Turpan

Turpan (Chinese: 吐魯番, Tǔlǔfān; Uyghur: تۇرپان‎, Turpan; Turkish: Turfan) is a city in Xinjiang, on the Silk Road.

Understand
The area around the city, the Turpan Depression, is the lowest point in China and second lowest on Earth (after the Dead Sea) at 154 meters below sea level. It is very dry and sometimes very hot, well into the forties Celsius. The local people have developed karez, an irrigation system composed of wells connected by underground channels, to counter the heat and drought of the place. No place in China is hotter than Flaming Mountain in Turpan, a mountain made famous by the classic Chinese mythological novel, Journey to the West.

Turpan is famous for their grapes, grown primarily for raisins but also wine. The majority of the city's population is ethnic Uyghur, with substantial Han and Hui minorities.

By train
Turpan train station - located in the town of Daheyan, 50 km NW of the town center
 * Kashgar - takes about 25 hours
 * Korla - takes about 8 hours
 * Lanzhou - takes about 25 hours
 * Liuyuan - takes about 8–9 hours
 * Xi'an - takes about 40–45 hours

By bus
Long Distance Bus Station is on Laocheng Road
 * Kumul - takes about 6–7 hours
 * Kashgar - takes about 32 hours
 * Korla - takes about 6–7 hours
 * Kucha - takes about 13–14 hours
 * Urumchi - takes about 2.5 hours

Get around
Public buses, Y1.
 * Bus 102 - going all along Laocheng lu (老城路), you can take it on crossing Laocheng Eastern street and Qingnian pedestrian street.
 * Direction to East - the last stop is Su Gong Ta (苏公塔) Sugong pagoda = Emin minaret (额敏塔).
 * to West - East mosque, North mosque and West mosque. Take off on the last stop and walk (hitchhike) next 5 km to Jiaohe Ancient City. Alternatively, from the last stop of the line 102, you can hire a vehicle for around ¥10 to take you the rest of the way to the site.

Taxi

Eat
Turpan is most famous for its raisins made from locally-grown grapes, so make sure you try some while you are here.

Plenty of delicious dishes can be found in the market, in front of the bus station, or in the pedestrian zone downtown. Cheap (but spicy) food is the norm, with plenty of meat options. Vegetarians better find a Chinese restaurant, many of which are north of the main square ("Grape Girls" square)

艾力热孜快餐店 (ai li re zi kuai can dian) on a parallel alley on the eastern side of the bazaar opposite the long-distance bus station serves excellent laghman (noodles), baked dumplings and barbecue skewers. Try the tandoori lamb or lamb dumplings in black-eyed pea soup for a different taste of Uighur food you won't find in other cities in Xinjiang.

Drink
Wusu beer - all around Xinjiang. Probably only 4% Chinese beer.

John's Information Cafe in the back of the Turpan Hotel sells wine, beer and imported spirits. Grab a bottle to enjoy under the grapes on their patio. (The white wine is maybe the best in China),

Stay safe
There are a lot of young locals who can speak some English and will ask to practise their skills with you before offering you "help" with getting around. This usually involves a lot of "friends" and "uncles" who can take you wherever you want to go, "all you need is money for gas." Of course, don't trust them!