Street Scams in Lhasa, China

How it works

At 3,650 meters, Lhasa's altitude affects virtually all arriving tourists, and the demand for Diamox (acetazolamide) and other acclimatization aids creates a market for counterfeit and ineffective products. Street vendors near the Barkhor kora circuit and hotel lobbies sell unmarked blister packs described as "altitude medicine" for CNY 50–150 per strip, often containing nothing more than aspirin or glucose tablets. Real Diamox (available at licensed pharmacies as Acetazolamide) costs approximately CNY 20–40 for a standard course.

How it works

Thangka scroll paintings are a significant Tibetan Buddhist art form and one of the most sought-after souvenirs in Lhasa. The stalls lining Barkhor Street around Barkhor Square sell thousands of thangkas ranging from authentic hand-painted works (CNY 500–5,000+) to mass-produced machine prints sold as "handmade" at inflated prices of CNY 800–2,000. Sellers routinely display one genuine piece for inspection, then package a print for purchase, or claim cheap mineral pigment works contain gold and turquoise that they do not.

How it works

Vendors around Jokhang Temple on Barkhor Square and along the Barkhor Street circuit sell "antique" Buddhist artifacts — prayer wheels, singing bowls, dorjes, and religious statues — as genuine centuries-old items at prices of CNY 1,000–8,000. The vast majority are modern factory reproductions artificially aged with acid or paint. Exporting genuine antiques from China requires special permits, which these sellers never provide, meaning even an authentic purchase creates legal risk at customs.

How it works

Khata are traditional white silk scarves presented as ceremonial gifts in Tibetan culture. Near Jokhang Temple and at Drepung Monastery (8km west of Lhasa on Zangre Road), individuals drape a khata around a tourist's neck uninvited while reciting a blessing, then immediately demand CNY 100–300 for the "gift" and the "ceremony." Refusal after the scarf is placed is met with aggressive demands or deliberate scenes in public.

How it works

The Norbulingka Palace (the Dalai Lama's former summer palace, now a park) on Norbulingka Road in western Lhasa attracts domestic and foreign visitors and hosts a concentration of souvenir vendors inside the park grounds. Vendors target foreign tourists with prices 5–10 times higher than those quoted to domestic Chinese visitors for identical items — yak wool scarves, painted stones, and small bronze figures. When tourists accept the first price, vendors occasionally pocket payment and claim they "misunderstood" the agreed figure, demanding an additional amount.