Lake Namtso is heavenly, as its name. For its purity and charming beauty, it was once selected as one of the most beautiful lakes in China. It is also, along with two other lakes, considered as a holy lake in China. A travel in China without visiting Lake Namtso is a loss. The lake is well known for its high altitude, beautiful scenery, and wide area.

After Qinghai Lake, Lake Namtso is China’s second largest saltwater lake. In Tibet, Namtso is the biggest one as per the size while the altitude is the highest one in all over the world. The blue water is magical, crystal clear.

Lake namtso

The water levels in Namtso Lake are obtained from rainfall and melted snow from high mountains. Looks like a decoration, five islands are placed in the water area. The largest island is called as Liangduo. Apart from that, five bylands lies along the water. The largest byland is known as Zhaxi. In this byland, there is a great stone peak. Other peaks resemble the shape of the trunks, human beings, and trees. There are other various shapes that can draw imagination away. Not enough with those, many grottos are found in Lake Namtso. The grottos are very quiet and natural. Each grotto has a different shape. Some are narrow, some are long, some other resembles louvers.

Adding the plus, the place is not only a tourist attraction but also a religious pilgrimage. A sacred Buddhist site, Zhaxi Temple is located in Zhaxi by land. Every year, many pilgrims come for prayers by walking clockwise along the lake.

Lake Namtso

Best visiting time for Namtso Lake is during summer. Visitors will not only be amazed by the outstanding lake but also by the panorama of wildlife along the shores. Flying birds are adorning the sky of Lake Namtso, while the fishes are jumping naughty teasing the viewers. Cows and sheep form vast lines by the grassland enjoying the sunshine. Summer is the time when activities around Lake Namtso come alive. Therefore, the people of Tibet consider it a symbol of happiness.

An amazing cultural heritage of Tibet is Damxung Ancient Cave Mural Paintings. Located in the north of Lhasa, it is a great place to live the experience of the ancient world.

The Ancient cave can be reached by motor vehicles from Lhasa. Situated 102 miles away from Damxung County, the trip may take around four hours or more. However, some tourists are more comfortable to have the journey by taking a car because of bumpy roads around the caves. The journey to Damxung Ancient Cave Mural Paintings will pass from the Amazing Grassland Landscape of Nagqu. The beautiful landmark is surrounded by huge mountains creating unforgettable scenery along the way.

Damxung Ancient Cave Mural Paintings

It does not require much effort to find the murals of the ancient cave for it is indeed vast. Mostly, the murals can be found in the cave walls. While some other murals are located on the outer walls and the cliffs. The paintings variety is huge. Over 250 murals are found all around the cave. The murals contain images of ancient life. most common images are various animals of ancient life that close to human life such as wolves, leopard, deer, birds and horses. Besides, other images like the sun, humans, plants, and pagodas are also found throughout the caves. These similar images are combined in murals forming variable themes. Most common subjects are daily life related. It includes hunting, dancing, wars, and caring for the community.

Damxung Ancient Cave Mural Paintings

There are two types of paintings in the Damxung Ancient Cave. Those are full painting and outlining. The full paintings show more paints and details compared to the outlining. While the outlines are better in its uniqueness, the primary colors used in mural paintings are red and black. It reflects the limited paintings tools used during the time.

As a tourist attraction or museum for learning ancient history, Damxung Ancient Cave is a great place to see either way.

Covering an area of 15 kilometers, Yambajan is located in the northwest of Lhasa. Precisely situated at the foot of Mountain Nyaingentha, the charming Yambajan is surrounded by icebergs, snowy mountains and virgin forests. To add the beauty, a beautiful meadow lies in the middle of it. The main attraction of Yambajan is its hot springs.

Tibet is known as the place for great hot springs all around China. One of them is Yambajan. Apart from the common springs, the springs in Yambajan can reach the highest temperature. It results in geysers and boiling springs.

Yambajan

The consideration of making Yambajan to be more than just a place for enjoying hot springs has begun since 1974. The Chinese government has allocated more than two hundred millions to the effort of creating Yambajan as the heat resources of Tibet. After much of hard work, slowly, the effort has shown promise. In 1970, the first generating plant was constructed. It is now providing up to 45% electricity of Lhasa.

The biggest Hydrothermal Power Plant is located in Yambajan. It has been an attractive spot recently for its scientific site and special landscape. Many foreigners especially come to Yambajan just to experience the plateau hot springs. Surprisingly, the hot springs are not merely a tourist attraction. Yambajan hot springs contain sulfured hydrogen that is beneficial for many chronic diseases. Visitors can also visit the Hydrothermal Power Plant followed by an enjoyable bath in hot spring. However, taking a long bath in the hot spring is not advised as it may cause tiredness due to the high altitude.

