Traveling in China

1. Traveling in China Where to Go and What to See Presented by Danielle Rinke and Stephen Kushner, C12’s

2. Topics for Discussion • Traveling Cheap • Safety & Tips • Trip Suggestions Galore

3. Traveling Cheap • A budget is defined by YOU, the individual (i.e. what luxuries can you live without) • Private hotel room/bathroom • Food • Alcohol • Souvenirs • Transportation • Travel Itinerary

4. Chinese Hotels • Don’t be afraid to stay at local hotels - sometimes they’re cheaper than Hostels • Do you need a private bathroom? • Bring a small wash cloth, ask for a water basin, and kaishui • Are you okay with a squat toilet? • Do you need a private room? • Often times at Chinese hotels you will end up by yourself in a dormitory style room • Always ask to see the room before paying • Sometimes a triple is cheaper than a double • Bargain for rooms. The prices listed are always more expensive • NOTE: If a PCV lives in the area, give them an email or call, even if you don’t know them well. Most likely, they’ll be happy to host you and help save you a little money

5. Hostel Hotel Websites • Tip: Search for the hotel on the internet to find a phone number. Do your reservation by phone and save yourself online and cancellation fees • www.hihostels.com • www.hostelworld.com • www.hostels.com • www.hostelz.com

6. Food • How important is that western meal to you? A cup of Starbucks? • Prioritize what western food you really crave and must have. Deny yourself! You’re in China for only two years, then you can gorge back home in America • Limit how many Chinese dish restaurants you go to - they add up • Eat simple to-go meals - dumplings, noodles, local street vendors, etc • A local grocery can be your best friend for small snacks and fruit • Pack your own food and avoid tourist restaurant venues when seeing sites

7. Alcohol • How much is enough? • Limit your intake • Can you settle with a Chinese beer or do you want a western cocktail? • Get a better drink first, then go cheaper as you drink - you won’t taste the difference • Drink with the locals. It’s fun and they usually insist on paying (don’t feel guilty)!

8. Souvenirs • You may despise doing this, but bargain! • Locals like it when you bargain • Don’t buy the first thing you see or from the first vendor • Think…do I really want or need this? • Be cutthroat about prices - “low-ball them”. You won’t offend the seller and it will quickly give you an idea of a final price • Have patience! If you lose this, you’ll pay a lot more • If you’re staying for a couple days, walk away and come back another time

9. Transportation • Be flexible! • Traveling gets to be expensive. Think about all your options. Consider time and methods • Around town, do you really need a taxi? Or could you take the bus or walk? • Look at how much travel time you have. This will determine what kind of transportation you may take • If no immediate hard sleeper tickets are available, will you consider other alternatives? • Some places can only be reached by bus, especially remote areas • Can you handle bumpy roads or a sleeper bus? • Some places can’t be reached by train or plane

10. Transportation Websites • Train: • www.travelchinaguide.com/china-trains/index.htm • www.chinahighlights.com/china-trains/index.htm • Plane: • www.elong.net • www.airasia.com • ticket.9588.com

11. Using: www.elong.net • If you have a debit card or credit card, you can order an e-ticket online without having to go to a travel agency • This is great for those who don’t live in major metropolitan areas and can’t get access to paper tickets • Very small international transaction fee • Print out the reservation number just in case • Show your passport at the airport check-in • Elong.net is what Chinese tourist agencies use and set prices by • Search on a daily basis. Sometimes you can get the cheapest price prior to 15 days before flying. However, 15 days is typically the magic number for the cheapest price, along with what day you choose to leave during the week • You may not get a confirmation email or phone call, so check your credit/debit card account online to see if the transaction went through. The in-country phone number provided on the website also works well and the telephone receptionists speak good English

12. Travel Itinerary • Use common sense, plan your trip accordingly • Plan a route that flows, not one that discombobulated • Don’t backtrack if you can avoid it • Travel by region • Stick to your schedule when possible • Evaluate how many days you are willing to use traveling versus time saved by spending a little more money • Sometimes flying is more, but you save days and hassle, while only paying a little bit more • Be flexible! Sometimes you find you may want to stay at a place longer, can’t see a location, or want to add a new side stop to your itinerary. Don’t worry, just let the office know if you make a major change • TIP: If obscure, less traveled locations are your thing, check out the Lonely Planet website Thorn-tree posts or this site as a starting point for ideas: • http://www.holachina.com

