Moonlight Hotel Indigo Dukezong Ancient Town Diqing Shangri-La

Shangri-La City, a county-level city in Diqing Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, is located in the heart of the Hengduan Mountains on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, at the junction of Yunnan, Sichuan, and Tibet provinces. Originally named Zhongdian (Tibetan name: Jiantang), "Shangri-La" is a transliteration from Tibetan meaning "paradise." It became known to the world in the 1930s through British author James Hilton's novel "Lost Horizon" and has been longed for ever since. Diqing Moonlight Hotel Indigo enjoys an unparalleled geographical location, situated at the highest point of Dukezong Ancient Town in Shangri-La. The architecture outlines the Tibetan "City of Moonlight." Guest rooms offer panoramic views of the ancient town, while the lobby and restaurants feature distinctive characteristics. Driving from Lijiang's Jade Dragon Snow Mountain to Shangri-La, we passed Tiger Leaping Gorge without stopping to explore. During these days, there was occasional snowfall and icy roads, resulting in road closures for clearing. We rested and waited for half an hour in the middle of our journey before being able to continue. Upon successfully arriving in Shangri-La, we checked in at Moonlight Hotel Indigo. The room had an excellent view overlooking the ancient town. The breakfast buffet was also very good, featuring some Tibetan delicacies. I particularly enjoyed the butter tea and had several cups. Parking was very convenient—great that there was also a parking lot underground. With nighttime freezing temperatures, the underground parking lot was much better. Driving an old diesel SUV, we had fewer worries about the engine not starting. The ancient town was right outside the door. We stayed for three nights and visited Dukezong Ancient Town, Gandan Songzanlin Monastery, and Pudacuo National Park. Wonderful times in Shangri-La.