket is 115 yuan, but they sold it for just 90 yuan. I was so confused, but I didn't ask anything.

When you reach the front of the building, Jade Master's Garden Temple There are two places we will visit: the temple itself and the lake in front of it, which is called Lamuyangcuo Lake This is the best photo spot for taking pictures of Songshan Lin Park, which we often see on the internet. Let's go inside the temple first.

Jade Master's Garden Temple It was built in 1679 during the reign of the 5th Dalai Lama. It is considered the largest Tibetan Buddhist temple in Yunnan Province and is also nicknamed ‘Potala Palace of the Little One’ Because Songzanlin Monastery was built to resemble the Potala Palace in Lhasa, China, it is a remarkable architectural replica. Additionally, the monastery suffered severe destruction during the Cultural Revolution in 1966. It was later restored to its original state in 1982 and remains beautifully preserved to this day.

After passing through the gate and having your ticket checked, proceed straight ahead to climb the 146 steps and explore Songshan Linji Temple. At the top of the temple, there are three main pavilions: Tsongkhapa Hall, Dratsang Hall, Sakyamuni Hall In each hall, we can enter to pay respects and bow to the statue of the presiding figure with both hands in a respectful manner.

This place is truly beautiful and a must-see. From the architecture and wall paintings to the various statues, everything is excellent. It's a shame they don't allow photography inside.

In addition to the three main buildings mentioned, Songzanlin Monastery has many smaller pavilions and structures to explore. You should definitely take a walk around. Also, the view of Shangri-La from here is absolutely stunning!

Lamuyangcuo Lake

Lamuyangcuo Lake It is a lake located in front of Songzanlin Monastery We want you to come for a stroll and take some photos before heading back. Let me tell you upfront: if you want to get a full shot of Songzanlin Monastery, capturing the entire temple, the best spot is right here on this lake. Plus, around the lake, you can see yaks, black pigs, and other animals, making it a truly enjoyable experience. I highly recommend it—it's super chill.

Walking path around Lamuyangcuo Lake The distance is approximately 2.1 kilometers, taking about 40 minutes to walk. There are two designated Best Photo Spots. The first is at Conggulong Village, and the other is a platform located in the middle of the lake. If you don't have much time, we recommend walking clockwise. Once you reach the photo spot in the middle of the lake, you can simply walk back.

Dukezong Ancient Town

Back to Dukezong Ancient Town The location of our hostel, though we haven't had time to explore it yet. After returning from the Songshan Temple, we decided to take a short walk before finding something to eat and heading to the Da Fo Temple, also known as the Giant Buddha Temple.

The Importance of Dukezong Ancient Town According to history, this city has existed for more than 1,300 years and is considered an important city in The Ancient Tea Horse Road In Yunnan Province, starting around Kunming and stretching up to Shangri-La, continuing all the way to Lhasa and even reaching India, Dukezong Ancient Town is perfectly situated right in the middle of this route. As a result, it has become a popular stopover for travelers along the way.

On January 11, 2014, a major fire broke out in the ancient town of Dukezong, destroying more than 200 households. The historic town, which was over 1,300 years old, was completely devastated. It's truly a great loss. Although it has been rebuilt to its original appearance, many people say that its charm has truly disappeared.

Personally, I don't know how to describe it because I've never experienced a fire in the city before. However, from my last visit in November 2018, some areas of the old town still have their charm. Many places now feel empty, though. Honestly, they've rebuilt everything, but there are no people. Overall, I think the old and historic feel of the city has disappeared quite a bit.

In short, Dukezong Ancient Town is still a must-visit destination. Personally, I think staying around this area is the best option, as it allows you to soak in the Tibetan atmosphere. Plus, the area is full of shops and delicious restaurants. Oh, and there's more!

Guishan Temple / Da Fo Temple

After finding something to eat around the old town, the sun had set, and we continued our walk to our final destination. Guishan Temple Or Wat Dao Pho, as it's commonly called by Thai people. When we walked to the front of the temple in the evening, besides the dazzling lights from Kui Chan Temple, people here also played loud music, and the locals gathered to sing and dance in circles. Oh, I stood watching for quite a while—it was so fun and entertaining!

Not long after that, we began our ascent. Guishan Temple We continued on, and along both sides of the path we climbed, the lights were decorated with shimmering swords on the trees, making the walk up quite enjoyable. By the time we reached the top, we were quite tired, as the temple is located on a hill, about three stories high. Haha.

At the top of the Kyi Chan Temple, there is a hall where the large principal Buddha statue is enshrined. Surrounding it are walkways that offer panoramic views of the entire Shangri-La city. However, we went up at night, so we couldn't see anything at all. It was pitch black. Ouch! Haha! Another landmark of this temple that we could see from afar was the giant golden wheel that Tibetans spin to make wishes. But unfortunately, it was closed on the day we went, so we couldn't spin it at all. After completing one full round of the temple, we walked back to our accommodation because it was very cold. Haha!

I can't believe that all of this was written about a single day's worth of travel!
Then the next day, we went on a trip to Mount Meili Snow Mountain right away! 🧡

The China travel review isn't over yet! 🇨🇳❤️
Travel to China more often with the reviews below!

This year has been a year of many opportunities to travel to China, with about 3-4 trips in one year, and plans to go again. So I've started writing reviews about China gradually, to make it easier for you to follow along. Personally, I must say that I'm quite impressed with China. The natural scenery is absolutely stunning, and the big cities are extremely developed. Traveling in China constantly surprises you. I'll be writing more reviews about China gradually, okay?