MN · Ulaanbaatar · 47.92°N 106.92°E

ulaanbaatar

Buddhist courtyards, Mongol history museums and busy streets beneath steppe hills.

Best time
June–September is the time to go, with long warm days and Naadam, the big festival of wrestling, horse racing and archery, on 11–13 July. November–March is bitterly cold, with heavy winter smog.
How long
2 days, before heading out to the countryside
Getting there
There are no direct flights from KL, so fly with one stop, usually via Seoul or Beijing, about 9–10 hours in the air. The new Chinggis Khaan airport is about an hour south of the city. Mongolia is on the same time as KL, and Malaysians can visit visa-free for up to 30 days.
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MN · Ulaanbaatarulaanbaatar47.92°N 106.92°Egowherelah.com
Dear group chat,Buddhist courtyards, Mongol history museums and busy streets beneath steppe hills.— gowherelahTo: whoever’s drivingUlaanbaatarMN, Ulaanbaatar
KLulaanbaatar
≈ 5,004 km from KL, as the crow flies
View of Ulaanbaatar in Mongolia, with the Blue Sky Tower.

Photo: Zazaa Mongolia · CC BY-SA 4.0

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Photos: Wikimedia Commons, credited on each.

Mongolia's capital is home to almost half the country's people, and it's where every trip begins. Monasteries, museums of the Mongol Empire and a busy modern city fill a valley ringed by bare hills, with the open steppe just beyond.

Makan

  1. BuuzBig steamed dumplings, usually filled with mutton or beef.Map ↗
  2. KhuushuurFried meat pastries, Naadam's festival food.Map ↗
  3. Suutei tsaiSalty milk tea, served with almost every meal.Map ↗

Things to do

  1. Gandan MonasteryMongolia's main Buddhist monastery, with a 26-metre golden Buddha and morning chanting.Map ↗
  2. Chinggis Khaan National MuseumA new museum on the Mongol Empire and the nomad kingdoms before it.Map ↗
  3. Sukhbaatar SquareThe big central square, with a giant seated Chinggis Khaan on the steps of parliament.Map ↗
  4. Bogd Khan Palace MuseumThe winter palace and temples of Mongolia's last king.Map ↗
  5. Zaisan MemorialA hilltop Soviet-era memorial with views over the whole city.Map ↗

Good to know

  • A handful of halal restaurants, mostly Turkish and Indian, are in central Ulaanbaatar; ordinary Mongolian meat isn't halal.
  • Traffic is heavy, and walking is often faster than a taxi in the centre.

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