Travel Guide

A UK spice importer tours Xinjiang spices at the source: cumin grades, chili flakes, nigella and the safflower-as-saffron trick, with real bazaar prices.

Xinjiang drinks guide from a Melbourne juice bar owner: kumis in a Kazakh yurt, boza in Kashgar, pomegranate presses and Yining kvass, with real prices.

Cape Town cook’s field guide to Xinjiang meat soup: shorpa, laghman suyuq ash and naren, with bowl prices and stalls across Kashgar, Yarkand and Hotan.

A Cape Town home cook’s field guide to Xinjiang meat soup: shorpa, laghman suyuq ash, naren, with prices and stalls across Kashgar, Yarkand, Hotan.

Xinjiang desserts guide by a pastry chef: hand-churned Uyghur ice cream, matang sold by weight, halva, sanzi and yogurt ice, with real prices and tips.

Xinjiang manty and Uyghur dumplings are the steamed comfort food you smell in every Kashgar and Urumqi bazaar. Here is how to order, eat, and find them.

Xinjiang roast lamb (tonur kawap) explained: real 2025 prices in Kashgar and Hotan, how to order small portions, best timing, and where locals eat it.

Xinjiang travel FAQ: 30 real questions answered after two trips, covering visas, money, transport, food, safety and the things first-timers ask most.

Real Xinjiang health tips from a pharmacist’s 15-day trip: pharmacies, seeing a doctor safely, water, heat, sunscreen and what to pack for remote areas.

Xinjiang customs explained by a freight forwarder: cash limits, drones, medication, jade and knife export rules, plus real border crossing timelines.