In 1994, I travelled around Yunnan Province for one month. It was one of the best trips of my life, and still at the right moment. Kunming was just starting to become a big, modern city and Lijiang and Dali saw the first influx of tourists. However, I did visit more remote places during that trip, of which Zhongdian stands out the most. We arrived after a long bus trip by night through the mountains. The air was thin, making the climb to the first floor of our hotel already difficult.

In the next days, we explored the surroundings. With a car and a female driver (I still clearly picture her immaculate white gloves), we went on a day trip to (what I now think was) Napa Hai. Writing this review, over 10 years later, the memories of the heavenly landscape all come back. The fresh mountain air, the endless views over the plateau, the yellow hey stacks, the rivers and lakes, numerous yaks. Still sunny in October, we enjoyed just strolling around, having small talk (the mime-type) with local women doing their laundry in the streams (members of the minority groups that populate this area).

I have been hesitant to add this site to my Visited list, mainly because it's not very clear what exactly belongs to the "Three parallel rivers of Yunnan protected areas" and because I didn't write down the names of the places visited in 1994. After some research, I believe the place I went to was Napa Hai, and that is included in the protected areas.

Zhongdian was renamed Xianggelila a few years ago, marketing itself as the spot of James Hilton's mythical Shangri-La. The town itself certainly isn't, but its surrounding Tibetan countryside - well, it could be!