# Pudacuo National Park (普达措国家公园)

Shangri-La, Yunnan Province · Southwest, China · Guidebook rating: 4/5
Canonical: https://cnatrip.com/en/places/pudacuo-national-park
Language: en

## Key facts

- **Admission:** ¥138 (includes ¥68 park entry and ¥70 shuttle bus fee)
- **Opening hours:** 8：00—16：30
- **Time needed:** 4–6 hours
- **Address:** Pudacuo National Park, Shuangqiao, Hongpo Village, Jiantang Town, Shangri-La City, Diqing Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Yunnan Province
- **Getting there:** Buses to Pudacuo depart from Shangri-La Bus Station. The one-way fare is ¥15, and the journey takes about half an hour. You can also charter a car for about ¥100 one way.
- **Good for:** Gardens & Flowers, Hiking & Outdoors, Photography, Nature

## About Pudacuo National Park

Pudacuo National Park is made up mainly of Bita Lake, Shudu Lake and the Xiagei Folk Ecological Culture Village. The park's stunning scenery and well-preserved primeval environment include mirror-like alpine lakes, lush pastures, wetlands full of flowers, and dense virgin forest. Spring and autumn are the best times to visit: in spring, azaleas carpet the hillsides, and in autumn, the landscape is a riot of colour.
The name Bita Lake means "sea of felt-like oak trees" in Tibetan. True to its name, the oak trees around the lake grow thick like green felt. Many azaleas grow among the oak forests, and each spring, when the flowers fall into the water, fish eat the slightly toxic petals and rise to the surface. This is the famous Bita Lake scene known as "Rhododendron-Drunk Fish."

## Tips from the guidebook

- 1. Beware of scams: Some drivers claim they can take you to the entrance of Bita Lake to buy a separate ticket for ¥30 per person, but inside you will only see a small lakeside beach.
- 2. No need to rent oxygen cylinders: The forest park itself is a natural oxygen bar, so fit travellers generally do not need to rent oxygen.

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Source: China Self-Guided Travel 2025 (《中国自助游》, Tianjin Science & Technology Press, Aug 2024), p. 259. Prices, hours and transport details are as printed in the August 2024 edition and may have changed. Always confirm with the venue before you travel.
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