13. Safety • Keep all PC numbers on-hand, all the time, along with PCV friend numbers • Keep your passport handy • Let others know, besides the PC Office, where and when you’ll be gone (i.e. family, friends, & school) • Travel with a buddy • Money • Don’t put all your money in one place • Don’t use a wallet. Thieves can see it in your pocket • Keep big bills in one pocket, smaller ones in another (when people see bigger bills, they’ll try to make you pay more) • Go to a bank teller window and ask for smaller denominations before traveling • Keep your money in your front pockets

14. Safety • You hear this all the time, but watch how much you drink. Know your drinking limit, don’t push it • Trust your gut instinct, it’s usually right • If it doesn’t look safe, it probably isn’t • If you feel uncomfortable, leave! • Don’t stay out too late in unfamiliar places • Traveling with less means you are less likely to be robbed • Take less valuables (i.e. laptop, jewelry, etc) • In crowded places, keep an eye on your bag. Have a firm grip on it or wear it in front of you • Keep your valuables in hard to reach places • Leave your luggage or expensive items at the front desk when leaving your hotel room • Don’t be too paranoid. China is safer than many other countries, and a lot of locals ARE trustworthy

15. Additional Tips • Have a photocopy of your passport & visa with you • Bring any photo ID to use for student discounts • Travel light! There’s a reason why HCNs only have one small bag - adapt! • Re-wear clothing and layer! You don’t need a million outfits • Hand wash your clothes. This service is expensive at hotels • Make a small travel medicine kit of the essentials you know you’ll use • Pack ahead of time OR make a list of things you need. Otherwise, you’ll forget something or pack something you don’t need • Bring a book to read, there’s a lot of down time • Don’t over plan your trips, it’s nice to have some R&R time

16. Additional Tips • Plan your day appropriately for YOU • If you like to sleep in, make sure you get to where you want or need on time, otherwise you waste days • Keep in mind temples/museums open early and close early. Try to start your day early, and chill in the evening (i.e. many places close by 5PM) • Many buses only run once a day, usually mornings • Keep TP/tissue & hand sanitizer handy at all times • When traveling in cold weather, keep batteries near your body. Your body heat helps them last a lot longer • Try to have your travel arrangements to the next location prepared at least one day in advance • Many hostels can book for you in larger cities • When traveling during major holidays, being able to purchase a return ticket one day prior to the holiday beginning saves a lot of stress

17. Additional Tips • Turn off all outlets in your home before leaving (i.e. water heaters, computer, etc) • If you have plants, water before leaving and find a responsible person to care for them while gone • Clean your home before leaving to travel. It’s nice coming home to a clean house • Have someone check on your place while you’re gone. Thieves love the holidays since they know people travel - especially during Spring Festival • Having a cell phone, if only for traveling, can be a lifesaver • Bring a small flashlight & ear plugs • Have enough money on-hand when traveling to more remote areas. There won’t always be a bank • Don’t always rely on LPG. Do some research on the internet, there are a lot of cool places not mentioned in guide books

18. Northern Xinjiang Southern Xinjiang Xizang (Tibet) Qinghai Gansu Xi’an Ningxia Northern Sichuan Western Sichuan Chengdu and vicinity Chongqing Fenghuang, Hunan Guizhou Kunming Northern Yunnan Southern Yunnan Hainan Guilin (Yangshuo) Southern Treaty Ports Shanghai Hangzhou Suzhou Shandong Beijing Trip Suggestions Galore

19. Northern Xinjiang • Time: Allow 9-10 days total • Places: Urumqi, Tian Chi, Turpan, Kashgar, Karakul Lake • Getting There: Trains leave from Chengdu, Xi’an, Chongqing, or anywhere along the railroad in Gansu province to Urumqi NOTE: The sun is more intense, sunscreen is highly recommended in this area. Outside of summer, evenings can also become very cool being a desert climate

