Xining
Xining
Trip.Best Top 9 Best Things to Do in Xining [2024]
Explore the best things to do in Xining! Uncover top activities and experiences for an unforgettable visit.
Updated Oct 2024
- 8.34.6/514568 ReviewFrom152174
based on 212 reviews"Representatives of Tibetan Buddhist monasteries. It's quite big, and it takes a full day to turn it down carefully. There are basically no secondary tickets inside. The first time I felt very shocking. The scale of the monasteries and Buddha statues is magnificent, and it should be well appreciated, and the photos are also very good."Xining23.6km from downtownHighlights: Located in Huangzhong County, Xining, Ta'er Temple has a history of more than 400 years. It is one of the important temples of the Gelug Sect (Yellow Sect) of Tibetan Buddhism and the birthplace of Master Tsongkhapa, the founder of the Yellow Sect. The temple has magnificent architecture, rich treasures, and a strong religious atmosphere. It is one of the more popular tourist destinations in Xining. Overview of the Tour Ta'er Temple is obviously different from the Han Buddhist temples in the mainland in terms of architectural layout: the building complex of Ta'er Temple is not symmetrical along the central axis and is not deep. Ta'er Temple is an ancient building complex composed of many halls, scripture halls, pagodas, and colleges. Each scripture hall, hall, and pagoda are irregularly distributed on a small hill. When tourists are playing, the route is more casual, rather than walking along the central axis. When visiting Ta'er Temple, if you do not enter the scripture hall or hall, but just wander around outside, you do not need to buy a ticket. You only need to check your ticket when entering some scripture halls or halls open to the public. If you come here, I suggest you buy a ticket to visit, because if you don't enter the main hall and the Sutra Court, you can't worship the incarnation of Master Tsongkhapa, nor can you appreciate the "three wonders" in the temple. There are currently more than a dozen courtyards and main halls in Ta'er Monastery open to tourists. There are Guide guides at the ticket office of Ta'er Monastery. It is recommended to hire a tour Guide , because the historical connotation of Ta'er Monastery is very profound. Without the Guide of the Guide , you will miss many interesting stories. Dajinwa Temple (Hall) Dajinwa Temple is the center of the entire building complex. Legend has it that Master Tsongkhapa was born here. When the master was born, his umbilical cord blood dripped here, and then a bodhi tree grew. Later, a tower was built outside the tree and a temple was built, and Ta'er Monastery got its name. Believers believe that this tree and this tower are the incarnation of the master.The three wonders of Ta'er Monastery are butter sculptures, murals and pile embroidery. Butter sculptures are made of butter mixed with various colors of pigments and sculpted into various Buddha statues, figures, flowers, birds, animals, pavilions and towers. Visitors can visit the exquisite butter sculptures in the Butter Flower House in the temple (far away from the gate); in the main halls, corridors, front porches and other places in the temple, you can enjoy many colorful murals that are hundreds of years old, which are very exquisite; pile embroidery is made of colorful silks cut into various shapes required, such as Buddha statues, birds and animals, etc., filled with wool or cotton, and then embroidered on the cloth. In the large scripture hall in the temple, two rare large-scale pile embroidery groups of "Sixteen Arhats Showing Supernatural Powers" and "Eight Immortals Crossing the Sea" are hung on both sides. The four major ceremonies of Ta'er Monastery (based on the lunar calendar) are: 1. Jumping on the 14th day of the first lunar month, butter flower exhibition (the 15th day of the first lunar month); 2. Jumping on the 14th day of the fourth lunar month, sunning the Buddha, jumping on the 15th day of the fourth lunar month; 3. Sunning the Buddha, jumping on the 6th day of the sixth lunar month, and turning the golden Buddha (the 8th day of the sixth lunar month); 4. Sunning the Buddha all day (the 22nd day of the ninth lunar month), jumping on the 23rd day of the ninth lunar month. During the ceremonies, there will be various activities such as sunning the Buddha, performing Dharma dances, etc. There will be a lot of believers and tourists coming to worship, and the scene will be very lively.Show Less - 8.24.8/54574 Reviewbased on 49 reviews"There are not many content on the exhibition, and the Tibetan cultural topics can be richer. The serf liberation exhibition is very shocking, and I deeply understand the people's supreme purpose of the Communist Party of China and the will of the people who are not afraid of bloodshed and sacrifice. The top viewing platform can overlook the Potala Palace ＆ Zhexuan Temple. It is good and the roots are spectacular."Xining.Biological Park Area8.5km from downtownHighlights: The Qinghai Tibetan Culture Museum is also known as the Tibetan Medicine Culture Museum. The museum displays a wide range of cultural relics, ancient books, art, and medical specimens. It thoughtfully displays elements of Tibetan art culture and medical technology, and it is an ideal place to learn about Tibetan culture. The Qinghai Tibetan Culture Museum is divided into several exhibition halls, including the Tibetan Calligraphy Hall, the Tibetan Cultural Hall, and the Tibetan Medicine History Hall, among others. The giant Thangka in the museum is magnificent, covering an entire wall of the museum. It is a very precious work of art and a treasure of the entire museum.Show Less
- 7.54.3/5863 Review
