Lhasa Travel Guide

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Lhasa Travel Overview:

A romatic Shangri-la hidden on the Roof of the World and a heaven's hamlet catapulted into the 21th century, Lhasa, the capital of China's Tibet Autonomous Region, is a stunning combination of charisma of purity and mystery, complexities of accessibility and comforts of home.
As the crown jewel of this side of the Himalayan mountains and the ultimate pilgrim destination for Tibetan Buddhist, Lhasa provides curious visitors and devout disciples with an exclusive entry to some of the world's most marvelous natural scenery, resplendent cultural heritage and enigmatic lore of yore, through its resilient people, mysterious caves, historic relics, ancient palaces and sacred temples, most notably the UNESCO Wrold Heritage Site listed Potala Palace, Jokhang Temple and Norbulingka Summer Palace.
With a high altitude of 3,650 meters to conquer, a vast territory of 30,000 square kilometers to scour, a long history of 1,300 years to delve into, plus the trials and tribulations of the lack of public transport and the capricious alpine climate conspired with the rarefied air, blinding sand, piercing wind, and the increasingly fleshing out infrastructure, you may end up with seeing a lot in one day, too little in a week, and not enough in a lifetime in this Land of Gods.

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What To Do in Lhasa

1.Attractions
Potala Palace: UNESCO World Heritage Site (1994), in central Lhasa (0891/6834362);
Jokhang Temple: UNESCO World Heritage Site (2000), in downtown Lhasa (0891/6336858);
NorbuLingka: UNESCO World Heritage Site (2001), in west Lhasa (0891/6826274);
Curpu Monastery: in the Doilungdeqen County, 70 km away from Lhasa;
Dreprung Monastery: 10km away the west suburb of Lhasa (0891/686-3149);
Ganden Monastery: 57 kilometers east of Lhasa (0891/614-2077);
Klukang Monastery: site of the Tantric College of the Gelug Sect in in the northern part of Lhasa;
Sera Monastery: in the northern suburb of Lhasa (0891/6383639);
The Lower Tantric College: on the northern side of Beijing E. Road, Lhasa;
Tibet Museum: 19 NorbuLingka Road, Lhasa (0891/6812211);
Yangpachen: 87 km north of Lhasa, famous for hot springs;
Yaowang Hill: opposite the Potala palace, with a temple dedicated to Yaowang (Medicinal King).
2.Events & Entertainment
Festivals:
Tibetan New Year: on the 25th day of the 10th month of the Tibetan calendar;
Great Prayer Festival: lasts from the 4th to the 11th day of the first Tibetan month;
Butter Oil Lantern Festival: The last day of the Great Prayer Festival;
Saka Dawa Festival: the 15th day of the fourth month in the Tibetan calendar;
Shoton Festival: on the 1st day of the 6th month in Tibetan Calendar;
Ganden Festival: the 15th day of the 6th Tibetan month;
Bathing Festival: the first 10 days of the 7th month in Tibetan calendar.
Entertainment:
Last Bus: across from the Lhasa Hotel;
Travelers Bar: East Beijing Road, Backpackers' favorite;
Tibetan Dance & Drama Theatre: Opposite the Lhasa Hotel;
Gleckes Fresh Beer: In the west of town near the Grand Hotel;
Music Kitchen: 77, West Beijing Road, with the best Western music in Lhasa;
Makye Amye: on Barkhor Street, the most famous and comfortable bar in town;
Medical Massage Clinic Lhasa: 3F, 59 Beijing Middle Rd, across from the Kichu Hotel.
3.Shopping
What to buy:
Tibetan medicine: Aweto, saffron, snow lotus;
Traditional produces: Lhasa sweet tea; Tibetan distilled liquor; Tibetan incense;
Handicrafts: Dzi bead; yak-hide boots; Thangka scroll painting; Tibetan waist knife or broadsword; Tibetan costumes or carpets; Bracelets with Sanskrit inscribed on; Crescent silver plate mounted with agate and gems.
Where to buy:
Gala Shopping Mall: East Barkhor Street;
Tourist Shopping Mall: east end of Yuthok Lu;
Saikang Shopping Mall: 1 East Barkhor Street;
Shrine Thangka Art House: 18 North Barkhor Street;
Lagang Clothes Shop: 4 North Barkhor Street (0891/ 6340099);
Kharma Gallery: across from the Snowland Hotel (0891/6338013);
Barkhor Thangka Gallery: 10 East Barkhor Street (0891/ 6344930);
Xueyu (Snowland) Handmade Thangka Store: 16 South Barkhor Street;
Lhasa Department Store: 1 Yutuo Road, on the left of the Potala Palace;
Manual Thangka Specialty Shop: 83 North Barkhor Street (0891/ 6830690);
Tibetan Dapeng National handicrafts development Corp. Ltd: 0891/ 6818066;
OZARK Specialty Shop: at the End of south of the Potala Square (0891/ 6816379);
Khawachen Carpet and Wool Handicraft Co. Ltd: 103 Jinzhu Xi Lu (0891/683-3257);
Dropenling Handicraft Development Center: 11 Chak Tsal Gang Road (0891/6360558);
The Tanva Carpet Workshop: at Nam village on the road between Lhasa and Gongkar airport.

