In a forgotten corner of Sichuan’s Liangshan Prefecture lies Muli, a quiet county wrapped in alpine stillness. Think Yading, but without the crowds or the ticket fees. Here, fir forests tumble wildly down mountain slopes, silver-frosted and brooding. Meadows and flower seas flicker in and out of the clouds like a dream you’re never quite sure you woke from. Herds of yaks drift below the mist, black pearls rolling across the landscape.
When you finally arrive in Muli, the only words that come to mind are: breathtaking and unreal.
🚗 How to Get Muli & Where to Stay
Take a high-speed train or flight to Xichang. From there, hop on a bus or arrange a private car—much easier and more flexible. Stay in one of the cozy local guesthouses in Muli County for a more intimate experience.
🛕 Muli Grand Temple (Free Entry)
Cradled in the folds of a Kongga Mountain offshoot, Muli Grand Monastery sits like a sacred bead held aloft by a circle of peaks. Behind it, grey-white cliffs rise so steeply they look cleaved by divine hands, their tips always crowned with snow. Below, the Maitang River roars through ancient forest like an untamed artery.
Golden roofs touch the snowline; crimson walls lean into rock faces; prayer flags shred the wind into colored ribbons. From the higher terraces, the silver spine of the Gongga Range stretches across the horizon. Below, a sea of fir trees drowns in swirling clouds.
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.
🏯 Kangwu Temple (Free Entry)
Perched between twin valleys, Kangwu Monastery stands serene amidst thick forest and sweeping meadows. Far beyond, the snow-covered peaks of the Yading Sacred Mountains—like Xianuoduoji—cast their silent gaze.
The main hall commands attention with whitewashed walls and a golden roof, fluttering prayer flags adding a vibrant pulse to the landscape. Inside, flickering butter lamps light up murals and golden Buddha statues, steeped in that uniquely Tibetan mystique.
What truly sets Kangwu apart is its avenue of white stupas—stretching hundreds of meters from gate to hall, lined up like spiritual sentinels. Majestic, humble, and deeply moving.
🏞 Shangri-La Lake (Free Entry)
Imagine puzzle pieces of meadow drifting lazily on a glassy lake. That’s Shangri-La Lake. East winds bunch the floating islets into a grassy quilt; west winds scatter them like emerald stars. In the morning mist, dew stitches lace along the edges. At dusk, the lake glows gold, like it’s been brushed with molten foil.
Rafts of wildflowers ride the ripples, anchored by underwater grasses. Walking the plank path between meadows, you’ll spot clouds slipping into the water—turning into floating cotton candy.
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.
🏔 Mana Chajin Viewdesk (Free Entry)
At 4,300 meters above sea level, the Mana Chajin viewdesk brings you nose-to-nose with Yading’s sacred peaks. Just 15 kilometers away, the sheer rock faces feel close enough to touch, and even the clouds seem cinched at the waist.
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.
Evenings may surprise you with a Brocken spectre—your silhouette, magnified and cast on the mist, as if signing a secret pact with the sacred peaks.
🍲 Local Delights in Muli
Feast like a highlander: Tibetan hotpot, buttery yak tea, fragrant smoked pork ribs, braised chicken with mountain spices, sweet milk tea, and thick-cut Tibetan noodles. Flavor here isn’t just taste—it’s tradition, warmth, and the slow joy of a mountain meal savored properly.
