Serthar Buddhist Institute

One of the more interesting forays into the lesser visited parts of China is the Serthar Buddhist Institute (色达喇荣五明佛学院), situated in the sensitive Tibetan region of Garze prefecture in Sichuan China. You may have visited monastic towns and villages before, but nothing quite like this.

Main monastery hall in the Buddhist Institute

Also known as Larung Gar Buddhist Academy, it is founded by an esteemed Khenpo (a title akin to a degree for Tibetan Buddhism studies), Jingme Phuntsok, in the 1980s. The academy attracted students from all over China, and grew to over 10,000 students by year 2000. Today, it is reputed to have more than 40,000 monks, nuns and lay followers coming from all over, including countries like Singapore, Malaysia, Hongkong and Taiwan.

With that many students, the Larung valley where the academy is, has grown into somewhat of a major town. The whole "town" though is separated into 2 areas, one for the monks, and the other for the nuns. They live in small simple houses that were built packed together, and sprawled all across the valley, and today, the valley and town is really quite an astounding sight. As with any other towns, small shops and stalls cater for the simple needs of the inhabitants, which is essentially food and monastic supplies. There is also two simple guesthouses (招代所) for visiting guests, and when I was there in 2011, a major hotel of sorts is being constructed. From lay followers whom I've spoken to, most of them lived with the monks/nuns as a particular term/course with the institute can last from weeks to months even. Perhaps that major hotel would be catered for the lay followers and visiting tourists.

The monastery surrounded by the living quarters of the monks/nuns studying there

Packed houses and loads of prayer flags on top of the hill

On each side of monk/nun segment is the main monastery building, where a visit is certainly a must. Within the halls of the monastery are where all the monks/nuns study. And everyday, at certain hours (usually in the evening), there will be a "debate" session which is quite an eye-opener for most. At the top of one of the hills is a huge stupa and every evening, most monks/nuns would make their way up to circumambulate the structure, and make their prayers. For visitors, the view of the whole Serthar Buddhist Institute from the top is just fabulous, especially for sunrise/sunset. Serthar is also a place where one can witness a Tibetan 'Sky Burial', and is certainly not for the faint hearted!

Does this look like a verbal debate?

Sharing and discussion

There are many nuns studying in Serthar

A lay follower

Getting into Serthar, however, is alot more troublesome, especially for foreigners. The area is often closed and/or is subject to frequent checks. However, I did not encounter any problems. There are only minivan shuttles between the institute and the nearby Serthar town (which runs really infrequently unless you book the whole minivan). From the town, there is also limited transport options, with something like one or two buses a day in/out to Ma Er Kang (马尔康). From Ma Er Kang, you can then find buses to/fro Chengdu, or further north into Gansu province.

However, the experience is certainly quite different, and I think, worth the trouble.

Panoramic view of Serthar

Kashgar Old Town

When I covered Kashgar 2 years back, I mentioned that the highlight for me was the Old Town. Last year, there were news that Kashgar's Old Town will be razed. The Chinese government of course had various reasons for it, but whatever the case or reasons, the news saddened me greatly.

Wandering through the streets of the Old Town epitomises the magic of travel. Admiring old historic buildings, witnessing ancient cultures and lifestyle, getting lost around mazy streets, uncovering little surprises, getting stares from locals, friendly children giggling at you, the experience is unforgetable. Unfortunately, I didn't take that many photos, but the ones I have gave me fond memories....

Bai Haba (白哈巴), North Xinjiang

Northern Xinjiang is a lovely place to visit, esp in autumn. Besides the wonderful trek between Kanas and Hemu village, there is another village very well worth the time to visit - Bai Haba (白哈巴) village, the most northwestern village in China.


Bai Haba or White Haba village, is situated right at the border between China and Kazakhstan. You can actually arrange to visit the border post with your driver/guide. There is no bus to this village, so transport arrangements have to be made from Kanas, one of the more touristy town in Northern Xinjiang. However, the highlight of the place is the village itself. In autumn, the village is literally covered in yellow and gold, and the setting is so tranquil, just having a picnic in the village surrounds is an enjoyment worth the trip to Xinjiang alone!