What To Wear in Lhasa

With a high altitude of 3650 meters and long hours of sunshine amounting to 3000 hr a year, Lhasa's climate is of the highland semi-arid monsoon type, which means that it is dry and windy in spring... More>>>

What To Eat in Lhasa

1.Tibetan food
What to eat:
Staple:Tsampa(roated barley flour);Momo(Tibetan dumplings);Thenthuk(Tibetan noodle soup);
Sausage: Blood, meat, flour and liver sausages;
Meat: Air-dri... More>>>

1.Tibetan food
What to eat:
Staple:Tsampa(roated barley flour);Momo(Tibetan dumplings);Thenthuk(Tibetan noodle soup);
Sausage: Blood, meat, flour and liver sausages;
Meat: Air-dried beef and mutton, mashed yak meat;
Dairy products: Milk, milk curd, yak yoghurt, butter and cheese;
Beverage:Salted butter tea, sweet milk tea, Highland Barley Wine;
Dissert: Cream Cheese Barfi (Sweetened Cream Cheese Cake); Sikarni (Spiced Sweet Yogurt-Pistachio Dessert); Rasbari Dessert (Cheese Balls in Cream Syrup); Khir (Himalayan Rice Pudding); Carrot Barfi (Carrot Fudge Dessert), etc.
Other specialties: Shamday (Tibetan Curry); Sha-Bale (Meat Pastry); Balep korkun (Tibetan flatbread); Kongpo Shaptak (Kongpo-style Browned Beef); Tukpa: Tibetan Noodle Soup; Tibetan Roast; Potato Curry; Cold Cucumber Soup with Mint, etc;
Where to eat:
Alu Cang Restaurant: 21-32 Duosengge Road (0891/6338826);
Bright Producers' Cooperative Canteen: South Tibetan Hospital Road (0891/6399320);
Crazy Yak Saloon: Beijing East Road, next door to the Kirey Hotel (0891/6336845);
Ethnic Restaurant: on East Beijing Road, opposite the Kirey Hotel;
Guainiu Salon Restaurant: 101 East Beijing Road (0891/6336845);
Lhasa Kitchen: 106 East Beijing Rd, Near the Yak hotel and Bakhor street;
Mayke Ame: on the southeastern corner of Barkhor Street (0891/6324455);
Nationality Flavor Restaurant: East Beijing Road, oppisite the Jiri Hotel (0891/6323296);
New Mandala Restaurant: in front of Jokhang Temple (0891/6342235);
Pingcuo Tibetan Restaurant: 66 East Beijing Road;
Snow Lotus Tibetan Restaurant: south side of the Tibet Hospital Road (0891/6336664);
Snow-Deity Palace Tibetan Style Restaurant: west of Potala Palace Plaza (0891/9003803);
Snow-lands Restaurant: 4 Tibetan Hospital Road (0891/6337323);
Tashi Restaurant: close to Penthoc Guesthouse and Tashi 2 in the Kirey Hotel;
Tibetan Cafeteria: west of Middle Beijing Road;
Tibetan Style Self-help Restaurant: at the west of Middle Beijing Road;
Yak Restauant: 101 Beijing East Road (0891/6336845).
2. Other Chinese food
Badaotang Hotpot: Middle Beijing Road (0891/ 6813610);
Beijing Duck Restaurant: Nyangrain Road;
Chengdu Laoma Hotpot: 188 Middle Beijing Road (0891/6832511);
Chenlian Rice Crust Hotpot: Middle Beijing Road (0891/6818723);
Fenghua Beef Noodles: Middle Beijing Road, opposite the Tibet building (0891/ 6827536)
Kangsang Restaurant: Nyangrain Road (0891/6331680);
King of Wild Mushroom: West Linkhor Street beside the Lhasa Middle School (0891/6815760);
Spicy Sour King: 12 West Linkhor Street (0891/ 6811611);
Xiangmingju Tea House: Middle Beijing Rd, beside Lhasa Military Subarea (0891/6829836);
3.Western & International
Barkhor Street Cafe: south of the Jokhang Monastery Plaza (0891/ 6326892);
Dunya Restaurant and Bar: 100 East Beijing Road (0891/6333374);
Magyia Ngami Restaurant: 1 East Barkhor Street (0891/ 6324455);
Naga French Restaurant: East Tibetan Hospital Road (0891/6327509);
North America Fast Food: East Bejing Road;
Xinfeng Restaurant: East Bejing Road;
Youli Fast-food: ground floor of Telecom Building, Middle Beijing Road.

