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The sights in this remote industrial town are few
and far between. The majority of tourists entering Golmud are normally here as a stopover
point on their way to either Dunhuang
to the north, Xining to
the east, or Lhasa to the
south. Within the city itself there is almost nothing of architectural, cultural or scenic
interest, beyond some colourful denizens. The best of the sights are those of the desolate
scenery that can be found outside of the metropolis. Most of the region is fairly
unexplored by travellers, and as such has little of the tourist pollution that other areas
in China seem a little too prone to. Many of the sights will, unfortunately, need a permit
to travel to (ask at a local travel agent or, if pressed, at China International Travel
Service). The city was founded on the edge of the Gobi Desert, in the mid-west
of Qinghai province. Much of this area is dominated by either pasture lands or dry,
weather-worn plateaus, that are all highly rich in minerals and possibly
huge quantities of oil. It is these extractable resources upon which the
town has thrived, but for the traveller, it is also these that are most worthy of
visiting. At a push, the Qinghai Potash
Plant or the Salt Bridge almost
merit a day trip, although the first is most interesting to those of a purely
mineralogical or geological frame of mind, and the second is best for those on their way
to Dunhuang (the road
passes over it). The sights to the south, with the Kunlun Mountains (Kunlun shan),
the massive glaciers and the Tangula Mountain Pass (Tangula
shankou), that lead on into Tibet,
are of towering beauty. If you can afford the hefty CITS levies on foreigner ticket
prices, and the grueling road journey, this trip is worthwhile. |
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