Things to do in Öndörkhaan
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Ethnography Museum
The Ethnography Museum, next to the City Hall, is housed inside the 18th-century home of the Tsetseg Khaan, a Mongolian prince who governed most of eastern Mongolia during the Manchu reign. One building holds a portrait of the last Tsetseg Khaan, painted in 1923. Other buildings contain ethnic costumes, Mongolian toys and some religious artefacts, such as statues and thangka (scroll paintings). On the museum grounds is a ceremonial ger with delicately carved wood furnishing and ornaments. It's usually locked but you could ask the watchman to let you have a look inside.
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Statue of Chinggis
Öndörkhaan being the capital of Chinggis Khaan's old stomping grounds, local authorities have put much effort in recent years towards elevating the conqueror's cult status. Look out for a bronze Statue of Chinggis seated on his horse; it's just outside the Ethnography Museum. The statue was commissioned as part of the celebrations to mark 800 years of statehood, in 2006. Nearby, opposite the Government House, is a stone statue of Chinggis.
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Shadavdarjaliin Khiid
Shadavdarjaliin Khiid is a lively place with a dozen or so monks. The original monastery in this area was built in 1660 and housed the first Buddhist philosophy school in Mongolia. At its peak, the monastery was home to more than 1000 monks. In the spring of 1938, the Stalinist purge reached Khentii and the monks were all arrested. The buildings remained standing until the 1950s, when they were torn down.
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Balbal
A well-preserved Turkic-era Balbal is 7km west of Öndörkhaan, past the airport. The squat-figured statue, covered in blue silk hadak (ritual scarf), has a disproportionately large head with pronounced eyebrows and deep-set eyes. His long hair is curled behind his ears, an unusual feature for this type of statue. Locals refer to the statue as 'Gelen', a religious title.
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Nature Pub
Chinggis Khaan would feel quite at home downing pints in this rustic restaurant and pub. The red exterior leads into a dimly lit hall decorated with stretched goat skins, wolf traps, and compound bows. The kitchen is probably the best in town, offering up a variety of dishes from pork steaks to fish.
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Nunga Café
Smart and colourful, this friendly café is a popular business lunch spot. Despite the modern look of the place, the menu is a little bland, offering the usual Mongolian meat-based dishes, soups and salads. But the owner speaks English and might be able to accommodate special requests.
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Tiger Café
Owned by the former Khentii governor, this is one of the better places in town. Meals are served in sizzling iron dishes shaped like a cow, although promises of fried fish on the menu are unfounded. It's on the 2nd floor of a distinctive green building on the main street.
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Chinggis Khaan Garden
The omnipresence of the great khaan is complete with Chinggis Khaan Garden. The site features a monument engraved with the image of an approaching Mongol horde, and a list of the Mongol khaans with the dates that they ruled.
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Aimag Museum
The small Aimag Museum, north of the park, contains a mastodon tusk, a protoceratops skull, some Chinggis Khaan-era armour and the usual array of stuffed animals, including a saluting bear.
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Modern Disco Bar
By day it's a musty little café and by night a dark drinking den with a scratchy sound system and sticky dance floor.
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