20. Urumqi • Why: To get anywhere in Xinjiang, you must pass through this provincial capital • Hotel: Ya’ou Binguan - next to train station. Dorms are bare essential and grim, but you’ll most likely get the whole three-bed room to yourself (Y40). No shower available for a dorm - must upgrade to a twin room. Front desk safely holds luggage while out. Kongque Dasha has also been highly recommended, but is more expensive • Time: 1 day or layovers for next stop • Things To Do: • Xinjiang Autonomous Regional Museum (Y30) - a must if you like Silk Road history and want to see mummies • People’s Park (free) - relaxing, fun to watch/join local Uighurs dancing, see local artists paint, and watch old men fish • Wuyi Night Market - mutton kebobs, shao kao bread, and keg beer are tops • Pick up a bottle (or two) of Lou Lan wine - best wine for the buck in China (Y37-40) and is only available in Xinjiang

21. Tian Chi (Heaven Lake) • Why: Beautiful lake nestled in pine covered mountains, to sleep in a yurt! • If you do not mind being rushed on a day trip and can get away from the hordes of Chinese tourists, the lake is a scenic walk along the waterfront in either direction • Make the climb up (unless you want to save time by taking a lift) and save yourself money • Bring warm clothes - the elevation makes it cold • To/From: North gate of People’s Park in Urumqi. Tour buses leave between 9-9:30AM (Y50/person roundtrip). Bus leaves park 4-4:30PM. If you want to stay the night, you may have to pay for another ticket on a return bus the next day • Hotel: A yurt! Don’t worry, Rashit will find YOU and his English is excellent (Y40 including meals) • Rashit’s yurts are tucked away around a bend about a quarter away around the right-hand side of the lake • Entrance Fee: Y90/person • Time: 1-1.5 days

22. Turpan • Why: Second hottest and second lowest land depression in the world, imagine bustling cities while meandering through ruins, Uighur minority • To/From: Urumqi nanjiao bus station. No train station near Turpan and it’s easier to go back to Urumqi to catch a train • Hotel: Jiaotong Binguan - next to bus station. You won’t find cheaper rooms in town (Y25). Dorms are very clean and there are hot showers down the hall • Hire a private car through an agency (there are a few in the bus station lobby). CITS tours take you on a whirlwind showcase of 8 stops with little time at each one. Private car should be Y100-150/person all day • Tuyok - a must see! Old Uighur community, dried grapes, and Buddhist grottoes • Gaochang Ruins - best parts are in the back and far corner of ruins away from tourists • Flaming Mountains - have the driver slow down, it’s not worth paying for a ticket for only a few pictures

23. Turpan • Jiaohe Ruins • Roundtrip taxi for under Y50. Couldn’t find place to rent bicycles • Well preserved ruins • Once entering the gate into the actual ruins, take a harp sharp off the main path. You can get a much better view of the ruins away from tourists. Eventually a worker may see you and wave you down • Emin Minaret • One of the most amazing mosques in all of China • It’s a short nice walk on the edge of town. Locals don’t speak Chinese, so show a picture of it from your LPG - they’ll point you in the right direction • Try to go in the morning for best picture light • Entrance Fees: All places are Y30-40 • Time: 2 days • Other Things To Do: Food (pilo (pilaf), nan, etc), relax and watch a water show at the city square at night

24. Kashgar (Kashi) • Why: Great vibe in a laid back Uighur environment, completely different from the rest of China, the Sunday Market, its Old Town section • To/From: 30+ hour train ride from Urumqi - hard sleeper tickets are limited. Overnight bus is a shorter journey, more buses are available daily, and ride on a paved highway (International Bus Station in Kashgar; nanjiao in Urumqi) • Hotel: Seman Binguan - cheapest place (Y20) for foreigners and is a nice walk across town. Dorms are very basic. Tiannan Fandian is across from the local bus station, but will set you back Y100 for a double • Time: 1.5-2 days • Things To Do: • Id Kah Mosque - one of the best mosques in China • Old Town - enter the larger section from the Night Market and you’ll get to see the area for free • Sunday Market - great to wander about on any day, but swells up to 50K on Sunday • Livestock Market - best day to go is Sunday • Window/Stall shop for instruments, carpets, fabrics, etc • NOTE: Local time is two hours behind Beijing time

