[2025 Hami Attraction] Travel Guide for Altun Ancient Street (Updated Jul)

Stepping into Hami is like embarking on a fantastic adventure. Here, you can witness both the uncanny workmanship of the Yardang landforms and the historical accumulation of ancient ruins; you can encounter the romantic starry sky of the Gobi Desert, and experience the unique scenery of grassland and forest. Strolling through it, every landscape is like a carefully crafted work of art by nature and history, making people intoxicated. Travel Guide Route planning • Day 1: Magic Lake - Yiwu Populus Euphratica Forest Scenic Area Depart from Hami city in the early morning and go to Magic Lake to enjoy the magical color-changing lake view. Have lunch in Yanchi Town at noon, and go to Yiwu Populus Euphratica Forest Scenic Area in the afternoon, and return to Yiwu County for accommodation in the evening. • Day 2: Gaojia Lake Wetland Scenic Area - Barkol Ancient City Scenic Area - Barkol Cultural Expo Park Depart from Yiwu County early in the morning to Gaojia Lake Wetland Scenic Area, then go to Barkol Food Street to taste the food, and visit Barkol Ancient City Scenic Area and Barkol Cultural Expo Park in the afternoon. Stay in Barkol County in the evening. • Day 3: Hami Pterosaur - Yardang Grand Seaway Scenic Area After breakfast at the Pulei Sea Hotel, drive to the scenic area. You can visit according to the recommended route and return to the city for accommodation in the evening. • Day 4: Zuo Gong Cultural Park - Hami City Cultural Expo Park - Hami King Scenic Area - Aletun Ancient Street Visit the attractions in turn to experience the history and culture, and stroll along Aletun Ancient Street in the evening to experience the local customs. Travel mode Self-driving is recommended. The scenic spots are scattered. It is more convenient to drive an SUV or a four-wheel drive off-road vehicle. In particular, driving in the Grand Seaway Scenic Area requires a high-chassis vehicle. Download offline maps in advance. Accommodation suggestions In Yiwu County, you can choose Jinhuyang Hotel; in Barkol County, Pulei Sea Hotel or ecological wooden houses in Gaojia Lake Wetland Scenic Area are recommended; in Hami City, you can choose Hami Hotel. Food recommendations Yiwu County has roast whole lamb, special mixed noodles, etc.; Barkol County has mutton stewed pancakes, Barkol braised meat, etc.; Hami City has Yiloulan, Dongjiang Dapan Chicken, etc. Kind tips There is a large temperature difference between day and night in Hami, pay attention to "onion-style dressing"; bring sunscreen and moisturizing products; prepare spare tires and other tools for self-driving; do not cross the uninhabited area of the Grand Seaway by bicycle; protect the Populus euphratica forest ecology.

👍Why you should visit: Seriously, Hami completely captivated me! It boasts breathtaking landscapes, vibrant West Asian culture, and a rich history just waiting to be explored. You'll regret missing out! 🌹Location: Situated in eastern Xinjiang, Hami spans the northern and southern slopes of the eastern Tianshan Mountains. It's a crucial passage between Xinjiang and inland China, bordering Jiuquan in Gansu, Bayingolin Mongol Autonomous Prefecture, and other regions. 🚴Getting there: - By air: Hami Airport is well-connected, with direct flights from many cities. From the airport, take the airport bus or a taxi to easily reach the city center. - By train: Rail travel is super convenient, with numerous trains from within Xinjiang and other parts of China. Hami Railway Station offers easy access to public transport and taxis. - By road: Self-driving or taking a long-distance bus is also a great option. The national highways and expressways are in excellent condition, offering stunning scenery along the way. It's like driving through a painting. 🏞️Must-see attractions: - Hami Museum: A treasure trove of history, showcasing artifacts from primitive society to the Ming and Qing dynasties. A visit here is like traveling through time, giving you a deep understanding of Hami's history and culture. - Tianshan Scenic Area: The natural scenery here is simply stunning, featuring mountains, forests, grasslands, and a variety of rare plants and animals. Every photo you take will be Instagram-worthy. - Aletun Ancient Street: This street preserves numerous Qing Dynasty residences and commercial buildings, exuding historical charm. When you're tired of exploring, stop by one of the characteristic restaurants along the street for authentic local cuisine. - Dahaidao Scenic Area: The unique Yadan landforms are truly spectacular. Every angle offers a perfect photo opportunity, making it a must-visit for photography enthusiasts. 🏷️Ticket prices: Prices vary depending on the attraction. The Hami Museum is generally free; the Tianshan Scenic Area has tickets for a few dozen yuan; Aletun Ancient Street is free to explore; and Dahaidao Scenic Area ticket prices vary based on the package, check the official website or ticket office for details. 🍜Food recommendations: - Hami melon: Hami's signature fruit, known for its sweet and juicy flavor. One bite will satisfy your sweet cravings. - Hand pilaf: A flavorful and nutritious dish made with mutton, carrots, and rice. - Grilled mutton skewers: Freshly cut and grilled mutton skewers seasoned with cumin and chili peppers. Tender on the inside and crispy on the outside, it's a true delight. - Nang bread: Available in various flavors, nang bread can be enjoyed as a main course or a snack. It's portable and has a long shelf life. 🛍️Shopping: The city center offers plenty of shopping opportunities, with local handicrafts, dried fruits, clothing, and more. Uyghur handicrafts are exquisite and make perfect souvenirs. Stock up on high-quality dried fruits like raisins and almonds as gifts. 🏠Accommodation: - High-end hotels: Offering comprehensive facilities, attentive service, and comfortable environments for a premium check-in experience. - Budget hotels and homestays: Affordable options that allow you to experience local culture. Some homestays feature unique ethnic decor. ❤️Other tips: - Hami has a dry climate, so remember to moisturize, wear sunscreen, and drink plenty of water. - Respect local religious beliefs and customs, especially in ethnic minority areas. - When visiting scenic areas like Dahaidao, check the weather and road conditions in advance, bring enough food and water, and drive carefully if self-driving.

