The sights in this remote industrial town are few and far between. The majority of tourists entering Golmud are normally here as a stopover point on their way to either Dunhuang to the north, Xining to the east, or Lhasa to the south.

Within the city itself there is almost nothing of architectural, cultural or scenic interest, beyond some colourful denizens. The best of the sights are those of the desolate scenery that can be found outside of the metropolis. Most of the region is fairly unexplored by travellers, and as such has little of the tourist pollution that other areas in China seem a little too prone to. Many of the sights will, unfortunately, need a permit to travel to (ask at a local travel agent or, if pressed, at China International Travel Service).

The city was founded on the edge of the Gobi Desert, in the mid-west of Qinghai province. Much of this area is dominated by either pasture lands or dry, weather-worn plateaus, that are all highly rich in minerals and possibly huge quantities of oil. It is these extractable resources upon which the town has thrived, but for the traveller, it is also these that are most worthy of visiting. At a push, the Qinghai Potash Plant or the Salt Bridge almost merit a day trip, although the first is most interesting to those of a purely mineralogical or geological frame of mind, and the second is best for those on their way to Dunhuang (the road passes over it).

The sights to the south, with the Kunlun Mountains (Kunlun shan), the massive glaciers and the Tangula Mountain Pass (Tangula shankou), that lead on into Tibet, are of towering beauty. If you can afford the hefty CITS levies on foreigner ticket prices, and the grueling road journey, this trip is worthwhile.

Sight Overview

wutaichunse.jpg (12049 bytes)Wutaishan is a huge area of rolling hills, high mountains, light forests and numerous Buddhist temples, making it fairly hard to set any sort of itinerary or highlights to those who are limited by time. The best thing to do is to try and cover the main sights, while not losing a feel for the place by rushing from valley to peak. All of the temples in the area are uniquely interesting in their own right, and the highlights listed below should in no means restrict your wanderings.

The area is nowadays well equipped with transport links that make it a lot easier to reach those sights that are a long way from the village of Taihuai, that is in the mountain valley. Taihuai, or an area near to this village, is the best place to base yourself, since most amenities are to be found here. The sights to be seen can basically be divided into three areas: those that are within the village itself, those that can be reached from the village on foot, and those for which you will need to catch a minibus to get to.

Within Taihuai are a number of temples that are closely linked. A good one to start on is Pusa Ding, since from its summit you will have a good view over the village below. Of the other temples in town recommended is the vast Xiantong Monastery, that is possibly the oldest monastery, despite restorations, on the mountain, and the Tayuan Temple, that is most notable for the Great White Pagoda, towering to 50 meters in height, contained within.

Walkable from out of the village are a number of possibly more rewarding sights, less visited and less changed than those in Taihuai. South of town are four or five temples, including the sloped heights of the Nanshan Monastery, the beautiful environs of the Zhenhai Monastery (Zhenhai si) and the more distant Dragon Spring Monastery, with its beautiful marble entranceway. Not far north of the village lie three further temples, the highest, the Bishan Monastery (Bishan si), is a Ming Dynasty (1368-1644 AD) complex that contains some interesting sculptures.

If you are considering trips into the mountians (and these are well worth their while), the Foguang Temple (Foguang si) and the Nanchan Temple (Nanchan si) have halls that are the oldest existing wooden buildings in the world. If you have the time, it may also be worth visiting some of the five peak plateaus (Wutai) by minibus.

Additional Information: You are charged RMB33 for entry into the Wutaishan Buddhist Scenic Area.