Xinjiang: very unknown and a lot to see

Posted on 01-14-2009   http://holidayfu.com/2009/01/xinjiang-unknown-lot/

By Steven Lee

This is the second in an ongoing series of Holiday Fu interviews with tour operators, bloggers who live in interesting destinations and people who are passionate about a place and its cultural or natural attractions.

This time we’ve interviewed Josh Summers an expat in Xinjiang, who is also the founder/owner of the FarWestChina blog.

First off what is FarWestChina.com?

FarWestChina.com is my attempt to open up the door to Xinjiang, my little part of the world that that just happens to be a very unknown and widely misrepresented area in China.

(Ed: the site is currently inaccessible in China so fire up those proxies to view)

So, why Xinjiang?

Good question!  I don’t know very many people who dream of moving to Xinjiang and my wife and I were no different.  It just happened, but now that we’re here we absolutely love it and don’t wish to live anywhere else in China.

What’s your favorite place in Xinjiang (and/or Western China)? Why?

My favorite place so far is Kashgar.  The city itself is a unique representation of Xinjiang but I’m particularly drawn to its location between the beautiful Pamir Mountains and the incredible Taklamakan Desert.  Plenty of day trips to keep you busy.

How do you get there? Around how much would it cost?

There’s quite a few options.  The easiest way is to fly from the capital of Urumqi, which will usually run about 600-800 RMB each way, but you can also take a train comfortably for a little under 300 RMB or a sleeper bus for under 200.

If you’ve got time and money, the best way is to rent a car and stop at all the great small towns along the way!

Besides wolfing down piles of chua’r and baking in the deserts, what else can you do in Xinjiang?

[desert]

Xinjiang is an outdoor enthusiast’s paradise!  During the warmer months just strap on your hiking boots and a good backpack and you’ll never run out of places to roam.

I find that the beauty of Xinjiang is its diversity, not just culturally but also geographically.  But I love the chua’r, too.

Any hidden gems in Xinjiang/Western China that most people miss or overlook?

There are many, but I’d have to say my favorite is the Ghost City, a collection of huge rock formations that simply rise up in the middle of the vast desert.

It’s amazing to see yet difficult to describe, a feeling that I’ve had many times while traveling around Xinjiang.

All photos courtesy Josh Summers