The very name Shangri La is enough to evoke images of a lost paradise in the mystical east. That was the reason the locals changed its name back in 2001 from Zhongdian to Shangri La, a la James Hilton's utopia from Lost Horizon. It's easy to see how the connection was made. From the flat-topped tile roofs of the Jiantang Old Town (now reconstructed following a fire in 2014) to the verdant hillsides that rise into plumes of smoky mist on the horizon, this untouched, bucolic corner of the People's Republic can leave you breathless (literally!). The town has long been known for its fusion of Han Chinese and Tibetan cultures that’s visible at every turn, whether that's at the Songzanlin Monastery and its whitewashed dzong architecture or the Yunnan Heritage Centre and its lessons in Bai Chinese. Of course, no trip to this high-perched town of Yunnan could be complete without heading out of the urban centre. Be sure to ask your Shangri La tour guide about treks to Napa Lake, the green wilds of Pudacuo National Park, or further towards Lijiang to marvel at the Tiger Leaping Gorge.