海东市

Why this place

Haidong is the eastern prefecture of Qinghai, where the Yellow River runs clear and green through terraced valleys. It holds the Tongren area, which is the centre of Tibetan thangka painting, and the Xining region's oldest monastery sites.

What to see

• Tongren and the Regong arts — thangka painting and mural workshops, a UNESCO intangible heritage
• The Yellow River valley and its clear water in the upper reaches
• The Xiaqiong and other Tibetan monasteries of the eastern valleys
• The Liuji Gorge and the rapeseed fields in summer

What to eat

• Tibetan and Hui cooking side by side; Haidong is known for its 'quanpan' (whole-plate) feast
• The local 'mangmang' and its highland barley

Best time

June–September