Lonely Planet Tibet

Tibet

The issue of Tibet is not nearly as simple and clear cut as the Chinese government often tries to make out. I believe that there are still widespread misunderstandings about Tibetan culture and misapprehensions about what is happening inside Tibet. Therefore, I welcome every opportunity for open-minded people to discover the reality of Tibet for themselves.

In the context of the growing tourist industry in Tibet, the Lonely Planet travel guide makes an invaluable contribution by providing reliable and authoritative information about places to visit, how to get there, where to stay, where to eat and so forth. Presenting basic facts and observations allows visitors to prepare themselves for what they will encounter and exercise their own choice.

There is a Tibetan saying: The more you travel, the more you see and hear. At a time when many people are not clear about what is actually happening in Tibet, I am very keen to encourage whoever has the interest to go there and see for themselves. Their presence will not only instil a sense of reassurance in the Tibetan people, but will also exercise a restraining influence on the Chinese authorities. Whats more, I am confident that once they return home they will be able to report openly on what they have seen and heard.

Great changes have lately taken place in this part of the world. Recent events have made it very clear that all Tibetans harbour the same aspirations and hopes. I remain confident that eventually a mutually agreeable solution will be found to the Tibetan problem. I believe that our strictly non-violent approach, entailing constructive dialogue and negotiation, will ultimately attract effective support and sympathy from within the Chinese community. In the meantime, I am also convinced that as more people visit Tibet, the numbers of those who support the justice of a peaceful solution will grow.

I am grateful to everyone involved in the preparation of this 10th edition of the Lonely Planet guide to Tibet for the care and concern they have put into it. I trust that those who rely on it as a companion to their travels in Tibet will enjoy themselves in what, despite all that has happened, remains for me one of the most beautiful places on earth.

July 2018

Tibet offers fabulous monasteries, breathtaking high-altitude walks, stunning views of the worlds highest mountains and one of the most likeable cultures you will ever encounter.