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Zhongdian - in James Hilton's novotel "Lost Horizon" name as "Shangri-la" 3,600 meters above sea level. Zhongdian lies in a landscape of rolling hills, snow-capped peaks, virgin forest of spruce, pine and meadow dotted with wild flowers and tranquil akes. The old town, still entirley in local Tibetan style. Each season has its unique charm, from serene winters to fresh and vibrant summers. A remote paradise that totally untouched by industry.
Location: in Yunan Province between Kunming and Tibet.
How to get there: Travel to Kunming International Aiport - for 50 minutes domestic flight to Diqing
Shangri-la Aiport.
Accommodation:
- The Ringha Tibetan Village by Bayan Tree - soft opening on 15th August 2005.
Orignal Tibetan House from Tibet with morden furnishing. - Gyalthang Dzong Hotel by Colours of Angsana. Unique architecture in Tibetan Lamasery Style
Temperature:
Spring : Mar -Apr (-2 to 4 degree)
Summer: May - Sep (12 to 22 degree)
Autumn: Oct - Nov (6 to 12 degree)
Winter: Dec - Feb (-15 to -2 degree)
Best month to visit: Mar - Oct (average 14 degree) \
Place of interest:
Bai Shui Terraces , with an attitude of 2380 m, located in Bai Di Village, San Ba Town, 101 km southeast of Zhong Dian. Springs contain high hydrofoil run downward from mountain slopes, forming terraces covering an area of three square km. Looking from the distance, the terraces look like giant white marble sculptures, forming an enchanting view.
Bai Shui Terraces is not only famous for its beautiful landscape but also known as the birthplace if Dongbaism of the Naxi ethnic group. It is said that the beautiful scenery here attracted Dingbashiluo, founder of Dongbaism, on his way back from Tibet. Dingbashiluo decided to stay here to spread his beliefs. Every 8th day of the second month on lunar calendar, the day when Dingbashiluo held his founding ceremony of Dongbaism, people of various groups gather by the terraces, singing and dancing, and slaughtering chickens and pasting the chicken blood on the branches to show their respect for Dingbashiluo.
Song Zan Lin Monastery , also named Gui Hua Monastery. The monastery is located in the foot of Mt. Fo Ping, 4 km north of Zhong Dian County. It was first built in 1679, the 18th year during the reign of Emperor Kang Xi of the Qing Dynasty (144-1911), and has been rebuilt many times. The structure was built in the style of the Potala Palace in Lhasa, Tibet, covering an area of 500 mu. Two main halls are surrounded by hundreds of rooms of monks. The imposing structure glimmering in the sunshine. Among the many collections of relies in the monastery, three bronze statues are the most famous. The monastery also enshrines the Buddhist scriptures written n palm leaves used by the past Dalai Lamas and Pan Chen La. This Monastery is one of the most typical monasteries featuring Lamaism in Di Qing, and is big enough to accommodate 700 monks.
Bita Lake Nature Reserve , located 25 km east of Zhong Dian County, covers an area of 840 sq. km, with various species of plants and animals, and beautiful landscapes. In Tibetan language, Bita means the place covered by trees. Ancient pines and cypresses grow around the Bita Lake, three by one km in area. The water is crystal and tranquil. In the lake there is an islet covered by cedars and azaleas. When the withered flowers fall into the water and are eaten by fish, the fish will become unconscious like getting drunken and float on the water surface. This is the well known scenery “ Fish drunken with Azaleas”. Around the Lake are virgin forests – known to such wild animals as red-footed pheasants, silver pheasants, wild cattle, red deer, monkeys, leopards, lynxes and squirrels.
Shuo Du Lake , 35 km away from Zhong Dian County. The Shou Du Lake is a sister lake to the Bi Ta Lake, to which it is just more than 10 km away. Through the thick forest between the two beautiful lakes, there is a winding path connecting them. The Shou Du Lake is 3705 meter above sea level and cover an area of 15 sq. km. There is a unique species of fish living in the lake. This kind of fish has double lips and looks splendid with gold colour. If you are lucky you may come across some wildlife such as wild ducks, yellow ducks and so on.
Dong Zhu Lin Monastery , 105 km away from Zhongdian. The monastery originally known as Chongchongcuogang, meaning a monastery along the lakeside of cranes. Dong Zhu Lin Monastery was first built in 1667, the 6th year during the reign of Emperor Kang Xi of Qing Dynasty. It was where the Monlam Festival of the Prayer for the Emperor's birthday was held. Now the monastery was rebuilt in 1985. The newly erected monastery is well arranged. The main hall in the center is a four-story wood and earth structure, surrounded by 82 tall trees. The hall on the 1st floor is for reciting Buddhist scriptures, where enshrines the statues of Tsongkhapa, founder of the Ge-lug-pa sect, together with Damarenqen, one of Tsongkhapa's disciples, and Khedrub Je, the 1st Panchen Lama, and other Buddhist statues of Sakyamuni, and Guanyin, a Bodhisattva. The monastery also enshrines a 6.8 meter high, gilded bronze, statue of seated Buddha of Qiangba (Maitreya), and a 10.5 meter tall statue of Sakyamuni, gifts from the Sera Monastery in Lhasa. The monastery also collects an 8.5 meter long, 5.2 meter wide image of Buddha, which is sunned once a year when the Monlam Festival of Prayer is held.
The Bai Mang Snow capped Mountain Natural Reserve. It covers an area of 187,977 hectares, and the highest peak is 5430 meter. All peaks here are above 4000 meters, including 20 peaks exceeding 5000 meters. An imposing view of snowcapped mountains feast one's eyes from the distance. In the nature reserve there are vast virgin forests, a well preserved natural balance with typical views of vertical belt. It is of high value for the study of forests, animals, plants, hydrology and weather.