City Info: Urumqi, Xinjiang Autonomous Region
| Urumqi
means "beautiful meadow" in the Uygur language. The capital of
Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region lies in an oasis at the northern foot of
the Heaven Mountain (Tianshan). It is an important city in China's northwest
frountier and a strategic pass on the old Silk Road. Urumqi has little to
distinguish itself other than the claim to being the furthest city in the
world from the ocean (2250km). The city still maintains some exotic Islamic
features-chiefly its architecture, people, and food. There are few 'sights'
in this city, but it's an important crossroad and is interesting for all
the various nationalities you see on the streets: Uyghurs, Kazakhs, Pakistanis,
Russians and Uzbeks.
Population
1,700,000
Cuisine
Moslem diet like mutton, shish kebabs, dried cheese, fermented milk and fried bread.
When to Go
Avoid winter and early spring. Summer is mild and fall weather is ideal.
Airport Info Urumqi Diwopu airport is about 20 km northeast of the city centre. By taxi: around CNY 40/USD 5 per taxi |
Accommodations |