In the last fifteen years, Yunnan has gone from being a best-kept secret to a must-visit travel destination. The old towns of Lijiang, Dali and Shangri-La have changed from rustic backwaters into highly commercialized versions of their former selves.

In wake of these tourism-driven changes, the search for new towns that preserve the cultural and architectural traditions of Yunnan's ethnic minorities is well under way, with Yunnan's 'second tier' destinations such as Shaxi, Tengchong and Lugu Lake all receiving more domestic and foreign travelers.

The small town of Xizhou (喜州) is another example of an increasingly popular 'off-the-beaten-path' stop for visitors to Yunnan. About 30 kilometers north of Dali, Xizhou has developed a reputation for its protected sites highlighting Bai architecture.

With full support from the local government, American couple Brian and Jeanee Linden, who have been splitting time between China and the US over the last two decades, have established the Linden Centre – a boutique hotel and cultural retreat – in one of Xizhou's protected sites. GoKunming spoke with Brian Linden to find out more about what's happening in one of Yunnan's up-and-coming travel destinations:

GoKunming: Why did you choose Xizhou as the location for your cultural retreat?

Brian Linden: Xizhou has historic prominence as one of the few villages with a population of less than 2,500 people and a cluster of over 100 protected buildings. We are proud to be among the first foreigner couples to take over a Type A Cultural Relic. This means our building is one of the most pristine examples of Bai traditional architecture and is protected at the same level as the Great Wall and Forbidden City.

We contacted various levels of government and felt that Yunnan was the ideal choice given its ethnic diversity, scenery, weather and architectural heritage. The local government and villagers in the Dali region were extremely supportive and welcoming.

Xizhou has a history of bringing in people of different cultures and ideas. It was a site for Yale in China during the 1940's and many writers and artists were living in Xizhou. The writer Lao She called Xizhou "The Cambridge of the East." We would like to renew this spirit of bringing together people of different cultures to learn from each other.

GK: What is the philosophy behind the Linden Centre in Xizhou?

BL: The inspiration for our Centre comes from both the miraculous results of China's recent economic achievements and our melancholic longing for the 'old' China that we experienced in the 1980s. China's changes have made the urban experience less than exotic to the experienced traveler. During our 25 years of traveling and doing business, we have had to go further afield to touch the older, more traditional China.

By 2004, we decided that we should try to establish a cultural retreat and sanctuary in a functioning old village to share the China that still survives under the cement and neon veneers of the major cities. Our goal was to source a historic complex and nurse it back into its dynastic glory. We were able to do this in the village of Xizhou.

GK: What are the challenges in running a boutique hotel in rural Yunnan?

BL: Personally, we feel very few challenges. This is a lifestyle decision, a project of passion. Once the basic necessities like water and electricity were addressed, we found the daily challenges to be surprisingly manageable.

GK: What makes Bai architecture distinct from that of the Yi or other minorities in Yunnan?

BL: Bai architecture, especially in Xizhou, displays a level of sophistication and grandeur seldom seen in a rural setting such as our small village. The traditional Bai style of building reached its zenith among the wealthy group of merchants who decided to settle in Xizhou.

Most Bai courtyards have gone beyond the mud brick and wood architecture of the other ethnic groups. Xizhou's location near the Dali marble quarries ensured that the complexes had ample stone for the structures and decorative marble for the unique architectural highlights.

GK: What kind of role does the Linden Centre play in Xizhou?

BL: In our own way, we want to set a precedent for sustainable cultural preservation. We have consistently been the staple of new ideas and fresh perspective in terms of our approach to the Centre's renovation with the additions of priceless antiques and artifacts from Yunnan.

More simply, we want to extend the idea of the Centre into the village itself, allowing the experience here to flow easily. This starts by showing great respect for the villagers and treating them like family. We have hired mostly local workers who often bring their family and young children into the Centre for our atmosphere and occasional fun. We teach weekly English corners to the villagers for nothing in return and help plan games and activities.

GK: Do you have a plan for more retreats in Yunnan or elsewhere in China?

BL: Yes. We aim to create environments in the region that honor the traditions of the past, helping develop sustainable models for restored historical complexes. We want to celebrate the artistic traditions of China and facilitate the sharing of these in a structured manner. Current concrete examples of this include our efforts to procure and restore the former Flying Tigers Radar Station and Village Library, which served as the educational center of Xizhou during Yale/Huazhong University's stay in the village.

In each case, we will develop museums that will trace the stories of the wartime efforts in the Dali valley. The Flying Tigers have left an incredible legacy for all American visitors in the region and, yet, there is no museum highlighting the efforts of the Chinese and Western military in the region. We will soon be looking for organizational support to pursue the two aforementioned projects.