Where To Stay in Lhasa

1. Banak Shol Hotel
Tel: +86-891-6323829
Location: 43 East Beijing Road, Lhasa
A cozy Tibetan style abode with basic dorms and a range of guestrooms with or without bathrooms, an open-air Kailash Restaurant offering some of the most scrumptious vegetarian lasagne and yak burgers, chicken sizzler in Lhasa set around a charming inner coutyard, and bonuses like a free laundry service, bicycles for rent, a useful information board and an efficient branch of the FIT travel agency Banak Shol Hotel goes a long way to ease the travel fatigue and budget pressure for Chinese backpackers.
2. Brahmaputra Grand Hotel Lhasa
Tel: +86-891-6309999
Location: Section B, Yangcheng Plaza, Gongbutang Road
A brainchild of the creative conbination of traditional Tibetan architectural style and modern decorative technologies, adorable boutique atmosphere and ethnographic artistry, and exceptional hospitality of human and rewarding serenity and relaxation of nature, this Tibet��s first 5 star hotel is unique and impressive in every way, be it the riverside location at the foothills of Gong Ba Ri Mammon Mountain, sheepskin robes don staff, the traditional Tibetan music wafting lobby, the antique and photo exhibits along the hallways, luxurious deluxe rooms decorated with amenities and facilities of distinct ethnic feature, or the banquet, conferencing, dining and recreation facilities of mordern standards.
3. Dhood Gu Hotel
Tel: 0891/632-2555
Location: 19 Shasarsu Road, Trom Si Khang Lhasa
From the charming Tibetan architectural style to the English-speaking staff dressed in traditional colorful Tibetan clothes, from the ornate murals hung in the lobby to traditional brass knockers and monastery butter lamps converted lightings decked out in the rooms, from buzzing citizens in colorful garments walking down the alley to shop in the Tromsikhang markets to robe-clad monks making their way to Jokhang Temple and Ramoche Monastery, from the gastronomical treats from home and abroad to premium rooms with a killer view of the Potala Palace in distance, the Dhood Gu Hotel is just not an olrdinary hotel.
4. Himalaya Hotel, Lhasa
Tel: +86-891- 6321111, 6339043
Location: 6 East Lingkuo Road
Sparsely furnished yet squeakily clean, 3 star rated yet resonably priced, Himalaya Hotel Lhasa is a 9-floor establishment of 133 spacious and comfortable rooms, a Chinese restaurant and a western restaurant, a small business center and a multi-functional hall, ldeally located on the edge of the center of the holy city and idyllically nestled on the northern banks of the Lhasa River, only 10 minutes walk from the Jokhang Temple and Barkhor Street, 1 km from the city center and the Potala Palace.
5. Hotel Kyichu
Tel: +86-891-6338824, 6331541
Location: 149 East Beijing Road
Named after the Kyich River that runs through the Land of Gods, located between the sacred Jokhang Temple near the buzzing Barkhor Bazar and the magnificent cliffside Potala Palace, decked out with 52 spotless simple rooms pleasantly decorated with traditional Tibetan color and lighting scheme, an award-winning Kyichu Garden Restaurant overlooking the well-groomed courtyard lawn, and friendly and helpful crackerjack staff providing to their credit the entire satisfaction for guests ranging from senators to backpackers, Hotel Kyichu is definetely one of the best kept secrets among accommodation providers of the city.