based on 27 reviews"The scenery of the Sun Moon Mountain Scenic Area is beautiful, with colorful Jingyu, green grass, yak, and statues of Wencheng Princess. From Xining, you will pass by the Sun Moon Mountain Scenic Area. You can drive directly to the top of the mountain parking lot and then walk to the scenic spots. Recommended to play."Huangyuan64.1km from downtownHighlights: The famous Riyue Mountains is between Xiningi City and Qinghai Lake. There is a time-honored beautiful story: when Princess Wencheng of the Tang Dynasty entered Tibet, she broke her beloved stone mirror here. The stone mirror was divided into two parts, the sun and the moon, which later became this Riyue Mountains (Sun and Moon Mountains) Today, on both sides of the Riyue Mountains, there is a small mountain peak, and two landmark buildings, Ri Pavilion and Yue Pavilion, are built on them.Show Less - 7.44.5/51679 ReviewFrom65218
based on 8 reviews"Xining Safari Park is the garden, the panda hall is in the garden, the package is 55 (25 yuan for the panda hall). There are four pandas, and the state is 可. There is a sightseeing car for 25 yuan, the first stop of the panda hall, the second stop of the raptor, I mainly look at Huahua's brother and Xing, and then go to the fourth stop, the only snow leopard and rabbits in the country can be seen in the West Wild. Grass-grazing animals can take a sightseeing car along the way. The garden is clean and tidy, the staff service attitude is quite good, and the West Wild is worth a visit."Xining4.2km from downtown
No.1 of Family-friendly Attractions in XiningHighlights: The Qinghai-Tibet Plateau Wildlife Park is located in Xishan, Xining. It is a beautiful zoo with some special animals such as snow leopards and desert cats. It is not easy to see in other cities. The size of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau Safari Park is not large. There are mainly beasts and aboriginal areas, such as the Beasts Reserve Area, and the Aquarium. The famous beasts are scattered areas. Currently, the plank road is built. Visitors can watch the beasts on the plank road.Show Less - 6.44.3/5459 Review"It is still very interesting, very knowledgeable, and has a holistic understanding of Qinghai. I went to the safari park first, and then came to the natural museum. I feel that the order of visit is very good. First look at the living, then listen to the knowledge, first have intuitive understanding, then have rational understanding, I am very impressed. The museum has an explanation, 80 yuan, the explanation time is 1 hour, you must ask, otherwise you will be walking around. The Tibetan Culture Museum (South Hall), Xining Wildlife Park, and the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau Natural Museum are all very good and recommended."Xining.Biological Park Area8.2km from downtownNo.2 of Family-friendly Attractions in XiningHighlights: Located in the Biotech Industrial Park at the northern end of Xining City, the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau Nature Museum is a large-scale nature museum that displays many unique specimens from the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau. It is an excellent destination for learning more about the environment of the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau. The museum has a total of three floors. There are many exhibition halls within the museum such as Wuhua Tianbao Hall, Great Treasures of the Land, Wonders of the Salt Lake, Azure Sea, Heights of the Plateau, and Snow and Ice Belt. Items on display within the exhibitions mainly include animal and plant specimens, ore specimens, salt crystal specimens and panoramic examples of natural landscapes. The taxidermied Tibetan antelopes, taxidermied snow leopards and Qinghai salt crystals are not to be missed.Show Less
- 6.44.7/53405 ReviewFrom300000"Many very beautiful buildings, suitable for taking pictures and punching in. The park is divided into land and sea. It is recommended to bring a swimsuit to play in two places. It is very cost-effective. There are a lot of animals in the aquarium. You can also pay for it alone. Interaction with many small animals"Xining18.7km from downtownNo.3 of Family-friendly Attractions in XiningHighlights: Xining Xinhualian Children's Dream Park is the first large-scale theme park in Qinghai. It is located in the core part of Xinhualian International Tourism City, covering a total area of 352.32 acres. Children's Dream Water World, Children's Dream Kingdom, Xinhualian International Tourism City Hotel Group and other large-scale cultural tourism and entertainment complexes integrating food, accommodation, tourism, shopping and entertainment. The park has built a high-altitude marine science museum, a large-scale indoor water park with context, a Silk Road town themed on the “Belt and Road”, and 56 ethnic style streets with ethnic architectural features and folk customs, forming an all-season and all-customer-level tourism. A leisure destination, a family vacation destination in the Northwest Territories.Show Less
- 6.24.4/5271 ReviewFrom47827"Standing under the plateau pearl, you can overlook the scenery of Xining city. Standing on the plateau pearl, you can see more beautiful scenery, especially the lights at night, very beautiful, standing on the top of the Xishan Mountain, you can sit and watch the clouds under the plateau pearl, blowing a small wind, so uncomfortable"Xining2.6km from downtownNo.1 of Night Attractions in XiningHighlights: The Pearl of the Plateau, also known as the Pearl of Puning, is a sightseeing tower built by the Shanghai Pudong New Area. It is located on the west hill of the southwest side of Xining and symbolizes the friendship between Pudong and Xining. It is a famous landmark in Xining and can be seen in the downtown area. One can also see the panoramic view of Xining and dine in the rotating restaurant. Every night, the lanterns of the tower change and the scenery is intoxicating.Show Less