We also own a second complex, one of the only Bai complexes to have Shanghai Deco elements - it was built by a Xizhou man who made his money in Shanghai and returned to build this complex. We are developing a refined Atelier for the study of the arts: specifically painting, writing, music and photography. This second complex is large enough to regularly host 4 artists-in-residence as well as a group of adult students. Younger students will use the Atelier for studio space and will be housed in a restored third courtyard.

GK: Xizhou is becoming an increasingly popular stop for tourists - what are the positives and negatives with regard to this trend?

BL: Xizhou, given its smaller size and later stage of development in the tourism marketplace, will always be different from the first wave of commercially developed destinations such as Dali and Lijiang.

Another increasingly known element of Xizhou that differs from normal tourism in Yunnan is the concentration of culturally significant estates built during the Ming and Qing dynasties. Yet, just like most of developing China, many concrete buildings were introduced in the last 30 years. The more derelict ones are being replaced with fairly refined Bai-style structures to accommodate and cater to a more affluent tourist audience.

We certainly appreciate the greater levels of elegance and beauty the project of 'Ancient Xizhou' brings to the area. The roads are being restored to the times before mass concrete was poured. Waterways will be reopened. Cars will be prevented from driving in the inner town. Power lines will be buried. Many of the reasons we have fallen in love in Xizhou will be amplified with the greater attention to detail and quality, while all the more bringing consideration to the culturally immersive environment.

Unfortunately, larger amounts of people will inevitably inject a level of commercialization affecting the local customs and traditions. This is perhaps unavoidable, given the lucrative market size of domestic Chinese tourism. Our experience, however, with the Culture Bureau and government officials leads us to remain optimistic that Xizhou may be able to balance the ancient with some modernity to create a new and positive paradigm.

Construction on the rail line connecting Dali with Lijiang has been completed and will be running in time for the National Day holiday during the first week of October, according to a YunnanNet report. Construction on the rail line began in 2004.

The 164 kilometer rail line passes through some serious mountain country, with more than half of the trip made up of bridges or tunnels. Bridges account for 22 kilometers of the journey, with 78 kilometers passing through tunnels.

The Dali-Lijiang (大丽) line will begin at Dali East Station, traveling along the eastern shore of Erhai Lake with stops at Shangguan (上关), Xiyi (西邑) and Heqing (鹤庆) before arriving in Lijiang. At present, information about departure times and trip duration is unavailable.

Lijiang is one of China's most popular tourist destinations – in the first half of this year it was visited by 3.44 million tourists. The opening of a new rail connection with Dali and Kunming should translate to even more travelers visiting the city, which features attractions including its old town (a UNESCO World Heritage site), Jade Dragon Snow Mountain and the nearby Tiger Leaping Gorge.

The extension of the Kunming-Dali rail line to Lijiang brings a proposed Kunming-Lhasa rail line one step closer to reality. The line will next be extended to Shangri-la and then to Lhasa.

The Kunming-Lhasa rail link would make Yunnan's capital the third provincial capital in western China with a direct rail link to Tibet after Xining in Qinghai and Chengdu in Sichuan, which will begin construction on a Chengdu-Lhasa rail line this month.

With the travel season upon us, now is a good time to look to getaway destinations around Yunnan. Today's post is the second in a two-part series by writer and photographer Megan Melissa True about her experiences in northwest Yunnan's Shangri-la.

On our second day in Shangri-la, we headed for the Ganden Sumtseling Monastery. The monastery was built in 1679 and was home to the Fifth Dalai Lama in 1681. Today it is the biggest monastery in Yunnan and houses over 700 monks that live and study there. After a 15 minute bus ride we arrived at the entrance. After we bought our tickets we were herded onto a bus that took us to the monastery.

As soon as we got off the bus, rain began to pour down. We took shelter in one of the closest temples. The smell of fresh rain and burning incense permeated the air. After about fifteen minutes it cleared up and we started exploring the temples and labyrinthine alleys that lead to the monk residences.

We started down one of the alleys and soon ran into some monks in their mid-twenties. We greeted them with big smiles and "ni hao"s. They shyly smiled but ignored us, which we found strange at first as most Tibetans we had met were very friendly. We later found out it was because they are not allowed to talk to women.

We were curious and wanted to know about their life there. So we spent a good part of the afternoon trying to talk to the monks. We were successful with some monk kids and a monk in his late 70s. We discovered most of the monks come to the monastery between five and eight years of age - they have the choice to leave the monastery when they are eighteen. Many monks choose to stay - who could blame them when they are surrounded by such tranquil beauty?