Yambajan

One wonderful thing about Yambazan is that it stays as a green area surrounded by regions of frozen lands with iceberg for over half a year. Yambajan in the morning offers great scenery. Resembles a fairy land, the morning Yambajan atmosphere combines with rising mist from the lake is just perfect.

Dr. Sun Yat-sen’s Mausoleum

Located in the the east suburb of Nanjing Zhongshan scenic area, south foot of the Zijin mountain east peak with its east is Linggu Temple and west is Ming Xiaoling Mausoleum, the Dr. Sun Yat-sen’s Mausoleum is sun yat-sen’s mausoleum, who is the father of the republic of China and the Chinese democratic revolutionary pioneer. It became the first batch of national key cultural relics protection units in 1961 and was listed the first national 5 a grade scenic spot in 2007. Each building has achieved very good results in its body composition type, clour application, material performance and the detail processing; the tonal harmony has also strengthened the solemn atmosphere, featuring profound meaning and the grand finale, which is hailed as “first ling in the architectural history of modern China”.

Dr. Sun Yat-sen’s Mausoleum

Characteristic landscape there includes Kiosk of Trajan, Kangxi Imperial Stele Pavilion, Zhongshan College and Flow Badge Pavilions. Kiosk of Trajan also called mourning hall, is a fusion of Chinese and western architectural styles palatial architecture; Kangxi Imperial Stele Pavilion was created by Tan Yankai; Zhongshan College features construction area of 2800 square meters built on November 1994, it is around with lawn, planting osmanthus, camellia, plum blossom, Sabina chinensis, magnolia, cedar and other kinds of plants, which makes the environment quiet and elegant. Flow Badge Pavilions also called waterside pavilion is located in side between Dr. Sun Yat-sen’s Mausoleum and Linggu Temple. Its three sides face water, one side alongside land, with stone steps are connected to the shore. The length of the pavilion is 14 meters and width 10 meters, around side is 1m high concrete parapet roof with milky glass tiles and red columns, and all building is reinforced concrete structure.

Dr. Sun Yat-sen’s Mausoleum

Travel information: 1) Scenic area categories: cultural landscape; 2) Opening time: 7:00　a.m. – 18:00 p.m. and don’t open on Monday; 3) Ticket price: free. 4) Playing time suggestion: 2-3 hours; 5) Best time to visit: spring time and autumn time and snow in winter also fires your imagination; 6) Ways to go there: take the city buses no.9 or city tour buses line1, 2, and 3 to Sun Yat-sen’s Mausoleum station parking lot.

Taklung Monastery is just 120 kilometers away from Lhasa. It is a stunning structure of red brick that combines beautifully with the greenery of grass that surrounds it. Even more outstanding, are the over thousand prayer flags on top of the monastery waves in the wind as a symbol of deep faith. This 800 year old monastery was an important place of the Kagyu Buddhist. At present, many pilgrims visit to have a spiritual experience.

Talung Monastery

Originally, Taklung monastery was the dwelling of over 7,000 monks who follow Kagyu Buddhism. They spent their lives by doing meditation, prayers, and reflection. Rites and ceremonies are as well conducted regularly by the monks. Taklung monastery monks are known to obey a strict prayer of meditation and they avoid eating all meat. In order to follow their strict rule and to focus on the prayer, no women were allowed to go inside Taklung monastery. A nunnery located nearby is especially built for those women pilgrims who come for religious visit.

Once, the ascendancy of Taklung monastery was getting vague. This happened because the Riwoche school of Buddhist thought began to gain popularity. Even so, the charisma of Taklung monastery can never vanish.

‘Thangkas’, beautiful religious paintings are one kind of many significant features found in Taklung monastery. Originally made by Taklung’s monks, the paintings are displayed in a monastery for the visitors to see. Also, it is as a tribute for Taklung monastery’s artistic and spiritual value.

Talung Monastery

Stand strong till present doesn’t reflect that there was some damage of the monastery. It was even destroyed once during the Cultural Revolution. It was then rebuilt by hard work and spiritual courage of locals and monks. Some damage was caused by an earthquake in 2010. It was then immediately handled by preserving especially the fragile building.

According to the history, Taklung monastery was built on top of a sacred site. The place was previously dwelled by Pottawa, a famous lama. Therefore, the land where the monastery stands now has been a religious site even since centuries ago. No wonder that the spiritual environment is very much alive here.

