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Xian Lhasa Flight Experience, Xian Lhasa Flight

Sunday, August 21st, 2011

Plan your Lhasa Tour from Xian? At the time of writing, three daily flights connect Xian and Lhasa, which are operated by Eastern China Airlines and Sichuan Airlines respectively. The two daily flights by Eastern China Airlines are direct flights taking 3 hours and five minutes while the only daily flight by Sichuan Airlines is an indirect flight with one stopover at Xining ( the capital city of Qinghai Province) taking 4 hours and 50 minutes.

Timetable for the daily three Xian – Lhasa flights

Xian Lhasa MU2333 07:45 – 10:55 ( Eastern China Airlines )

Xian Lhasa 3U8687 7:50 – 12:40 ( Sichuan Airlines )

Xian Lhasa MU2335 11:35 – 14:40 ( Eastern China Airlines )

For various reasons, we were unable to get the direct flight by Eastern China Airlines from Xian to Lhasa for today’s flight. We use Sichuan Airlines’s flight 3U8687 taking off at 7:50 am.

Early this morning we have to get up around 4:30 am and leave our lodging hotel in Xian at 5:30am to catch the early 7:50 am flight since Xian Xianyang International Airport is approxi. 50km from the city of Xian, which take one hours’ driving.

Xian Airport has two terminals – T1 and T2. The airlines at T1 include China Southern Airlines (CZ), Xiamen Airlines (MF), Sichuan Airlines (3U) and Chongqing Airlines (OQ). The airlines at T2 include Air China (CA), Hainan Airlines (HU), Shenzhen Airlines (ZH), Shanghai Airlines (FM), Shandong Airlines (SC), East Star Airlines (8C), Lucky Air (8L), Kunpeng Air (VD) and Grand China Express (GS). Make sure you have the right terminal when you use Xian Airport. So we go to the Terminal 1 for the flight by Sichuan Airlines, which is just next to the Terminal 2.

We first fly from Xian to Xining ( the capital city of Qinghai Province ). The 770km Xian to Xining flight takes takes us 1 hours and 10 minutes. At Xining Airport, we have to take all our carry-on bags, disembark, get temporarily boarding passes for the transit flight and wait in the lounge of Xining Airport. The whole flight transit at Xining takes about one hour. Then we board the same plane with the same seats again for the flight from Xining to Lhasa.

The 1238km flight from Xining to Lhasa takes us 2 hours and 20 minutes, which is the highlight of the flight experience from Xian to Lhasa. The 1238km flight route covers the Qinghai Tibet Plateau from northeast (Xining) to southwest (Lhasa), unfolding us the beautiful geographical landforms – snow mountains, desert, rivers and alpine meadows…

We arrive at Lhasa at 12:40 as scheduled. This is my second visit to Lhasa. Seeing the familiar Lhasa Airport reminds me of the my first Tibet Trip eascorting a tour group from Romania.

This time we are very lucky to use the just completed Lhasa Airport Expressway from the airport to the city of Lhasa. The newly finished Lhasa airport expressway shortens the old airport highway from 90km to 65km, taking us just one hour from the airport to Lhasa city.

Lhasa, I’m back! Tibet, I’m back!

See below some of the photos I take on my flight from Xian to Lhasa vis Xining crossing the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau:

The boarding gate for 3U8687 Xian Xining Lhasa Flight

Boarding the plane Airbus A319

Flying High in the sky on the way from Xian to Xining

Landing at Xining Airport

In the Lounge of Xining Airport waiting for the transit flight from Xining to Lhasa

Taking off from Xining Airport

Fying high over Qinghai Tibet Plateau

Qaidam Basin in Qinghai Province

Snow capped mountains

Cotton flower like white clounds floating in the sky

Alpine Meadows

Yalu Tsangpo River

Landing at Lhasa Airport

Lhasa Airport

Lhasa Airport Expressway

Potala Palace in sight

Tags: Xian Lhasa flig
Posted in Beijing Tour Reviews, Lhasa Travel tips, Tibet Travel, Xian Travel, Xining Travel | No Comments »

Top 10 Xining Attractions, Top 10 Things to Do in Xining

Sunday, January 16th, 2011

No. 01: Ta’er Monastery
The Ta’er Monastery, or Kumbum Monastery, is located in Huangzhong County, Qinghai Province, 25 kilometers (about 16 miles) away from Xining. Now the Ta’er Monastery is considered a sacred place in China.
The monastery mingles perfectly with the contours of a mountain slope, and its greater and lesser Golden-tiled Halls and Grand Summons Hall form a sumptuous architecture complex on a well-conceived plan. Butter sculptures, frescoes and padded embroidery are the three treasures of the monastery.
Entrance Fee: CNY 10
Opening Hours: 08:00-17:00
How to get there: take a bus to Zhifang Lane, then transfer to the minibus from Xining to Huangzhong

