Once one of the most magnificent monasteries in Inner Mongolia, Guǎngzōng Sì has a stunning setting in the Helanshan mountain foothills 38km south of Bayanhot. At its height, some 2000 monks lived here and so important was the monastery that the main prayer hall, Gandan Danjaling Sum, contains the remains of the sixth Dalai Lama inside the golden stupa that dominates it. Locals call the temple Nán Sì (南寺, South Temple) and taxi drivers frequently refer to it that way.
Tragically, and as was the fate for many, the monastery was demolished during the Cultural Revolution; a 1957 photo in the main prayer hall gives you an idea of how big it once was. The temples have since been rebuilt, but a hotel, yurt restaurants and a tacky shopping street have been added to the complex to entice domestic tour groups.
There are good walking trails in the mountains behind the complex; take the path to the right of the main temple and follow it for one hour to a grassy plateau with fantastic views.
From Bayanhot, a taxi to the monastery and back is around ¥200, but the driver may not want to wait for long (in this case he will naturally charge more). If going on to Yinchuan (your taxi driver can drop you at the highway where you can stop any Yinchuan-bound bus), look out for the crumbling, yet still mighty, remains of the Great Wall at Sanguankou (三关口, Sānguānkǒu). Some sections are up to 10m high and 3m wide.
