Situated in a pocket of green on the north face of the Tian Shan mountain range and surrounded by expansive grasslands, desert basins and rugged, snow-capped peaks, Urumqi (Wūlǔmùqí, 乌鲁木齐), the capital of the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, is full of surprises for newcomers. The resident Muslim Uygur often look more Central Asian or European than Chinese, and their culture is just as distinct. Urumqi is a landlocked city—in fact, the world's most landlocked, over 2,500 km (1,400 miles) from the nearest seacoast—surrounded by vast areas of harsh wilderness. Yet it is also a very modern city, sporting its share of new skyscrapers, highways and gourmet restaurants and luxury malls. Its unique combination of urban sophistication and proximity to natural beauty, along with its mix of Central Asian and Chinese cultures, makes Urumqi a wonderful place to ... more >>

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 i... more >>

There are a few choice places where being in the middle of nowhere means, paradoxically, being in the middle of everything. Kashgar (Kashi) is one of them. Some 4,000 kilometers from Beijing, 24 hours overland from Urumqi, and a relatively short, if exceedingly rugged, distance from Pakistan, Kyrgyzstan, Afghanistan, Tajikistan and Kazakhstan, this ancient Silk Road oasis town has long put the "central" in "Central Asia." Over the centuries, Kashgar has served as a vital point of contact between far-flung Asian cultures, with traders, missionaries and mercenaries mixing it up and making it happen. Despite the highways and high-rises that have come with modernization and the influx of Han Chinese from the distant east, Kashgar remains a predominantly Muslim and Turkic city. The cultural prestige of the enormous Id Kah Mosque easily overshadows that of the ... more >>

Tucked away in one of China's remotest border areas, where Russia, Kazakhstan, Mongolia and the People's Republic converge, Kanas Lake (Hanasi Hu) stretches between the rugged peaks of the Altai Mountains, deep, cold, clear and full of mystery. Remote Kanas has in recent years become a significant tourist destination, though its distance from the closest city of any size, Urumqi, combined with the deserts and mountains in between have, to date, kept it from the usual swarm-treatment experienced by more accessible sites. This very novelty—unspoiled natural beauty is increasingly rare in the PRC—is part of its allure, along with the rumors of huge lake monsters and the hospitable and colorful culture of the semi-nomadic Kazakhs and Tuvans who live in the vicinity.  The lake is surrounded by the extensive Nature Reserve, which is home to an amazing range of lan... more >>

Hotan delivers much of what you'd expect a Silk Road oasis town to deliver: jade, silk, carpets, lively markets, colorful bazaars and ancient desert ruins. It's also a long way from anywhere else you're likely to want to be: Kashgar is almost 2000 km away as the bus rolls, and Xinjiang's capital of Urumqi is on the other side of the Talkamakan Desert and the Tian Shan mountain range. If you're looking to really get away from it all, Hotan's hard to beat; on the other hand, if your idea of "getting away from it all" involves luxury accomodations and five-star restaurants, this might be the last place you want to find yourself. Along with the expected goods, you'll find plenty of surprises if you give Hotan half a chance—grape arbors bordering rugged desert, chance finds at the traditional Sunday Market, a pair of Indo-European mummies at the Hotan Cultur... more >>