No. 02: Qinghai Lake
Qinghai Lake, historically known as Koko Nor or Kuku Nor, is a saline lake situated in the province of Qinghai, and is the largest lake in China.
The names Qinghai and Kokonor both mean “Blue/Teal Sea” in Standard Mandarin and Mongolian. It is located about 100 kilometres west of the provincial capital of Xining at 3,205 m (10,515 feet) above sea level in a depression of the Tibetan Plateau in the traditional Tibetan province of Amdo. Twenty-three rivers and streams empty into Qinghai Lake, most of them seasonal. Five permanent streams provide 80% of total influx.
Entrance Fee: free
Opening Hours: 08:30-17:30
How to get there: There are minibuses from Xining Long-distance Bus Station every morning, you can take the minibus to Qinghai Lake.

No. 03: Bird Island
Bird Island, which lies northwest of Qinghai Lake, one of the most beautiful lakes in China, is connected to the bank on one side whilst the others are surrounded by water.
It encompasses two islands, one is Haixi Pi in the east, and in the west is the Haixi Shan, which is four times smaller than the former island but is where most of the birds of the lake congregate. With the enticing natural scenery and so many beautiful wildfowl, Bird Island has been a must for many tourists traveling in Qinghai.
Entrance Fee: free
Opening Hours: the whole day
How to get there: There are minibuses from Xining Long-distance Bus Station every morning, you can take the minibus to the Bird Iskand.

No. 04: Dongguan Mosque
The Dongguan Mosque, which is located in eastern Xining City, is the largest mosque in Qinghai Province and one of the four greatest mosques in Northwest China.
Dongguan Mosque was established during the Ming Dynasty. There is a complex of traditional Chinese palace-style buildings in the mosque. The gate of the mosque is actually a decorated archway with the name of the mosque on it. Dongguan Mosque is the most well preserved ancient building, as well as the center and the highest-level institution of Islamic learning in Northwest China.
Entrance Fee: CNY 80
Opening Hours: 08:00-17:00
How to get there: take Buses No. 1, 2 or 23 to get there

No. 05: Qinghai Museum
Qinghai Provincial Museum, located at Xining City, is a provincial-level comprehensive museum of China. The Museum building used to be residence of Ma Bufang, a local warlord of Qinghai.
At present the Museum, covering an area of 30,000 square meters with a floor space of 6,000 square meters, is one of the historical sites under the protection of the province. At 4 Weimin Alleyway, Xining, with 10,000 exhibits, Qinghai Museum is a nice place for those curious about Qinghai’s history and ethnic relationships.
Entrance Fee: free
Opening Hours: 09:00-17:00
How to get there: take Buses No. 9, 22, 25, 2 or 40 to Qinghai Museum

No. 06: Sun and Moon Mountain & Daotang River
Located in Huangyuan Prefecture in the east of Qinghai Province to the northeast of Qinghai Lake, Sun and Moon Mountain lies on the boundary of the central agricultural area of Qinghai and the Qinghai-Tibet pastoral area. The beautiful Daotang River springs from the west of Sun and Moon Mountain and flows west to Qinghai Lake, the largest inland salt lake in China.
The Sun Pavilion and the Moon Pavilion were built on each side of the mountain pass to remember Princess Wencheng. Of the twin pavilions, the Moon Pavilion in particular depicts the great cultural communication Princess Wencheng brought to Tibet, including crop seeds, technology, medicine and Buddhism. It is said that she helped bring civilization to Tibet.
Entrance Fee: CNY 15
Opening Hours: 08:00-17:00
How to get there: There is no direct bus to this area. You’d better join in the One-day Qinghai Tour organized by the local travel agency.

No. 07: Northern Buddhist Temple
Northern Buddhist Temple covers an area of 28,000 square meters and it leans against Northern Mountain in a northern suburb of Xining, hence the name Northern Mountain Temple.
Northern Buddhist Temple was constructed in Northern Wei Dynasty (386-534) and it is the earliest example of religious architecture in Qinghai Province. It was built based on a natural faultage on the mountainside according to Danxia landscape featuring stone alternating between softness and hardness. It is the second largest Xuankong Temple in China.
Entrance Fee: CNY 15
Opening Hours: 08:30-18:00
How to get there: The Northern Buddhist Temple is about 4 kilometers away from the downtown area, you can take a taxi to get there

