Songzanlinsi: A Yellow Wonder

Even though it has the title of The Little Potala Palace, there was nothing little about this monastery that is painted in bright yellow and orange and its gold coated roof ornaments, each with its own meaning and representation. The pricier ticket comes with a bus service and a guide who detailedly explains every single major painting or history (which I had to skip most of due to time constraints) but you do have to climb about 100 steps up to the monastery in the thin air so do bring your oxygen containers. The view from the balcony of the main hall is stunning: the wetlands, the tiny village in which the monks live, the golden statutes, and the monks below performing rituals.