It is wonderful, it is fantastic, it is Norbulingka. As the meaning ‘Treasure Park’, Norbulingka is like a joyful heaven in the world. Also known as ‘the Summer Palace’, Norbulingka is a beautiful garden of 360,000 square meters area that consists of 374 rooms. It is located near Kyichu River in the western part of Lhasa, and only 0.6 mile away from the famous Potala Palace. Great Norbulingka garden is the biggest garden, man-made, in the whole Tibet.

Norbulingka

Previously, it was a land of waste and wild animals. Even so, the Seventh Dalai Lama was fond of visiting the area. The Qing magistrate then started building a palace in 1740. Followed by Kelsang Potrang which was built under the order of the 7^th Dalai Lama, It was then functioning as the Summer Palace for the significant Lamas, as well as the place for discussing political problems and for festive celebrations. Several renovations have improved the appearance of the Summer Palace. Decorated with pavilions, potrangs, gardens, and woods, the place are just stunning. The good thing is that, since it was turned into an open park, public now can also enjoy the beauty of the park.

Several palace complexes in Norbulingka are Kelsang Potrang, Takten Migyur Potrang, Tsokying Potrang, and Golden Linka. Each palace has three sections; the palace section, the front section, and the woods.

Norbulingka

First section, Kelsang Potrang is named after Dalai Lama seventh. This three-storey palace consists of halls for prayer, reading rooms, bedrooms, and sanctuaries. The second palace, Tsokyil potrang was once considered to be the most outstanding one in Norbulingka. For the palace is a stunning pavilion with the Han style architectures. Golden Linka, the third palace was built in 1922. While the next, Kelsang Potrang was built for the thirteenth Dalai Lama along with the plantation of a lot of grass, trees, and flowers. Takten Migyur Potrang was constructed under the supervision of the fourteenth Dalai Lama in 1954. Since then, the place is known as the New Summer Palace. The last palace is distinctive for its unique characteristics. A combination of villa and temple, added the beauty of murals around the palace result in a valuable art. In the northern hall of Takten Migyur Potrang, murals reflect the kind Sakyamuni and his eight disciples. While in southern hall, the murals in comic strips show the Tibet development.

Located on the bank of the Mapam Yumco Basin, the sacred lake, the Trugo monastery is very well preserved. Considering its history of over than 400 years, the monastery stands strong till present. In 1960, the magnificent Trugo monastery was demolished but then rebuilt in 1985. Originally, the first Trugo monastery was made by a bKa’r Gyud master as a shelter for pilgrims to rest. It is then developed into its size as today.

Well maintained, is one visible thing of the Trugo Monastery. The perfect location around the bank of the sacred lake makes it even more popular. Many religious pilgrims from all around the world visit the lake every year. They chant while walking around the lake. Some ‘extreme’ devotee even sells their belongings and property just to pay for the trip.

The Trugo Monastery

Located around 1,400 km from the main Lhasa, the monastery can be reached by truck or off-road vehicle. The structure of the monastery may not be much unique. The architectural style is humble, white walls with black windows. Even so, being exist beside the blue lake has somehow made the monastery looks charming.

During June to August is the perfect time to visit the Trugo monastery because of the comfort weather. After August, the rainy season begins that often causes the road towards the monastery becomes sloppy and dangerous. In winter and spring, it is even more difficult to reach the monastery due to heavy snows all around the road.

The Trugo Monastery

Due to its far location from Lhasa, visitors may need to prepare carefully for the trip. Food supplies are necessary to bring because there are no restaurants along the way from Lhasa until the monastery. Also, only one guest house is available near the lake. Limited accommodations may result in a room sharing with other visitors. No fishing is allowed in the lake, neither taking photos is permitted inside the monastery.

Hangzhou National Silk Museum

Located in the West Lake in Hangzhou, the China Silk Museum is the first one national professional silk museum and also the world’s largest silk museum. There are two halls and it is Zhejiang provincial CPC business unit now covering an area of 5 hectares with construction area of 8000 square meters and the exhibition area of 3000 square meters. It is open to public on 26th February in 1992.The basic display of the museum has been comprehensively adjusted in 2003, whose main hall is about a story of Chinese silk, and mainly described the origin and development of silk, main types of silk, silk road and silk in ancient social life status. Dyeing hall and modern achievements hall, respectively, show the development of ancient loom and the silk production, scientific research and foreign trade in our country’s glorious achievements after the founding of new China. The museum also has temporary exhibition hall to held various temporary special exhibition.

