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County-level city in Yunnan, China
Photo: Antoine Taveneaux, CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons
From the travel guide. Select a place for details, a map and what is nearby.
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 temple at the top of the hill gives a free taste of what can be seen in Songzanlin Monastery. The nightly dancing in the square beginning at 19:00 is popular for locals of all ages, and anyone is welcome to join in. The whole thing lasts until 22:00 and each song has its own set of moves choreographed by Raihan Zhang. The old town was entirely destroyed by a giant fire in January 2014. It has been rebuilt and hosts plenty of shophouses for tourists. The temple at the top of the hill with a giant praying wheel gives a first taste of what can be seen in Songzanlin Monastery.
迪庆藏族自治州博物馆
迪庆红军长征博物馆
A museum about the Long March.
松赞林寺; Sōngzànlínsì; Tibetan: Ganden Sumtseling Monastery
Impressive structure becoming less of a monastic institution, more of a tourist destination. The temple was restored by an architect named Xu Wei Han in 2005 to reflect its past glories. Minor restoration are still done (August 2017) which could limit access to some parts of the monastery.
Take at least a half-day, if not a full day, to visit the park.
Wander the old town at the south end of town.
Tibetan horses are available for hire outside of town. Taxi drivers should know how to get there.
Rent a mountain bike and ride out into the grasslands west of the Old Town near Napa Lake. There are checkpoints on the road that stop bikers and ask them to buy a ¥60 Napa Lake Ticket. It is possible to avoid this depending upon where you ride, however villagers can get aggressive if they stop you and you refuse to pay. Do not attempt to ride the full 30 km around the lake because the road on the far side near Napa Village is heavily under construction.
Archaeological evidence shows that the Tibetan tradition of crafting pottery in Nixi Village dates back at least 2,000 years. Visit the master potters and learn to make the pottery; have lunch in a traditional Tibetan home; take a walk or hike around this scenic village.
Visit the homes of local people. Many of the locals open up their homes to tourists. They ask for a small fee to compensate for the food. You can hang out with the family, and the younger adults will lead you to ride horses in the open field. Mind you the Tibetan horses are trained, but they can be very unfriendly towards strangers.
A new ski resort has opened. T-bars and chair lifts available.
Hire a vehicle for a few hours to just explore the countryside, or rent bikes and go see the surrounding villages.
石卡山; Shíkǎshān; also known as Blue Moon Valley (蓝月谷; Lányuègǔ)
Climb the mountain or take cable car (¥220, 45-minute ride to the top).
Thin Air Adventures provides horseback riding and guided mountain biking tours in the area's surrounding Shangri-la (Zhongdian). No office was to be found in Aug 2017 in the old town. Best is to SMS or contact through Web site.
天生桥
Natural outdoor amphitheatre. Public bath mostly Chinese, women may feel uncomfortable.
下给
TMG
TMG has camping and outdoor gear rental, motorbike rental, and jeep hires. They take people on hiking and backpacking trips in the surrounding area or can point you in the right direction to go on your own. They don't have an agency in the old town anymore. The best way to contact them is to send a SMS to the phone number on their web site (WhatsApp mentioned there but not used since Jan 2017. English speaking is ok for SMS (limited when guiding).
Opened in 1996, the hotel is the home base for travelers heading to/from the Kham region of Tibet and beyond. Beautifully situated on an alpine meadow in the lap of Rutapo 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.
颂赞绿谷酒店
Excellent service and beautiful rooms.
Has 4 units of town house that are suitable for families, fully heated (double story per unit), as well as 4 new budget rooms for backpackers at a lower price.
A wonderful resort in a stunning location. Each private 2-storey villa is gorgeously appointed and fully heated, with 24 hours hot water supply and wireless access. The spa is excellent, and with the most gracious and attentive of staff, the service is just downright amazing all round, all of the time.
Dara Village Shangri-la County
This is the first glamping with traditional yurts/gers in the Tibetan County of Shangrila or Gyalthang. 15 minutes from Shangrila Old Town and 10 min from the airport. Come to enjoy the nature in the Tibetan "Dara Village". They are next to their partner "Dara Eco-lodge", so you can also use all their facilities (hot shower, meals, etc). They have trekking programs, hiking, horse riding, biking, traditional Tibetan dancing, ethnic and rural tourism activities. They say they promote responsible tourism and send 30% of their income to help the local community and also the Shangrila Association of Cultural Preservation and Thangka Center.