No. 08: Kanbula Forest Park
Kanbula forest park covers an area of 4,776 hectares. The park is formed by the magnificent Danxia landscape, amazing forest, the Yellow River grand valley, Sacred Buddhist Nanzonggou ravine and the highland pearl the Lijiaxia reservoir.
In 2003, it is named as state geographic park. Nanzonggou ravine is 5000 meters long, it is narrow and deep with startling beautiful sceneries. It is famous in the world as one of the Tibetan Buddhism late expansion place and also the only place where Red, Yellow, Xian, Mi, monks and nuns of Tibetan Buddhism live together.
Entrance Fee: CNY 40
Opening Hours: 08:00-17:00
How to get there: take the long-distance bus from Xining Train Station to Li Jia Xia, then rent a car to Kanbula Forest Park

No. 09: Laoye Mountain
Laoye Mountain is located at Qiaotou town of the Datong County, 35 kilometers south of Qinghai Xining city. The mountains are all high and steep and the scenery is beautiful.
Laoye Mountain acquires its fame because the Duke Guan temple was constructed on the mountain and there is the Duke Guan sculpture in the temple. The Limestone forms high peak grotto and canyon, the hills are steep and the cliff are precipitous. It has different scenery during the four seasons, and the vegetation growth are luxuriant; mainly consists of the spruce, willow tree, Chinese white poplar, Chinese tamarisk and many other types of bushes.
Entrance Fee: CNY 15
Opening Hours: 08:00-18:00
How to get there: take the minibus from Zhifang Street to Datong County

No. 10: Niangniang Mountain
Niangniang Mountain, also called Jin E Mountain, is located at the Datong County of Xining. It starts from Heilin and ends at Jinyangchuan.
The Niangniang Mountain covers an area of 100 square kilometers. It is the branch of Qianlian Mountains. There is a lake on the peak of the mountain which is one of the eight ancient views of Xining. Niangniang Mountain doesn’t only have beautiful scenery, but also a mountain with treasures, including coal and quartz stone.
Entrance Fee: free
Opening Hours: the whole day
How to get there: There are Tourist Buses in the city to get to the Niangniang Mountain

Xining Travel Service

Qinghai Tour

Xining 3 Day Tour

Xining Lhasa 7 Days Train Tour

Qinghai Tibet Mysterious Plateau Discovery 10 Day Tour

Qinghai Gansu Sichuan Jiuzhaigou 9 Day Tour

Qinghai Ningxia 7 Day Tour

Qinghai Gansu Xinjiang 11 Days Tour

Xining Travel Guide
Golmud Travel Guide
Tongren Travel Guide
Yushu Travel Guide
Maduo Travel Guide
Chaka Salt Lake
Tuo Tuo River

Tags: Top 10 attractions Xining, top 10 things to do Xining, Top attractions Xining, Top things to do Xining
Posted in Beijing Travel, China Top 10, Xining Travel | No Comments »

Xining Taxi: Xining Taxi Fares, Tips and Phones

Thursday, December 23rd, 2010

Xining Taxi Quantity
At the time of my writing, there are more that 5,000 taxis in Xining. Taxis are operated by several different firms. The older red Xiali taxis are still in operation. The newer Santana, Fukang and Citroen taxis are easy to spot.

Taxi Models in Xining
Generally speaking, the taxis running in the street of Xining consist of Fukang, Citroen, Jetta, Santana, and Xiali.

Xining Taxi Fares:
• RMB6 for the flag-down rate
• RMB1.3 per km for each additional kilometer
• RMB1.5 for each additional km from 22:00-06:00

Xining Taxi Company Bookings
If you need to book a taxi, please make the call as following:
• Xining Changxin Taxi Service Company Tel: 0971-8146661
• Xining Shuda Taxi Company Tel: 0971-6317104

Hailing a Taxi in Xining
•The best places to hail a taxi is near the Station, the Airport, Bus stop, Scenic Spots, Hotel and the taxi stands.

Xining Taxi rider’s rights
As a taxi rider, you have the rights below:
Direct drive to your destination and no compulsory car pooling
Go to any destination in and beyond Xining
Your car driver knows the streets in Xining and the way to major destinations in Xining;
Your driver should know and abide by all traffic laws;
Air-conditioning on demand;
A radio-free trip;
No Smoking
A clean passenger seat area;
A clean trunk
A driver uses the horn only when necessary to warn of danger;
No Tip

Xining Taxi Stands
Xining added 100 taxi stands with attractive appearance in order to relief the pressure of hailing taxi optionally.

Xining Taxi Complaints
If you have any problem with a taxi in Xining, please contact the following:
• Xining Price Bureau. Tel: 0971-8247942

Xijing Taxi Useful Information
•Using a meter instead of bargaining with the cab driver
•Refusing a forced pooling taxi
•Xining – Lanzhou : RMB800
•Xining Caojiabao Airport – Xining Downtown: RMB100
•Xining Railway Station – Xining Airport RMB80-100

Xining Travel Service

Xining 3 Day Tour from US$220 p/p

Xining Lhasa 7 Days Train Tour from US$580 p/p