During the past 4 years, Zhongdian is getting popular than any rest of Tibetan regions of Tibet. For Chinese travelers, it is only 198 km north-west of Lijiang where the town has been overwhelming since Jiangzeming visited here in 1999. For foreign travelers, just because you do not have to permit enter the Tibetan region. And Deqing neither. Either flight or overland is available. Buses run from Kunming, Lijiang and Dali, even Sichuan. The buses leave Kunming at 6 pm and arrive around 9 am at Zhongdian, cost Y150. The flights are daily and cost Y560, up to now independent rarely booked the tickets in Kunming especially in the high season. Last year we bought a emergent ticket from other agent cost Y900.
　　
　　The Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture of DeQen is located in north-westernYunnan Crossed by the Salween, Mekong, and Yangtze rivers (The Three Parallel Flow Scenic Region). The highest point is at the Mt Meili, standing at 6,740 m above sea level, and the peak is the Tibetan Buddhist Holy Land where people go on a pilgrimage. Three ecologies (permafrost with no inhabitants; buffer; temperate monsoon climate) suited to agriculture and animal husbandry as situated in horizontal belts stacked vertically along the elevations. Special geological features have produced miraculous natural scenes. Primeval plants are completely preserved ,with snowcapped mountains, pastures, rivers & lakes dotting the landscape. And ancient & mysterious ethnic & religious cultures have been attracting outside for centuries . 　  

　　Damo Lamasery
　　

Bita Lake
　　

Sumtse Lamasery
　　

Sumtse Lamasery
　　
　　 DeQen has gained the universal grace of a Shangri-La, by Jams Hilton'novel Lost Horizon for tourist. In this novel the British diplomat and three of his friends were plan to fly from China to India. During the flight over the south part of the Mt Himalayan, the aircraft had to land on a snow covered place due to lack of gasoline. While in despair, they were rescued by some kind Tibetan people, and spend some wonderful time in a beautiful place, where there was sun-shine, continuous snow, flowers in blossom and herds of cattle, and the Tibetan people there were leading a tranquil life. Later they came back to seek for the place but failed. The only thing they remembered was the Tibetan word "Shangri-La ", so the novel was named after the place "Shangri-La ."
　　
　　Many of travelers believe Zhongdian is the fairy land "Shangri-la", because of the snow mountains surrounding, the church, the lamasery, the diversified nation and religion and culture. Whether it is worth a trip in itself is a difficult question. If you do not have time to make it into Tibet, Zhongdian, a principally Tibetan town with Chinese overlay and else minorities of Hui (Muslim), Naxi and Lisu, is worth taking a look at. Apart from Sumtse Ling Lamasery and Bita Lake, if you want to avoid the fleet of groups tourists, try Xiaozhongdian (Mt thousands lake) only 40 km south of Zhongdian and White Water Terrace where is combinated with the Tiger Leaping Gorge trek. Recent years more travelers like to north further of Tibetan region, Xiangcheng and Daocheng where the nature wonders attracted more foreigners since it is open.