The villagers consists of some Kazaks and mainly the Tuwa/Tuva (of Mongolian descent) people. They seem to keep to themselves, not so much as unfriendly, but probably more reserved about meeting strangers. However, we stumbled upon a school and the children, being children, are alot more curious, though still shy. The Tuwa/Tuva people, from what I gather, are dwindling in numbers and am glad that I had the opportunity to meet them.



White Haba village is a place where time had stood still, and is one of my most memorable places that I've visited. Not to mention the excellent photo opportunities here too!!

Harbin, Northeast China

Mention Harbin, and the Ice Lantern Festival comes to mind. In fact, it is Harbin's number one tourist attraction, and so, significant efforts are also put in to capitalize on this.

Beautiful lighted ice sculptures

There are now like three locations where you can admire and see the snow and ice sculptures - Zhaolin Park, Sun Island, and the Snow & Ice World. All require entrance tickets in excess of 100RMB each. The biggest is probably Snow & Ice World, but all will be crowded. And they are best admired at night where the multi-coloured lights bring the sculptures alive.

However, I actually enjoyed some of the other attractions aside from this number one attraction!

• The main tourist street of Zhongyang Dajie (中央大街 ), a cobbled pedestrian street, makes for nice browsing with Russian influenced architecture, some dating back 1900s. And it's really nice to just chill in a warm cafe after a wintry walk! (And the cafes have nice decor too!)
• The Church of St Sophia, the most photographed picture in Harbin, is well worth its shutter time especially early morning or late evening when it is bathed in the winter sunlight. 
• I also enjoyed the walk across the Songhua river, where you know as you stand in the middle of the river that this view is only possible in winter. There are also all manner of activities on the frozen river, from horse-carriage rides to sledding. But I prefer to walk - how often can you walk on a river?! ;)
• And the amazing winter swim that the locals partake, though having to pay an entrance fee to see it caught me off-guard for a moment (and then I remembered I am in China... :p). It's interesting to note that for the "warm-up" before they plunge into the icy-cold waters, the participants actually roll themselves on the snow/ice-covered ground! I guess it's to minimize the shock the body gets when they jump in.

I've always enjoyed winter, though in Dongbei (Northeast China), you have to be properly equipped for it. A number of friends are particularly concerned about visiting Harbin since many are worried about the extreme cold here. But once you're properly well attired (a good down jacket is an absolute must!), Harbin is really quite enjoyable!

Winter swimming

Zhongyang Dajie at night

Changbaishan Canyon (大峽谷)

Another attraction in the Changbaishan scenic area is the Changbaishan Canyon (大峽谷). It is quite a deep canyon (going down 100m), with some interesting rock formations within it. However, it requires a separate entrance ticket, and its actually quite a distance from the Changbaishan park entrance at the northern slope.




The canyon itself is surrounded by pine forests, and looks really pretty in winter. There is a boardwalk running through the canyon, and makes for a very pleasant walk. The guidebook suggested that its a 40min walk, but I took almost 2hrs as I love photographing the winter scenes. Moreover, I seem to be the first and only visitor, as the boardwalk is covered with snow with no footprints at all. The boardwalk is on a raised platform, and with heavy snow, the edge of the boardwalk became barely distinguishable. So, extra care must be taken not to accidentally step off the boardwalk!



So, is the additional trip and entrance ticket worth it? Well, I enjoyed myself quite alot in there. However, in other seasons, the sceneries will be different, so your enjoyment mileage may vary :)

Fangchuan (防川) - A View of 3 Countries

Fangchuan (防川), a small village in a sliver of land wedged between Russia and North Korea, finds itself in some travel guides for one reason - to be able to view 3 countries from a single viewpoint.



