Paradise Found

Shangri-la may be close to paradise, but it's not the easiest place to find good accommodation. All that's about to change thanks to the efforts of an entrepreneurial Yunnanese cameraman

In 1998, Bai Ma Duo Ji, a CCTV cameraman, stumbled across a Beijing warehouse packed with Tibetan handicrafts, most notably a wide variety of colourful antique Tibetan chests. A native of Zhongdian, a Tibetan area of Yunnan now known as Shangri-la, Bai Ma walked through the warehouse putting stickers on the pieces he liked. By the time he was done, he’d purchased some 40 chests.

He was not sure what he’d do with the collection, but he knew one thing. He had to keep his purchase a secret from his wife. ‘I didn’t tell her I bought the chests,’ he says, laughing. ‘She would have thought I was crazy.’

The answer to his dilemma came later that year when he travelled to Shangri-la to make a documentary and noticed that there were no decent hotels. He suddenly thought about opening a guesthouse. ‘I had so many chests,’ he says, ‘and a hotel was a perfect place to put them.’

His own traditional Tibetan house was located just down the road from the imposing Songzanlin Monastery and so he refurbished it and created the Songtsam Hotel. It is now tastefully decorated with the colourful Tibetan chests, rugs and other handicrafts that Bai Ma purchased.

Also a great place to grab some quality local cuisine, the hotel’s cosy restaurant serves up excellent Tibetan hotpot, full of cabbage, meatballs, glass noodles and potatoes, and other superb dishes such as thinly sliced spicy yak meat and potato croquettes.

Shortly afterwards, Bai Ma followed the Songtsam Hotel with the very chic Songtsam Retreat, a collection of 24 dry stone structures spread out over 21 acres of hillside – and it’s surely one of the most spectacular hotels in the world.

The spacious suites are fitted with locally handcrafted features that include oak wall panelling, handlaid timber floors, Tibetan rugs and wooden bathtubs. Each room has a view of the Songzanlin Monastery, with its gleaming golden roofs.

The retreat also looks out onto farmland dotted with large racks for drying barley. Tibetan farm women, whose bright head scarves pop out of the dark green fields, work nearby.

In fact the monastery, the biggest in Yunnan, is the main attraction near Zhongdian. It was built by the fifth Dalai Lama in 1679 as a mini version of Lhasa’s Potala Palace. It once housed thousands of monks, but today has just 800 inhabitants, who can be seen chanting prayers, burning incense and chatting on their mobiles.

However it’s the sprawling, biodiversity-rich natural areas of Shangri-la – with terrains that run from temperate zones to alpine forests – that are the real draw. Seeing the rest of the region (in particular the worthwhile areas of Benzilan, Tacheng, Deqin and Cizhong) takes around a week, so visitors should leave plenty of time to enjoy the area’s best bits.

Places such as the Potatso National Park (a 40-minute drive from Zhongdian) offer a pristine natural environment with beautiful lakes, hills, grasslands and wooded walkways that wind through the woods. In fact, head in any direction in Shangri-la and you’ll pass snowcapped mountains, green lakes and colourful Tibetan houses topped by fluttering prayer flags, sending their incantations into the wind. You’ll also find yourself skirting the three great rivers that cut through here: the Yangzi, Mekong and Salween.

What is about to make a real difference is that Bai Ma is now simultaneously constructing four more Tibetan-style hotels in Shangri-la’s key tourist areas. Whereas previous accommodation was basic and uncomfortable, and there was an unnecessary amount of hassle involved in getting around, Bai Ma’s guesthouses will finally make the area more accessible. For starters all of his residences will offer reliable drivers (500RMB/100km) and tour guide services (200RMB/day).

The not-yet finished Songtsam Tacheng, located in a Naxi minority area, faces terraced rice fields and is adjacent to Damo Cave, which is a horse ride up the steep mountainside. Guests can also visit a local forest on horseback to observe the rare golden monkey.

In Songtsam Benzilan, rich in local Buddhist culture, the focus will be visits to a Tibetan monastery and nunnery, and to Nixi, the home of the potters who turn out the famous black pottery. Meanwhile the Songtsam Deqin is located on a hillside facing the stunning snow-capped Meili Snow Mountain. The tallest mountain in Yunnan, its 6,7400 metre peak has never been reached by man.

One of the most interesting sites, however, has to be the colourful village of Cizhong. Here the Songtsam Cizhong will overlook the Mekong River and a Gothic Catholic Church, topped by a Chinese pavilion. Some 60 percent of the 1,000 people in the village, primarily Tibetans, are Roman Baima Duoji Catholics, whose ancestors converted 160 years ago.

The grape vineyards surrounding the church – the original vines were brought here from France by the first missionaries – produce decent red wines that will be available in the hotel’s bar. The church’s locally influenced interior is amazing. Tibetan and Naxi floral designs, alongside dragons and phoenixes, cover the walls and ceiling, giving the church an exoticism that could only be found in the East.

The bare facts
-Shangri-la is about 3,300 metres above sea level, so be aware that you may be prone tomild altitude sickness. The locals recommend drinking ginger tea if you start feeling unwell.

- Because of the high altitudes and bright sunshine, be sure to take sunblock, a hat and sunglasses to shield yourself, and layered clothing to keep warm, especially in the winter months. Hiking boots are also recommended.

-Travel here is difficult. Public buses, taxis and hired cars go to each of the main tourist attractions in Shangri-la, but hiring a car is the most sensible option if you want to see the area in a week.

Getting there
Shangri-la is accessible by a 45-minute flight from Kunming to Diqing. China Eastern flies several times daily from Beijing to Kunming for around 1,500RMB with connecting flights to Diqing (also on China Eastern) costing around 1,040RMB. See www.flychinaeastern.com or www.elong.net for details.

Where to stay
Songtsam Retreat Songzan Linka, Shangri-la, Diqing Prefecture, Yunnan (887 828 5555). Superior room 1,200RMB/night; junior suite 1,400RMB; superior suite 1,600RMB; villa 1,800RMB; Songtsam Hotel Shangri-la, Diqing Prefecture, Yunnan (887 828 8889; www.songtsam.com). Standard room 660RMB; Suite 900RMB; Songtsam Benzilan Opens November 2009; Songtsam Deqin Opens April 2010; Songtsam Tacheng Opens June 2010; Songtsam Cizhong Opens September 2010.

Paul Mooney