Yajiang

Near the bus station

Hostels and guesthouses; people will approach you as you get off the bus.

Main square area

Yajiang Hotel (雅江大酒店) is large and simple; phone 0836 512 4510.

Etiquette

• Greeting: Handshake and a nod; use surnames with a title; avoid: Hugs and cheek kisses
• Face: Disagree privately and indirectly; avoid: Correcting or embarrassing someone in front of others
• Gifts: Give with two hands; expect the gift to be refused once or twice and opened later; avoid: Clocks, umbrellas, white flowers, sets of four
• Business cards: Present and receive with both hands, read it, keep it on the table; avoid: Writing on it or pocketing it at once
• Queues and crowds: Hold your ground politely in scrums at buses and lifts; avoid: Taking pushing personally
• Temples: Walk clockwise around Tibetan stupas and prayer wheels; remove hats; avoid: Touching statues or photographing where signs forbid
• Politics: Listen; follow your host's lead; avoid: Raising Tibet, Taiwan, Xinjiang, 1989 or the party leadership
• Numbers and colour: Red and 8 are lucky; red envelopes carry money gifts; avoid: Writing names in red; the number 4

Scams and watch-outs

• Altitude is about 2,900 m; take it easy on arrival.
• Roads on G318 are often under construction; add an hour to bus times.
• Few people speak English or fluent Mandarin; have your destination written in Chinese.
• The temple path is a maze of alleys; ask locals for direction.