Ease and leisure pervades Lhasa city. Life in Lhasa is full of singing and dancing. Everyone here is blessed with a naturally beautiful voice. Diverse festivals offer them opportunities to indulge themselves in happy revels, and in daily lives no particular reason is needed for them to chant a melody. Wherever they go, amazing rhythm follows. Life in Tibet is easy and full of sunshines. In a fine afternoon, people can walk into a sweet teahouse to chat, play cards or Chinese chess and watch videos, to relish the joy of life. Get ready to enjoy the delighted Lhasa tours with TOC!
"Do as the Romans do"
Tibetan opera
Boasting a history of some 1,400 years, Tibetan Opera, Ace Lhamo in Tibetan language (meaning fairy sister), is hailed as the "living fossil" of Tibetan culture. It lives longer than any other folk opera in China, including the famous Peking Opera. Originated in Tibet, it goes around every corner of this snow-capped plateau and remains unaffected from other ethnical arts. Thus, it is peculiar in opera art field of China and even of the whole world. It is the result of Tibetan splendid culture and has been worshipped by the Chinese nation as a most precious heritage.
Tibetan Opera develops from ancient religious stories and fairy legends; also it reflects Tibetan people’s lives during various periods. Due to different natural conditions, customs, traditions and dialects, it now has many forms and schools of art. And it has fully permeated through the locals' life. It is said wherever there are Tibetan people, there is Tibetan Opera. Sour Milk Festival is also called Tibetan Opera Festival, and it is celebrated at the end of the sixth and the begining of the seventh month according to the Tibetan calendar every year. During that time, all Tibetan Opera Groups will gather together in Lhasa to stage authentic performances for seven days in a row.
Tibetan Sweet Teahouses
Apart from blue sky and limpid rivers, another deep impression tourists will get about Tibet its bustling sweet teahouse. For those who are not used to barley wine, the sweet tea will be a good substitute. In fact, the sweet tea is not an original Tibetan drink, but it has infiltrated so well into the locals' lives that it has become something indispensible to Tibet. Whenever you feel tired when roam around the city, you can find a sweet teahouse to have a rest. A typical Tibetan sweet teahouse is always crowded and boisterous, featured with simple Tibetan decorations. Some teahouses maybe a little dim, but are displays of striking color assortments. To be identified with the local lives, to taste the most common Tibetan food and to avoid being baked by hot sun, a sweet tea house is the best bet.
Most famous teahouses in Lhasa
a) Guangming Sweet Teahouses
Location: on the road leading to Jokhang Temple from Beijing East Road.
b) Revolution Teahouse
Location: in the courtyard of the People’s Stadium, Jiangsu Road
c) Gaji Teahouse
Location: on Linkuo SouthRoad
Nightlife in Tibet
When the dark curtain fully covers the sky, nightlife of Lhasa bucks up. Langma halls are the most popular sites for people to relax and celebrate while bars and clubs are also booming to send out a distinguished Tibetan flavor. In addition, multitudes of cinemas, KTVs, discos, bowling alleys and spas also lighten the nights up. Most of the amusement places are spotted along Barkhor Street and Beijing Road.
Langma Hall 
Lhangma hall is the climax of Lhasa nightlife. It is a recreational establishment with Tibetan characteristics, where people can enjoy Tibetan music and dance show while sipping a glass of beer or soft drinks. Langma means royal-court music in Tibet, since ancient times it could only be enjoyed by aristocrats. Today, it has become a daily entertainment foreveryone. As Tibet opens its door to the outside world more and more widely, apart from traditional Tibetan performances, inland pop music and foreign classic songs also find their seats here. Every year tourists come here to enjoy the unique charm of Tibetan culture. Langma hall in Tibet is really sleepless, which starts business only when night falls and receives custom peaks from ten to twelve in the late evening. Admission to Langma hall is free, but drinks are charged.
Recommended Langma Halls
a) Tanggulafeng Performing Center
Description: one of the largest and most well-known performing centers in Lhasa. It mainly commits to displaying the authentic culture in Tibet. The shows here embrace almost all the traditional performances and costumes in Tibet.
Location: inside the courtyard of Tibet Plaza, Ba’erku Road
Tel: 0891- 6927666
b) Tibet Fengrongzhong’erjia Performance Center
Description: a tourism and culture enterprise invested by the famous Tibetan singer Rongzhong’erjia and the local bureau. It is a showcase of Tibetan ethnical characteristics with top class visual-acoustic equipment. Yummy food is also served here.
Address: No.25, Niangre Road
Tel: 0891-6833833
c) Xinshiji Langma Hall
Description: another most lively and popular Langma hall in Lhasa, where strong Tibetan features and deep cultural scent attract both young and old as well as tourists from all over the world.
Location: on Beijing East Road
Other recommendations
JJ Singing & Dancing Theater
Description: A roller rink in the daytime, it turns into an ethnical dance and music stage at night. Also, it is an ideal place to relax and enjoy the ease of life over fascinating movies.
Location: on the right of Potala Palace
Tel: 0891-6823131
Ganglamedo Cafe & Bar
Description: A place draws tourists with great decor, music and atmosphere. The walls are a gallery of fabulous canvases and watercolor paintings drawn by the local artists. In addition, it offers the best beer and coffee.
Location: Barkhor Street
Mayke Ame Restaurant & Bar
Description: Story has it that this was the place where the Sixth Dalai Lama met the beauty Mayke Ame. Here an Internet bar is also available.
Location: on the corner of Barkhor Street
Barkhor Cafe
Description: It is a popular spot for foreign travelers, providing customers with coffee and other beverages as well as Chinese, western, Nepalese, Indian, Japanese and Italian cuisines. It is also equipped with an Internet bar, an art gallery, IC telephones and mail-boxes. It is large in size and elegance in appearance.
Location: south side of Jokhang Temple
Tel: 0891-6326892
Music Kitchen
Description: Decent decorated, it provides western food and drinks with background music.
Address: No. 77, Beijing West Road
Opening hours: 12 a.m. - 2 a.m. (the next morning)
Jianzhiyu Bowling Club
Description: possessing 12 alleys of an American famous band, also a teahouse and a large-scale parking lot.
Charge: Different times of a day respectively charge CNY 5, 15, 20 and 10 / per game. Box booking price is CNY 2,000 during the night and CNY 1,500 in the morning. Assisting fee is CNY 5 / per game.
Location: at the intersection of Beijing Middle Road and Minzu Road
Tel: 089-6829672
Editor's words:
Lhasa is nowhere the same with any other place on the earth. Do taste something really Tibetan if you come to this mysterious land. Sipping a cup of sweet tea in a leisure way while listening to aimless talks of the locals in a teahouse, you can get totally unwinded. The Tibetan music and dance show with its unique and stirring qualities can touch your souls. On this land, you are easy to hear the deepest voices of heart. Wish you an enjoyable tour in Lhasa!
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