Yunnan, China
Xiang Ge Li La
The Real Shangri-La
This Tibetan plateau town in northwestern Yunnan was officially renamed Shangri-La in 2001 to claim the mythical paradise from James Hilton's novel โ and it earns the title. At 3,300 metres altitude, the sky is an impossible blue above monastery-dotted grasslands and the Meili Snow Mountain on the horizon. Yak butter tea and tsampa fuel life here.
Flavour Profile
Best time to visit
๐ June-October
Province
๐ Yunnan
Tier
Hidden GemWhat to Eat in Shangri-La
Yak Butter Tea
้ ฅๆฒน่ถ
Salty churned tea with yak butter โ the Tibetan high-altitude energy drink
Tsampa
็ณ็ฒ
Roasted barley flour kneaded with butter tea into doughy balls โ the Tibetan staple
Yak Hot Pot
็ฆ็่็ซ้
Tender high-altitude yak braised with Tibetan herbs and wild mushrooms
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