As a bid to increase tourism, Shangri-La in northwestern Yunnan, formerly called Diqing, was renamed in 2001 after the fictional place in the novel Lost Horizon by James Hilton. A gateway for travelers into Tibet, the town is as close as you can get to experiencing Tibet without actually being there. Six hours drive from Lijiang, Shangri-La is an ideal location to do trips to the nearby Ganden Sum

Baimang Snow Mountain   The perennial snow-capped Baimang Snow Mountain (Baimang Xueshan) is located in the midst of the Hengdgun Mountain range between deep canyons carved by the Jinsha and Lancang Rivers.     Baimang Mountain spreads over 187,977 hectares with the main peak rising 5,640 meters above sea level. As the name implies, the mountain is topped by snow

Air    Take a taxi (RMB 20) 7 km from town to Shangri-La Airport (also called Diqing or Deqen airport). The airport has flights to Kunming (RMB 700, 5 flights daily), Lhasa (RMB 1400), Shenzhen (RMB 1900), Guiyang (RMB 1080), Chengdu (RMB 980) and Guangzhou (RMB 1759). Keep in mind if you plan on flying into Tibet, you will need to have the necessary permits in order to travel. General

Zanba(roasted highland barley flour)   Zanba is the main food for Tibetan people and is divided into several kinds: highland barley Zanba, pea Zanba and mixed Zanba. Zanba is nutritious and is easy to carry about. It is the most convenient food for the Tibetans living in plateau. When they go on a long journey, if they bring a bowl or Zanba bag, Zanba, butter and dry milk residue, no matter

A trip to the Shangri-La market, several kilometers north of town, is a good opportunity for people watching. Here locals from the surrounding countryside gather to buy, sell and socialize. The market sells a selection of meat, fruits, vegetables and local crafts.