Lonely Planet China

by Lonely Planet

  (巴丹吉林旅行社; Bādānjílín Lǚxíngshè %0483 602 4888; www.badanjilin.net)

  Badanjilin Travel Service, in Ālāshàn Yòuqí, organises camel treks (from ¥120 per hour) and short tours with English-speaking guides (from ¥1000). Jeep trips into the desert cost in excess of ¥2000, and more in the high season. It can also arrange overnight expeditions or a car to Khara Khoto for ¥1600 return.

  ENTRY & EXIT FORMALITIES

  This part of Inner Mongolia is highly militarised (China’s space city is nearby) and travel permits are required for the road between Jiǔquán and Éjìnà Qí, as well as Khara Khoto itself and Ālāshàn Yòuqí and the Badain Jaran Desert. Travel agents need at least three days to organise the necessary permits, but it can take as long as a week.

  8Getting Around

  You can fly around the region's three airports, which is the fastest approach. The smallest airport is Alxa Right Banner Badanjilin Airport at Ālāshàn Yòuqí, which only has flights to the other two Alxa League airports. Snow can scupper flights.

  A daily bus (¥121, six to eight hours) connects Ālāshàn Yòuqí with Bayanhot, a distance of 550km, departing at 7.30am. A daily bus (¥121, six to eight hours) also travels in the opposite direction, leaving Bayanhot at 7.10am. There is also a daily bus (¥106, six hours) from Ālāshàn Yòuqí to Éjìnà Qí, leaving at midday. In the other direction, the bus leaves Éjìnà Qí at 8am, arriving at 2pm.

  Qīnghǎi

  Xining

  Around Xining

  Huzhu Beishan Forest National Park

  Tongren

  Guide

  Yushu

  Princess Wencheng Temple

  Nangchen

  Golmud

  Mduo

  Qīnghǎi

  Pop 5.6 million

  Why Go?

  Big, bold and beautifully barren, Qīnghǎi (青海), larger than any country in the EU, occupies a vast swath of the northeastern chunk of the Tibetan Plateau. As far as Tibetans are concerned, this is Amdo, one of old Tibet’s three traditional provinces. Much of what you’ll experience here will feel more Tibetan than Chinese; there are monasteries galore, yaks by the thousands and nomads camped out across high-altitude grasslands.

  Rough-and-ready Qīnghǎi, which means 'Blue Sea' in Chinese, is classic off-the-beaten-track territory, often with a last frontier feel to it. Travelling here can be a little inconvenient, though China’s rapid development plans have begun to touch the province, with huge highways and new rail lines under construction. Despite that, Qīnghǎi still delivers a heavy dose of solitude among middle-of-nowhere high-plateau vistas, Martian-like red mountains, mouth-watering cuisine and encounters with remote communities of China’s ethnic minorities.

  When to Go

  AJan & Feb Tibetan New Year (Losar), with lots of pilgrims and celebrations at monasteries.

  AJul & Aug Grasslands at their greenest; landscape dotted with nomad tents.

  ASep Safest and most comfortable time for hiking around Mt Amnye Machen.

  Best Monasteries & Temples

  A Kumbum Monastery

  A Yòuníng Monastery

  A Lóngwù Sì

  A Princess Wencheng Temple

  A Dana Gompa

  Best Natural Sights

  A Nangchen County

  A Qīnghǎi Lake & Chákǎ Salt Lake

  A Kanbula National Park

  A Mt Amnye Machen

  A Zhālíng & Èlíng Lakes

  Qīnghǎi Highlights

  1 Qīnghǎi Lake Cycling along on the shores of the largest lake in China.

  2 Kanbula National Park Hiking and scrambling across Martian-like red mountains.

  3 Qīnghǎi–Tibet Railway Taking the iconic train ride to Lhasa from Xīníng or Golmud.

  4 Mt Amnye Machen Joining pilgrims on a trek on eastern Tibet’s most sacred mountain.

  5 Tóngrén Buying a Tibetan thangka straight from the artist’s easel.

  6 Princess Wencheng Temple Walking through a web of prayer flags around the hills beside Yùshù.

  7 Guìdé Turning the world’s largest prayer wheel near the walled Old Town.

  8 Source of the Yellow River Venturing across the Qīnghǎi–Tibet plateau to the source of China's most important river.

  History

  The northern Silk Road passed through what is now Qīnghǎi province, and in 121 BC the Han dynasty established a military base near modern Xīníng to counter Tibetan raids on trading caravans.

