Things to do in Turpan
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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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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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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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