CN · Xinjiang · 42.95°N 89.19°E

turpan

Mud-brick Silk Road ruins, underground water channels and grape-drying houses.

Best time
April–May and September–October are best, and autumn is grape harvest time. June–August is extremely hot, often over 40°C, and December–February is freezing.
How long
1–2 days
Getting there
Fly to Urumqi with one stop, usually via Guangzhou or Chengdu (about 9 hours in the air). The high-speed train from Urumqi reaches Turpan North in about an hour, and the town is about 15 minutes away by taxi. Malaysians can visit mainland China visa-free for up to 30 days.
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CN · Xinjiangturpan42.95°N 89.19°Egowherelah.com
Dear group chat,Mud-brick Silk Road ruins, underground water channels and grape-drying houses.— gowherelahTo: whoever’s drivingTurpanCN, Xinjiang
KLturpan
≈ 4,596 km from KL, as the crow flies
Turfan (Turpan/Tulufan) is an oasis city in the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region of the People's Republic of China. Jiaohe ruins.

Photo: Colegota · CC BY-SA 2.5 es

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Photos: Wikimedia Commons, credited on each.

An oasis in one of the lowest and hottest places on Earth, where grapes grow thanks to centuries-old underground water channels. Ruined Silk Road cities lie in the desert just outside town.

Makan

  1. Grapes and raisinsFresh grapes in late summer and autumn, and green raisins all year.Map ↗
  2. LaghmanHand-pulled noodles with a stir-fry of lamb and vegetables.Map ↗

Things to do

  1. Jiaohe RuinsA 2,000-year-old earthen city on a narrow plateau between two rivers.Map ↗
  2. Karez wellsThe underground irrigation channels that keep the oasis alive, with sections open to see.Map ↗
  3. Grape ValleyVine-shaded lanes and brick drying houses full of hanging grapes.Map ↗
  4. Emin MinaretA 44-metre tapering minaret of patterned brick, built in 1777.Map ↗
  5. Flaming MountainsRed sandstone hills that shimmer in the heat, made famous by Journey to the West.Map ↗

Good to know

  • Visit Jiaohe early in the morning and carry water; there's almost no shade.
  • Uyghur restaurants are halal; look for the qingzhen (清真) signs.
  • Expect security checks across Xinjiang, so keep your passport on you.

Last checked October 2026. Things change, so check opening times, fees and transport before you go.