  During the Yarlung dynasty, a time of great expansion of Tibetan power and influence, Qīnghǎi was brought directly under Lhasa’s control. After the collapse of the dynasty in AD 842, local rulers filled the ensuing power vacuum, some nominally acting as vassals of Song dynasty emperors.

  In the 13th century, all of Qīnghǎi was incorporated into the Yuan empire under Genghis Khan. During this time, the Tǔ began to move into the area around Hùzhù, followed a century or so later by the Salar Muslims into Xúnhuà.

  After the fall of the Yuan dynasty, local Mongol rulers and the Dalai Lamas in Lhasa wrestled for power. The Qing emperors restored the region to full Chinese control, setting it up as a prefecture with more or less the same boundaries as today. As in the past, however, they left administrative control in the hands of local elites.

  Qīnghǎi became a province of China in 1928 during the republican era, though at the time it was under the de facto control of the Muslim Ma clan. When the People's Republic of China was established in 1949, Qīnghǎi retained its provincial borders and capital city, Xīníng.

  In the late 1950s an area near Qīnghǎi Lake (青海湖; Qīnghǎi Hú) became the centre of China’s nuclear weapons research program. During the next 40 years, at least 30 tests were held at a secret base, the Qīnghǎi Mine.

  In April 2010, Yùshù, a Tibetan town in remote southwest Qīnghǎi, was devastated by a 7.1-magnitude earthquake. Thousands died – some say tens of thousands – but the rebuilding effort was swift and Yùshù's main centre reopened as a tourist destination in early 2014.

  Today, the province is experiencing rapid growth (not unlike the rest of China). It's not uncommon to see large apartment blocks under construction in the capital Xīníng and even in provincial towns. Highways are being constructed to connect places like Mt Amnye Machen to the rest of the province.

  8Entry & Exit Formalities

  As with everything in China, things change rapidly in Qīnghǎi and areas that may be open to travellers one week could be closed or require permits the next. It’s always best to check once you arrive before heading to a new destination. The Xīníng Public Security Bureau has updated lists.

  8Getting There & Around

  Off-the-beaten-track overland routes include south into Sìchuān, at Aba or Shíqú, and north into Gānsù or Xīnjiāng from Golmud (check before going as foreigners travelling this way may need a special permit). Routes southwest into Tibet are even more remote and are usually closed to foreigners altogether, and some areas north of Qīnghǎi Lake have been closed to foreigners for years.

  Most people arrive by train, usually into Xīníng, but after that train lines are limited, so long-distance buses are the best way to get around. In more remote areas you’ll often have no option but to hire a private car and driver.

  Xīníng 西宁

  %0971 / Pop 2.2 million

  Situated on the eastern edge of the Tibetan Plateau, this lively provincial capital makes a good base from which to dive into the surrounding sights and on to the more remote regions of Qīnghǎi and beyond. Though many travellers use Xīníng (西宁) as a jumping-off or landing point from the Qīnghǎi–Tibet Railway, it’s also a wonderful place to explore the province’s varied cultures – Muslim (Huí, Salar and Uighur), Tibetan and Han Chinese – especially the dynamite culinary mix that these groups bring together.

  Xīníng

  1Sights

  1Dōngguān Grand MosqueE3

  2Nánchán SìA4

  3Xīníng City WallC4
<
br />   4Sleeping

  4Lete Youth HostelC4

  5Sanwant Hotel XiningA3

  5Eating

  6Elite's Bar & GrillC1

  7Mǎzhōng Snack CentreC2

  8Shuíjǐng Xiàng (Food Street)B2

  6Drinking & Nightlife

  91/2 SugarB1

  10GreenhouseC3

  7Shopping

  11Xīníng Tibetan MarketG3

  1Sights

  oTibetan Culture & Medicine MuseumMUSEUM

  (藏文化博物馆; Zàng Wénhuà Bówùguǎn %0971 531 7881; www.tibetanculturemuseum.org; 36 Jing'er Rd; 经二路36号 ¥60; h9am-6pm May-Sep, to 5pm Oct-Apr; g1)

  Exhibitions at this museum focus on traditional Tibetan medicine, astronomy and science, as well as traditional Tibetan life, homes and costumes. The highlight is a 618m-long thangka (Tibetan sacred art) scroll – the world’s longest – which charts most of Tibetan history. Completed in 1997, it’s not an ancient relic, but it is unbelievably long. It took 400 artists four years to complete and is displayed in a maze-like exhibition hall.

