Unforgettable impression
After a period of planning lasting nearly 2 months, the family of Mr. Tran Hai Dang (28 years old, Hanoi) had a memorable journey to Tibet - the land dubbed the most sacred of Buddhism in China.
Wishing to learn more about spiritual culture, as well as to focus on the values of peace and reorientation for sentient beings, our family chose Tibet as a stopover for this special trip," the male tourist said.
When Mr. Dang arrived in Tibet, the weather here was quite pleasant. The temperature during the day ranged from 15 - 23 degrees Celsius, and at night about 8 - 12 degrees Celsius.
This plateau region has harsh natural conditions, but the weather throughout the journey did not significantly affect the sightseeing schedule. Mr. Dang's family fully enjoyed the experiences in the sacred land.
One of the destinations that left the deepest impression on him is Potala Palace - a famous symbol of Tibet. Built in the 17th century under the 5th Dalai Lama, Potala is located at an altitude of over 3,700 meters above sea level.
The total area of this 1,300-year-old palace is over 360,000m2, of which the construction area is over 130,000m2 with 13 floors. With more than 1,000 large and small rooms, the palace is divided into the White Palace - the living and working place of the Dalai Lama and the Red Palace - the place where religious rituals take place.
Mr. Dang expressed his feelings: "From the first time I saw the palace standing majestically in the sky of the highlands in Lhasa, I was overwhelmed by the massive scale and unique architecture of this project. The most impressive thing is that, despite its enormous scale, the palace is still strangely harmonious with the rocky terrain.
Standing in front of the palace, I not only felt the majesty of the architecture, but also clearly saw the imprint of history and religious power that has existed for hundreds of years in the Tibetan land," the Vietnamese male tourist could not hide his emotions in the sacred land.
One of the most memorable experiences of Mr. Dang's family is the moment the whole family put on traditional Tibetan costumes and took photos at Potala Palace. This is not just a simple tourist activity but also brings a feeling of immersing themselves in indigenous culture in a real and profound way.
7 memorable days
In addition to the Potala Palace, his family's trip also went through other prominent locations in Tibet. On the 2nd day, the group visited the Drak Yerpa Abbey - a retreat with about 108 caves - located in northeastern Lhasa, about 16km from the city center.
Yamdrok sacred lake is the stop on the 4th day of the group. As one of the 3 most sacred lakes according to Tibetan Buddhist beliefs, Yamdrok has an impressive turquoise color. In Tibetan, Yamdrok originally means turquoise lake. Coming here, visitors can take souvenir photos with yak bulls and mastiffs - typical animals in this Buddhist country.
Before ending the trip, the whole group also visited Jokhang Temple - the most sacred temple in Tibet - located in the ancient town of Barkhor. The temple was built in the 7th century, during the reign of King Tung Tan Can Bo, and is still the largest pilgrimage center today. The most sacred spot is the statue of Jowo Rinpoche - Buddha Shakyamuni at the age of 12. Tibetans believe that seeing the statue of Jowo once in a lifetime is already a great blessing.
I am quite sorry that I have not been able to go to Namtso Lake. This is also one of the famous lakes in Tibet and has beautiful turquoise water. The night before we arrived here, in the lake area, heavy snowfall made the roads slippery, and cars were not allowed to enter," the male tourist said.
He added: "We had some problems with air tickets. Initially, we booked tickets in advance for 15 million VND; however, 1 week before the departure date, because the airline reported flight cancellation, we had to apply for a re-issuance of the visa and buy back the air ticket, which was 25 million VND more expensive. Everything was still okay by the end and it was still a good trip.
Tibetan cuisine also leaves a special impression on Mr. Hai Dang's family when most dishes have the characteristic spicy and hot flavors of the highlands. However, thanks to being adjusted to suit the taste, the dishes do not cause significant obstacles.
From practical experience, he also gives advice to those who love exploring tourism, especially destinations with spiritual elements and unique terrain such as Tibet. According to him, preparing good health is the top priority. Besides, it is necessary to learn carefully about culture, history as well as people at the destination to be able to adapt and enjoy the journey in the most complete way.
