Lhasa for the Broke: A Journey of Disillusionment

About Tibet, Lhasa, and other things

Most people suggest taking the train to Lhasa and flying back, and some even recommend self-driving the Sichuan-Tibet Highway. These are utterly inhumane suggestions. First, a round-trip flight is actually cheaper than a sleeper on the train. Second, the flight takes just about two and a half hours, while the train takes thirty-six. Third, although you might get altitude sickness from flying, the train isn't much better—the train switches to an oxygen-supplied carriage after Xining, which makes no real difference in preventing AMS. Besides, altitude sickness varies by person; most won't have severe issues. Lhasa is under 4,000 meters, and you can acclimatize in a couple of days. Lastly, the scenery along the way isn't that breathtaking. Most of the time, it's desert and plains outside the window. You only see somewhat pretty snow-capped mountains after entering Tibet, and yes, they're nice—but you can see that same view elsewhere in Tibet without spending 36 hours on a hard-seat train, eating badly and sleeping poorly.

Namtso is the highest-altitude lake in the world and China's second-largest saltwater lake. It's the foremost sacred lake in the Yungdrung Bon tradition.

Getting there: about a five-hour drive from Lhasa (one way). That's ten hours round trip, so self-driving or joining a tour is recommended.

Tickets: 118 yuan if booked as a group, 120 at the gate. Students get half-price.

Food: No food available inside the scenic area; bring your own.

Notes: It's far, far from any toilet—get used to going au naturel. / At nearly 5,000 meters elevation, it's wise to bring oxygen.

Taking photos with yaks costs money; check the price—some charge 60, some 5, and you can haggle. (They'll fleece whoever they can.)

Overall: Tickets are pricey, travel time long, and access inconvenient.

But the lake is huge, and the surrounding scenery is beautiful.

Also known as Yamdrok Yumtso, one of Tibet's three sacred lakes.

Getting there: two and a half hours from downtown Lhasa. A tour is recommended—you can go to the lake first, then to the slopes above it to enjoy different vantage points.

Notes: Taking photos of the Tibetan mastiffs, lambs, and yaks inside the scenic area all costs money.

Overall: The scenery at Yamdrok Lake is similar to Namtso's, but Yamdrok didn't require an entrance fee (at the time). You can admire the view from multiple angles, up close or from the hills.

Transportation-wise, Yamdrok is more convenient and takes less time.

3. Barkhor Street, Jokhang Temple, Ramoche Temple

Barkhor Street is a must-visit spot in Lhasa, a commercial street lined with traditional Lhasa-style buildings. It's filled with shops selling typical Tibetan goods: saffron, cordyceps, and all kinds of Tibetan clothing.

The Jokhang and Ramoche temples are inside the Barkhor Street area.

Barkhor Street is just a shopping street; the two temples are classic examples of religious sites.

Inside Jokhang, there are many Buddha statues, including a massive gilded stupa worth over a hundred million yuan, and a very precious twelve-year-old life-size statue of Shakyamuni.

Jokhang is slightly larger, though still not very big. Ramoche is tiny—you can finish it in a flash.

Getting there: about one kilometer from the Potala Palace, just a short walk through a street.

Tickets: Jokhang Temple 85 yuan, audio guide 50 yuan. If you don't hire a guide, you'll be done in ten minutes.

Ramoche Temple: 30 yuan, no guide available (it's so small there's no need).

Notes: Photography is forbidden inside the halls, but you can buy a photo permit for 90 yuan per session. Some halls still don't allow it.

Overall: Barkhor Street has character, but everything is overpriced.

Ramoche has nothing much and is tiny; just visit Jokhang.

4. Drepung Monastery and Sera Monastery

Both are among the three great monasteries of Tibet. As the name implies, they're huge—like small villages. It's said that in its heyday, Drepung housed over ten thousand monks. Both are classic Tibetan Buddhist monasteries with low stone buildings set on hillsides in the suburbs.

In the afternoons, there are usually debates (similar to oral examinations) going on.

Getting there: accessible by bus. Taxis are expensive: flagfall is 10 yuan for a cab, 15 for a Didi, and roughly 10 yuan per kilometer.

Food: Around Drepung and Sera, there are plenty of traditional Tibetan eateries. Sweet tea (sold by the pot), French fries, cold noodles (Tibetan noodles have a strong alkaline taste), and beef rice soup are good. Prices are reasonable—a pot of sweet tea and a plate of fries for about 10 yuan.

Notes: Both monasteries are vast, but their layouts are similar, and they're not at high altitude. Just visit one (unless you're deeply devout).

Overall impression: Pick one of these two monasteries to experience the charm of traditional Tibetan Buddhism.

It's worth visiting; not too many tourists or monks, but huge and easy to get lost in.

5. Potala Palace

If you come to Lhasa, you have to visit the Potala Palace at least once.

The Potala is the tallest building in Lhasa, perched on Red Hill. It's majestic from afar, but inside it's just meh. There are tons of restrictions: no photos, no lingering, and you must follow a fixed route. You can't visit more than a dozen rooms before being ushered out.

The whole visit takes two hours—one and a half hours going up and down the hill, and less than half an hour inside.

Tickets: 200 yuan, audio guide 50 yuan (plus a 200 yuan deposit). The guide device constantly urges you to hurry up—so annoying. And everything it says is exactly what's written on the wall panels; seriously, do they think I can't read Chinese?

Note: You must reserve a day in advance for the Potala Palace. If you don't show up, you'll be blacklisted for a week.

6. Princess Wencheng Show

The live-action performance of Princess Wencheng is well worth seeing.

The production is grand, with over a thousand actors, and the lighting and stage design are very clever.

When you first enter, the stage looks pretty shabby, like a movie screening in a village square.

Later, the lighting exploits the natural depressions in the mountains to create the illusion of snow-capped peaks and surround sound—it's really stunning.

Real horses and herds of cattle and sheep cross the stage—very thrilling.

Even in pouring rain, the actors keep performing; they're very dedicated.

Tickets: online from 189 to 225 yuan (cheaper if booked in advance).

Notes: Bring warm clothes—the show starts at 9:30 PM and ends at 11 PM, and it gets cold on the mountain.

Don't bother with a raincoat; if it rains, staff hand out free ones.

Transport can be inconvenient: the venue is far from downtown, and it finishes after 11 PM. Self-driving is recommended.

Overall: worth watching.

Final thoughts on Lhasa: it's a city you should visit once in your life, but once is enough.

The scenery is indeed beautiful—blue skies, white clouds, an exotic atmosphere.

But along with that comes intense high-altitude sun, high prices due to poor transport, a cost of living rivaling Tokyo, infrastructure on par with Kolkata, dreadful toilets, and terrible transportation. No subway, no shared bikes, only buses and taxis that exist in name only. And that 15-yuan taxi flagfall is truly something to marvel at.

The food is awful, overpriced, and so salty you wonder if salt is free. Unless you're spending 500–600 yuan on a high-end hotel, accommodations elsewhere are like 1980s township guesthouses.

Scenic area tickets are ridiculously expensive, often 50–60 yuan or more.

Traveling around the region is extremely inconvenient; attractions are scattered and far apart. Without your own wheels, you're stuck joining tours.

In summary, Tibet is no place for the broke.