  The museum is located on the far northwest side of Xīníng. Bus 1 (¥1, 35 minutes) goes here from Dong Dajie (stop at 新乐花园). A taxi costs about ¥20 from the city.

  Dōngguān Grand MosqueMOSQUE

  (清真大寺; Qīngzhēn Dàsì MAP GOOGLE MAP ; 25 Dongguan Dajie; 东关大街25号 h7am-8pm)F

  About one-third of Xīníng’s population is Muslim and there are more than 80 mosques across the city. It's not the prettiest, but in fact, it’s one of the largest mosques in China. Friday lunchtime prayers regularly attract 50,000 worshippers, who spill out onto the streets before and afterwards. And during Ramadan as many as 300,000 come here to pray, with police closing off the streets to traffic.

  Nánchán SìBUDDHIST SITE

  (南禅寺 MAP GOOGLE MAP ; 93 Nanshan Lu; 南山路93号 )

  Stood atop Phoenix Mountain, this Buddhist temple is the southern counterpart to Běichán Sì (北禅寺 h8am-4pm), overlooking Xīníng from the south. The temple was built during the Northern Song dynasty (960–1127) and is the oldest Chan (Chinese Zen) Buddhist temple in Qīnghǎi province. It's a quiet spot that leads to good views of the city.

  Xīníng City WallRUINS

  (西宁城墙; Xīníng Chéngqiáng MAP GOOGLE MAP ; Kunlun Zhonglu; 昆仑中路 )F

  One or two isolated sections of Xīníng’s old city wall still remain, the most accessible being this short stretch within a park on Kunlun Zhonglu. The wall was originally built in 1385, but different portions were erected, repaired or left to crumble over subsequent centuries. The wall’s remains, an overgrown dirt embankment beside a busy road, aren’t all that impressive; however, the tiered pathways that wind through the park make for a pleasant stroll in good weather.

  WORTH A TRIP

  YòUNíNG MONASTERY

  Yòuníng MonasteryMONASTERY

  (佑宁寺; Yòuníng Sì h8am-6pm)F

  Well known throughout the Tibetan world, this 17th-century hillside monastery in the Hùzhù Tǔzú (互助土族) Autonomous County is considered one of the greats of the Gelugpa order. The monastery lies at the edge of a forested valley, and many chapels perch wondrously on the sides of a cliff face. Give yourself a couple of hours to explore the entire picturesque area.

  Famous for its academies of medicine and astrology, its scholars and its living Buddhas (tulku), Yòuníng Monastery (Rgolung in Tibetan) was instrumental in solidifying Gelugpa dominance over the Amdo region. The monastery was founded by the Mongolian 4th Dalai Lama, and over time became a religious centre for the local Tǔ (themselves a distant Mongolian people). At its height, over 7000 monks resided here; these days there are probably fewer than 200, all of whom are Tǔ. Expansion works continue in the main complex. Three kilometres up the road from the main complex is a small kora that takes you up a smaller temple and up the surrounding hills.

  A daily bus (¥12, 90 minutes, 10.30am) departs from Bayi Road Bus Station. Otherwise, take a bus to Píng’ān (¥8, 40 minutes) from Xīníng’s Public Bus Terminal. From there, you'll need to hire a taxi (one way/return ¥70/100, 30 minutes), Alternately, if you have a group, you could hire a private car or taxi (return ¥400) from Xīníng. The monastery is about 25km north of Píng'ān.

  4Sleeping

  Xīníng has a wealth of sleeping options and its first foreign five-star hotel, the Sofitel, opened here west of town in 2015.

  City Nomad Youth HostelHOSTEL$

  ( GOOGLE MAP ; 2605844103@qq.com; 11th fl, Unit 3, Bldg 6, Nanshan Lu, Jianxin Longyuan Pinnacle Lane Commune; 南山路建新巷陇原叠翠小区6号楼3单元11楼 dm ¥45-50, d without bathroom ¥120; W; g31)

  Xīníng's newest hostel is run by friendly, English-speaking Tashi. Located in a tatty high-rise slightly south of town, City Nomad is nonetheless a good spot to base yourself. Tibetan decor spruces up the place and rooms are cosy and clean, and there's a good stream of international travellers. Note that there's only one shower. Bookings by email only.

