Things to do in Shangri-La

A wonderful day trip to Lijiang, Tiger Leaping Gorge, and Shangri-La. Our friend, Tashi, a young Tibetan man, accompanied us. He was warm and attentive, and although it was cold in the morning, we truly felt his hospitality, which warmed our hearts.

Pudacuo National Park is indeed beautiful overall this season, especially the first scenic spot, the Youran Trail, and Shudu Lake, which have a distinct autumnal feel. The last attraction, Bita Lake, is even more interesting than the scenery itself, with its little squirrels. Wild animals were spotted along the Youran Trail.

The Little Potala Palace is indeed magnificent, but the entire scenic area restricts ride-hailing and private car stops. The only location I could find was a small street near a village known as the "Liberation Village of the Communist Party." After getting off, I wasn't entirely sure of the exact entrance; I just followed the navigation and the temple's location. However, the ticket checkpoint wasn't very obvious; I wouldn't have known it was there unless the security guard pointed it out.

Whilst this might be everyone's cup of tea, but it's definitely a must visit for all visitors to Shangrila. The "sightseeing bus" is a very short drive from ticketing area to main entrance of Songzhanlin. I confused this with the "shuttle bus" at the foot of the monastery which can shuffle visitors up to the top of monastery for CNY3. Back to the attraction site, given I am not a religious person, I am still in awe with the intricate and devout practise, statues, offerings and the grandeur of the building. It exudes a calming soothing ancient aura which keeps pulling you visit one building after another. Also very pleased to see all visitors respecting the site as no photo taking allowed within the praying buildings (photo taking exteriorly is allowed). Breath taking experience that must not be missed. Just buy the ticket online and scan to go in, very convenient.

This place is a hidden gem, offering stunning scenery, driving pleasure and challenges, and the option to drive to the top yourself, saving you energy. The Shangri-La Grand Canyon is far more beautiful and majestic than the Grand Canyon in the United States. It's the best attraction on our two-week self-driving tour of western Yunnan.

I read in a travel guide that horseback riding is risky and you might get ripped off, so I just hiked up the mountain. The first viewing platform wasn't worth it; the pond was full of mud and weeds. Just head towards the crowds. The higher you go, the better the scenery. Even on a rainy or cloudy day, the pond water was a beautiful blue. It was definitely worth the trip and the hike (hiking at an altitude of over 2,000 meters is quite tiring).

We were picked up by a private car, and the place felt like a self-entertaining hot pot restaurant; it was packed. There were local performances to watch, and the host was quite humorous. They gave us hada (ceremonial scarves) at the entrance, and the recommended butter tea was delicious.

The horseback riding experience on the grassland was quite cost-effective. We rode for almost an hour, with someone leading the horses. We enjoyed the beautiful scenery of Napa Sea Grassland, and the children had a great time.

Tiger Leaping Gorge on the Lijiang side was excellent! The views were even better than the Shangri-La side. There were fewer steps to walk, yet I could still reach the higher and lower platforms, unlike on the Shangri-La side. For anyone planning to visit Tiger Leaping Gorge, try to book the Lijiang side: there’s no need to pick a time slot or pay separately for the different platforms (higher/middle/lower).Note: the Lijiang and Shangri-La sides are not connected, so please book the correct side you want to visit.丽江侧的虎跳峡太棒了！景色比香格里拉侧更好。台阶更少，却仍能到达较高和较低的观景平台，而香格里拉侧则不行。给所有想去虎跳峡的人一个建议：尽量预订丽江侧，因为不需要选择时间段，也不用为不同平台（高/中/低）分别付费。注意：丽江侧和香格里拉侧并不相连，所以请预订你想去的那一侧。