Tibet Shopping

Go to tibet tours,People visiting Lhasa have the opportunity to buy distinctive local products that are unique to Lhasa and the Tibetan Region. Tibetan thangkas, silver ornaments, yak wool products, dzi beads and Tibetan medicine are some of the most interesting and typically Tibetan things to buy. Lhasa had a great selection of souvenirs and other items that are very distinctive, different from the rest of the stuff commonly available throughout the rest of China.

Jewelry of all kind is very popular by the Tibetan people. The gold and silver jewelry and ornaments with all kind of stones are still made with the traditional techniques and skill at high level. At all markets you can find the local jewelry, like here at the market of Xigaze,Exotic Tibetan opera masks and costumes are interesting items to buy. Bright and beautiful homespun Tibetan rugs and Tibetan khaddar are also popular souvenirs. Tourists can easily find things which are of individuality and appeal to them.

Barkhor Street is home to a more traditional Tibetan shopping market.Tourist can find lots of odd and fascinating stuff, for religious and secular uses. It is on Barkhor that local shopkeepers with small stalls and shops sell a variety of interesting items, ranging from the mass-produced spinning prayer-wheel, to handmade brass yak butter candle holders, to huge bags of Tibetan saffron, a real bargain at around RMB 4. Here is where you can buy most everything Tibetan: prayer flags, Buddha figures, conch-shell trumpets, Buddhist rosaries, amulets, fur hats, horse bells, bridles, copper teapots and more. Be sure to bargain, and do try to weed out the mass-produced junk (which abounds), if you want to find something truly Tibetan. It isn't difficult, it just takes patience! There are shops and markets elsewhere in Lhasa that specialize in local antiques. As always with antiques, take your time, and if you can get advice from a trusted local, use it.

Of particular note are the hand knotted carpets, made of yak wool or sheep wool. Colorful and intricately designed, they differ from Chinese silk carpets in terms of material, design and production. Groups of locals have come together to form Tibetan owned and operated cooperatives, where carpets are made by hand, and profits go directly to the coop members, the wool producers and weavers.

Shopping Tips:

1. When walking around Barkhor Street, always walk in a clockwise direction.

2. It is recommended not to visit Barkhor street in the evening. Every evening at six o'clock, Barkhor Street turns into a market selling small articles for daily use, and the labyrinth of lanes surrounding the street are very easy to get lost in.

3. It is important to bargain on Barkhor Street. The given price is often many times more than the price the shop keeper will accept. It is best to shop around. Many shops will sell similar items, and it is the best way to ensure you get the cheapest price. Sometimes if visitors find something they really want, it is acceptable to pay a higher price because many of the items found on Barkhor Street cannot be found anywhere else in the world.

4. According to tradition, Tibetan shop keepers will offer discounts to the first and last shopper of the day.