Visit the Labrang Monastery

The Labrang Monastery in Xiahe is the main focus of the town for both visitors and locals alike, and is as close as you can get to Tibet without visiting the real thing. Founded in 1709, the Labrang Monastery is the only one of six major Monasteries of the Gelugpa Order (the Yellow Hat Sect of Tibetan Buddhism) that is located outside of Tibet proper. Home to over 1,500 monks, this is one of the largest Tibetan Monasteries outside Tibet and you can easily spend several hours wandering around the various buildings, soaking in the atmosphere.