Banyan Tree Ringha sits in the Ringha Valley outside Shangri-La in north-west Yunnan, some 10,000 feet up in the mountains. The resort is built from old Tibetan farmhouses that were taken down and reassembled here as 32 lodges and suites, keeping their painted wooden posts, carved timber and earthen fireplaces. Inside, the bathrooms and comforts are modern, and terraces look across the valley. Room types include Tibetan farmhouses, two-bedroom Tibetan lodges and spa suites with their own treatment rooms. Food is part of the outing here: hot pot or barbecue in a Mongolian yurt, dinner by the river, or a picnic lunch on the Na Re meadow, as well as meals in the lodge or in the villa. The Banyan Tree Spa is on site. Days are spent hiking the valley trails, visiting Tibetan homes, making butter lamps and printing prayer flags. The resort is in Hong Po village, Jian Tang town, about half an hour by road from Shangri-La's Diqing airport, itself a 40-minute flight from Kunming.
- Rooms
- 32 lodges and suites
Insider tip Save the Na Re meadow picnic for a clear day and pack warm layers, since the valley sits at around 10,000 feet.
Why I choose it It lets guests sleep in a rebuilt Tibetan farmhouse with proper comfort, which makes it the natural base for the mountain section of a China journey.