6. Lhasa Hotel
Tel: +86-891-6832221,6824110
Location: 1 Minzu Road, Lhasa
One-of-a-kind hotel in the holy city of Lhasa just next door to the Norbulingka Summer Palace, and one of the few lodging facilities capable of affording 468 comfortable and mordern guestrooms and suites with 24 room service and 24/7 hot water in the private bathrooms, comprehensive conferencing and banquet facilities holding up to 500 seats, 5 restaurants and bars offering a wide selection of cuisine ranging from exquite Dim Sum to authentic Himalaya culinary treats to deluxe international buffet, this former Holiday Inn hotel is simply beyond comparison.
7. Oh Dan Guesthouse
Tel: +86-891-6344999, 6344888
Location: 15 Ramoche Road, Lhasa
Tucked away off an alleyway that runs past Ramonche Monastery just north of East Beijing Road, near enough to get to the exciting Barkhor Street shopping and the sacred Jokhang Temple within no minutes, but tranquil enough to be devoid of the treading soles of trekkers and trappings of backpacker lodgings, enhanced by live music on the weekends, weekly English movies and nightly fun activities arranged on a rotating base, like making momos, Oh Dan Guesthouse is the nicest choice for those in the know.
8. Pentoc Guesthouse
Tel: +86-891-6326686
Location: 5 East Tibetan Hospital Road
Though constantly sold-out and gradually showing signs of age, this Swiss-run hostel ideally situated in the heart of Lhasa, right next to the Barkhor Square District , opposite to the Snowlands, oppering simple but clean dorm rooms as well as singles and doubles, a Tibetan tent like restaurant , a small business center, nightly movies, and trekking gear rentle service, still tops the list for repeat backpackers, budget travellers, and those who enjoy meeting locals and making young friends.
9. Shangbala Hotel
Tel: +86-891-6323888
Location: 1 Danjilin Rd, Lhasa
Just as its namesake suggests, an abode of the immortals, Shangbala Hotel is by all accounts one of the more often celebrated hotels in Lhasa, for its perfect location in the hub of the holy land from where easy access to almost all scenic spots and major landmarks, including the Jokhang Temple and Potala Palace, are readily available, its modern comforts and conveniences to make your living and dining experience a pleasure and your business and social event a success, and its attentive services and exceptional value for money that ensure the entire satisfaction of your stay.
10. Yak Hotel
Tel: +86-891-6323496
Location: 100 East Beijing Rd, Lhasa
The granddaddy of budget hotels in Lhasa, yet more than a notch above the rest of the decrepit guesthouses lining East Beijing Road with its nicer touches like car and bicycle rentals, an on-site restaurant well-loved by locals and foreign tourists, and fast internet access, IDD, Fax line and a banking counter in the business centre, Yak Hotel is the place to save more budget, meet locals, trade travel information, familarize yourself with the college dormitory atmosphere, and explore all that Lhasa has to offer with practically no effort- it is only 5 minutes walk from Barkhor Street, Jokhang Temple and Ramoche Monastery.