25. Karakul Lake (Kara Hu) • Why: Breathtaking scenery along the Karakoram Hwy, solitude next to a stark lake and snow capped peaks • To/From: Long distance bus station (Y37) in Kashgar. One bus leaves 10:30AM, local time. Catch a morning bus going to Kashgar alongside the road (Y40). Private taxi can be hired for a day trip (Y200) • Hotel: Yurt (40Y including meals) • Time: 1.5 days • Entrance Fee: None - locals may try to make you pay for a “ticket”, but most yurt owners will tell you it’s free • Bring warm clothing - it gets cold and windy! • Bring extra water if you don’t want to drink kaishui • Peaceful hikes/walks can be found everywhere

26. Southern Xinjiang • Time: Allow 7 days total • Places: Yengisar, Yarkand, Karghilik, Hotan • Getting There: Trains leave from Chengdu, Xi’an, Chongqing, or anywhere along the railroad in Gansu province to Urumqi. From Kashgar, bus to Yengisar. From Urumqi, bus to Hotan NOTE: The sun is more intense, sunscreen is highly recommended in this area. Outside of summer, evenings can also become very cool being a desert climate. There is a good chance that time will be local, not Beijing time - ask before purchasing tickets

27. Yengisar (Yingjisha) • Why: Knife shops and see where Uighur knives are made, split up the short ride to Yarkand • Getting There: 1.5hr bus ride from Kashgar • Hotel: Ask or look around to possibly find one, but most likely you’ll only spend several hours before getting on another bus to Yarkand • Time: .5-1 day • Things To Do: • Shop around for knives - prices are similar to that of Kashgar, but you can soak in the local flavor • Knife factory - watch knives being handmade in primitive fashion • Chinese - xiaodaochang • Uighur - pichak chilik karakhana

28. Yarkand (Shache) • Why: To relax and enjoy the character of this small town, local Sunday market • Getting There: Bus from either Kashgar or Yengisar • Hotel: Sache Binguan (Y240) - expensive as heck but it’s only the place that foreigners are currently allowed to stay in. The hotel is about 1.5km from the bus station • Time: 2 days • Things To Do: • Walk around - old town can be difficult to find, but is worth seeking out. LPG doesn’t cover much on this place, which means there is more to explore on your own • Altyn Mosque complex (Y10) - use this site as a means to find old town, and check out a local mosque • Tombs - great area to reconnoiter as there are also walks outside of town • Sunday market - smaller than Kashgar’s and Hotan’s market, but still fun to shop around

29. Karghilik (Yecheng) • Why: To break up the journey to/from Hotan, explore local markets and old town • Getting There: Bus from either Yarkand or Hotan • Hotel: Jiaotong Binguan (Y40) - next to bus station and local police tend to ‘encourage’ foreigners to stay here • Time: 1 day • Things To Do: • Explore - of course, that is what this journey is about. So check out the old town and Friday Mosque (Jama Masjid), a 15th-century mosque surrounded by a bazaar • Charbagh – nearby town (short taxi ride) Karghilik has a decent market

30. Hotan • Why: A Sunday market that rivals Kashgar’s, carpet and silk factories, ruins, to cross the famed Taklamakan Desert • Getting There: Bus from Karghilik, or sleeper bus to/from Urumqi (20-25hrs, Y330-220 respectively). Try to time the departures so you can see the desert (i.e. the slower bus may be better for this). Stock up on snacks and water for this long trip • Hotel: Happy Hotel (Y30) - best place due to location and owners are really nice • Time: 3 days (including desert bus journey) • Things To Do: • Sunday Market - obviously the best day to go is Sunday, but any day is still worthwhile. Less toured by Chinese and foreigners • Silk and Carpet Factories - interesting to watch locals produce their trade. Some places can be reached via taxi or bus in/outside town. Check your LPG • Yotkan Ruins (Y15, Y30/roundtrip taxi) & Melikawat Ruins (Y10, Y75/roundtip taxi) - both offer remnants of ancient cities • You may have to pay a small fee to take pictures at the ruins

31. Xizang (Tibet) • Time: Allow 10-11 days total • Places: Lhasa and area, Nam-tso, Reting Monastery, Drigung Til Monastery, Tidrum Nunnery • Getting There: Via train from Chengdu, Xi’an, Chongqing, or anywhere in Gansu province, to Lhasa NOTE: Bring sunscreen, higher elevation makes the sun more intense! Pack according to the season, it can be cool in the evenings

