From opening our first hotel to operating over a hundred across Asia and beyond, the Shangri-La story is a chapter in a much larger story — that of Asia’s dramatic and ongoing transformation over the past fifty years.

In this book, we have chosen to focus on six destinations we believe embody modern Asia’s evolution, places that enchant a traveler’s imagination and are integral to our own story.

We have gathered the voices of people we feel have been vital to making these destinations into what they are today. From luminaries in business to inventive chefs and cultural emissaries, these hosts graciously share their journeys and insights into the countries and cities they call home. As longtime friends of Shangri-La, they will tell you about their personal connections to our hotels and the distinctly Asian approach to hospitality we have spent the past fifty years refining.