Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Insurance
Travel insurance is particularly recommended in a remote and wild region like Tibet. Make
sure that the policy covers ambulances or an emergency flight home, which is essential in
the case of altitude sickness. Some policies specifically exclude 'dangerous activities' such
as rafting and even trekking.
You may prefer a policy that pays doctors or hospitals directly rather than you having to
pay on the spot and claim later. If you have to claim later, make sure you keep all docu-
mentation. Some policies ask you to call to a centre in your home country where an imme-
diate assessment of your problem is made. Note that reverse charge (collect) calls are not
possible in Tibet.
It is very useful to have trip and flight cancellation insurance if you are heading to west-
ern or eastern Tibet as these regions are frequently closed with little to no warning. The an-
nouncement for opening is made in March or April each year but some years the region
closes again suddenly after a brief opening, or opens later in the season after a prolonged
closure.
Worldwide travel insurance is available at www.lonelyplanet.com/travel-insurance. You
can buy, extend and claim online any time - even if you're already on the road.
Internet Access
Internet cafes ( wǎngbā in Chinese) are in almost every town in Tibet, but few allow foreign-
ers to use the computers so we generally do not mention them in the guide.
Some social networking sites (such as YouTube and Blogspot) and websites (eg those of
the Dalai Lama) have been blacklisted by the Chinese government and are unavailable in-
side China unless you use a VPN (virtual private network), which is essentially an easy-to-
use piece of software for a laptop computer or an app for a smart phone.
Gmail and Google searches can also be spotty but again usually work well with a VPN.
Many hotels and restaurants now offer free wi-fi access ( wúxiàn wǎng ). Sometimes ho-
tels will only offer it in the lobby. Connecting to the internet through a smart phone's 3G ser-
vice is often more reliable.
 
Search WWH ::




Custom Search