How To Go Lhasa

1.By Air
Airport:
Lhasa Gonggar Airport: 97 km south of Lhasa;
For more information, contact the airport on 0891-6246465, 6246011.
Destination:
Non-stop: Chengdu, Beijing,... More>>>

What to be noted in Lhasa

1.Time to visit
Best time to visit:
From April to early November.
Specific factors to consider:
May & June: wind and dust storms, sometimes squalls;
July & August: can ... More>>>

1.Time to visit
Best time to visit:
From April to early November.
Specific factors to consider:
May & June: wind and dust storms, sometimes squalls;
July & August: can be rainy, possibly causing landslides.

2.Safety
The smiling and simple hearted Tibetans are of some of the most peaceful and purest lots in the world. Given the travel insurance for a Lhasa tour, and your appropriate understanding of local culture and taboos, and proper precautions while traveling, your personal safety could be the least concern you have to worry.

3.Health
Altitude sickness:
Get as fit and healthy as possible before you start your trip;
Consult the doctor if you have record of cardio-vascular or respiratory problems of any kind;
Take prescribed medication and bring a sufficient stash of such medicine;
Heed any symptoms of altitude sickness, such as appetite loss, breathing difficulties, dizziness, dry cough with frothy sputum, fatigue, headeache, insomnia, nausea, or poor coordination, and stop going any higher on your way to Lhasa;
Go to hospital once the symptoms do not respond to medication or a good night's rest;
Drink at least four liters of water every day;
Eat low-fat high-carbohydrate food like cereal, biscuit and chocolate;
Stick to very mild activities, at least for the very first two days unpon arrival;
Don't smoke, drink alcohol, take sedatives such as sleeping pills or tranquillizers, or anything that tend to depress respiration and limit oxygen intake;
Return a lower altitude is the surest cure if nothing else work.
Other Health Concerns:
Sunburn: Ultraviolet radiation is intensified due to the high altitude and rarefied air, so you need to wear ultraviolet-proof sun glasses and Sunblock with extra UV protection.
Gastroenteritic disorders: Boiling point at this elevation is about 84-87C, not enough to kill most of the bacteria effectively when it does at 100C. You'd better use pressurized device to boil the water or cook your meal, or use iodine or other purification tablets to purify the drinking water.
Dehydration: Air at this elevation is very dry and the wind will dry your skin rapidly, so drink plenty of water and use creams to moisturize your skin.
Rabies: There may be wild dogs roaming around in more rural areas, so get a rabies vaccination in advance and stay away from them.

4.Culture
Do not photograph anyone without a permission first;
Circumnambulate dagobas, monasteries, Mani-stone piles, incense-burners or other sacred objects in a clock-wise direction;
Remove hats before entering religious facilities;
Do not smoke in religious sites;
Do not touch the statues of Buddha and religious articles or take pictures of them;
No short pants or tank tops in such sacred places;
leaving some money offering after visiting shrines and giving money or food to pilgrims and monks collecting the alms is customarr;
Do not step on threshold when entering the tent or house;
Accept and offer gifts with both hands;
Do not under any sircumstances disturb or do harm on eagles, or sheep/cows with red, green or yellow cloth strips on, which are considered as sacred animals.

5.Useful Phone Numbers
Emergency:
Police: 110
Fire: 119
Ambulance: 120
Emergency Center of Lhasa People's Hospital: 0891-98120;
Consulting and Complaining:
Time: 117
Weather forcast: 121
Local phone directory: 114
Long-istance call inquiry: 113
Consumer Complain: 12315;
Tourist complaint Center: 0891-6833476;
Documents & Tickets:
Civil Aviation Ticket Office: 0891-6322417;
TTB Lhasa Office: 0891-6835472, 6834315;
Foreign Affair Office of the Region's Public Security Bureau: 0891-6324528.

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