Directory A–Z - Tibet - page 608

SLEEPING BAGS
The question of whether you need a sleeping bag or not depends entirely on where you
plan to go and how you plan to travel. Those who aim to spend time in Lhasa and then
head down to Nepal via the sights of Tsang, or who are doing a short loop around Eastern
Tibet, could do without one, although they are always a nice comfort, especially in budget
hotels. Anyone planning on trekking or heading out to more remote areas such as Nam-
tso, Everest or Western Tibet (Ngari) should definitely bring one along.
Guesthouses & Hotels
Lhasa is full of clean, well-run Tibetan-style guesthouses and hostels, many of which are
aimed at Chinese backpackers. Similar set-ups can be found in Shigatse, Sakya and Tingri.
Monasteries such as Samye, Ganden, Drigung Til, Dorje Drak, Mindroling, Tidrum and
Reting have their own pilgrim guesthouses - normally a bank of carpeted seats that double
as beds - and a night here can be a magical experience. Your guide may be reluctant for
you to overnight at a monastery guesthouse, however.
Most of the larger hotels are anonymous Chinese-style places that share several traits:
the plumbing is often dodgy, the toilets stinky, the carpets dotted with a mosaic of cigarette
burns and the light bulbs too dim to read by. The one thing that will always work is the TV.
Rooms are generally divided into biāozhǔn (standard), which come with a bathroom, and
pǔtōng (ordinary), which don't. Standard rooms are often divided into jingjì (economy) and
hǎohuá (deluxe) rooms. Both standard and ordinary rooms can be either twins (two beds)
or doubles (one large bed), though twins are far more common. Sometimes each twin bed
is large enough for two (so couples don't always have to search for a double room), but in a
triple room the beds are always just large enough for a single person.
Some hotels (generally the cheaper ones) also price their pǔtōng accommodation per
bed rather than per room, which can work out well for solo travellers. To guarantee that you
have the room to yourself, you would theoretically have to pay for all beds (and a few hotel
owners will try to force you to do so), but usually that's not necessary.
Single rooms are normally the same price (or even more expensive!) as a double room.
Where they are cheaper they are generally much smaller than a twin/double. Twins and
doubles are usually priced the same.