After several hours at the monastery, we headed back into to town and looked for a place for dinner. Old Town is full of great traveler-oriented restaurants but a five-minute walk down Changzheng Lu (长征路) will lead you to an area filled with local restaurants. Their food is just as good and very inexpensive. If you are looking for good foreign food The Compass or Yak Bar are both recommended.

After dinner we walked around Old Town, which has a history that dates back over 1200 years. Every night around seven o'clock people young and old join in the main square and dance. The dances are all traditional dances. They dance around in two large concentric circles. The inner circle seemed to be the more experienced dancers and the outer circle was full of tourists or young kids trying to copy the experts.

After several minutes of watching the dancers, we jumped in and tried our best to keep up. The old men and women seemed amused as we mimicked their dances. After nine o'clock the dancing broke up and everybody retreated home for the night. We also headed home to get some rest.

Our last destination in Shangri-la was Bitahai Lake, the highest lake in Yunnan at 3500 meters above sea level. The lake is pretty far outside of town so it's best to rent a car or van for half a day. The lake is well worth the journey as it is surrounded by some of the most beautiful forests in Shangri-la. A peaceful hike down to the shores of the lake was a perfect end to our Tibetan adventure in Yunnan.

From Kunming, Shangri-la can be reached by plane or bus (there are daily buses from Xizhan Bus Station). From Lijiang, it is a three or four hour bus or car ride away. The best times to visit are during the late spring/early summer when the ubiquitous wild flowers are in bloom, or in autumn when the green leaves of the trees change to every color imaginable.

GoKunming thanks Megan Melissa True for her contribution. If you have a travel story or other contribution you would like to submit to GoKunming, please contact us via our contact form.

With the travel season upon us, now is a good time to look to getaway destinations around Yunnan. Today and tomorrow, writer and photographer Megan Melissa True will share her experiences in northwest Yunnan's Shangri-la.

Shangri-la, previously known as Zhongdian, is located high up in the mountains near the Yunnan-Tibet border. The city claims to be the inspiration for the setting of James Hilton's book, "Lost Horizon." Regardless, it is an enchanting land filled with Tibetan villages and monasteries embedded in its mountains.

Shangri-la has been described as an earthly paradise because of the land's majestic beauty. It's also rumored that people there live well beyond the normal life span and age much slower. Several friends and I headed there to find out the secrets of this age-defying paradise.

After a twelve-hour night bus from Kunming we dropped our belongings off at Kevin's Trekker Inn and set out to roam and explore Tibetan villages on the outskirts of town. From the road, one village looked like it would be an easy 45 minute walk but we soon realized it was much farther.

We headed down the path and decided to cut through the field between the villages and the road. The road wound all the way around the bottom edge of the mountain and would easily add an hour to our hike.

We began tromping through the field but discovered it was pretty wet and marsh-like. Then, one of my friends noticed the field was getting wetter and deeper. She then pointed to a cow out in the middle of the field that was neck deep in water. Just as she said this, my next step dropped me a foot into the ground.

The water and marshy grasses were almost up to my knees. So, with squishy wet sneakers we headed back to the dirt road. Later we read in our guidebook that in the summer the field is actually a lake. An hour and half later we finally reached the first village.

We had heard that Tibetans may invite you into their homes for yak butter tea and baba, a traditional flat bread. We wandered around but only came across a few Tibetans, who were busy chopping wood or hanging up the year's harvest.

We eventually found a woman that was selling snacks to some village kids. We asked her if she knew where we could get yak butter tea. She happily invited us into her home to sample her family's recipe.

The Tibetan homes in Shangri-la are two stories of thick timber that are hand-chopped and constructed by each family. This woman's home was no exception. We climbed the thick-wooden staircase to the second floor.

As we walked into the large open room, our eyes had to adjust to the darkness. Once they did, we were amazed by the beautiful intricate hand-carved patterns in the wooden doors, walls and cabinets. In one corner of the room there was a wood-burning stove where the woman began warming up our yak butter tea. As it heated, the woman scurried into the kitchen to make baba.

After several minutes the tea kettle whistled and our hostess scampered back in to fill our bowls with simmering yak butter tea. She told us we could add several spoonfuls of sugar if we wanted because of the strong flavor. After the first sip of the thick buttery broth, I was ready to dump a bowl of sugar into my tea. It was like drinking thick liquid butter.

Unfortunately for me, being the good hostess that she was, she made sure our cups never went below the rim. Next she brought out steaming Baba. Tibetans like to dip it into their tea or eat it with sugar. When it's dipped in sugar it tastes just like a warm sugary donut. Delicious.