32. Lhasa • Why: Holiest place in all of Tibetan Buddhism, see thousands of Tibetans make a holy pilgrimage, to participate in a kora, active monasteries • Hotel: There are many places to choose from, but the most liked by PCVs have been Yak Hotel, Banak Shol, and Snowlands (Y20-25). The IYH can book train tickets. Book your stay ahead of time since places fill quickly • Time: 5-6 days • Being at a higher elevation, take it easy the first few days and drink lots of water to become acclimated • Things To Do: • Explore - there are many smaller monasteries/temples throughout the Tibetan quarter outside the main Barkhor circuit. These are the real gems of Lhasa that are often overlooked by tourists and offer a warm welcome being smaller monasteries/temples • Lingkor Kora - circuit that follows Old Lhasa. Great way to get used to the elevation. There are wonderful old rock carvings off the path, so keep your eyes open – they are at the base of the hill and covered in prayer flags

33. Lhasa • Barkhor - recommended first circuit to hit for all the imagery, sounds, and bargaining markets. It’s the heart of Lhasa • Jokhang (Y70) - heavily toured, but it’s the most revered religious building in all of Tibet • Potala Kora - the inside of the palace feels empty and exploited, so taking in the views is best recommended on a circuit around it • Food - chang (barley beer) and cha ngam (sweet tea - much different from yak butter tea) are locals drinks to check out. Keep an eye out for shops overlooking the Barkhor, opposite the Jokhang - great people watching opportunities • Folk Music Bar - just outside Banak Shol, is a nice place to listen to Tibetan musicians during the evenings. Pick up an instrument and accompany the artist • Sera Monastery (Y35 with ‘student’ ID): Another large monastery with a wonderful kora, and spectacular views of Lhasa, Potala, and Sera itself at a statue of Tsongkhapa, a climb behind the monastery

34. Lhasa • Getting There: Take minibuses No 502 or 503 • Pabonka Monastery & Chupsang Nunnery - both are less than an hour walk from Sera and are both well worth the visit to see places less visited. Arrive around noon at Chupsang and listen to chanting at the main hall • Getting There: Take minibuses No 502 or 503 to Sera. Just before the military hospital, near a bend, get off the bus • Drepung Monastery (Y45 with ‘student’ ID): See at one time what was the world’s largest monastery • Getting There: Get on a minibus from BarkhorSquare for Y2 • If looking for a different experience, hop a wall to the left of the entrance at the parking lot. About another 200m forward, jump another wall and go to a rocky ravine. Climb the crease (it’s not an easy climb), and eventually you will make it to a sun-drenched grassy clearing that has a small waterfall at the end of it. Go for a dip, dry in the Tibetan sun, and have a snack

35. Lhasa • Ganden Monastery (Y25-40): A must see for Lhasa with a scenic kora. Ganden is the first Gelugpa monastery and is the seat of this Buddhist order • Getting There - Pilgrim buses leave Barkhor Square from 6:30-7AM, and return at 2PM (Y20/return). Get there early if you want a seat or buy your ticket the day before at a ticket kiosk on the south side of the Jokhang • Samye Monastery (Y40) - see where the Buddhist faith first settled down and grew roots • To understand the design of Samye, one needs to climb the hill behind it to see the 3-D mandala • Getting There: Y40 bus from Barkhor Square at 8AM. Drops you at the ferry (Y3-10 depending on ‘foreigner’ price), and then jump on a truck or tractor (Y3) for a 9km trip • NOTE: Permits are impossible to get unless going through an agency. You may or may not get caught. Just play stupid and be nice, and you can bargain it down a lot • There are monastery guesthouses available at both Ganden and Samye (Y20-40) if you choose to stay for an evening

36. Five-day Land Cruiser Trek • Why: • Nam-tso - beautiful turquoise lake with 7000m snowcapped mountains as a backdrop • Reting Monastery - where the Dalai Lama would retire upon his return to Tibet • Drigung Til Monastery (Y25) - better preserved monastery following the Cultural Revolution and head of the Kagyupa order • Tidrum Nunnery (Y5) - wonderful hot-springs to bathe in • Getting There: Hire a Land Cruiser for ~sY2800 (~Y550/person) • Inspect the vehicle before leaving (i.e. is the 4-wheel drive and differential lock okay? Is there a spare tire? Does it leak gas? Etc.) • Make sure everything is clear in the contract and whether the total cost includes entrance fees, special permits, etc • Above all, meet with the driver beforehand and treat him with respect. Be friendly and include him on stuff, it’ll only make your trip that much more enjoyable • Hotels: Discuss accommodations with your contractor • Time: 5 days

