For all the wonder of Tibet and its Buddhist culture (but without the Tibet travel permit headaches), Xiahe in western Gansu is a great place to head. A sleepy town set in a beautiful mountain valley six hours from Lanzhou, Xiahe is nestled in mountains and surrounded by rugged landscape of grasslands and lakes.
Dominating the town is the stunning Labrang Monastery, the largest Tibetan lamasary outside of Lhasa. Everywhere you look there are fuschia-robed monks on their way to prayer or pilgrims walking the 3-kilometer long kora that encircles the monastery.
Xiahe's population is made up largely of Tibetans and Han Chinese with about 10% Hui also thrown into the equaltion, representing the three main ethnic groups found in Gansu.
Gansu guide | Xiahe guide | Xiahe attractions | Xiahe flights (Lanzhou) | Lanzhou hotels
Xiahe on the China Travel Blog