China Silk Museum features enjoyable environment and feminine and elegant architectural style, mulberry field with grass, small bridges, winding water, which let people enjoy the scenery of nature. The museum also has five distinctive silk store, a store, teahouse and other affiliated facilities, which makes it a good place for recreation.

Hangzhou National Silk Museum

The China Silk Museum is divided into five parts: Preface hall outlines the history of silk and the silk road, from a historical aspect told viewers silk from China and spreads to the world; Silk cultural relics and historical relics hall with a large number of the history of the picture shows the China five thousand years long silk culture and superb production technology; Silk hall lets you know the secrets of your planted mulberry sericulture and silk reeling and can look carefully silkworm son spins a cocoon of process; Dyeing hall is in the past in local and national characteristics of the building showing all nationalities in different historical periods of dyeing process; Modern achievement hall is a microcosm of the peoples republic of China silk shows in silk, silk production in China in the 50 years since the founding of the scientific research and achieved a brilliant silk trade. It is a best place worthy your visit.

Gandantegchinlen, or is more popular as Gandan monastery is one of important monasteries in Mongolia. It is as well a big tourist attraction. The name Gandantegchinlen means ‘the great place of complete joy’. Alike the name, it is the place.

The bulding process of Gandan monastery was started in 1838 under the supervision of the fourth Bogd Gegeen. Unfortunately, just like other monasteries in Mongolia, the 1937 purges have swept away Gandan. It was then opened again in 1944 in order to show to US Vice President, Henry Wallace. Gandan, the religious monastery has continued to be a ‘show monastery’ for visitors from abroad until 1990. In the same year, full religious ceremonies were held. Afterwards, Gandan functions as a religious monastery. Over 600 monks are the occupants.

Gandan Monastery

From the main entrance, there is a path directing towards a courtyard with two temples. The famous Orchidara temple or also known as Gandan Sum, located in the northest, is the place to hold important ceremonies. A large statue of Tsongkhapa is placed behind glass, in the end of Kora path. Another significant place is the Didan-Lavran temple. It was the residence of the 13^th Dalai Lama during his stay in 1904. The main attraction of Gandan monastery is white Migjid Janraisig Sum. It is a temple which posses over hundred images of Buddha Longevity, Ayush.

In the east part, four colleges of Buddhist philosophy are located. One of them is the Yellow College. It is dedicated to a wrathful Buddhist deity, Kalachakra.

Gandan Monastery

In the west part of Gandan temple is the University of Ondor Gegeen Zanabazar Budhhist, the university was established in 1970. However, it is not allowed for foreigners to have a visit inside.

Taking photos are allowed only around the monastery and inside the Migjid Janraisig Sum. The best visiting time is during the captivating ceremonies that start around 10:00. Being in a holy place, visitors shall be cautious of pickpocketers that are among crowds.

Barkhor is an ancient round street that surrounds the famous Jokhang temple, located in Lhasa city. Visiting Lhasa is not complete without a peek on Barkhor street.

The development of Barkhor street was actually the effect of the popularity of Jokhang Temple which was built by King Songtsen Gampo. Many Buddhist pilgrims who visited the temple unintentionally has created a path, known as Barkhor street. The path has then become busy and famous. Locals are proud of Barkhor street. The street leading to the holy Jokhang temple is now half a shopping complex. Many visitors walk down the Barkhor street for praying while the others are enjoying a beautiful place with beautiful selling items.

Barkhor Street

At present, many visitors still keep praying by walking clockwise along the Barkhor street holding the prayer wheels from dawn to dark. Many others even walk from thousands miles away to express their purity for prayers.

The magical street, Barkhor is paved by hand polished stones. The path is relatively small. Even so, it accommodates more than a thousand tourists per day. Varied shops stand in both sides plus floating stands that are found in every corner make Barkhor more interesting. Mostly, the shops provide the prayer wheels, and Tibetan traditional clothes ‘chuba’. Other items like Tibetan knives, Tibetan accessories, and religious article are also offered. One unique commodity is Tibetan scroll painting known as Thangka. Even more, visitors can find some religious articles originated from Nepal and India as well.

Barkhor Street

A visit to Barkhor street shall be an unforgettable moment. There are some handy tips to avoid hasty travel. Walking clockwise along the street is advised as the religious pilgrims do so. Many lanes can cause the visitors to lose their way, especially in the evening. It is better to leave early. To bargain is very much encouraged while shopping along the street, it is because the shops sell similar kinds for different price.