37. Qinghai • Time: Allow 10 days total • Places: Xining, Ta’er Si, Qinghai Hu, Tongren, Yushu, Nangchen • Getting There: Via train from Chengdu, Xi’an, Chongqing, or anywhere in Gansu province, to Xining, using Xining as the start/finish point • The trip can also be done one-way to Chengdu or Xining via bus, but will take around 11 days from start to finish NOTE: Again bring Sunscreen. Sunburns are the worst when traveling.

38. Xining • Why: Must pass through this city to go anywhere in Qinghai, a balance between Han, Hui, and Tibetan peoples • Hotel: Post Hotel (Y10-14) - cheapest in town and near both the train and bus stations. If booked full, there are hotels down from the long-distance bus station (Y20-30) • Time: 2 days • Ta’er Si - very touristy, but nice to stroll around, especially around the kora above the complex. Don’t bother buying the entrance ticket, there are many other buildings you can enter without it and you will see better temples • Getting There: Nearthe West Gate are taxis (Y6/person). Same fee for return • Qinghai Hu (Y40 with ‘student’ ID) - EXTREMELY full of Chinese tourists, but bird island (niao dao) is peaceful to walk around once away from people. Don’t bother going to the observation deck • Getting There: Y100 on a tour group. You spend very little time at the lake/island, but it’s the only way to get there cheaply. Book a ticket at a hotel • Other Things To Do: Qinghai Provincial Museum (Y15) - great exhibits; city square - near the West Gate and full of tulips; browse through Shuijing Xiang Market or the market across the long-distance bus station for trinkets

39. Tongren • Why: Wonderful Buddhist complexes, watch masters and students study and paint thangkas, to purchase a thangka where they’re made • Getting There: 4hr bus from Xining (Y30) • Hotel: Sanxin Binguan or Huangnan Binguan (Y15) - town is pretty small and easy to navigate for either place. The prior offers cheap singles (Y60) with hot water • Time: 2 days • Things To Do: • Bring a book to read and relax, in any one of the monastery complexes • Rongwo Gonchen Gompa - wander through a giant maze of buildings, listen to monks debate, watch monks go about their daily life, sit and chat - they’re very friendly in this monastery, especially the keeper of the main hall a top the hill • Wutun Si - complex is currently adding more structures and is nice to walk about. This is where thangkas are painted and you can watch students at work • Prices: Small two/three tone (Y300), small many tone (Y1000), large two/three tone (Y400), large many tone (Y1200), small gold tone (Y900), large gold tone (Y1200); with silk border add Y200-300 • Getting There: Taxi can be hired for Y10 at most, one-way

40. Yushu (Jyekundo) • Why: See where Princess Wenchang married King Songsten Gampo, local gov’t supports local Tibetans, watch Tibetans bully Han and Hui, buy an aphrodisiac worm, see a community alive with Tibetan culture, monks, and nuns, one of the biggest statues you will ever see, fantastic scenery on the bus ride • Getting There: 20hr dirty and cold sleeper bus from Xining. Buy your ticket one day in advance to/from (~Y160) • Hotel: Labu Monastery Hotel (Y20) - receptionists are friendly and rooms are simple. Very hot, private showers are available for free in the hotel courtyard • Time: 2 days • Things To Do: • Walking around - soak in the Tibetan environment in this Amdo region. The streets are covered with Tibetans, monks, and nuns on cell phones, motorcycles, running machines, etc. The monasteries feel alive, not empty • Jyekundo Dondrubling Monastery - it’s a climb, but the complex gives wonderful panoramas of Yushu. Monks are very friendly and there’s a kora behind the buildings • Sengze Gyanak Mani - the world’s largest pile of prayer stones, over 2 billion! Catch bus No 1 or 2 to get there (Y1)