Situated in the Yanbian (延边) Korean Autonomous Prefecture in Jilin Province of Northeast China, the area does contain quite interesting histories for those who enjoy the subject. For the casual traveller, the notion of being at the border of 3 countries is the main draw. In fact, the moment I arrived in Hunchun (珲春), the town that connects to the rest of the prefecture, the cab drivers started quoting prices to Fangchuan. When I asked, "What to see in Fangchuan?", the driver exclaimed incredously, "To see the view of 3 countries (一眼望三国), why else would you want to come to Hunchun??!"!
Well, Hunchun itself is very similar to the other towns/cities in Yanbian. Korean seems to be spoken as widely as Chinese, and dog meat restaurants, barbeques, and kimchis are all over the town. While the road and shop signs in the other Yanbian towns are in bilingual, here the signs are all in 3 languages : Chinese, Korean and Russian. However, I did not see many Russians when I was there.



The journey to Fangchuan and the viewpoint eventually follows a road hugging the Tumen river, and you can see the mountains of North Korea - so near yet so far. When you reach the viewpoint, what do you expect in China? Entrance fees of course. But still, it was interesting, and the closest I've gotten to Russia and North Korea to date! :P




View Larger Map

Heaven Lake in Winter (天池, 长白山)

One of the highlights in Northeast China is ChangBaiShan (长白山) and most guidebooks recommend a visit in summer, especially to see the beautiful Tianchi (天池). But I went in winter, and I was absolutely blown away by its beauty.


Tianchi, or Heaven Lake, is a lake in a caldera atop the Changbai mountain range which straddles China and North Korea. In winter, the lake is completely frozen, and seeing it from the peak of ChangBaiShan will certainly take your breath away, in more ways than one. At 2600+m, -28°C, and howling wind speeds, I needed the lake's beauty to distract me from the harsh conditions. It was indeed quite challenging for photography!!



However, access to the peak seems to be quite controlled. There are specially designated jeeps that bring you up to the peak's visitor station. Perhaps this is a good thing, since you wouldn't want to wander into North Korea territory... From the visitors station, its just a short trek to the lake viewpoint. Although it was extremely cold, I am glad I made the trip!!

Tian Shan (天山)

Tian Shan (天山) (sometimes spelt Tien Shan), or Heavenly Mountains, is a range of mountains that cover a large part of Xinjiang China. It extends all the way to the borders of Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan, and feature quite abit in Xinjiang tourism. And for good reasons!


With its snow-capped peaks, massive glaciers and rugged beauty, it is no wonder that adventurers, travellers, backpackers love to visit it. It has been the focus of Chinese authors and filmmakers too, who decided that the name and landscape lends itself to glorifying wuxia tales. From valiant swordsmen training in the mountains, to rare herbs hidden in the peaks, the area does provide a stimulus to such imagination.




There is also a Tian Chi (天池), or Heavenly Lake, which lies near Bogda peak, one of the peaks of the TianShan range near Urumqi. Being near the city, it has been marketed by the Chinese tourism authorities, and is now quite touristy. While certainly pretty, the tourist crowds can get quite large, and so, if you do decide to take a look at Tian Chi, I suggest looking beyond the day tours offered by the many agencies in Urumqi city. This holds true for other day tours to the Tian Shan as well, eg. the visits to "No. 1" glacier etc. Arrange for a couple of days of trekking in the Tian Shan region would be perfect. Nevertheless, be it a day or multi-days, these TianShan ranges are sure worth a visit!

Litang 理塘

Litang (理塘) is a county in the Sichuan province of China. It's town, of the same name, is known as one of the highest towns in the world. At 4014m, it is actually higher than Lhasa, but since it is not served by airport, getting into Litang is usually by bus or private transport, and you'll be less likely hit by altitude sickness.


Litang is the birthplace for several Dalai Lamas, and so, one of the things to do here is to visit the monasteries, the main one being Chang-qing-chun-ke'er. During our visit, the monks were having some sort of exam, and it was interesting to see that it was pretty much similar in many aspects to our exam taking scenes! Litang used to be part of the Tibetan Kham province, and the Khampa Tibetans still form the majority of the population here. In town itself, many of the residents are still in their traditional garb, and every evening, there would be Tibetan dances in one of the squares in the town!



Litang also hosts its annual horse racing festival in August. It is a well-known major event, and many travellers would come here to witness the festival. If you do intend to catch this, you'll have to plan ahead and book your accommodations in advance. Too bad I didn't catch this event, as it would provide fantastic photography opportunities! So, no photos of the festival here... Hopefully next time! :)