An interesting way to pass the time: Watching out for the police spies! Whilst talking to a couple of other tourists at the Barkor Cafe, we noticed a man of about 40 years old sitting alone at the next table drinking a beer. He was looking away, but with one ear pointed ominously towards us. We started to talk louder, saying 'hey look at that soldier on the rooftop over there with his gun. He's doing such a good job helping these poor Tibetans...' the ear pricked up and the man sat bolt upright. We said hello to him, but he pretended not to understand. We then asked him 'hey youre a policeman aren't you...?' At that he left his beer and walked away grinning at us.
I have had similar experiences in a restaurant in Golmud. I suspect these people were free-lance, but you can see plain clothes police men also. You could recognize them by their army shoes and sweaters and they often wore floppy canvas sun hats of the type that babies or fishermen wear in this country. There were a couple of them conspicuously hanging around the checkin at Gongar (Lhasa) airport. As to how much english they understand... ?
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Don't try and talk politics to local people if they don't want to. Tibetans can get 20 years in prison for this. It is a counter revolutionary crime.
Even if they do want to talk, this may be due to a misplaced idea that you are a journalist or similar. Be sensitive to this.
While you are in Tibet OBSERVE what is going on there. Use your brain. Ask yourself what is really going on, how do the local people react to the present situation. Use the trip to further your understanding of the situation in Tibet. Question everything. It is not easy if you don't speak so much Tibetan.
Tell people what you think when you get back home.
Before you go, read up on Tibet, its history and politics See recommended reading at the end of this FAQ
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You will need a standard Peoples Republic of China Visa. What type of visa you get will determine how long you can stay. You can probably get a 30 day visa everywhere, but dont be suprised if the Chinese Embassy in Western capital cities does not give out Visas for individual travellers. Being persistent may help! You may have to get your Visa from Hong Kong . If you want a 90 day visa then Hong Kong is the best place. In Kathmandu they are not usually so generous. At the time of writing they are not issuing visas in Kathmandu, but people who have got their visas from elsewhere can cross the border into Tibet. At present you can buy 15 day visa extensions in Tibet (25FEC). You will be able do do this a maximum of two times only. This seems to be the standard throughout PRC at present. Visa extensions are ultimately issued at the discression of the local PSB (police) and cannot therefore be 100 percent relied upon. Things change fast.
Around plitically sensitive anniversaries they may stop issuing extensions.
The moral of the story is: you'll always get a visa in HK but probably not in Kathmandu.
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In Kathmandu the situation is often such that you cannot get a visa (or cross the border) without joining a group tour. You can join the group IN Kathmandu. These groups are exercises in minimalism! The 'tour' may only last two or three days and it may be only one-way. ie your guide leaves you in Tibet.
You will still need a visa lasting longer than the tour if you wish to stay on. These should be available through your tour organiser, for an extra fee.
At the time of writing, people arriving in Kathmandu without a visa are having to join a 'three day special' cheap tour staying at the Yak Hotel (or other independent Tibetan hotel). You get a 10 day visa, to which you should be able add two 15 day extensions once in Tibet. Cost unknown, but I would guess it to be US$300 - 400
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As I said above, some places in Tibet are always open, even if travel to Lhasa is not allowed.
These places are not in the Tibetan Autonomous Region, but they are inhabited by Tibetan people and have just as much Tibetan culture too see. These areas are called Amdo and Kham in Tibetan. Amdo is NE Tibet and Kham is SE Tibet.
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-Regong (chinese name Tongren) open to tourists, but politically a bit sensitive due to anti chinese demonstrations held here a few years ago. The town is not so special with many Chinese residents, but the surrounding countryside is very much Tibetan. The last Tulku of Regong was killed in the 1950s, but the monastery is in the process of being rebuilt. -Kumbum (chinese name Taer-su or Hongyuan) Open to tourists. only a few kilometres from Xining. This is on the borders of ethnic Tibet. In the summer it is full of local tourists demonstrating their lack of respect towards Tibetan Culture. In the winter there are far more Tibetan Pilgrims. In 1988 some monks here were arrested for demonstrating their lack of respect towards their Chinese rulers.
Most other parts of Qinghai are still closed to individual travellers. Get caught in the towns and the local PSB will arrest you. This is not so serious as it might seem, but it does put take a bit of the inertia out of your trip.
Out in the countryside there are no PSB, but they do live in the villages.
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-Labrang Trashikil: (Chinese name Xiahe) This Important monastery might look impressive, but if you compare it with the photo in 'The Anye-Ma-Chhen Range and Adjacent Regions' by J F Rock (1956) you will see that half of it has been destroyed.
Still, plenty too see. Get yourself into the surrounding countryside too. Read an account of the destruction and looting of the monastery in 'Tibet behind the Ice Curtain' by Vanya Kewley. pp 314-319 -There are other places open between Labrang and Zoige which is in Sichuan province, you can travel this road, but don't just do it in the bus - stop, get off and explore!
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-Kanding: (Tib. Dartsedo) Called Tasienlu in some books. This is the old border of Tibet. There's not too much Tibetan culture to see here now.There used to be a huge Catholic cathedral, but not any more!
-Ganze: More Tibetan than Kanding. the road between the two is also interesting.
-Aba: This place is hard to get to (only by permit, and you cant have one!) There have been some disturbances here too. Lots of Tibetan culture here, so I'm told. The Monastery in Aba, Kidje Gompa (spelling??) has two thousand monks, making it the largest in all Tibet.
(I think this bit's true, but would stand corrected??)
-Litang (no info)
-Batang (no Info)
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-Lhasa, and the road to Nepal and Golmud are officially open to individuals. This may change and does not imply that you will be alowed to travel there.
-Shigatse is open at present. If Lhasa is open Shigatse will be too. -Other places may or may not be open. Ask for a permit at your friendly local PSB.
I have only mentioned the towns. The countryside is far more Tibetan than the towns, which are usually modern built with concrete appartment blocks. They suffered most in the liberation and the cultural revolution. It involves a bit more effort to travel in the countryside, but is far more rewarding.
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You can fly into Lhasa, and there's a train to Xining and Golmud. For everywhere else you'll have to get the bus! Go to the long distance bus station early in the morning and buy a ticket! Who says individual travel is hard?
Obviously if you are in Kathmandu and Lhasa is closed, then you are stuck. you can't enter Tibet from Kathmandu without going through Lhasa. On the other hand if you are in HK and Lhasa is closed you can still go to loads of places in East Tibet.
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| This is the trickiest bit. The situation changes all the time. I cannot stress that enough. One person's experiences will be different from the next. |
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