The oasis town of Turpan (Tǔlǔfān, 吐鲁番), also known as Turfan, is a living testament to human ingenuity and perseverance. Watered by a system of irrigation tunnels known as karez that draw melt-water from the Himalayas into the blistering Turpan Basin, which, at 154 m (505 ft) below sea level, is the second lowest point on earth after the Dead Sea, Turpan's famed grape vines and relaxed vibe make it a favorite stop on the increasingly popular Xinjiang tourist circuit.
Long a key stop on the Silk Road, today's Turpan hosts tour-busloads of Chinese tourists and smaller groups of Western backpackers. It's also a significant Uighur agricultural town, thanks to the karez system, the origins of which date back to around 100 BC. Grapes are the primary crop, and vines run along trellises throughout town, creating shady passageways and welcome escape from temperatures that can soar in excess of 70°C (158°F) during the hottest months. The karez provide another cool getaway, too: The underground channels are accessed by wells dug into the bedrock, and one can actually descend part of the way into some of them, taking advantage of the earth's natural air conditioning.
Outside of town, old Silk Road ghosts roam the desert among the ruins of Jiaohe and the Baizeklik Thousand Buddha Caves. Natural splendor abounds as well, from the austere beauty of the desert to the stunning vista of the Flaming Mountains. Local majority Uighur culture is also on display, both in authentic forms on the streets and in the vineyards as well as in a more contrived fashion inside local restaurants and hotels, where Uighur-themed "exotic" song and dance shows are staged for the pleasure of tourists. For a sense of the dignified historical depth and breadth of local Muslim Uighur tradition, visit the Emin Minaret and Mosque.
History
Situated on the old northern route of the Silk Road, Turpan's karez brought it water and life from the first century BC, as well as a steady stream of traders, adventurers, soldiers and merchants. The ancient kingdoms of Korla and Karashahr benefited from the early trade in goods between China and Central Asia, with routes extending all the way through Persia to Rome by the time of the Han Dynasty. Along with trade goods came religious ideas, with Persian Manicheanism, Nestorian Christianity, Buddhism and Islam all taking root in the wild lands known today as Xinjiang.
China sought to control the region and lucrative Silk Road trade and succeeded for a period, but after the fall of the Han Dynasty, regional Turkic tribes dominated, establishing a kingdom in Turpan in 487 AD that endured until 541. The Tang Dynasty re-established Chinese control over the region, but with their fall, the Turkic Uighur came to power, only to fall under the sway of the Mongol Yuan Dynasty.
Turpan and the region around it continued to slip in and out of direct Chinese control in following years, with restive Uighur and Kazakh often resisting and at other times accomodating China's recurring westward surges. By the time of the Qing, however, Turpan came firmly under control of the empire to the east, and though the fall of the Qing and the subsequent war with Japan and civil war loosened the state's grip on the region, Turpan and its environs have remained well within the established borders of modern China.
Today, Beijing's program of encouraging millions of eastern Chinese to go west, combined with huge improvements in transportation infrastructure and economic opportunities, have changed the face of the ancient oasis town. The Uighur-Han ethnic balance is shifting (not always without friction), but the romantic Silk Road desert feel of this unique destination remains.
Climate
The desert climate of Turpan is harsh and dry, with exceedingly hot summers and cold winters. Despite the puny average precipitation of only around 20 mm (1 in) a year, the areas ingenious underground irrigation system helps the desert bloom, and the long hot growing season makes for beautiful grapes and melons. July is the hottest month, with averages highs of 39°C (103°F ), while January is the coldest, ranging between highsof 26°F (-4°C) and lows of 4°F (-16°C).
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Sleeping options are rather limited in Turpan, though affordable and comfortable acommodations are to be had. RIght next to the bus station, you'll find the Jiaotong Hotel, which is about what you'd expect: cheap and simple, if somewhat grimy. The Oasis Hotel is a marked step up, with English-speaking staff, modern rooms and Silk Road-themed decor (ask about discounts). For cheaper digs try the Turpan. The Grain Trade Hotel is a good choice, boasting a central location and a healthy measure of charm (though one traveler's charm may prove to be another traveler's grunge). Check our full hotel listings for more options and share your experiences with other travelers by commenting on existing hotels or adding reviews of hotels we don't yet feature.
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Uighur cuisine is the dining scene in Turpan. Try some delicious laghman "pulled noodles" made fresh before your very eyes (more like "tossed and beaten noodles," given the almost violent but quite beautiful method of their making, which makes an Italian pizza dough tosser look like an amateur). Then there's liang ban huang gua, a simple cucumber salad that's heavenly on parched hot desert days. Lamb kebabs are, of course, par for the course, as are tasty flat breads baked in traditional ovens are delicious, and madang, a nougat-like concoction full of dried fruits and nuts makes for a great energy snack.
If you must have Western food, John's Information Cafe is pretty much the only game in town, aside from a couple of burger joints, including a golden arches franchise. The Chinese restaurants often cater to Chinese tourists, not surprisingly, but can be decent value (don't forget to check menus, which often include some form of English, and settle any confusion about prices before ordering) and many offer pleasant al fresco dining under Turpan's ubiquitous grape trellises, along with Uighur song and dance performances (some of which push the kitsch envelope a little too far and which a culturally senstive viewer might well find tasteless).
Much of the best Uighur food is to be had in the market area, though the Oasis Hotel's restuarant is a good higher-class option for both Uighur fare and Chinese food.
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Turpan's local craftspeople churn out a steady supply of arts and crafts, keeping souvenir stands and market stalls adequately supplied, but the local Uighur culture is best known for its music and dancing and, somewhat paradoxically for a Muslim region, its wine. All together, they can make for a pleasant combination, and during high season you should have no problem finding a grape vine trellis-shaded courtyard where you can sit and have a drink (many will prefer a cool beer as a counter to the dry desert heat) and catch some Uighur song and dance.
The question of authenticity, when it comes to said song and dance, can be a bit sticky, as the surge in tourists from wealthier eastern urbanized China combined with growing numbers of Western visitors has driven a kind of Uighur and Silk Road-themed entertainment boom, and you might get the feeling at times that Uighur people aren't quite as thrilled to be putting a sanitized and kitsched-up version of their culture on display as the tour guides might like you to believe. Nonetheless, if you get a chance to hear the music played with passion and skill, it's likely to be an unforgettable experience.
Depending on the time of year, there are a handful of festivals to take note of, the biggest being the Silk Road Turpan Grape Festival, which takes place every year in August. Expect folk singing and dancing, outdoor parties held during desert evenings when the temperature becomes bearable, wine tastings, lots of good food, especially succulent local grapes.
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