Things To Do in Xining
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Xining Attractions
- Religious Site
Dongguan Qingzhensi
Located in the center of a bustling Muslim district, this is where some of Qinghai's 800,000 Muslims gather for the call to prayer. The buildings here aren't much to look at, but if you come during prayer times, you'll get an interesting glimpse into the lives of Chinese Muslims.… - Religious Site
Kumbum
Jesuit missionary Emmanuel Huc, who visited in 1860, recorded, "On either side of the ravine, and up the edges of the mountains, rise, in amphitheatrical form, the white dwellings of the Lamas, each with its little white terrace and wall of enclosure, adorned only by cleanliness,… - Natural Attraction
Qinghai Hu
Large, high, salty, and stunningly blue, the lake that gave Qinghai (Blue Sea) Province its name provides an ornithological spectacle in April and early July, and wild vistas year-round. Over 100,000 birds migrate from the Indian Ocean to feed on spawn of Lake Kokonor's one variety…
Xining Shopping
The Dongfu Importation Store is on a small lane which runs west off Gonghe Lu, just south of the intersection with Qiyi Lu, and has a small selection of hard-to-find Western goods including cheese, Pop-Tarts, cereal, and granola bars. Food supplies may also be picked up from the basement of the shopping center on the northeast corner of the Xi Dajie and Changjiang Lu intersection. For local Amdo crafts, Amdo Cafe (tel. 0971/821-3127; www.amdocraft.com) on Ledulu is recommended; a good range of handicrafts including bags, belts, and purses are on sale, all of which are made by Amdo women in Qinghai, and the profits go to support local Tibetan communities. One of Qinghai's special exports is caterpillar fungus, called dongchongxiacao, which can be soaked in vodka like a worm in tequila or brewed with soup. You can purchase the fungus at the stores to the right of the gate of Xining Binguan, with prices ranging from ¥40 to ¥100 per gram.
Xining Nightlife
For a drinking spot, try relaxed and comfortable BarBar (tel. 0971/823-5488) on Nan Dajie, a five minute walk south of Da Shizi, or Soho (tel. 0971/822-3299; 7pm-2:30am), behind the Sports Center on Ximen, which features R&B most nights. Another popular nighttime activity is a visit to a Tibetan nangma, a variety show with singing and dancing. One of the most popular, for both Tibetan and Han Chinese, is on the seventh floor of the Xinshidai Dasha (tel. 0971/610-8758). The entertainment runs nightly from 9:30pm.
