Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
The county town of Gongkar Xian is of note for hosting Tibet's only public Chairman Mao
statue, located next to a school west of the town centre. The 12m-tall icon, erected in 2006,
has more to do with the town's economic connections to Mao's home province of Húnán
than with a major ideological statement. It's 9km east of the airport.
Sleeping & Eating
There are a couple of decent spots to stay near the airport if you want to use Gongkar as a
base from which to explore the valley.
Xīnchuānyuán Bīnguăn
HOTEL
( d ¥150-200; )
Decent budget place at the main crossroads to the airport, above the Bank of Tibet. Choose
from small but quiet back rooms with a double bed, or noisier roadside twin rooms. All
have attached hot-water bathrooms. Traffic noise is a problem during the day but quietens
at night. Staff are Chinese-speaking only.
Háodí Dàjiŭdiàn
HOTEL
( 618 5555; d ¥500, discounted to ¥340; )
New in 2014, this spotless four-star hotel is easily the most comfortable place to stay.
Rooms are bright, fresh and immaculate. Prices will likely rise after the initial opening dis-
counts wear off.
Information
Bank of China
BANK
(, Zhōngguó Yínháng 9.30am-5pm Mon-Fri, 11am-3pm Sat & Sun)
The bank is 300m south of the airport; it changes cash and travellers cheques into yuán
and has a 24-hour ATM but, inconveniently for an airport bank, it cannot change yuán
back into foreign currency.
Getting There & Away
