Shangri-La Shopping

Shangri-la shopping will bring you some information about what to buy and where to buy in Shangri-la. With abundant natural resources, Shangri-la has many local specialties. Shangri-la is famous for its yak meat, silver products and Tibetan medicine.

What to Buy in Shangri-la

Tibetan Flavor Food

Tibetan flavor food is also a must when shopping in Shangri-la, milk residue, Yak beef, matsutake and barley wine are good choices.

Yak Meat

Living in the area above 3500 meters all year round, yaks often eat wild herbs such as fritillaria, cordyceps and so on. Therefore, their meat is delicious and tasty. In addition, yak beef can be braised in soy sauce, stewed or dried to eat, with unique taste. Yak body is treasure, meat can be eaten, skin can be sewn into garment, boots and bags, etc., head can be processed into crafts, tail can be made into brooms, and bullwhip is an aphrodisiac medicine.

Milk Residue

Milk residue is extracted from yak milk. After the yak milk extracts the ghee, the remaining milk is cooled to become yogurt water after boiling. Then pouring the yogurt water into the bamboo bucket filter. What remains in the bamboo bucket filter is the milk residue. The milk residue is white with sour taste and strong digestive function. Tibetans who go out often take milk residue to prevent the unaccustomed to the climate of a new place. 

Chinese Medicinal Herbs

Shangri-la is rich in natural resources. Here is rich in wild medicinal materials, such as cordyceps, snow tea musk, and Meili snow mountain is known as "medicine mountain" because of abundant wild medicinal materials. Besides, there are many Tibetan residents in Shangri-la, and Tibetan medicine is also very famous, such as Rannasangpei, 25 flavors pearl pills, etc., all of which are made from a variety of precious medicinal materials, with remarkable curative effect.

Saffron

Saffron is said to have the functions of accelerating blood circulation and beautifying the skin.

Angelica

Angelica is highly valued for its effect on diseases such as irregular menstruation, chronic pelvic inflammatory disease, dysfunctional uterine bleeding and blood deficiency.

Chinese Caterpillar Fungus

The unique climate of the Shangri-la plateau is perfect for the growth of Chinese cordyceps, which is a combination of fungus and dead caterpillar. It is a valuable medicine and is thought to have good effects on improving immunity and treating many other diseases.

Tibetan Handicrafts

Various kinds of Tibetan handicrafts are also Shangri-la specialties, such as celestial beads, silver body protection Buddha box, Tibetan incense, etc. Most of them have ethnic characteristics and very beautiful. Wooden bowl and box, Tibetan silver ornaments and Tibetan knife are popular items in this area. Tibetan ornaments mainly include various necklaces, rings and bracelets.

Where to Buy in Shangri-la

Many shops in Shangri-la are run by local residents. It is suggested that you shop around to make sure you are paying at a reasonable price.

Dukezong Ancient Town

In Dukezong ancient town, there are many interesting featured shops, where you can buy handicrafts and specialties.

• Shangri-la Handicraft Center(香格里拉手工艺品中心)
  Address: No.1, Jinlong Street, Dukezong Ancient Town, Shangri-la City, Diqing Prefecture迪庆州香格里拉市独克宗古城金龙街1号
  Tel: 0887-8227742
• Tian Tang Shi Guang(天堂时光)
  Address: No.40, Beimen Street, Dukezong Ancient Town, Shangri-la City, Diqing Prefecture迪庆州香格里拉市独克宗古城北门街40号
  Tel: 13988779070
• Xiangbala Handicraft(香巴拉手工艺)
  Address: Sifang Street, Dukezong Ancient Town, Shangri-la City, Diqing Prefecture迪庆州香格里拉市独克宗古城四方街
  Tel: 0887-8296776

Supermarkets in Shangri-la

• Ruifeng Supermarket(瑞丰超市)
  Address: No.2, Rongba Road, Shangri-la City, Diqing Prefecture迪庆州香格里拉市绒巴路2号
  Tel: 0887-8224239
• Ruifeng Supermarket(瑞丰超市)
  Address: no.100-118, Changzheng Avenue, Shangri-la City, Diqing Prefecture迪庆州香格里拉市长征大道100-118号
  Tel: 15708871638
• Si Fang Ke Supermarket(四方客超市)
  Address: No.65, Dawa Road, Shangri-la City, Diqing Prefecture迪庆州香格里拉市达娃路65号
• Hongfeng Supermarket(宏丰超市)
  Address: The Intersection of Lebo Duolang and Jinlong Street, Shangri-la City, Diqing Prefecture迪庆州香格里拉市勒波多廊与金龙街交叉口
  Tel: 18608878938
• Jinxing Supermarket(金兴超市)
  Address: Tancheng Cultural Center, Shangri-la City, Diqing Prefecture迪庆州香格里拉市坛城文化中心
  Tel: 0887-8225184
• Wanjiale Supermarket(万家乐超市)
  Address: No.79, Changzheng Avenue, Jiantang Town, Shangri-la City, Diqing Prefecture迪庆州香格里拉市建塘镇长征大道79号
  Tel: 13988791511

Other Shopping Places

• Xiangyang Road Agricultural Trade Market(向阳路农贸综合市场)
  Address: No.75, Dongwang Road, Shangri-la City, Diqing Prefecture迪庆州香格里拉市东旺路75号
• Yun Zang Xue Yu Specialty Shop(云藏雪域土特产商行)
  Address: No.70, Changzheng Avenue, Shangri-la City, Diqing Prefecture迪庆州香格里拉市长征大道70号
  Tel: 0887-8835492
• Shangri-la Zanglong Yak Meat(香格里拉藏龙牦牛肉)
  Address: Near Pedestrian Street, Dukezong Ancient Town, Shangri-la City, Diqing Prefecture迪庆州香格里拉市独克宗古城步行街附近
• Tibetan Shop(藏记商行)
  Address: Chicika Street, Shangri-la City, Diqing Prefecture迪庆州香格里拉市池慈卡街
  Tel: 0887-8826162/13308878229
• Tancheng Shopping Mall(坛城购物广场)
  Address: Changzheng Avenue, Shangri-la City, Diqing Prefecture迪庆州香格里拉市长征大道
• Xintiandi Shopping Mall(新天地购物广场)
  Address: The Intersection of Jiantang Road and Guishan Alley, Shangri-la City, Diqing Prefecture迪庆州香格里拉市建塘路与龟山巷交叉口

Notes: When you buy Tibetan knives, you'd better ask the shopkeeper to give you an invoice. The invoice is marked it as "handicraft", which can solve some troubles. Tibetan knife is absolutely not allowed to be brought on the plane. Whether you will be stopped by the at the train station or bus station depends on the situation. The best way is to send it home at the post office.

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