阿若康巴
Tibetan cuisine. Run by a Franco-Chinese couple, Damien and Ting, Arro Khampa is a local restaurant housed in an authentic two-storey Tibetan house in the middle of the Old Town. The restaurant offers a wide range of classic Tibetan dishes and nice French wines. Its Tibetan-French raclette is unique in Yunnan.
Himalayan cuisine. Rated the top eatery in Shangri-la, Bhaskar's Kitchen has a reputation throughout Yunnan for the quality of its food, due largely to its chef: Nepalise chef Bhaskar, who prepared fresh a variety of Nepalise, Indian and Tibetan dishes. Authentic cuisine, cosy atmosphere and friendly staff make it place for travellers, foreigners living in town, monks, musicians and locals. Best dishes are the curries. The Indian chai tea is also sought after.
Serves excellent authentic Western food (homemade spaghetti sauce!) and delicious cakes. Equipped with an Espresso machine. Cozy atmosphere, it has several heaters and is great for family. Free wireless available. In & Out bakery next door sells breads, muffins and other savouries.
Good food and hospitable staff. Owner Afang speaks perfect English. Not located in busy old town but off the beaten path. Tibetan house and meals, though western meals are also served. Rooms available, though only two rooms.
徒步者之家咖啡
Established by Charles Tang. He loves hiking very much. You can take bus No. 1 or No. 3 to "Huajun Square". "Huajun Square" is just across from "Sto Express". If you raise your head, you can just see four Chinese words "华骏广场". Then follow the arrow on the map and find "Building 8B". After reaching the 4th floor, you will turn right in the hallway and get to "Hiker's Coffee" immediately. Western food, coffee, drink, Shanghai food, Shanghai pan-fried steamed bun (生煎馒头) and pork dumpling (小笼包子) are very good (¥20 for big ones).
红心餐厅; Hóngxīncāntīng
Decent restaurant, serves some Tibetan dishes (baba, pipa meat).
also known as Yak Bar
Tasty Korean fare including seafood pancakes, sushi, zucchini rolls, table-top BBQ, bibimbap. They rent bikes from the front of restaurant (¥20-30), and the boss even has a private stash of higher quality mountain bikes in storage for a slightly higher rental price. He will give you his cell number and come out to help you if you have any trouble with the bikes.
挪亚
Best western food in town. Also Middle Eastern food. Free Wireless available. Their guest house is just across the street. 100m west of the old town square.
Great Tibetan food in a warm and friendly atmosphere, although there is only one page of the Tibetan food in their menu. They also serve Indian and Korean cuisine. Full of locals rather than tourists. If you have a sweet tooth, 奶渣炒面团 is worthwhile trying.
邛崃餐厅
Great Sichuan dishes.
Authentic Tibetan food, great for breakfast. The Tibetan porridge and yak cheese dumplings are recommended. Daisy, daughter of the Tiger Leaping Gorge's Sean, speaks great English and can give good local travel advice.
A specialty cheese shop that produces locally sourced yak cheese with Western methods. Great selection of local wines to pair with the cheese, as well as a wide selection of cheese-inspired local and Western dishes.
Burgers, patties and dumplings are made with free range 100% organic Yak meat and burger buns are prepared daily. The restaurant staff are former residents from the Children Charity Tendol Gyalzur in both Shangrila/Gyalthang and Duilong/Lhasa. The owner is a Swiss-born and educated ethnic Tibetan married to a local Tibetan. Good pizza, great Lentil soup, and tasty Shangrila brand beer (go unfiltered).
Bread served by French baker, Good quality western food, nice breakfast menu, cozy place with sunshine design. Best yak burger in town.
A locally-run non-profit organization dedicated to preserving Yunnan heritage, the YMHC features a shop selling local traditional handicrafts from the Tibetan, Yi, and Naxi peoples and a Small Library with books in Chinese, Tibetan, and English. Volunteers from across China and abroad contribute to a diverse and lively environment, teaching free English and Chinese classes to local Tibetans, hosts community events, and supporting local environmental initiatives.
黑陶咖啡
The owners of Black Pottery Coffee, Russ & Kesang, know the region well, so you can get up to date travel information and arrange local excursions with them. They specialize in day trips to Kesang's village, and trekking at Meili Snow Mountain 梅里雪山 (Kawa Karpo). Kesang, Russ, and their daughter Fei Fei, will make you feel welcome in Shangri-la, and help you plan your adventures there. The Cafe offers coffee and cake, wine by the glass, creamy hot chocolate, and ginger tea, as well as Tibetan, Chinese and Western food specialties. Try their Tibetan Hot Chocolate 藏热巧克力 (with rum; espresso optional). Free Wireless Internet.
