Kokdala: The Song, the Bridge, and the New City on the Ili River
Kokdala Xinjiang: the Ili-valley city made famous by the song Night on the Grassland, its river bridge, lavender fields, and nearby Huiyuan Ancient City.
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Huyanghe: The XPCC City on the Old Dzungar Road
Huyanghe, Xinjiang, is the newest XPCC city. Visit the water-populus wetland, river canyon, and 7th Division reclamation heritage on a northern stopover.
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Hami’s Five Forts Yardang: The Other Devil City
Hami Five Forts Yardang, the quieter devil city: shuttle stops, tickets, Bronze Age tombs, sunset light, and how it differs from Karamay’s Urho Ghost City.
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Manas County: Green Jade Below the Northern Tianshan
Manas County jade, the green bilberry nephrite of northern Xinjiang, has been mined here for over 2,000 years. Plan a real jade trip below the Tianshan.
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Shufu (Konasheher) and the Village That Builds Xinjiang’s Lutes
Shufu (Konasheher), 7 km south of Kashgar, is home to Xinjiang’s instrument village, where local artisans still hand-build the rawap lute by the hundred.
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Karamay Museum and the Well That Started the City
Karamay Museum guide: the well that started the oil city, with what to see, how to get there and why it matters to Xinjiang’s energy story for visitors.
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Baijiantan District, Karamay: Walking Xinjiang’s Living Oilfield
Baijiantan guide: Karamay’s living oilfield district, with what to see, how to get there and where to stay in this industrial Xinjiang city worth a visit.
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Baiyang River Grand Canyon: Karamay’s Red Wall in the Gobi
Baiyang River Grand Canyon is Karamay’s red sandstone wall in the Gobi. A first-hand guide to reaching it from Baijiantan and a half-day Ghost City loop.
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Turpan Karez Museum: What the Underground System Actually Looks Like
Turpan Karez Museum: what is actually inside the underground canal exhibit, the 100-metre tunnel walk, tickets, hours and how to plan a visit in 2026.
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Bosten Lake Winter Ice Fishing in Yanqi: A January Diary
Bosten Lake winter guide: ice fishing in Yanqi and a January diary, with how to get there, what to expect, cold-weather tips and where to stay nearby.
