{"id":23010,"date":"2020-01-24T02:00:12","date_gmt":"2020-01-24T01:00:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.saporedicina.com\/english\/?p=23010"},"modified":"2022-03-03T15:29:16","modified_gmt":"2022-03-03T14:29:16","slug":"travel-to-xinjiang","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.saporedicina.com\/english\/travel-to-xinjiang\/","title":{"rendered":"Travel to Xinjiang: The Complete Guide"},"content":{"rendered":"

Review of the e-Book \u201cXinjiang: A Travelers\u2019 Guide to Far West China\u201d<\/a>\"Travel<\/p>\n

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Travel to Xinjiang – Index<\/h3>\n
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  1. Key Information<\/a><\/li>\n
  2. Is it safe to travel to Xinjiang?<\/a><\/li>\n
  3. Do I need a special travel permit to Xinjiang?<\/a><\/li>\n
  4. How to get to Xinjiang?<\/a><\/li>\n
  5. What’s the best time to visit Xinjiang Province?<\/a>\n
  6. Accommodations in Xinjiang<\/a><\/li>\n
  7. What to see in Xinjiang?<\/a><\/li>\n
  8. Food in Xinjiang<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/div>\n

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    Xinjiang is one of the biggest provinces in China and located in the located in Northwestern parts, bordering to nine countries and three Chinese provinces. Being the home to many ethnic minorities, especially Uyghurs, Xinjiang has played an important role throughout China\u2019s history, mainly as the Silk Road passes through the province. <\/p>\n

    The province is rich in mountains, lakes, deserts, and steppes, offering splendid sceneries to travelers. If you plan to travel to Xinjiang, don\u2019t look any further. In this article, we explain all the details of how you can get there, which cities and sites you should visit, what to eat, and much more.<\/p>\n

    <\/strong><\/p>\n

    Key Information<\/h2>\n

    Chinese Name:<\/strong> \u65b0\u7586
    \nLocation:<\/strong> Northwest of China
    \nProvincial capital:<\/strong> Urumqi
    \nArea:<\/strong> Around 1.66 million square km
    \nPopulation:<\/strong> Around 21 million and where 60% are ethnic minorities
    \nEthnic groups:<\/strong> 47 (examples: Uygur, Han, Kazak, Hui, Mongolian, Russian)
    \nFamous Cities:<\/strong> Urumqi, Turpan, Kashgar
    \nBorders to:<\/strong> Tibet (province), Qinghai (province), Gansu (province), Mongolia, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Afganistan, Pakistan, India<\/p>\n

    Is it safe to travel to Xinjiang?<\/h2>\n

    Although there are many checkpoints around Xinjiang and travelers are often asked to show their passport for verification, as far as we know travelers generally don\u2019t have any issues when visiting Xinjiang and interacting with the locals. The issue is mainly related to the stricter surveillance and controls that were implemented since 2009.<\/p>\n

    That said, you should be prepared to be stopped by police officers for questioning and to show your passport. It can be somewhat time-consuming and frustrating to some travelers, but generally not an issue if you really want to experience what Xinjiang has to offer.<\/p>\n

    Nevertheless, we still advise that you check the news or with your embassy to get the latest information about travel warnings and advisories for Xinjiang as things can change from time to time.<\/p>\n

    Do I need a special travel permit to Xinjiang?<\/h2>\n

    This question is asked by many foreigners who plan to travel to China<\/a> and wish to visit Xinjiang. In short words, there\u2019s no official special permit for foreign travelers to visit Xinjiang. But you should keep in mind that the \u201cfreedom of movement\u201d is more restricted compared to most of the other provinces in China. <\/p>\n

    Thus, be careful to visit rural and off-the-beat areas. You should preferably contact a local travel agency<\/a> and see what recommendations they have.<\/p>\n

    Another question asked is whether you should put Xinjiang in your travel itinerary when applying for a tourist visa, as it happens that foreigners get rejected a visa. With the increased surveillance in Xinjiang, some claim that it\u2019s better to avoid including Xinjiang in the itinerary. <\/p>\n

    Yet, it\u2019s not common that Chinese police officers asked why you didn\u2019t include Xinjiang in your itinerary after arriving. Do what you think is the best and what makes you feel most safe.<\/p>\n

    How to get to Xinjiang?<\/h2>\n

    Travelers often prefer to reach Xinjiang by plane or by train (if staying in China). Below you can find more information about your best travel option.<\/p>\n

    Going to Xinjiang by flight<\/h3>\n

    Even if Xinjiang has international airports, travelers from overseas usually change flights in some of China\u2019s biggest cities, such as Beijing or Guangzhou. It\u2019s also far more common that travelers start in any other of China\u2019s provinces and cities, like Beijing or Sichuan, before continuing to Xinjiang by domestic flights.<\/p>\n

    At the moment. there are only two international airports available in Xinjiang, one in the provincial capital Urumqi (Urumqi Diwopu International Airport) and one in Kashgar (Xinjiang Kashgar Airport), which is the second-largest airport.<\/p>\n

    Urumqi\u2019s airport has developed much over the years and 40 airlines now have around 150 routes for persons traveling abroad or within Xinjiang.<\/p>\n

    There are 12 airports available (both domestic and international) located in the following in cities:<\/p>\n

    International<\/strong><\/p>\n