Shangri-la Travel Tips
‣ Best Time to Visit Shangri-La
• May to June: Through the end of spring and early summer, it is the most beautiful time of Shangri-La because of the full bloom of rhododendron (but the bloom time may delay along with the change of weather). In the middle of June, there are wild flowers in blossom, such as irises.
• July to August: All kinds of wild flowers bloom. However, it is at a time of rainy season.
• September to October: Rich colors of autumn beauty are suitable to photography.
• November: The month of first snow with single color and cold weather.
• December: Tourists can appreciate black-necked crane and snowy scenery.
‣ Dressing Tip
It's recommended to bring coat, down jacket, gloves, and anti-skid shoes. Because of the dry weather and strong UV radiation, ladies had better prepare sunscreen, sunhat and sunglasses. Every June to September, it is the rainy season of Shangri-La. After October, tourists should prepare enough warm clothes.
‣ Bank
Just one branch office of Bank of China can be found in Shangri-La, which is located in the first floor of Tancheng Wangjiao shopping mall, Chicika Street, Shangri-La City.
‣ Hospital
Because of the high altitude, some people may have severe altitude reaction. In that case, Shangri-La Hospital (Address: Changzheng Road, Phone:0887-8222052) can provide medical treatment.
‣ Useful Numbers
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Fire: 119 Ambulance: 120 Police: 110 Traffic: 122 |
Tourist Complaint: 0887-8225390 Shangri-La Airport Inquiry: 0887-8229901 Shangri-La Hospital: 0887-8222052 Diqing Hospital: 0887-8222022 |
‣ Night Life
In additon, if you have an accommodation in Dukezong Ancient Town, you can waste your time on taking a stroll in Moon Plaza to appreciate the beautiful night scene. There are many bars on Guishan Park and Moon Plaza where you can relax yourselves. However, tourists should not drink much alcohol in case of altitude sickness. What’s more, there are also some bars in Feilaisi Temple in Deqin County.Although the night life of Shangri-La is not as busy as some big cities, tourists can feel strong Tibetan flavor here. Sifanglou Plaza in Dukezong Ancient Town will be a big dance stage in the evening. There will be a large number of people join hands, form a circle and follow the principal dancer to perform the Tibetan folk dance. If you are interested, just join them in the dance.
‣ Other Travel Tips
• Compared with Kunming and Lijiang, Shangri-La is a remote county. The hotel rooms meet normal Chinese standards but the general service standard may be lower than other cities. For example, the hotel may usually serve more Chinese food and less Western food for breakfast, and less hotel employees speak English. However, people in Shangri-La are generally very nice and all the hotel employees will try their best despite of the language barrier.
• In order to protect yourself from altitude sickness, when travel in Shangri-La, please avoid drinking alcohol and strenuous exercise, and eat more vegetables and fruit.
• Many of the shops are operated by locals. It is recommended that you walk around the old town first to ensure that you are paying a reasonable price.
• The Tibetan knife is not be allowed through customs at the airport however it can be taken to the train and sent by post. It is advised to ask for a receipt when buying Tibetan knives. The purchase item on the list of the receipt should be “handcraft” so as to be free from potential issues with law enforcement.
• In Shangri-La, you have to be very careful when buying Tibetan ornaments and jewelries as some are inferior in quality. You don’t have to be too careful if you just want to buy some for fun. However, always remember to bargain.