After snacking and sipping our tea, we were shown how to make a dish that eaten every morning by many Tibetans. She poured a little yak butter tea into her bowl and began mixing in a grain powder called tsampa plus some sugar. She skillfully molded it with her hands until it reached a doughy texture.

Once finished, she offered us all a piece and it was surprisingly good. It had a peanut buttery taste. She encouraged us to try to make our own. Who can refuse the chance to play with their food? So, we all tried and failed to recreate the same texture and taste that she had just made. After chatting and snacking for over an hour, we thanked the woman and gave her some money for her kindness. It's common to give 8-10 yuan per person.

We thanked her, waved goodbye and headed down the road back to town. After about 45 minutes of walking we realized we still had much further to go and it was getting dark. We flagged down a truck that was on its way to town. We hopped in the back and enjoyed the sunset and our bumpy free ride home.

Kunming resident Colin Flahive (pictured above, right) just finished traveling by motorcycle across northwestern Yunnan and southwestern Sichuan with travel companion Josh Pollock, sending dispatches to GoKunming from the road. In today's final post from their trip, Flahive and Pollock fail to reach their intended destination, making an unexpected discovery in the process.

After the long ride from Lijiang, Lugu Lake was the perfect place to rest up and put back a few beers; but the Litang River beckoned, so it was time to get back on the bikes and set off to tackle Sichuan's high-mountain passes.

We started by ascending a long, winding valley to the north, passing through the Mongolian settlement of Wujiao (屋脚), a remnant of the 13th Century Mongol invasion, until we came to the foot of the first of many challenging passes in our quest to Litang (理塘).

The dirt road wound up the mountainside through fragrant pine forests laced with enormous rhododendron flowers—some exceeding the size of soccer balls. Halfway up we stopped for lunch where some Yi shepherds emerged from the forest to check us out. We shared some walnut bread and aged gouda cheese, which they seemed to enjoy. The mountain perch provided stunning views of the surrounding snow-covered, craggy peaks as the four of us munched away happily.

We descended the pass to join the Litang River and stopped over at the Wuerzhen Tibetan Monestary (午尔真大寺)—ancient seat of the Muli Kingdom. Only ten monks currently reside there, and they were kind enough to take a break from routine to show us around and treat us to some fresh yak butter tea (酥油茶).

From there, we broke from the main road to follow a broken and muddy trail down along the river bank. We'd only gone about 30 kilometers when the looming clouds above unleashed their fury. Luckily, we were within reach of a little family shelter whose owners shared their home and hearth while a few centimeters of hail blanketed the valley. As the road was no longer optimal for riding, the family considerately offered us a space on their dirt roof to pitch our tent for the night.

While they cooked us home-grown veggies and dried pork, they told us that they were preparing to vacate their home in three days as demolition crews made their way up the valley to construct a series of 10 hydroelectric dams. He pointed up the steep slope to his other property high above and told us that if we came back in three years, it would be well under water.

It was disappointing for us to think that one of southwest China's last unmolested rivers would be torn up so soon and swiftly, but over a bowl freshly-ground roasted barley flour called tsampa (藏巴) and yak butter tea, the kind man shook off our pity and said that the government had compensated him adequately. Moreover, he said, Sichuan really needs the electricity. With that, he packed us a large bag of tsampa for the trip, accepted no money and sent us on our way.

Our original plans to follow the Litang River for nearly 250 kilometers to the town of Litang were thwarted as the road we assumed existed simply didn't. So after about 45 kilometers, we cut back west and climbed the most difficult pass of the trip. The road was exhausting, stressful, cold, scary, muddy and technical with obstacles around every bend, but I can honestly say it was the most fun I have ever had on a bike. And the day just got better as we entered the town of Donglang (东朗).

I've traveled to a number of places off the beaten path in China, but none took my breath away like this place did. Donglang is set along a forested valley drained by a striking crystalline river. Scattered along the hillsides are Tibetan homes constructed of carved stone that give the appearance of giant castles more than modest homesteads.

As we cruised through the town of Donglang, stopping from time to time to chat with the locals and to watch a local fisherman net a beautiful river trout, we were forced to push each other onward as the desire to stay longer could have captured us indefinitely.

A fierce storm nipped at our heels as we descended another high pass down to Daocheng (稻城) from where we were back on tarmac and able to ride at full-throttle to Xiangcheng (乡城), Deirong (得荣), and on to Benzilan (奔子栏) back along the Jinsha River.

For the last 80 kilometers of our journey, we cruised from Benzilan through the winding Jinsha River Valley down to Zhongdian (中甸), renamed Shangri-La (香格里拉) by the Yunnan State Council in 2001 (see top photo). For us, however, Shangri-La will always be wherever our bikes take us next.