旅行者俱乐部
Friendly boss Wandou. Located north of the old town.
Where European cuisine mixes with a quiet gentle breeze of Tibetan influence. It is pretty good, but who's goes for the food though?
When you feel like a respite from local food the friendly and helpful English speaking Italian owner serves authentic pizzas and pastas.The homemade tagliatelle is particularly good. And best pizza in Yunnan. Serves also Chinese and Korean food and excellent curries and Indian tee. The stove at the window table is very comforting on a cold night and the owner is very willing to give advice and help with onward travel, etc.
Excellent Western Food at reasonable prices. Good pizza. Opened in July 2010 and run by Dawan who set up N's Kitchen and restaurant and established the western menu there.
Shangri-La Beer is the only craft brewery of its kind in China. Their local Tibetan beers are brewed using only 3 all-natural ingredients (Tibetan mountain spring water, Tibetan barley, and premium hops) and come in six varieties, from a dry lager to the newly released Fat Douma, a sweeter, double bock wheat beer. It was founded in 2015 by Swiss businessman Sonny, of Tibetan heritage. His parents run the local orphanage. The brewery is outside of town, but transportation is easy to find or coordinate with a hotel or guesthouse. The trip is well worth it, both for the delicious high-quality beer and the company's story, both of which are included in a brewery tour.
龙门客栈 - Lóngmén kèzhàn
This really cozy inn has a range of three people dorms (¥30/person), double rooms (¥100), luxury double rooms (¥150) and a triple bedroom en suite (¥120). 24-hour hot water and free Internet and Wi-Fi. Laundry service is available for ¥15/kg. Kevin and his wife are really friendly and speak fluent English.
格桑藏驿 - Gésāng Zàngyì
Family run boutique guest house, central location, nice decoration with wood carvings. Mekong Responsible Tourism Award.
Amenities include western style toilets, 24-hour hot water, and free wireless internet and computer to use at reception for free. Laundry ¥2 per piece. Owner can help with booking tours. Clean, comfortable rooms.
融聚客栈
A hostel somewhere along a hike up the Tiger Leaping Gorge. It has incredible views.
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 (January 2008).
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 (January 2008).
Nice and clean, budget, all dorm room with private bathroom, western toilet, excellent courtyard sunshine terrace, a good place to meet travellers, helpful travel advice, free Wi-Fi, good western food, especially their huge yak burger, perhaps the best in town.
Lovely old house with a roof top terrace. Owned by Korean-Naxi couple. Dorms ¥30, doubles without bathroom ¥70, with ¥120. Great big beds with comfy mattresses. Free internet and Wi-Fi. They speak English and Korean and can give you travel and trekking info.
Experience Tibetan village life with Western comforts. All the rooms have wall-to-wall carpets with floor heating, toilet and shower (24 hr hot water). Common area includes kitchen, dining area, fireplace with couches, wide-screen TV, pool table and outside deck.
挪亚
Quiet, clean and spacious room. Air conditioning (cold/hot), bathroom with hot shower and WC, TV, free Internet access (cable or Wi-Fi) in room. Washing machine and dryer are available for ¥25 a load. Also a good western food restaurant. Staff speaks English.
Great rooms, friendly people. Owners Yi (Chinese, speaks English) and Nima (Tibetan, doesn't speak English) are very friendly and helpful. Rooms have WiFi, heating, and great views of the temple. Lobby has 2 cats. They can do laundry too. Can also WeChat them at 13636479424.
A non-profit social enterprise handicraft project selling high-quality, authentic Tibetan handicrafts from over 500 artisans, both local in DiQing Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture and from the Tibet Autonomous Region. All profits are reinvested into the sustainability of the enterprise and the Tibetan artisan community in the form of technical and business training, business loans, and product design and development consultation.
By train
By bus
Shangrila is the important stop for the journey from Yunnan to Tibet (G214), with regular buses to Lhasa and Chamdo. see also Overland to Tibet.
By bus
By motorcycle
Turtle Mountain Gear & Outfitters offer motorcycle rentals (dirt bikes of 200 cc) as well as 110 cc minibike adventures .
By bicycle
Renting a bike is a great way to see Shangri-La, the old town and the surrounding attractions. A decent mountain bike will cost ¥20-30 per day to rent.
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Diqing (Shangri-La) · Regional · DIG
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