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Shangri-La Day 6: Chasing Gods & Giants of Meili Snow Mountain and Shika Snow Mountain

Leave a Comment / December 17, 2025 / Beef, Chinese Food, Dessert, Mild and Soothing, Pork, Roasted/Grilled, Shangri-La, Spicy, Stewed/Braised, Stir-fry/Sauté, Sweet(-ish), Tibetan Food, Vegetables

Our final day in Shangri-La is marked by the grand finale, the crescendo of our week-long journey through this highland paradise – standing before one of the world’s most majestic and mysterious mountain ranges. The Unconquerable: Meili Snow Mountain 🙏 To be clear, this is not a climbing guide. The Meili Snow Mountains are, in […]

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Shangri-La Day 5: Exploring Tiger Leaping Gorge & the Fairy Terraces of Baishuitai

7 Comments / December 3, 2025 / Barbecue, Beef, Chinese Food, Pork, Roasted/Grilled, Shangri-La, Spicy, Tibetan Food, Tofu, Vegetables

Our one-day private car tour from the Dukezong Ancient Town to the roaring Tiger Leaping Gorge and the dreamlike beauty of Baishuitai (White Water Terraces) was a whirlwind journey. It shows two dramatically different, yet equally stunning faces of Shangri-La‘s wild nature. We were lucky to find a great driver, Mr. He (和师傅), who offered us

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Shangri-La Day 4: From a Heavenly Ride Around Napahai Lake to a Tibetan Celebration by Firelight

9 Comments / November 19, 2025 / Beef, Chicken, Chinese Food, Hotpot, Mild and Soothing, Shangri-La, Soup, Spicy, Stewed/Braised, Tibetan Food, Vegetables

On the fourth day of our Shangri-La trip, we set out on a ride we’d been eagerly awaiting: circling the breathtaking Napahai Lake. Napahai: The Mountain’s Mirror Napahai is a seasonal alpine lake and a protected nature reserve in Yunnan. Just a stone’s throw from the Dukezong Ancient Town, Napa Lake is stunning even on

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Shangri-La Day 3: A Journey to Paradise at Pudacuo National Park

12 Comments / November 5, 2025 / Barbecue, Beef, Chicken, Chinese Food, Hotpot, Mild and Soothing, Pork, Roasted/Grilled, Shangri-La, Soup, Stewed/Braised, Tibetan Food, Vegetables

After exploring the spiritual heart of Shangri-La in Ganden Sumtseling Monastery, it was time to answer the call of the wild. Our third day was dedicated to the legendary Pudacuo National Park. Located in Diqing Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, it is the first national park in mainland China and a crucial part of the “Three Parallel Rivers”

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Shangri-La Day 2: The Golden Majesty of Ganden Sumtseling Monastery

16 Comments / October 22, 2025 / Barbecue, Beef, Chinese Food, Deep-Fry, Lamb, Roasted/Grilled, Shangri-La, Spicy, Stir-fry/Sauté, Tibetan Food, Vegetables

The Ganden Sumtseling Monastery (also known as Songzanlin Monastery🎬) in Shangri-La is the largest Tibetan Buddhist monastery in all of Yunnan. Built directly into the mountainside, its structures rise in cascading, layered tiers, creating a fortress-like silhouette that exudes both mystery and solemnity – earning it the title of the “Little Potala Palace.”📍 Location: No. 3 Niwang Road, Jiantang

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Shangri-La Day 1 – Arrival & Ancient Town: Exploring Dukezong, Where Prayers Become Gold

16 Comments / October 8, 2025 / Beef, Chinese Food, Hotpot, Mild and Soothing, Noodles, Offal, Shangri-La, Soup, Stewed/Braised, Sweet(-ish), Tibetan Food, Vegetables

We arrived in the morning. The moment we stepped off the plane in Shangri-La—at 3,300 meters above sea level—the air felt thinner and crisper. The number is one thing; the slight dizziness in our heads is another. So, our first order of business was to settle in, take it easy. We checked into our hotel,

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Shangri-La Travel Guide: 6-Day Itinerary, Hotels, and Transport Tips

29 Comments / September 24, 2025 / Barbecue, Beef, Chicken, Chinese Food, Hotpot, Mild and Soothing, Pork, Shangri-La, Tibetan Food, Vegetables

In Search of Shangri-La: A Trip to the Heart of Tibet in Yunnan, China The word “Shangri-La” itself comes from British novelist James Hilton’s 1933 novel, Lost Horizon, where it described an isolated, harmonious valley nestled among mountains, where people lived in peace and near-immortality. Over time, it became a byword for paradise on earth. But

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Chengdu Part 5: Du Fu’s Cottage, Urban Glamour & Nine-Grid Hotpot

49 Comments / July 2, 2025 / Beef, Chengdu, Chicken, Chinese Food, Dumplings, Fish, Hotpot, Mild and Soothing, Noodles, Pork, Roasted/Grilled, Soup, Spicy, Stewed/Braised, Stir-fry/Sauté, Tofu, Vegetables

If you’re visiting Chengdu, the Du Fu Thatched Cottage is definitely worth a visit! Step back over a thousand years and into the world of Du Fu, China’s revered ‘Poet Sage’🌿 DU FU THATCHED COTTAGE Officially known as the Chengdu Du Fu Thatched Cottage Museum, this was the former home of the great Tang Dynasty poet during his

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Chengdu Part 4: Face to Face with the Giant Buddha of Leshan & Local Eats

14 Comments / June 4, 2025 / Beef, Chengdu, Chicken, Chinese Food, Duck, Mild and Soothing, Noodles, Offal, Roasted/Grilled, Soup, Spicy, Stewed/Braised, Sweet(-ish), Tofu, Vegetables

World’s Largest Stone Buddha High above the roaring confluence of three mighty rivers—Min River (岷江 Min Jiang), Qingyi River (青衣江 Qingyi Jiang), and Dadu River (大渡河 Dadu He)—sits the planet’s largest stone-carved seated Buddha🎬. Officially named Jiazhou Lingyun Temple Giant Maitreya Stone Statue (嘉州凌云寺大弥勒石像), and also known as Lingyun Giant Buddha (凌云大佛) or Maitreya Statue (弥勒大像),

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Chengdu Part 3 – Three Kingdoms Legends, Kung Fu Tea, Ancient Streets & Hotpot Tips

23 Comments / May 21, 2025 / Beef, Chengdu, Chinese Food, Dessert, Fish, Hotpot, Mild and Soothing, Offal, Seafood, Spicy, Vegetables

After the trip to the misty heights of Qingcheng Mountain and the glowing “blue tears” of Dujiangyan, we decided to slow things down and explore within Chengdu’s city limits this time. Yes, Chengdu isn’t just pandas and mountains—this city has a long and rich history, especially when it comes to the legendary Three Kingdoms period

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