Attractions · Urumqi

The Urumqi International Grand Bazaar is the world's largest bazaar, covering about 100,000 square metres. Its architecture blends Arab style with traditional Uygur features and is grand in scale. The bazaar has thousands of stalls selling dried fruit, carpets, silk, jade, musical instruments and other specialities from across Xinjiang and Central Asia. The second-floor food court serves authentic Xinjiang food, and there are ethnic song and dance performances at weekends. Highlights include the observation tower and the handicraft area. Tip: go in the afternoon to catch the performances. Practical info: located at 510 Jiefang South Road, Tianshan District, Urumqi, Xinjiang; free admission; opening hours 10:00–22:00. Best season: summer and autumn (Jun–Oct) bring fragrant fruit and pleasant weather; winter offers ice and snow experiences.

Tip: Go in the afternoon to catch the song and dance performances. Bargain when shopping.

• Address: 510 Jiefang South Road, Tianshan District, Urumqi, Xinjiang
• Ticket: Free
• Opening: 10:00–22:00

The Xinjiang Museum is the best place to understand Xinjiang's history and culture, with more than 70,000 objects. The star exhibit, the 'Five Stars Rising in the East Benefit China' brocade arm guard, is a fine Han dynasty textile, vivid in colour and exquisitely woven. The Loulan Beauty mummy is remarkably well preserved and more than 3,000 years old. The Silk Road Civilization gallery displays objects from the Han and Tang through the Yuan, including fine silk textiles, gold and silver ware and Buddhist art. Highlights include the Silk Road civilization exhibition. Tip: booking a guided tour is recommended. Practical info: located at 581 Xibei Road, Saybag District, Urumqi, Xinjiang; free admission (reservation required); opening hours 10:00–18:00 (closed Mondays). Best season: summer and autumn (Jun–Oct) bring fragrant fruit and pleasant weather; winter offers ice and snow experiences. Pair with Urumqi's International Grand Bazaar, Tianshan Tianchi and Hongshan Park for a half- or full-day itinerary. It can be combined with International Grand Bazaar, Tianshan Tianchi, Tianshan Grand Canyon in Urumqi for a half- or full-day itinerary.

Tip: Booking a guided tour is recommended. The museum is closed on Mondays, so plan ahead.

• Address: 581 Xibei Road, Saybag District, Urumqi, Xinjiang
• Ticket: Free (reservation required)
• Opening: 10:00–18:00 (closed Mondays)

Tianshan Tianchi lies halfway up Bogda Peak, the highest peak of the eastern Tianshan, at about 1,910 m. The lake is crescent-shaped and covers about 4.9 square kilometres. It is a high mountain moraine lake with clear blue water, surrounded by snow peaks and dense spruce forest. Legend makes this the Jade Pool paradise of the Queen Mother of the West, and it has been a Taoist sacred site since ancient times. Visitors can take a boat on the lake, walk the boardwalks and admire the snow mountains. It is cool and pleasant in summer and covered in snow in winter, with different scenery in every season. Highlights include the lake cruise, the Dinghai Shenzhen (Sea-Calming Needle) and distant views of Bogda Peak. Tip: temperatures on the mountain are low; bring a jacket. Practical info: located at Tianshan Tianchi Scenic Area, Fukang City, Changji Prefecture, Xinjiang; ticket ¥95 (shuttle bus extra); opening hours 08:30–19:00. Best season: summer and autumn (Jun–Oct) bring fragrant fruit and pleasant weather; winter offers ice and snow experiences.

Tip: Temperatures on the mountain are low — bring a jacket. It is crowded in peak season; go early.

• Address: Tianshan Tianchi Scenic Area, Fukang City, Changji Prefecture, Xinjiang
• Ticket: ¥95 (shuttle bus extra)
• Opening: 08:30–19:00

Tianshan Grand Canyon lies in Banfanggou Town, Urumqi County, about 50 km from the city, and is a canyon scenic area on the northern slope of the Tianshan. Zhaobi Mountain, Swan Lake, Joya Meadow and Jiasidaban are the main stops, with snow peaks, spruce forest, alpine meadows and streams unfolding in layers; summer temperatures are lower than in the city, making it a summer retreat, and in autumn the birches and spruces change colour. Shuttle buses take visitors in, and walking routes can be short or long. Highlights include the Tianshan spruce. Tip: about 1.5 hours from the city. Practical info: located in Banfanggou Town, Urumqi County, Urumqi; ticket about ¥75 (includes shuttle bus, subject to official notice); opening hours 09:00–18:00 (may close in winter). Best season: summer and autumn (Jun–Oct) bring fragrant fruit and pleasant weather; winter offers ice and snow experiences.

Tip: About 1.5 hours from the city; a chartered car or self-drive is recommended.

• Address: Banfanggou Town, Urumqi County, Urumqi
• Ticket: About ¥75 (includes shuttle bus; subject to official notice)
• Opening: 09:00–18:00 (may close in winter)

Hongshan rises about 910.8 m and is formed of Permian purple conglomerate; its cliffs weather to an ochre red, which gives the hill its name. From 1958 the Urumqi municipal government set up the Hongshan Greening Committee and mobilised nearly 400,000 soldiers and civilians to plant trees on the bare slopes; Hongshan Park was formally completed in May 1985, and the hill now has more than 70 species of trees. On the summit stands the Hongshan Pagoda, also called the Dragon-Subduing Pagoda, built in 1788, the 53rd year of the Qianlong reign, under the direction of the Urumqi commander Shang'an. Legend held that Hongshan and Yamalik Hill (Demon Hill) were drawing together and would cause floods on the Urumqi River, so a pagoda was built on each hill to subdue the water. The pagoda is a six-sided, nine-storey solid grey-brick tower 10.6 m high; its body was originally grey-blue and was painted brick-red in 1988. It is now a cultural relic protection unit of the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. Highlights include the Yuanwang Tower, the Great Buddha Temple and the 'pagoda in the slanting sun'. Tip: the park is free, the paths are gentle, and the summit is about a half-hour walk; a sightseeing vehicle also runs up. Practical info: located at No. 40 Hongshan Road North First Lane, Shuimogou District, Urumqi, Xinjiang; free admission (¥10 per person for the Yuanwang Tower, subject to the day's notice); opening hours 08:00–22:30 (subject to the day's notice).

Tip: The park is free, the paths are gentle and the summit is about a half-hour walk; a sightseeing vehicle also ru…

• Address: No. 40 Hongshan Road North First Lane, Shuimogou District, Urumqi, Xinjiang
• Ticket: Free (¥10 per person for the Yuanwang Tower; subject to the day's notice)
• Opening: 08:00–22:30 (subject to the day's notice)