Things to do in Central Xīnjiāng
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Turpan Museum
Touted as the 'second-largest museum in Xīnjiāng' (the first is in Ürümqi), the museum houses a bountiful collection of relics found at archaeological sites in the Turpan Basin, as well as a hall of dinosaur fossils. Pop in here before signing up for a tour; the photos of nearby sites might help you decide what you'd like to visit.
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Xīnjiāng Autonomous Region Museum
The massive Xīnjiāng Autonomous Region Museum, with 10 halls, is a must for Silk Road aficionados. The highlight is the locally famous 'Loulan Beauty' of Indo-European ancestry, one of the desert-mummified bodies that became a Uighur independence symbol in the 1990s. Other exhibits include Buddhist frescoes from the Kizil Thousand Buddha Caves and an introduction to all of the province's minorities. From the Hongshan intersection, take bus 7 for four stops and ask to get off at the museum (bówùguǎn).
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Kraman
This casual but spiffy (and spacious) place is among the top choice for locals looking for that special night out. The speciality is polo, or rice pilaf (zhuāfàn), accompanied with pickled salad, yoghurt and fresh fruit. Two can eat well for around Y30.
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Wuyi night market
The animated night markets with shish kebabs and handmade noodles are also worth a gander. The most thriving by far is the Wuyi night market; bus 902 runs nearby between the train station and Xidaqiao intersection (tell the driver 'Wǔyī yèshì').
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Fubar
Fubar is run by two expats, an Irishman and a Japanese-American; both are happy to pull a pint for bedraggled Silk Road travellers. The menu consists of classic pub grub, with tasty pizzas, burgers and frothy glasses of imported beer (Y35 to Y50). Young expat teachers and volunteers congregate here, making this a good place to get information on activities around Ürümqi.
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Vine Coffeehouse
Run by the friendly Arlette from Curaçao, this fine cafe brings you savoury West Indian cuisine in a Caribbean atmosphere. Dishes are flavourful and the chocolate cake is divine, but portions are a tad small. It's down a side street on the left.
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Carrefour
In Erdaoqiao Market and near Silver Birches International Youth Hostel are Carrefour centres - great for fresh fruit; both have cafeterias for tasty freshly-made (and cheap) food.
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Erdaoqiao Market
This former Uighur market is no better than a Chinese-run tourist trap these days, but the streets to the north are still the centre of Ürümqi's Uighur community.
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Hóngshān Park
More of an amusement park, with better views than People's Park. Also has north and south entrances.
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Wúshàng Vegetarian Restaurant
This vegetarian Chinese restaurant has a popular local following. Try the sautéed broccoli (xī lán huā) or tofu noodles (hóngyóu dòǔfupí). From the China Southern Airlines office walk north for two minutes and make a right turn after the Outdoor Gear shop down a little alley; pass a gate and look for the orange sign on the right.
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Texas Cafe
This cowboy-themed place serves great Tex-Mex treats including nachos, fajitas, burritos and steaks. It's located on a little alley known locally as Grape St (Pútáo Chángláng; 葡萄长廊). The owner is a native Texan, so you know it's authentic.
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Qiuci Palace
Located in the old town is the newly restored (ie rebuilt) Qiuci Palace, bestowed by Emperor Qianlong of the Qing dynasty and the residence of the kings of Qiuci until the early 20th century. The Qiuci Museum housed here has a wonderful collection of Buddhism-related frescos (some are replicas) and human remains from the ruins nearby. Behind the museum, the ancestral hall displays the history of the Qiuci kings and photos of the life of the last king, Dawud Mahsut, who still survives.
Take bus 1 on Tianshan Lu and get off at the last stop, then walk 1km further.
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Qiūcí Ancient City Ruins
These ruins, located on the main road, are all that is left of the capital of Qiūcí. It's a 20-minute walk northwest of the main intersection where Tianshan Lu forks in two, or bus 4 will take you there. Expect, well, not much.
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May Flower
From the delicious Uighur cuisine to the pleasant faux-courtyard setting, May Flower is a feast for the senses. Try the speciality, polo (rice pilaf; zhuāfàn), along with a few sticks of shish kebab and a glass of pomegranate juice, then sit back and enjoy the traditional live music (8pm).
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John's Information Café
This place has a quiet location in the backyard of the Tǔlǔfān Bīnguǎn. Western and Chinese meals are offered, but there is a fair amount of crossover – the pasta we ordered was filled with Chinese spices, peppers and chillies. The ice-cream sundae was a treat in Tupan's blistering heat. The name is somewhat misleading as there is little in the way of traveller information.
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Hóngshān Swimming Pool
Beat the summer heat at this pool, located behind the Parkson Shopping Mall. Men are not allowed to wear baggy swimsuits; you have to don the skimpy spandex variety favoured by Chinese swimmers. Shops selling bathing suits are located around the corner.
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Èrdàoqiáo Market & International Bazaar
The Uighur market, Èrdàoqiáo Market(Èrdàoqiáo Shìchǎng), and the International Bazaar (Guójì Dàbāzhá), have undergone extensive 'redevelopment' in recent years. The carpenters and blacksmiths that once worked in the nearby alleys have all but vanished and the target customers are no longer Uighur traders but Chinese tour groups, who arrive in droves. Planted in the bazaar is a replica of the Bukhara Minaret in Uzbekistan. This one, of course, has an elevator to the top. The area is bursting with restaurants, snack stalls and souvenir stands, plus the odd camel brought in for tourist photos. The non-traditional has also arrived in the form of a KFC and Carrefo…
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Emin Minaret
Emin Hoja, a Turpan general, founded this splendid Afghan-style structure in 1777. Also known as Sūgōng Tǎ, its 15 simple brick motifs, including flowers and waves, leap from the structure. Unfortunately, the minaret is closed. Unless you have a burning desire to get up close, it's possible to snap a photograph of the minaret from the entrance without paying the admission fee.
Biking or strolling the 3km to get there is half the fun, the dusty, tree-lined streets an evocative – and fascinating – glimpse into 'old' Turpan. If the heat is too much, hop on bus 6 from the corner of Gaochang Lu and Laocheng Lu.
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City Mosque
There are several mosques in town. The most active of them, City Mosque , is on the western outskirts about 3km from the town centre.
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Bazaar & Mosque
Every Friday a large bazaar is held about 2.5km west of town, next to a bridge on Renmin Lu. It's nothing to rival Kashgar's, but is free of tour buses. A small mosque (清真寺; Qīngzhēn Sì) 150m further west draws a throng of worshippers on Friday afternoon. North of here through the old town is an awesome but less animated Great Mosque.
To get here from the new town, take buses 1 or 3 from Tianshan Lu.
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Aroma
A Maltese chef who somehow washed up in Ürümqi runs this delectable restaurant. Pizzas, pastas, risotto and steaks are on the menu – everything is made to perfection. It's opposite the Laiyuan Hotel.
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