  The best way to get here is via taxi (¥15) or take bus 31 from the railway station and get off at the Tibetan Medicine Hospital (藏医院) stop, walk back 25m to Jïanxìn Xīang (建新巷) and up the road 150m till you see a gated complex on the right. Look for the first blue building on the left and find doorway 3. You can get also bus tickets from a China Post office just to the left of the compound as you exit. As a former guide, Tashi also helps with Tibetan visas and local travel plans.

  Qīnghǎi Sāngzhū Youth HostelHOSTEL$

  (青海桑珠国际青年旅舍; Qīnghǎi Sāngzhū Guójì Qīngnián Lǚshè %189 9704 0278; szhostel@163.com; 94 Huzhu Zhonglu; 互助中路94号 dm/d ¥55/130; iW; g32, 33)

  A spacious hostel with a big lounge decorated with Tibetan artwork. The rooms have comfortable beds and bathrooms are decent too. It's more popular with Chinese backpackers, though some English is spoken. There’s traveller information posted on the walls. It’s a 2.5km east of the train station, however, so you’ll need to take a bus (32 or 33) or taxi to get anywhere.

  Sanwant Hotel XiningHOTEL$$$

  (西寧神旺大酒店; Xīníng Shénwàng Dà Jiǔdiàn MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0971 820 1111; http://sanwant-xining.hotel.com.tw; 79 Changjiang Lu; 長江路79号 s/d ¥680/780; paiW)

  If you're looking to splash out a little, this international hotel does the trick, with clean rooms, English-speaking staff and a tour desk that can arrange excursions in the area. Rooms are of an international standard, with private bathrooms (and tubs), though like many international hotels in this part of China, the decor is a bit dated. Breakfast included.

  FULL HOUSE

  Scoring a hotel room in Xīníng and popular tourist spots during the summer months can be surprisingly difficult, especially for foreigners as not all places will accept them. Book your room or dorm bed as early as possible, preferably one week in advance, especially in July and August.

  PRICE RANGES

  EATING

  The following price ranges refer to a meal for one.

  $ less than ¥30

  $$ ¥30–¥50

  $$$ more than ¥50

  SLEEPING

  The following price ranges refer to a private double room.

  $ less than ¥180

  $$ ¥180–¥320

  $$$ more than ¥320

  5Eating

  Xīníng has a great range of food, especially Tibetan and Hui Muslim cuisines. For Muslim food head to Dongguan Dajie, near the Grand Mosque, or the northern stretch of Nanxiaojie. Most malls have a food court on the upper floors with easy point-and-choose options.

  Elite's Bar & GrillINTERNATIONAL$

  ( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %138 9747 2199; Qiyi Lu; 七一路 dishes ¥30-80, drinks from ¥20; hnoon-midnight)

  If you have a hankering for Western food, Elite's extensive menu should do the job. Massive burgers, pulled pork, steaks, salads... Elite's serves it all up. There's a good wine and beer list at decent prices, too. Located 150m east of the Xīníng Bīnguǎn (西宁宾�
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  Ah Ma LaTIBETAN$$

  (阿妈啦 GOOGLE MAP ; 120 Nanshan Donglu; 南山东路120号 dishes ¥15-150; h10am-10.30pm)

  Delish Tibetan food, tacky decor, English-speaking Tibetan boss, picture menu. That pretty much sums up the Ah Ma La experience. Slide into a booth seat and order up authentic Tibetan dishes such as yak tongue and mómo (馍馍; dumplings) and wash it down with Lhasa beer. The restaurant is along Nanshan Donglu, opposite the Tibetan Hospital.

  QīNGHǎI EATS

  Qīnghǎi’s cuisine is rather unique. Influenced by its mix of ethnic populations – Muslim (Huí, Salar and Uighur), Tibetan and Han Chinese – the food you’ll eat here is hearty fare with an emphasis on breads, dumplings and lots of lamb. The following are Qīnghǎi staples. To sample, head to the Mǎzhōng Snack Centre (马忠美食城; Mǎzhōng Měishíchéng MAP GOOGLE MAP ; 11-16 Mojia Jie; 莫家街11-16号 noodles ¥10-18, dishes from ¥25) or Shuíjǐng Xiàng (水井巷 MAP GOOGLE MAP ; Shuijing Xiang) in Xīníng, where all the options are laid out for the taking.

  Miànpiàn (面片) Literally translated as ‘noodle slices,’ this dish consists of small, flat squares of noodles cooked in a light broth with greens, fresh tomato and sometimes egg and bits of meat. This is a favourite local snack and you’ll see small restaurants all over the province with blinking signs boasting the Chinese characters for miànpiàn.