Images: Josh Pollock

GoKunming thanks Colin Flahive and Josh Pollock for their contributions - if you have a story you'd like to share with GoKunming readers, please contact us via our contact form.

The Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) has given China Eastern Airlines permission to reopen its previously suspended Kunming-Dali and Kunming-Jinghong routes, half a year after stripping the Shanghai-based airline of the routes because of mid-air protests by several of its Yunnan subsidiary's pilots.

In March of this year, China Eastern pilots are reported to have deliberately turned back midway through their provincial flights out of Kunming as a form of protest over dissatisfaction with strict lifetime contracts and low pay.

The airline quickly fired its Yunnan management, but that was not enough to prevent regulators at CAAC from discontinuing its Kunming-Dali and Kunming-Jinghong routes on May 4 and reducing feeder routes from Kunming to Lijiang, Shangri-la, Mangshi, Lincang, Pu'er and Wenshan by 20 flights daily, on April 26.

CAAC said that it had restored the routes plus increased the frequency of other China Eastern routes in Yunnan as a result of the airline's 'impressive contribution to Sichuan earthquake relief and rescue efforts', according to aviation trade publication ATW Daily News.

Analysts say the restoration of the routes may not help offset the estimated loss of 405 million yuan (US$59 million) in revenue from the route suspensions, as Chinese domestic tourism has been slumping since the Wenchuan earthquake in May.

Related articles:

China Eastern loses Xishuangbanna, Dali routes

China Eastern fires Yunnan management over pilot demonstration

China Eastern officials, pilots meet after Kunming protest

Hong Kong property developer Shui On Land's 5 billion yuan (US$730 million) development project in Shangri-la may not move forward after all, with Hong Kong media reporting that Shui On chairman Vincent Lo (罗康瑞) told an investor party that the property giant will quit the project.

Lo reportedly cited difficulties with Shangri-la's 'operational environment' as the reason for pulling out of the project. Shui On representatives contacted by Hong Kong media said that Lo's comments merely indicated that he wished to scrap the project's current plan, not the entire project itself.

Shui On spokespeople have yet to elucidate the company's plan for the project, for which it signed a cooperation agreement with the Diqing government.

Initial plans for the project involved 1,773 square kilometers of land, 966 square kilometers of which would be designated 'protected land' plus a 349 square kilometer 'buffer belt'. A 760,000 square meter resort would be located within the belt.

Lo's comments raise questions regarding Shui On's commitments to the company's three other development projects in Yunnan.

The company has signed agreements for a residential and resort development in Lashihai outside of Lijiang, a similar development on the east side of Erhai Lake in Dali and a residential/office/commercial development at the north end of Dianchi Lake in Kunming.

Total investment by Shui On in Yunnan tourism projects was projected to reach 48 billion yuan this year, which would make it the largest investor in Yunnan's tourism sector.

Hong Kong-listed Shui On holds properties in Shanghai, Hangzhou, Wuhan, Chongqing and Dalian and is best known for its Xintiandi and Corporate Avenue developments in Shanghai's Luwan District.

Related articles:

Shui On leading investment in Yunnan's tourism industry

Property giant Shui On moving into yunnan

Yesterday at the Yunnan Provincial Tourism Industry Development Conference in Chuxiong it was announced that 11 mainland and Hong Kong companies will invest more than 90 billion yuan (US$13.1 billion) in Yunnan's tourism industry.

The group of eleven is led by HK-listed Shui On Land (瑞安房地产), best known for being developers of the Xintiandi and Corporate Avenue project in Shanghai. Total investment by Shui On Land in Yunnan this year is expected to reach 48 billion, more than the other 10 companies combined.

In December 2007, Shui On signed a cooperation agreement with the provincial government – today it is working on four major projects in Kunming, Dali, Lijiang and Diqing.

Smart Hero Group (骏豪集团), another Hong Kong developer, will invest more than 25 billion yuan in the city of Chengjiang, 70 kilometers southeast of Kunming. The project, located at the Sun Mountain International Ecological Tourism and Leisure Holdiday Area, will commence construction in September. Smart Hero has existing tourism and hospitality projects in the cities of Xiamen, Sanya and Chongqing.

Smart Hero's investment in Chengjiang is indicative of a larger trend in Yunnan – in addition to established tourist cities such as Kunming, Lijiang, Dali and Shangri-la, smaller cities and lesser-known areas in Yunnan are beginning to attract larger amounts of investment. Other examples include Pu'er and Yangzonghai.

Related article:

Property giant Shui On moving into Yunnan