The capital of Qinghai province, Xining is a city you'll likely come through if traveling over land to Xinjiang or the TIbet Autonomous Region. An ancient highland city bordering the Yellow River, and once an important stop along the Silk Road, Xining's look and feel are influenced by its significant population of Hui people. Add to this a dash of Tibetan culture, hospitable locals and good food and you get a combination that wins Xining consistent praise among travelers.
Travel through Xining comes highly recommended in the summer. Not only is it the best time to view attractions in the area, but the city's cool climate, one of the benefits of being situated at an altitude of 2,200 meters, offers a reprieve from the sticky heat that prevails in so many other big Chinese cities.
Though many simply come through on their way to Kashgar, Lhasa and other well-known western Chinese destinations, Xining features a few good attractions of its own including the large Dongguan Mosque, the Qinghai Provincial Museum and Beishan Temple (great views of the city here).
Xining is also within day-trip range of several important Buddhist sites including the Kumbum Monastery and Youning Si, as well as the inland-sea-sized Qinghai Lake and the Liuwan Museum of Painted Pottery.
History
An important Hexi Corridor commercial hub linking China to the Northern Silk Road 2,000 years ago, Xining has, over its long history, traded hands between Chinese dynasties, Tibetan empires, Khanates, Mongol warlords and Communists, which explains the rich stew of cultures there and, to an even greater extent, Qinghai's south and west.
Qinghai started out as a Chinese possession during the Han Dynasty (206 BC—AD 220) where it served as a fortified outpost from which to launch raids and repel invasions. Around 763, the Tibetan Empire, then at the apogee of its power, expanded its territory over much of central Asia, Persia and Northern India, engulfing what is now modern Qinghai.
The area, then known as Amdo, would be recovered by the Song only to have it taken away by the Mongols who, in 1253 appointed Phagspa, a Tibetan priest, to be both priest-king of Tibet, Kham and Amdo (though the Mongol Khan would still be his patron) and Kublai Khan's spiritual advisor. With Buddhism's inreasing socio-political importance came Mongolian leader Altan Khan's decree making Sonam Gyatso the first Dalai Lama in a ceremony near Qinghai Lake.
Fast forward to the 1930's when Xining was ruled by Muslim warlord Ma Bufang on behalf of Chiang Kai-shek's weak central government. His regime would be backwards and brutal, a situation relieved just slightly by the arrival of the Communists in 1949 who oversaw Xining's decline into the kind of backwater dissenters were sent to for rehabilitiation during the Cultural Revolution.
The Chinese economic miracle passed Xining by. As a result, the city finds itself a little less rich, but also quite a bit less polluted. Though city planning is farcically bad and the architecture pretty boring, Xining is one of the few big Chinese cities where residents frequently enjoy brilliant blue skies.
Climate
Xining's high altitude always necessitates two things: warm clothes and sunscreen. Even during the summer months, days can be cool, nights even get a little nippy, so a combination of breezy t-shirts and thicker long-sleeves would be prudent.
If you come without something warm, don't worry, there are plenty of wool jackets and sweaters for purchase in the Tibetan market near the train station.
From October to April, winter clothes are a must.
Hostels
The Lete Youth Hostel (16th floor, bld 5, International Village Apartment) is well-liked for its clean, spacious rooms, many of which feature views of the city, modern public area amenities, proximity to a travel agency and the general mix of the travelers that sojourn there. Shared rooms with shared bathrooms start at RMB25, but private dorms with bathrooms are RMB 140.
Just a block away from the Daxin Jie night market, the equally popular Sunshine Pagoda International Youth Hostel (Wenhua Jie) is set in plaza housing bars, cafés and teahouses, great if you don't want to go far to socialize. Shared rooms start at RMB 35, private singles RMB 95.
Mid-range hotels
The Qinghai Jingjiang Unique Hotel (218 Xiushui Lu) offers rooms starting at about RMB 350 while the Xining Yuandong Hotel (195 Kunlun Dong Lu), five minutes from the train station, starts at about RMB 280.
Luxury hotels
The Sanwant Hotel (79 Changjiang Road) is situated downtown and offers comfortable rooms with all the trimmings and Western while the more luxurious Huitong Jiangguo Hotel (1 Qiyi Road), right beside the train station, offers a larger variety of in-house dining with seafood, Sichuan and Cantonese on the menu.
Thanks to the medley of cultures in residence, Xining offers a delightful variety of cuisines for the traveler to sample. You can get started as soon as you step off the train, there are plenty of Tibetan spots right there in the Tibetan district.
For more authentic local food at ridiculously affordable prices head down to the Daxin Jie night market where you'll find everything from Liangfen; a bean jelly dish served with a tangy vinegar, mustard, garlic, chili and salt combination; to Niangpi; a simple pastry snack; to Muslim yoghurt (RMB 1); to terrine, beef, mutton, bean curd and vermicelli hot pot; to mutton barbequed, fried and baked in countelss ways.
Other areas where you'll find good eats and great deals include the Mo Jia Jie market (Mojia alley) and the Qingzhen Sanfen food street on Gonghe Lu near Kunlun Dong Lu (East Kunlun Road).
Getting Around
Taxi
The base rate for taxis is 6 RMB for the first three kilometers and then 1.1 RMB per additional kilometer.
Car Rental
Sports utility vehicles rental service is available in most relatively large travel agencies. Those drivers are usually very experienced in driving in the areas with high altitude and without residents. But before you hire a car, you'd better check the status of the car and come to an agreement with the driver about the payment.
To and From Xining
Air
It's about 29 km from Xining Airport to downtown. If you take a taxi, it costs about 50 RMB. There are flights to Beijing and Xian daily while those to Shanghai, Chengdu, Chongqing, Dunhuang, Golmud, Guangzhou, Kunming, Lhasa, Shenzhen and Urumqi are available yet not daily.
Railway
Lanzhou-Qinghai Railway and Qinghai-Tibet Railway meet in Xining. Xining Railway Station is located on Qilian Lu. There are direct trains to Beijing, Shanghai, Xian, Qingdao and Golmud. Trains to other cities within Qinghai province are also available.
Bus
Xining Long-distance Bus Station is located on the northern part of Jianguo Lu, about 600 meters from the railway station. There are buses to counties and cities in and out of Qinghai province, and buses to cities in Gansu province are in plenty. Frequent buses to Golmud and Chaka are also in operation.
Xining's bar district centers on a central square just off of Wenhua Jie, where you'll find three floors of bars, cafés and Tibetan teahouses.
Several of the city's hotels also feature lounges, bars, clubs and revolving restaurants where you can enjoy some tasty libations, but if you happen to come across a nice spot be sure to let your fellow travelers know by writing about it in our forum or by clicking "Add a review" on the Xining overview page and writing about it there.