Shangri La - Tibet

For centuries, Tibet has been considered a Shangri La by Western explorers and travelers. There is no better a place for travelers than Tibet.

Magnificent topography -- the Himalayas, Mount Qomolangma (Everest), the Gangdise Mountains and the Yarlung Zangbo River, add to the region's allure, which is further enhanced by the region's distinct culture.

In the Tibetan language Shangri-La means the place surrounding the source of happiness. It comes from the Buddhist sutra: to the south of the Himalayas lies a mysterious city, Shambhala, where the Buddhist Time-wheel Kalacakra Tantra is preserved. It is an idyllic place full of colorful palaces inhabited by healthy people, their souls protected by immortal monks.

In 1937, Frank Capra directed the film Lost Horizon , based on Hilton's novel, for Columbia Pictures. Its theme song, Shangri-La, became popular worldwide, and this mystical name has since been used in the same context as that of the Garden of Eden and Utopia.

In the film Thirty Seconds Over Tokyo , which chronicles the Doolittle raid of Tokyo during World War II, on being asked where the planes take off from, President Franklin Delano Roosevelt answers, "Shangri-La." Camp David's original name was Shangri-La, and since Robert Kuok Hock-Nien bought the rights to use it for his Shangri-La hotel chain, the name has been generally associated with resorts and hotels.

Tibet's remote geographical location and its distinct culture have caused misconceptions among Westerners that have read Lost Horizon of Tibetan culture and Tibetan Buddhism. The region has consequently remained swathed in mystery right through to the 21st century.