
From
United StatesIf you plan to visit Labrang Monastery, in Xiahe, staying at the Overseas Tibetan Hotel is your best choice. The hotel is ideally located, just a 2-minute walk from the monastery. Hotel rooms are decorated in Tibetan style and have comfortable beds. The hotel offers western breakfast of eggs, toast, OJ and coffee, which is convenient - along with local yak milk yogurt and honey!
Losong, the owner and manager of the Overseas Tibetan Hotel, speaks impeccable English and his help and insights were absolutely invaluable and essential to the success of our visit. Losang shared insights into local culture and society, gave us terrific restaurant recommendations, and offers guided tours and hikes around the area. (We contacted him in advance and he helped arrange a reliable car to meet us at Lanzhou Airport and transport us to Xiahe.)
The Overseas Tibetan Hotel is on Xiahe’s main street, full of shops selling embroidered shawls, inlaid wooden bowls, prayer beads, and fantastic local breads, from spring onion rolls to rose jam pastries.
Labrang Monastery, one of largest and most important monasteries outside the Tibetan Autonomous Region, is full of nomadic Tibetan pilgrims who come here to worship and walk the Kora - the perimeter of prayer wheels. This is truly an awesome glimpse into another world… The monastery, a large complex of several temples, offers English-speaking tours, and Losang can provide additional details.
In Xiahe, don’t miss the local restaurants’ momo, Tibetan dumplings generously stuffed with meat, bok choy, or mushroom and cabbage, and tasty pan-fried buns stuffed with ground meat - all delicious! Restaurants offer menus with photos of dishes to help you order, regardless of language barriers. Most places don’t accept credit cards, so be prepared with RMB cash or Alipay.