SOMETIMES the journey to a peaceful place can be beset with challenges. That sure seemed the case as I squeezed onto a bus on my way to Langmusi, a somewhat remote, sleepy town that straddles the border of Sichuan and Gansu provinces.

The town of 3,000 to 4,000 people is a colorful mix of Amdo Tibetans, people of the Muslim Hui minority and China's majority Han, set in a "breathtaking" mountain location "reminiscent of rural Austria or Bavaria and perfect for hiking and horse-trekking," according to Wikitravel.org.

Before I reached a state of inner peace, however, I found myself on that stuffy bus, the air heavy with the smell of yak, somewhere in south Gansu. Feeling light-headed, I asked the bus driver to pull over. Curious faces broke into giggles as they watched the foreigner turning slightly green. I spilled onto the road, so did breakfast.

Gansu is better known for deserts and UNESCO-accredited Buddhist grottoes. Its temperatures are as erratic as its bus timetables, with sharp fluctuations even in summer. In the south, though, a little piece of heaven exists for those who seek it. As the bus wound around the narrow mountain road, a vast expanse of green opened up and stretched to the horizon, offering - literally and metaphorically - a breath of fresh air. White puffy clouds cast alternating shades of sand and auburn on mountains.

It was good mental preparation for Langmusi, which has a feeling of almost supernatural peace. At all times of day, devout local Buddhists murmur chants as they turn prayer wheels outside monasteries. If you happen to sit in or stand outside a prayer hall when they are reciting scriptures or prayers, the low hum reverberating off the walls is unearthly.

Guidebooks will point you to the two main monasteries, Sertri Gompa in Gansu and Kirti Gompa in Sichuan. Even if you miss the intricately painted interiors of the temples, their red and gold roofs shimmering in the sunset produce a peaceful impression.

Monks scurry in and out the monasteries for their appointed prayers. While the folds of their robes and deeply wrinkled faces are incredibly photogenic, be aware that many are not particularly comfortable in front of a camera, so ask before you shoot.

The town's main street is bustling, wooing visitors with indigenous handicrafts, silverware and hand-woven scarves of yak's wool. Cafes are lively, full of backpackers plotting journeys over maps. After a few beers, it is easy to make friends or find enough people for a trek - by horse or on foot - into the surrounding mountains, or for a day trip to the Zoige grassland. Walking through Kirti Gompa and up the valley, you will reach the start of Namo Gorge. You can walk a long way into the gorge and up the mountains, surrounded by amazing views along with plenty of peace and quiet.

It was chilly even in summer and I was grateful for my extra layer of fleece as I panted up hilly slopes. The view of Langmusi from the top was all the more appreciated knowing that this place and people could face accelerated desertification in the future from climate change. As the sun finally went down, I took one last photo before heading back to the town center to haggle for a good piece of yak wool shawl.

There are a range of lodging options, starting with a bed at a very basic a hostel but no heating or attached bathroom that can be had for about 30 yuan (US$4.9), but be aware that it's very cold at night.

A comfortable hotel room with an attached bathroom can be had for about 200 to 400 yuan, with some higher-priced options including breakfast.

Hotel proprietors will allow you to inspect the room if you ask them. If you want 24-hour heating and hot water, make sure that it

is available before taking a room.Getting there:

There is no direct bus from Lanzhou to Langmusi. Buses to Hezuo and Xiahe run at least three times a day from the Lanzhou south bus station (4 hours).

From Hezuo - Three buses run to Langmusi at 6:30am, 10:20am and noon (4-5 hours). From Xiahe - One bus runs to Langmusi at 7:40am (3-4 hours).

Travel info

Visit Chengdu visa free

Three days in laid-back Chengdu without the need to apply for a Chinese visa - that's the promise for international travelers with a valid visa and onward flight tickets to another country.

The 72-hour visa-free pass to the capital of southwest China's Sichuan Province will be available to travelers when direct air links to London start in September. Next year, the city will start direct services between Chengdu Shuangliu International Airport and San Francisco, Istanbul and Moscow.

The fourth largest aviation hub in Chinese mainland, Chengdu is the first city in western China to implement the 72-hour visa-free policy, available in Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou.

WiFi tested on board

Air France and KLM Royal Dutch Airlines have operated their first flights with WiFi on board. The service allows customers to send text messages and emails and surf the Internet during flights. The carriers will conduct a trial phase through the end of 2013 on two Boeing 777 aircrafts. Customers can connect using their WiFi enabled smartphones, laptops or tablets and use their mobile phones for text messages or email, no matter their travel class. The two WiFi equipped aircrafts will operate on several long-haul destinations during the trial. The fees will be 10.95 euros (US$14.28) per hour or 19.95 euros for the full flight, for all classes.



Dreamliner delivered

Hainan Airlines has taken delivery of its first Boeing 787 Dreamliner. Hainan Airlines will first operate the Dreamliner on a domestic route from Beijing to Haikou. Then it will deploy the 787 on its North America routes, increasing the frequency of its Beijing-Seattle, Beijing-Toronto and Beijing-Chicago services, with several new destinations.

The Hainan Airlines 787 Dreamliner interior has 36 full, flat-bed business seats configured in rows of 2-2-2, as well as 177 economy seats configured in rows of 3-3-3. Each seat has a 15-inch touch-screen panel and a power outlet. Business seats have USB ports.



Lhasa tourism booms

More than 1.18 million tourists visited China's Lhasa City, capital of Tibet Autonomous Region, between January and May, the local tourism bureau said. The number of visitors represented an increase of 35.9 percent year on year, while tourism revenue reached 1.03 billion yuan (US$166.7 million), up 49.4 percent from the same period in 2012.

Many tourists arrived in the city before traveling to other places in the region, while some visitors chose Qamdo or Nyingchi prefectures as their first destination in Tibet.

Tibet is expecting 12.6 million tourists and 15.8 billion yuan in tourism revenues this year.