Once in a while, a person needs to get out of their comfort zone, to leave all of the work stress behind and just travel. Traveling is something that everyone should partake in. It is relaxing, it is stress-free, it gives you an insight into other cultures around the world and you get to do whatever you want. To truly experience a relaxing time and a different culture, you should consider visiting Shangri-La.
Since it is located in the northwestern part of the Yunnan Province in China, you could say that this place is quite exotic and unique. Some of the things you will be able to experience here will be things you have never even thought of doing in your life. So, if you truly want to check some things off your bucket list, Shangri-La is the place for you.
Assuming that you are interested in Shangri-La, you’ll probably want to know about all the good things you can experience there. To help you make the final decision, here are some of the reasons why you should visit it at least once in your life.
1. Movie-like landscapes
One of the most amazing things about the Yunnan province is that it looks like it does not belong to this world. Once you get there, you will feel like you’re in some sci-fi movie and not an actual place on this planet. What is even more interesting is the Pudacuo National Park. You would think that this national park is about the nature side of the Yunnan province, but it is actually a bit different than what you can expect. Part of this national park is the Ganden Sumtselling Monastery.
This Tibetan Buddhist monastery has more than 200 houses that accommodate at least 700 monks at once. It is believed that this monastery is one of the most important ones in entire China or at least Southwest China. The reason why I have to mention this because the entire architecture of these buildings flows so well into nature. It looks like the monastery is part of the landscape.
Next to this little city that is filled with monks, you will also meet the Three Parallel Rivers of Yunnan Protected Areas. Combining the rivers, the monastery, and the beautiful green background creates an amazing landscape that you will remember throughout your entire life.
2. Great climate
Before we delve deeper into the climate of Shangri-La, I should mention that it is 3000 meters or more than 10,000 feet above sea level. People that do not like traveling through mountain climates, I don’t exactly recommend this place because it can get quite cold even in the hottest summer months. The average temperature during their summer is about 14°C.
Yes, it is cold, but due to the high elevation, it is actually quite pleasant because the sun is constantly shining and not hidden by clouds. The air might be cold, but you will feel warm from the sunrays most of the time. The best time to visit Shangri-La should be between April and the end of June as suggested by this website.
3. Unique culture
One of the biggest reasons why everyone should visit China at least once is because this place is simply full of culture. Currently, there are almost 1.4 billion people in this country. It may be even more because the last research was done in 2018. If you were to put the people of Europe, the United States and Canada together, you still wouldn’t even be near those 1.4 billion. Now that we have put this number into perspective, you can understand just many of them are there.
Since they are such a huge population, it is natural that different parts of the country have developed different cultural standards. For example, if you were to go to the southeastern end of China and then travel to the Northwestern part, you would feel like you are located in a different country. The people you met on one side will be completely different you met on the other side.
It is vital that you understand just how important impact culture has on their lifestyles.
The Yunnan province is located in the most Southwest location in the country. The people in this province are so far away from big cities such as Hong Kong, Beijing, Shanghai, and Wuhan, it is like they live a completely different type of life. So, if you truly want to experience something unique and if you want to connect with a different culture, Shangri-La is definitely the place that you should be visiting.
4. It’s not that expensive
Many people around the world avoid traveling to exotic places because they believe it is expensive and too risky. This is simply not true. In fact, traveling in exotic locations such as Shangri-La may be one of the most inexpensive trips you can take. Visiting cities such as Paris or London is probably three or four times more expensive. What you can experience at a place like this, you will never be able to experience in a regular city.
Find a place to stay is quite easy because most of the people in Shangri-La will be happy to accept you in their home. Some may even let you sleep in their homes for free. They love tourists and they also love to teach about their culture and language.
5. Great hiking locations
Assuming that you are the person who enjoys taking walks through nature, the Yunnan province is one of the best places to do so. Even if you are not so keen on hikes, you will start to love hikes once you see the beautiful mountain tops and landscapes that you can travel through. Admiring the beautiful animals through the forests, the limestone terraces, or the huge canyon named Tiger leaping Gorge is something that you will never forget.
I agree that traveling to a location that you have never even heard of seems like a risky idea, but if you educate yourself enough about Shangri-La, I am 100% sure you will grow in interest to visit this place at least once in your life.
