Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Zanda
0897 / Elev 3760m
Zanda (Zhada), or Tsamda, is the bland, one-street town that has been built up alongside
Thöling Monastery. The town consists of a few hotels, restaurants, supermarkets, two
army bases and some brothels.
Budget a couple of hours to visit Thöling Monastery and an hour to wander the cliffside
chörtens at dusk. If you have more time the two sets of ruins south and particularly south-
west of town offer amateur archaeologists plenty of scope to explore crumbling monastery
walls, ruined chörtens and elaborate cave complexes.
DON'T MISS
AN AFTERNOON STROLL
A few steps east of the monastery compound is the recently restored
Serkhang chörten
.
A similar chörten stands in total isolation just to the west of the town. To the north,
between the monastic compound and the cliff-face that falls away to the Sutlej River be-
low are two long lines of miniature chörtens. The area is superbly photogenic at dusk,
when locals do a kora of the complex.
Sleeping & Eating
The main street has at least half-a-dozen other places to eat, including generic Sichuan
joints, a couple of Tibetan options and an Uighur restaurant. There are also a couple of
bathhouses in town and a laundry if you need it.
Hebei Hotel
HOTEL
(, Héběi Bīnguǎn 262 2475; new block from ¥350)
The old block of this hotel is grim and you may not even be allowed to stay here. The
next-door annex has decent modern rooms that boast the town's only en suite hot showers.
Chóngqìng Hotel
HOTEL
(, Chóngqìng Bīnguǎn
290 2650; d ¥300, tr without bathroom ¥350)
