Shangri-La Travel Tips
Fast Facts
Area: 11,613 square kilometers (around 4,484 square miles)
Position: It's in the northwest of Yunnan Province and bordered by Tibet and Sichuan.
Population: about 130,000
Nationalities: Tibetan, Yi, Naxi, Bai, Hui, Han...
Zip Code: 674400
Area Code: 0887
Useful Numbers:
Inquiry at Diqing Shangri-La Airport: 0887-8229901
Tourist Complaint: 0887-8225390
Emergency Numbers:
Fire: 119
Ambulance: 120
Police: 110
Traffic: 122
Please click Useful Telephone Numbers to get more emergency numbers
Post Office: No.18 Changzheng Road
Bank: There are many banks on Changzheng Road, Shangri-La County, and the Bank of China provides the service of exchanging foreign currency. But if you go to the surrounding places of the county, be sure to take along enough money.
Internet Bar: Internet bars can also be found on Changzheng Road easily. And there you can go to the post office to go on line. The charge is about CNY4 for each hour.
Hospital: Shangri-La People's Hospital is located on Changzheng Road.
Communication: China Mobile Communications Corporation is in the process of making the communication net cover the whole county. Now, the mobile phones can be used in most areas of Shangri-La. The signal strength may be very poor sometimes, especially in the mountains or in a gorge. FestivalsMost Tibetans of Shangri-La celebrate the Chinese New Year (Chinese Spring Festival) and they also have the Tibetan New Year. Furthermore, there are some other festivals celebrated there:
Horse Race Festival: It's celebrated on May 5th according to the lunar calendar every year. The horse race is held at the foot of Wufeng Mountain and lasts for three days.
Dengbashi: It's celebrated on July 15th according to the lunar calendar every year. During the festival, all the Tibetans wear festival attire and worship gods for good fortune. Also they perform the Guozhuang Dance and hold the horse race.
Gedong: A traditional festival of Tibetan Buddhism held from Oct. 2nd to Oct. 19th each year. During that time, there is a performance of the Mask Dance. NightlifeThe night life of Shangri-La is always colorful. When night falls, Sifanglou Plaza becomes a big dance stage. There a large number of people perform the Tibetan folk dance Guozhuang. They all join hands, form a circle, and follow the principal dancer. The cheerful atmosphere may entice you to join them in the dance. Also you can pay a visit to the Tibetans' houses. In their houses, you can appreciate (for a modest fee) folk dance performances and taste the meat of baked lamb and yak.
Furthermore, if you have an accommodation in Dukezong Ancient Town, you should take a stroll in the evening. Dukezong has another beautiful name, Moon Town. Perhaps, ambling along the stone-paved lanes with a full moon hanging in the sky above Shangri-La, you will feel the romance of it all. If not, on a street called Pijiangpo there are many bars, it's the most prosperous place in the ancient town. In your spare time, take a look.