See the Turpan City Guide: http://www.farwestchina.com/travel/turpan-city-guide Located two hours southeast of the Xinjiang capital of Urumqi, the city of Turpan offers a beautiful view of the Uyghur culture, one of the reasons it's become such a popular place to visit. The Uyghur people make up approximately 70% of the population and their history in the region goes back thousands of years. Turpan used to be a stop along the ancient Silk Road and many of the best places to visit in the city, including the Jiaohe Ruins (交河故城) and Gaochang Ancient City (高昌故城), allow visitors to walk among historical remnants that date back as early as 100 B.C. In addition to ancient cities, Turpan is also home to the Bezeklik Caves (柏孜克里克), once a treasure trove of Buddhist art, the Karez (坎儿井), a Uyghur irrigation system that is an engineering marvel, the Emin Minaret (苏公塔), the Flaming Mountains (火焰山), Grape Valley (葡萄沟) and much, much more. But enough with the tourist stuff. In my opinion, what really makes Turpan awesome is the small town atmosphere that lets you experience Uyghur culture outside the confines of a big city. The market, the street food and especially the night life are probably as memorable, if not more so, than the sites you see during the day. Turpan is a city you won't forget and one that you won't regret visiting.

• published: 03 Apr 2014
• views: 52