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Xining

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Xining at night
Xining at night

Xining (西宁; Xīníng; Tibetan: Sulang) is the capital of Qinghai Province and the capital of Xining City District, a prefecture of Qinghai.

[edit] Understand

The large city of Xining acts as one of the major gateways to the Tibetan Plateau. It is an ancient highland city on the Yellow River which offers many scenic spots and historical sites. Although the city itself has a strong Islamic flavor, as it is home to many Hui people, you will start getting a more Tibetan feel as you move away from the city.

[edit] Get in

[edit] By plane

Xining Airport (IATA: XNN), located 15km south, southeast of the city, has flights to Beijing, Chengdu, Chongqing, Golmud, Guangzhou, Lhasa, Shanghai, Shenyang, Urumqi, and Xian. The local CAAC office offers transport to/from the airport for ¥21. Shenzhen Airlines fly into Xining from Hong Kong.

[edit] By train

  • Golmud - takes about 14-16 hours
  • Lanzhou - takes about 3-5 hours
  • Lhasa - takes about 26 hours

[edit] By bus

LongDistance Bus Station is at Jianguo Road

There are also buses for Golmud, Lhasa and Yinchuan at the western end of the square in front of the train station.

[edit] Get around

[edit] By bus

There are plenty of buses that get you around town. These cost ¥1 a trip.

[edit] By taxi

Taxis run on the meter. The price starts at ¥6.

[edit][add listing] See

North Mountain Temple Cliff.
North Mountain Temple Cliff.
  • North Mountain Temple, (North of the city, bus 10 or 11 will take you there). Taoist Temple in the hills. At the moment a lot of it is closed for safety reasons. This includes the walkways between man-made caves in the mountain. There is a pagoda above, on the hill. From here there is a great view over the city. Temple ¥5; pagoda ¥2.  edit
  • Dongguan Mosque (东关清真大寺; Dōngguān Qīngzhēndàsì), Dongguan Street (东关大街; Dōngguāndàjiē) (Bus 1, 2, 23).  edit
  • Northern Ch'An Monastery. See the Taoist Tulou (Rammed-earth Pavillion)  edit
  • Southern Ch'An Monastery.  edit
  • Dongguan Monastery.  edit
  • Datong Laoye Mountain Forest Zone.  edit
  • Qinghai Provincial Museum. Nice place for those curious about Qinghai's history and ethnic relationships.  edit
  • Tibetan Medicine Museum.  edit

[edit][add listing] Do

[edit][add listing] Buy

The Banks in Xining only accepts foreign credit cards, not debit cards. The only exeption is the Industrial and Commercial Bank of China.

Handmade Tibetan Handicrafts can be bought at the AmdoCafe (see Drink section).

[edit][add listing] Eat

Xining's main minority groups provide a large portion of the food on offer. The Hui, a broad term for Chinese Muslims, serve up spicy noodles, lamb kabobs and roast naan. Tibetan food choices are concentrated around the train station, mostly small places the serve momos and noodles and seat guests on small coaches.

Western food options are very slim. There are two Kentucky Fried Chicken outlets and a Dico's near the city square, along with a locally run pizza buffet. On the fourth floor of the stadium, there is a Western-styled restaurant, the food here is quite expensive, so if on a budget you will have to wait until Lhasa or Lanzhou for a decent hamburger.

There is a restaurant area right next to the Shuijing Xiang Bazaar, in the center of the city, and throughout the evening and into the night there are many street stalls serving good food around Ximen and on the western side of Jianguo Road.

[edit][add listing] Drink

A number of bars are located at the end of the city's main snack street. These tiny places each have only a dozen tables, and all offer extensive drink specials. Beer starts at ¥6 for a Tsingtao, but expensive imported liquor is also available. There is usually no cover charge.

  • New York Subway (纽约地铁; Niǔyuē Dìtiě), 57 Nanguan Street (南关街57号; Nánguānjiē). Underground bar/club, loosely themed around the New York Subway system. It features a bar with good selection, as well as a small dance floor with a live DJ and lights. Booths and a foozball table are scattered around for those who would rather kick back and take in the atmosphere.  edit
  • AmdoCafe, Datong Street (Close to Beidajie), ☎ 8213127, [1]. 9AM-6PM. This coffee shop, which also offers AmdoCraft Tibetan Handicraft products, provides a relaxed, quiet atmosphere in which to sip and sample real, fresh-brewed coffee, or sup on steaming pastries, cakes, and cookies. The coffee is some of the most inexpensive real coffee in the area.  edit

[edit][add listing] Sleep

[edit] Budget

There are dozens of small guesthouses near the train and long distance bus station. Look for the characters "招待所," which in this part of town are on every other building. Most places seem aimable to taking foreigners, and prices range from ¥10 in a grimy four-room bunk (expect the other occupants to smoke in the room all night long) to ¥100 for a deluxe double. More guesthouses can be found around the town' West Gate, or Ximen.

  • Lete Youth Hostel, 16th Floor, 5# Building, International Village Apartment, ☎ +86 971 8202080 (), [2]. Nice, clean hostel. The staff speak great English. There is a travel company upstairs that will organise trips in the local provence and to Tibet. There is also a good café in the hostel. Dorms ¥25, private rooms ¥120.  edit
  • Qinghai Shuili Hotel (青海省水利宾馆; Qīnghǎishěng Shuǐlì Bīnguǎn), 18-8 Kunlun Road, Chengxi District (城西区昆仑路18-8号; Chéngxīqū Kūnlúnlù. Listed rates for doubles from ¥168, discounted from ¥128, no breakfast.  edit
  • Home Inn (Xining Central Square) (如家快捷酒店 (西宁中心广场店); Rújiākuàijiéjiǔdiàn (Xīníngzhōngxīnguǎngchǎngdiàn)), Near west building of Ximen Gym, Chengzhong District (城中区西门体育馆西附楼; Chéngzhōngqū Xīméntǐyùguǎnxīfùlóu). Doubles from ¥199.  edit

[edit] Mid-range

  • Jianyin Hotel, 55 West Street, ☎ +86 971 8261561 (fax: +86 971 8261515).  edit
  • Xining Tower, 61 Jianguo Road, ☎ +86 971 8419991 (fax: +86 971 8419779).  edit
  • Qing Hai Moslem Mansion (Three stars), 65 Qiyi Street, ☎ +86 971 8138011 (fax: +86 971 8138900). Good hotel, near the railway station, heated in winter. Good restaurant, good American breakfast. ¥360.  edit

[edit] Splurge

  • Yinlong Hotel (青海银龙酒店; Qīnghǎi Yínlóng Jiǔdiàn), 38 Huanghe Road, Chengxi District (城西区黄河路38号; Chéngxīqū Huánghélù), ☎ +86 971 6166666 (, fax: +86 971 6167428), [3]. Five star hotel with rooms with free internet. Business center, beauty salon, ticket office, disco, billiards, fitness, massage and sauna available. Chinese and Western restaurants, coffee shop, bar and room service. Listed rates for doubles from ¥1,480, discounted from ¥1,080, including breakfast.  edit

[edit] Get out

  • Qinghaihu National Park (青海湖 - also called Lake Koko Nor) - this 5,694 km lake is the largest lake in China, and is located between Hainan and Haibei
  • Ta'er Si (Kunbum) Monestery (塔爾寺) - one of the most important Tibetan Buddhist sites in China. It is perfectly situated in the village of Huangzhong. The surrounding countryside is also pleasant.
  • Tu Minority Village - located at Weiyuanzhen Old Village, 32 km from Xining

Routes through Xining
END ←  N noframe S  → Qinghaihu Lake → Lhasa


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