Batang is a town located between Chengdu and Lhasa. Due to the lower altitude, inhabitants enjoy a slightly milder climate than the rest of Tibet.
The surrounding rural land boasts incredible fertility and produces two harvests each year; crops include rice, maize, barley, wheat, grapes, peaches and watermelons. Batang’s population is mainly Tibetans but there are also Han, Yi, Hui and Quiang.
Batang is best known for the large Gelugpa Chode Gaden Pendeling Monastery located in the southwest of the town. The monastery is home to some 500 hundred monks, but visiting lamas can increase the number to over 1,000. The group of buildings stand on the river bank protected by a high white wall and encircled by cypress and willow trees.
Getting There & Away
As with most towns within Sichuan, it is easiest to fly to Chengdu and take a bus to Batang. Daily flights to Chengdu from Beijing take around 2 hours, 25 minutes. Buses from Chengdu take a few days to reach Batang.
Things to Do
Batang Attractions
- Gelugpa Chode Gaden Pendeling Monastery
-
The imposing riverside compound is home to more than 500 monks.