Xining Attractions

Located on Dongguan Da Jie, near the center of the city, lies the Great Mosque, the largest mosque in Xining and one of the largest in China. There are many mosques in Xining but this is by far the largest and most impressive. Make it a point to visit on Friday, the Muslim holy day, around 1pm to get an idea of just how large and active the local Muslim population is. Generally, the locals will be glad to show male visitors around, just dress and act respectfully.

Just a few blocks west on Nan Da Jie you'll find the city's only practicing Buddhist monastery. While it pales in comparison to nearby Kumbum Monastery, it does give a taste of the Tibetan Buddhist religion and is worth a visit if you have the time. The monks are friendly and will do their best to introduce you to the place.

Another temple worth a visit is the Taoist North Mountain Temple located on Changjiang Lu. There are some interesting caves, pavilions and pagodas, but hiking in the surrounding hills is what makes the trip really worthwhile. There are great views of the city just a short walk up the hills from the temple.

QINGHAI LAKE & KUMBUM MONASTERY
Every region in China has at least one or two don't miss destinations, and Qinghai Lake and Kumbum Monastery fit the bill for Xining. While not actually in the city, both can be reached conveniently with local transportation or the help of a travel agent and can both be seen in one long day trip.

Qinghai Lake, the largest saltwater lake in China, is truly a spectacular sight. At an elevation of approximately 3,600m, it's surrounded by seemingly endless rolling grasslands that make up the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. Ethnic Tibetan nomad living tents can be seen scattered about in the summer when they come down from higher elevations to graze their yaks on the lush green grass surrounding the lake. If you're looking for an authentic Tibetan experience, this is a great place to find it. Heading west from Xining early in the morning, the road immediately begins climbing as you ascend the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. The road to the lake winds its way through stark and tranquil valley scenery while surrounded by terraced fields of rapeseed and wheat. About an hour and a half from Xining is the Sun Moon Pass. It offers splendid views of the grasslands and is a great spot to snap a few pictures, continuing from there, the scenery is of classic plateau grasslands and the lake soon appears as a watery, albeit salty, blue oasis. A couple hours and possibly a stop for lunch at the Tibetan tents later you arrive at Bird Island.

While the scenery and cultural experience around the lake are worth the trip alone, most visitors come to see the main attraction, Bird Island. From March through June every year, this island becomes a breeding ground for tens of thousands of rare migrating birds. The trip costs RMB 120 and usually includes stops at all the sites of interest along the way. Entrance to the park is RMB 35. Usually the tour is booked as a day trip, but you also can arrange overnight accommodation through a travel agent.

The Qinghai Lake trip generally includes a stop at Xining's other gem, Kumbum Monastery. Located just 30km from Xining, this monastery is one of the most important Yellow Hat sect monasteries in the world. Construction of this building began in 1577 at the birthplace of Tsong Khapa, founder of the Yellow Hat sect of Tibetan Buddhism. The monastery offers an authentic glimpse of the Tibetan Buddhist religious tradition, a mere 45 minutes from Xining. It presently houses several thousand monks and hosts a number of important religious festivals each year.