Similar to previous years, this year's celebration started with the "Sunning of the Buddha", where a 35-meter by-30-meter Thangka bearing the image of the Buddha is carried by about 100 lamas down the side of a back hill near Drebung Monastery. Throngs of believers pray for safety and happiness as they watch the ceremony.

Situated at the foot of the Mountain Gambo Utse, five kilometers from the western suburb of Lhasa, the Drepung Monastery is known as the most important monastery of Gelugpa in Tibetan Buddhism. The Shoton Festival originated there more than 1,000 years ago.

"It was just fantastic," said 61-year-old Yan Guiwen, a retired teacher from Beijing, referring to the "Sunning of the Buddha" ceremony. "I was totally awed by the holiness and piety of the devotees."

She said she will stay for two more days and will try to enjoy every aspect of the Shoton festival.

"It is my first time here and it may be the last because of my age and health. But this is really a once in a lifetime experience," Yan said.

Pete Winn, a visitor from Colorado in the United States, has been to the festival for the second time.

"I just can't get enough of it (the festival)," he said, "I especially love the Tibetan opera, in which you see the very color and richness of the Tibetan culture."

Official figures from the Lhasa Tourism Bureau show that the occupancy rate of hotels in Lhasa is well above 90 percent during the festival. Estimates predict more than 1 million tourists will visit Lhasa during this year's Shoton Festival, a dramatic increase from last year's 510,000.

"It's by far the busiest Shoton Festival I have encountered," said 29-year-old Mei Duo, a travel guide who has worked in Lhasa for five years. "But it also means good business and good money."