Shangri-La, previously called as Zhongdian, is always described as a mysterious utopia. The name ‘Shangri-La’ literarily means the sun and moon in heart in Tibetan. However, the fame of this name started when the British author James Hilton published his novel "Lost Horizon". Located in northwestern Yunnan province, it is situated at the southeast edge of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. It is about 5 hours’ drive from Lijiang, which is another popular tourist destination in Yunnan.
The cultural representation of Shangri-La is most often cited to be northwestern Yunnan Province. Numerous journalists and photographers have been living here for decades, only to record the beauty of this man made heaven. It has attracted more and more tourists from domestic and abroad in recent years.
Shangri-La is a "Garden of Eden" for tourists looking for some pure landscapes hidden from the outside world. It is characterized by the breathtaking landscape represented by the Pudacuo National Park, where Bita Lake and Shudu Lake display their unique beauties; Ganden Songzanlin Monastery, a Buddhist sacred land in Yunnan; Meili Snow Mountain, one of the four sacred mountains of Tibetan Buddhism; Three Parallel Rivers, a geological museum with diversified landforms including mountains and gorges, glaciers, plateau wetlands, forest meadows, and lakes are located.