In a forgotten corner of Sichuan’s Liangshan Prefecture lies China City Muli, a quiet county wrapped in alpine stillness. Think Yading—but without the ticket queues, tour buses, or selfie sticks. Instead, you get fir forests tumbling wildly down cliffs, wildflower meadows flickering in and out of cloudbanks, and yaks drifting like black pearls across the highland canvas.
When you finally arrive in China City Muli, the only words that come to mind are: breathtaking and unreal.
Why Visit China City Muli?
If you’ve dreamt of visiting Yading but hesitated at the crowds and entrance fees, Muli is your dream’s quiet cousin—remote, authentic, and totally free to explore.
❄️ Dramatic high-altitude scenery like Gongga Range and alpine lakes
🛕 Sacred Tibetan temples nestled in untouched wilderness
🌸 Wildflower meadows and roaming yaks—no filters required
🍲 Local highland cuisine and warm, family-run guesthouses
It’s the kind of place where silence has texture, and the clouds feel close enough to pat.
How to Get to China City Muli & Where to Stay
Getting There:
Take a high-speed train or direct flight to Xichang, the capital of Liangshan. From there, a bus or private car will take you to Muli County. A private driver offers more flexibility for temple and lake-hopping.
Where to Stay:
Opt for one of the cozy guesthouses in the county town. Think wooden balconies, yak butter tea, and valley views that change with every cloud.
Top Attractions in China City Muli
🛕 Muli Grand Temple: Silence and Snowcaps
Cradled in the arms of Kongga Mountain, Muli Grand Temple is a jewel of Tibetan architecture. Golden roofs kiss the snowline, crimson walls cling to grey cliffs, and strings of prayer flags unravel into the wind.
Behind the temple, jagged peaks stab the sky. Below, the Maitang River surges through ancient fir forests.
Inside the temple complex, time slows. Butter lamps flicker over old murals, and occasionally a maroon-robed monk passes by. You may hear nothing but the soft clang of bells and your own heartbeat echoing in the alpine air.
Silence rules here—so complete you can hear your heartbeat. Occasionally, a monk in maroon robes drifts past. Otherwise, it’s just the wind whispering through bronze bells under the eaves.
(Learn more about Tibetan Culture in Sichuan.)
🏯 Kangwu Temple: Spirit and Solitude
Tucked between twin valleys, Kangwu Temple floats above meadows and pine groves. From its gates, you can see the Yading Sacred Peaks, including the striking silhouette of Xianuoduoji.
The temple’s highlight? A breathtaking avenue of white stupas—stretching hundreds of meters, like spiritual milestones leading you inward.
Inside, golden Buddha statues glow in the light of hundreds of butter lamps, and prayer wheels turn softly in rhythm with your breath.
Shangri-La Lake: Floating Meadows and Mirror Water
Yes, it really is called Shangri-La Lake—and it earns the name.
Here, puzzle-piece meadows drift across a glassy green lake. When the wind blows, they gather like a quilt; when it stills, the water becomes a perfect mirror.
Rafts of wildflowers float alongside your thoughts. The air smells like mint and pine needles, with a hint of rose. Lie back on a meadow and watch clouds sail across both sky and water—double the dream, half the noise.
The air here tastes of mint, tinged with pine needles and wild roses. Lie back on a meadow thick as a mattress, and let the mountain sun bleach your stress into dandelion seeds, floating into clouds unknown.
(Plan your visit around peak bloom—see Sichuan Travel Tips – China Highlights.)
🏔 Mana Chajin Viewdesk: Face to Face with Sacred Peaks
At 4,300 meters, the Mana Chajin viewpoint brings you eye-level with Mount Yangmaiyong—a sacred peak in the Yading trio. At dawn, gold floods its summit, then rolls like fire across the ridges.
Cloudfalls spill over saddles like silken drapes. And if you’re lucky, you may spot a Brocken spectre—your own shadow cast in a circle of rainbow mist.
Dawn is an artist here. It dips Mount Yangmaiyong’s summit in gold dust, then turns the whole range a radiant rose-gold. As the sun climbs higher, cloudfalls spill through mountain saddles, veiling and revealing snow-armored ridges in rhythmic breaths.
What to Eat in China City Muli
Food in Muli is warm, rich, and as satisfying as a wool blanket on a cold morning. Local delights include:
Tibetan Hotpot – bubbling broth filled with lamb, yams, and herbs
Yak Butter Tea – salty, creamy, and oddly energizing
Smoked Pork Ribs – slow-cooked and perfumed with pinewood
Braised Chicken with Mountain Spices – hearty and fragrant
Tibetan Noodles – thick-cut and best served with chili oil
Sweet Milk Tea – dessert in a cup
These meals are best enjoyed in village kitchens, where the air smells of yak fat and firewood, and you’re treated like family.