Xinjiang新疆·新
Silk Road oases, Uyghur cuisine, and Central Asian landscapes.
Xinjiang occupies one-sixth of China and feels like nowhere else in the country. look toward Central Asia, the cuts the region in two, and the Taklamakan Desert dominates the south.
Travel requires more planning than elsewhere in China — distances are huge and some sites require permits — but the food, scenery and reward the effort.
The region is also a marvel of ancient engineering, from the of Turpan to the high-altitude Karakoram Highway.
Top Attractions
Culture & Traditions
Uyghur Cuisine
Hand-pulled laghman noodles, polo (lamb pilaf), naan bread baked in clay tonur ovens and skewered lamb kebabs — Xinjiang's signature flavors are cumin, chili and tail-fat.
Muqam Music
The Twelve Muqam are an eight-hour epic suite of Uyghur classical music, dance and poetry, performed at weddings and on UNESCO's intangible heritage list.
Silk Road Bazaar Tradition
The Grand Bazaar in Urumqi and the trading rows of Kashgar still operate as Central Asian markets — haggling is expected, jade and dried fruit are the must-buys.
Multi-Ethnic Mosaic
Uyghurs are the most visible group but Xinjiang is also home to Kazakhs in the north, Kyrgyz on the Pamirs, Tajiks at Tashkurgan and Hui throughout. Each has its own dress, food and music.
Karez Underground Channels
Turpan's farms run on an ancient network of hand-dug underground irrigation tunnels stretching for thousands of kilometres — a Silk Road engineering marvel still in daily use.
Cities
10 prefecture-level · sorted by tourist popularity- 1
Urumqi
乌鲁木齐CapitalThe regional capital and the city furthest from any ocean in the world — Grand Bazaar, Xinjiang Regional Museum (mummies), and the gateway to Tianchi Lake.
- 2
Kashgar
喀什The spiritual heart of Uyghur culture — Old Town, Id Kah Mosque, Sunday Livestock Market, and the starting point for the Karakoram Highway.
- 3
Turpan
吐鲁番The "Oven of China" in a basin below sea level — Jiaohe and Gaochang ruins, Grape Valley, Karez irrigation system, and the Flaming Mountains.
- 4
Yining (Ili)
伊宁（伊犁）Gateway to the Ili River valley — Sayram Lake, Nalati grasslands, lavender fields, and a distinct Kazakh influence near the border.
- 5
Korla
库尔勒The "Pear City" of central Xinjiang — Iron Gate Pass, Bosten Lake (China's largest inland freshwater lake), and a major oil industry hub.
- 6
Aksu
阿克苏Southern Tianshan oasis — Kizil Thousand Buddha Caves (older than Mogao), Tianshan Grand Canyon, and world-famous Aksu apples.
- 7
Hami
哈密The eastern gateway to Xinjiang — famous for Hami melons, the Hami King's Tombs, and the intersection of the northern and southern Silk Road routes.
- 8
Hotan
和田Famous for jade, silk, and carpets — Sunday Jade Market, the White Jade River, and the ancient ruins of the Buddhist Kingdom of Khotan.
Famous Locals
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