41. Yushu (Jyekundo) • Princes Wenchen Temple: Impressively carved statues in the mountainside and prayer flag covered canyon pass. The monastery is a small school and full of young studying-to-be monks who are extremely friendly and talkative. Class begins by blowing a conch shell • To/From: Minibus near the bus station (Y4/way) leaves around 10AM, returns around 1PM. If you’re lucky, the monks there may give you a ride back into town, while making quick stops at the two temples along the way • Go for a walk behind the temple in the pastures. You’ll eventually come to a small Tibetan school with children ranging from 5-15 yrs old. The teachers are happy to see foreigners and talk to you • Zhira Gompa - about a 30-minute walk back up the road to a small monastery backed into cliffs and carvings, with stunning mountain scenery in the background • Trangu Gompa - small temple with many pagodas covering its hillside. • To/from: Catch the return bus back to town from Zhira Gompa to the complex. Taxi is Y50 back to or roundtrip from town, no less

42. Nangchen • Why: A remote Tibetan town that most foreigners will never see, back entrance into Chomdo region (eastern Tibet), wonderful vibe from the town and locals, breathtaking vistas along the ride • Getting There: 5.5hr minivan ride (Y40) outside Yushu bus station. Get there around 8AM • Hotel: Nangqian Binguan (Y30) - only hotel in town for foreigners • Time: 1.5-2 days • Things To Do: • Explore! This is really the only thing to do in town. Everywhere the town is alive with Tibetans • Watch locals play billiards in town across from the drop-off point for minivans • Stroll along the river and watch families do laundry • Meander about the many rebuilt and new temples in town • Gander at locals piling new prayer stones • Amble about the edge of town in the countryside for stunning scenery

43. Gansu • Places: Tianshui, Xiahe, Zhangye, Jiayuguan, Dunhuang • Time: Allow 10-11 days total • Getting There: Via train from Chengdu, Xi’an, or Chongqing to anywhere in Gansu province. Most places in Gansu can be reached by overnight train/bus

44. Tianshui • Why: One of China’s largest grotto complexes, to see a long forgotten time in China • Getting There: Via train from Chengdu, Chongqing or Xi’an, or bus/train from Lanzhou • Hotel: Dianxin Zhaodaisuo (Y30) - clean rooms right next to the train station • Time: 2-2.5 day • Maiji Shan (Y35 with ‘student’ ID) - the temple complex has grottoes over 1500 yrs old, and much more freedom to walk around that other grottoes • They have guides to hire but save the money and do it on your own. If you can convince your group, or if you’re willing, you can pay (upwards of Y500) to see almost all the caves - a luxury you won’t get elsewhere • Getting There: Minibus 34 (Y4) leaves from Tianshui train station, where you’ll have to hitch a ride on either a tractor or minivan (Y2) • Water Curtain Caves (Y11) - sandstone cliffs, lush foliage, temples aplenty describe this secluded place to explore • To/From: There are a couple early morning buses and trains to Luomen. Leaving, catch a bus to Longxi for trains/buses • Hotel: Luomen Binguan (Y30) - only place to stay • Things To Do: Fu Xi Temple (Y30), Nanguo Temple, Antique Market

45. Xiahe • Why: Amazing Buddhist temples, grasslands to roam aimlessly about, friendly monks and nuns, home of the Gelugpa (yellow hat) order • Getting There: Mornings bus from Lanzhou • Hotel: Tara Guesthouse (Y15-25) or Labrang Baoma Hotel (Y25) - cheapest places in the area and bicycle rental is available • Time: 2-2.5 days • Labrang Monastery (Y40): Start walking along the outside and make your way around. Stop to look at all sorts of things along the way. This part of the trip is cheap and could easily take over half a day • Sanke Grasslands: Rent a bike, and go on your way. The grasslands aren’t so much to look at but the bike ride there and back is nice • Pack a lunch and have a picnic once you get there. • Make sure you read the signs and ride all the way to the top • White Rock Cliff: A cave that you can go in with a guide. It’s about 34 km outside of Xiahe and takes awhile to get to • Plan a whole day for this. If you are on a budget this might also be out of your price range because transportation there is not cheap • Other Things To Do: Eat local dishes, go to the souvenir shops, and explore alley ways in the town

