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Searching For Bliss In The Land Of Shangri-La | The Expeditioner Travel Site

Searching For Bliss In The Land Of Shangri-La

Sunday, February 1, 2009

Searching For Bliss In The Land Of Shangri-La

By Lizzie Simon

On my last night in the Yunnan Province in rural Southwest China, I encountered three handsome, blond horses lingering at the entrance of my reconstructed Tibetan lodge. They had wandered in from one of the neighboring Naxi tribe’s wheat farms. I had spent the entire week making contact with exotica, and that night, like every night, I approached bedtime with equal parts exhaustion and excitement. Earlier, at dusk, I had spied these same horses mingling with the yaks, pigs and sheep across the gently babbling brook that just barely separates the resort and the local Chinese Tibetans going about the daily rituals they’ve enacted for centuries. And now they were at my door, perhaps filled with the same curiosity with which I had viewed them. In the Yunnan Province, the seamlessness between one’s visit, the astounding natural beauty and the ancient authentic culture is exquisite. And it is this rare seamlessness that makes the Yunnan Province such a spectacular destination for adventure.

A longtime favorite for Asian tourists who revel in its culture-rich villages and extraordinary natural environments, China’s rural Yunnan Province now lures travelers from all over the world who want to be inspired and intoxicated by its spectacular terrain, unique cuisine and welcoming people. Of all of the provinces and autonomous regions in China, the Yunnan Province has the highest number of ethnic groups, which creates enormous culinary, religious and linguistic diversity. Spring is an ideal time to visit the area, when the crisp mountain air is temperate. Winter months can be harsh, and it’s best to avoid the rainy season in July and August.

yunnan2With more than one million residents, Lijiang — whose cafe-lined canals have earned the city the nickname, “Venice of the Far East” — is hardly a little village. But while Lijiang attracts throngs of visitors, much of the city remains the way it has for centuries, and the mix of Dao, Tibetan and Christian cultures is something to behold. Jade Dragon Snow Mountain and Dayan are two must-sees that are only a short trip from the city. Both only about 30 minutes away, the sublime gondola ride more than 15,000 feet up the Jade Dragon Snow Mountain is unforgettable, and Dayan, a designated UNESCO World Heritage Site, is perfect for spending an afternoon wandering around its charming Old Town filled with eclectic shops and cafés. At the many tea shops you’ll inevitably come across, you can sample a wide range of regional teas: some that stimulate, others that relax; some that heal the mind, and others that regulate the body.

Located just 15 minutes from Dayan, the Banyan Tree Lijiang is both majestic and intimate, offering privacy, serenity and elegance. Facing the magnificent Jade Dragon Snow Mountain, the villas have characteristically Chinese curved roofs and were constructed from local Naxi materials. Sliding doors cover the outdoors and dramatically create a new romantic environment in shades of red and black, complemented by intimate lighting, aromatherapy candles and incense.

The hotel’s two restaurants overlook a sensuous water garden. Bai Yun is open for dinner and offers fine Chinese fusion dining. Its elaborate seven-course tasting menu is excellent and affords visitors an opportunity to sample authentic fare of the region. The more casual Ming Yue serves both Western and Chinese fare and is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

yunnan3A four-hour drive brings you to Banyan Tree Ringha, located nearly 11,000 feet above sea level in what is now referred to as Shangri-La. The drive itself is an astounding panorama of natural beauty — a fascinating look into the village life of Chinese people and a breathtaking amble through the mountains. Midway through the journey, passengers arrive at the Tiger Leaping Gorge, a must-see, mile-long trek along the deepest gorge in the world, which is as gentle as it is awe-inspiring. Suffering from altitude sickness? Not to worry — upon arrival, hearty ginger tea is offered to allay the headiness of the high altitude. Travelers stay in one of thirty-two authentic Tibetan Lodges which were transplanted from the region and rebuilt on the resort. To say that these accommodations are spacious is an understatement — they are enormous and, amazingly enough, were constructed by local builders without the use of machinery.

Trekking is the favored means to get a true sense of the area’s natural beauty and culture. The resort offers a menu of possibilities like: The Shudugang Acclimatization Trek, Shangri-La Cultural Tour or the Nomad Alpine Trek, appropriate for varying levels of fitness. Here in Shangri-La, you can drink some yak butter tea — the closest thing Tibetans have to cappuccino — prepared by a local woman in her home, and you can have up-close encounters with the pre-pubescent monks at the centuries-old Songzanlin Monastery, the largest Tibetan Buddhist Lamasery in the Yunnan Province. These types of experiences make for a stunning, life-altering set of discoveries.

Later, you can refuel at two restaurants on site, both of which sit atop the resort. For an authentic meal, head to Chang Sa (it’s open only for dinner) for Tibetan Hot Pot — a style of cuisine where local meats and vegetables are cooked in a delectable broth and then dipped in a spicy soy-garlic sauce.

Many travelers use this area as a jumping-off point to test their rafting skills in the Great Bend of the Yangtze River — considered to be one of the best whitewater rafting treks in the world. With over a dozen Class IV rapids and a spectacular jaunt through a gorge twice the depth of the Grand Canyon, Mountain Travel Sobek offers a 120-mile trip that, due to the construction of a nearby dam, may be impossible to experience a few years from now.

For travelers who want to be plopped in the middle of an unspoiled natural and cultural environment, especially those fascinated by Tibetan religion and people, the Yunnan Province will pamper both their souls and their bodies. Treks start out intimate and low-key, but in their surprising unveiling of wholly foreign treasures they pack a transcendent punch. The Chinese can be maddeningly Delphic about their cultures, religions and politics, which only meant that my curiosity was continuously aroused. The air, no longer troubling, became an intoxicant.

There are certainly more far-flung places in the world, and there are prettier places too, but my encounters with this unique and vulnerable region periodically sent tears streaming down my face. As China races towards modernity, no one can say how long these areas will be preserved: “downtown” Shangri-La is already under construction, the rapids in the Great Bend may be gone in a few years, and Beijing, as a result of the Olympics boom, is fraught with traffic and pollution. But for those lucky enough to see these sights now, they will forever have the memories — something that can never be taken away.

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