- 6.04.4/5443 ReviewFreebased on 26 reviews"Don't be misled by the comments of previous years. Although the Qinghai Provincial Museum occupies a small area, the collection is very rich and can't be seen for two hours. The downside is that the design of the exhibition hall is not very good, and the tour route is not clear enough (also the reason for the rich exhibition). It’s worth taking half a day to look at it."Xining.Commercial Lane2.5km from downtownHighlights: Qinghai Provincial Museum is located at Xinning Square in Xining City. Although it is not large among provincial museums, it is also a good place to learn about Qinghai's history and cultures of various ethnic groups. In addition, there are exhibitions and explanations of Tibetan Buddhism and Islamic cultural systems in the museum, which are very helpful for later tours in Qinghai. Visit Overview The museum mainly has two floors, but the first floor is now rented by some units, and there are also some shops selling handicrafts and other souvenirs. Occasionally there will be temporary exhibitions on the first floor, if you encounter them, you can visit them. The permanent exhibition area is located on the second floor and is mainly divided into two parts, the Qinghai Historical Relics Exhibition and the Qinghai Intangible Cultural Heritage Exhibition. It takes about an hour and a half to browse the two exhibition halls. Historical and Cultural Relics Exhibition Qinghai Historical and Cultural Relics Exhibition is an exhibition of the history of Qinghai in a chronological manner. Follow the indicated passages to visit, and you can watch the Qinghai cultural relics from ancient times to the present. The exhibition is divided into two parts: prehistoric civilization and historical relics. The Zasak silver seal of the Qing Dynasty, the largest bronze weapon unearthed in China - the large bronze spear, etc. are all treasures in the collection. There are also many quiet and beautiful pottery from the Majiayao culture in the northwest region. You can follow the instructions to find out the stories behind them. Intangible Cultural Heritage Exhibition Qinghai Intangible Cultural Heritage Exhibition showcases the culture and customs of many ethnic groups in Qinghai. There are many models and sand tables showing Qinghai's many festivals, etiquette, singing and dancing and other artistic cultures. In addition, there are many cultural relics of Tibetan Buddhism in the museum, such as thangkas, mandala, etc. Among them, the bronze gilt-gold Guanyin statue bestowed by Emperor Yongle in the Ming Dynasty is the treasure of the whole museum, you can take a good look at it. Learn about the connotation and art of Tibetan Buddhism here, and you can also provide help for your later travel to religious attractions. Interpretation service The museum now provides interpretive services, but most of the interpreters read the text under the exhibition, and do not have a deeper introduction. The level of manual explanation is also mostly limited. Generally, the explanation words are memorized by rote. The questions about the extended knowledge of tourists are often unable to be answered, and it is not recommended.Show Less
- 6.04.6/5835 ReviewFreebased on 141 reviews"We came back to the Mosque twice, as first time we left with a sort of disappointment. The place, people and atmosphere are special, however the architecture is not as impressive. What is truly impressive is the Muslim district overall, especially the market. We bought fruit and bread and enjoyed lunch at one of the stalls, sharing a table with another local family. Everything was beyond imagination: colors, smells, tastes… A festival for the senses and the heart!Mosque: 3/5⭐️⭐️⭐️Market/atmosphere/people: 6/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️"Xining.Huangguang/Dongguan Grand Mosque1.8km from downtownHighlights: This is the larger monastery in Qinghai Province, located on Dongguan Street, Xining. This monastery has a majestic building, including several styles of Han and Tibetan, and is a popular place for tourists in the city. The monastery is very famous in the northwest. Many believers worship here every day, and you can feel the strong religious atmosphere. Visiting buildings The temple is located next to Dongguan Street, Dongcheng District, Xining City. It is a courtyard composed of several buildings. It takes about an hour to visit the entire temple. The current building here was built in 1913. As soon as you stand outside the temple, you can see a magnificent circular arched building. This is the gatehouse of the temple. The top of the palace has a Tibetan Buddhist-style roof, which is very unique. After entering, you can visit various buildings, among which the worship hall does not allow tourists to enter, but can be viewed and photographed from the door. In addition, after night falls, green lights will light up outside the temple. The whole temple is beautiful and fantastic, and it is very good to watch and shoot outside the temple. Witness prayers are held here five times a day, each lasting about 15-20 minutes. The worship is often crowded and large in scale, but the scene is very pious and quiet. Watching from the side during worship has a strong religious atmosphere, which is very shocking. The wonderful explanation is explained in the temple (the explanation time varies according to the number of tourists), which can help tourists understand the content of beliefs and religious rituals.Show Less
- 1