46. Zhangye • Why: Small lively town with blue skies and a great vibe • Getting There: Via train from Chengdu, Chongqing, Xi’an, or anywhere along the train line in Gansu province. Take a bus up from Lanzhou and you’ll get to ride through and along the Great Wall • Hotel: Liangmao Binguan (Y18) - dirt cheap, clean, and near the Drum Tower (5-minute walk east) • Time: 2 days • Things To Do: • Big Buddha Temple (Y41) - has the largest reclining Buddha in China. Buddha is under construction • Mu Ta (<Y20) - wooden pagoda gives a great view of the town once you get to the top • Mati Si (Y45) - go hiking in the mountains and spend the rest of the day in a yurt, among flower covered hills. During the colder season, temples are closed and it’s free, but the area still provides good trails to ramble on • The bus system for getting there only runs in the summer and sometimes then it is still in frequent. Your best bet is to rent a taxi with some friends for 200 kuai for the whole day • Wander about - go to the Muslim market, the food market with silly ‘Chinglish’ signs, or just roam around town

47. Jiayuguan • Why: End of the Great Wall, camels rides, to climb a glacier • Getting There: Via train from Chengdu, Chongqing, Xi’an, or anywhere along the train line in Gansu province • Hotel: Jinye Binguan (Y60) - next to bus station, clean, and can bargain down price up to 40% • Time: 2 days • July 1st Glacier (Y45): Can only go during summer. Hike along the glacier and even down to it • Make sure you start the day early and budget plenty of time so that you can walk on the glacier • Warm clothes are a must - it snows on the mountain in summer. Watch out for heavy downpours that can cause mudslides on the road • Taxis can be hired for about Y350/roundtrip from Jiayuguan • Jiayuguan Fort (Y50 with ‘student’ ID, high-season): See what most people imagine a western fort in China looked like. The Great Wall ends here and runs into the

48. Jiayuguan snowcapped Qi’lian mountains • Back of the fort, you can ride a camel (Y10) and make sure to go to the museum, a must see • Off-season, prices are half cost • To/From: ~Y10 taxi/way • Overhanging Great Wall (Y10 with ‘student’ ID): A very interesting part of a Ming-dynasty section of the wall that’s cheap to see. • Getting There: ~Y20 taxi ride from the fort • Jiuquan: A nearby town known for its oil and rockets, has many nice parks to visit. Some are free and others can cost up to Y30 for foreigners. The town is a nice place to walk around and fairly clean. Stop at a local beer garden in the evening for a drink or shao kao • Getting There: Take a taxi from Jiayouguan (Y7/person). Taxis must be green and white. The other taxis in Jiayuguan/Jiuquan are used for getting around locally. You can also take the bus, but it is less inconvenient

49. Dunhuang • Why: Sand dunes, World Heritage site, grottoes and Buddhist art • Getting There: Via train from Chengdu, Chongqing, Xi’an, or anywhere along the train line in Gansu province • Hotel: Feitian Binguan (Y20-30) - cheap, clean, and roomy dorms • Time: 1.5-2 days • This tourist town can be expensive, especially during peak season. Be prepared to spend some money and drink lots of water • Mogao Caves, et al (Y100): Despite the caves being rotated and more caves closing every year, the site itself is pretty impressive. It’s impossible to take pictures unless you sneak a pocket camera and don’t use a flash. It’s recommended bringing a flashlight • If you want to see more caves, prices are Y100-500 extra

50. Dunhuang • Getting There: Take a minibus (Y10/way) from Mingshan Lu (Feitian Binguan), 8:30AM. Buses leave at noon. If you want more time, hire a taxi for half a day (~Y70) • Western Thousand Buddha Caves (Y20 with ‘student’ ID): Not as impressive as Mogao Caves, but it’s virtually empty of tourists. Taxi (Y60/roundtrip) is easiest way to get there • Crescent Moon Spring/Singing Sand Dunes (Y80): Massive dunes that fantastic views of the desert and lush pond below. Great place to come to during the evening for cooler weather and breathtaking sunset • Getting There: Minibus 3 (Y1), 20-30 minute bike ride, or taxi (Y10/way) • Once there, expect to spend at least Y100. This is a good place to take your own meal. There are many other things to do like riding the sand dunes (Y10) or riding camels (Y60) • Other Things To Do: Walk about town, eat western food, visit the White Horse Pagoda