Recommendations include: night market, morning market, formal meals, fast food, desserts, with nearly 20 items for you to choose from. Aleitun Ancient Street recommendation index: Address: Yizhou District - About 40 meters west of the Hami southern suburbs bus station on Huancheng Road Locals recommend the night market food, a pedestrian street in the scenic area with ethnic cultural characteristics. It's better to go after 6 pm, we strolled until midnight and there were still many people. The large skewers of meat for 20 yuan each are enough to fill you up, and the ancient street also has many spots suitable for taking photos and checking in, and you can even ride a camel. Empress Heaven Street Night Market recommendation index: ■Address: Yizhou District - Empress Heaven Street on Yingbin Avenue Hami's largest night market, the snack street features delicacies from all over the country, such as Guangdong rice noodle rolls, Changsha stinky tofu, and more, including barbecue and spicy crayfish. It's quite the same, so it's not recommended for tourists. Day Laborers' Market recommendation index: Address: No. 32 on Jianguo North Road, Yizhou District The local morning market is just an ordinary farmers' market and wholesale market. Bought some raisins for 30 yuan per kilogram. Went there at noon and there were some locals eating inside, cold noodles + lamb skewers is the standard combo, 10 yuan for cold noodles, sour and not very spicy, quite refreshing, 5 yuan for a skewer of lamb. Also ordered 2 thin-skinned buns for 2.5 yuan each, they're a bit like shumai and very delicious, not recommended for tourists to come here specifically. Qianliuhu Mutton Stewed Pancake recommendation index: Address: 1-13, 2nd Floor, New Jiarui Building, No. 15 Bayi Road, Yizhou District, the best mutton stewed pancakes are in Balikun, and the mutton stewed pancakes here are just like those from Balikun. The 158 yuan mutton stewed pancake is enough for 2-3 people to eat their fill, the mutton is flavorful and chewy, and the pancake soaked in mutton broth is something that carb lovers absolutely cannot miss. Lao Ma's Big Plate Chicken with Noodles recommendation index: Address: No. 7 storefront at the north exit of Dongfeng Hotel, Yizhou District - The big plate chicken for 118 yuan was astonishing for the four of us girls, as a Northeasterner I felt the portion was too generous, four people could eat their fill and still pack up more than half, you can order a medium plate chicken for 88 yuan. The potatoes are soft and mushy, the wide noodles are flavorful, and the chicken is tender. Xinjiang's spiciness is quite hot, we had a girl from the south with us and we ordered mild spicy, which was very delicious. Shengtian Pilaf and Meat Soup Restaurant recommendation index: Address: Bottom of Ronghe Community on Guangming Road, Yizhou District Must-push index maxed out, as someone who has been to Hami more than 3 times, I must recommend the pilaf. Ordered the minced meat pilaf group purchase for 21, lamb chop pilaf group purchase for 35 and it comes with yogurt, 3 large pieces of lamb chops are very tender, the pilaf has a milky fragrance. Free Xinjiang salty milk tea, yogurt sprinkled with sugar and raisins, take a sip of the original flavor it's very sour, mix well and it becomes sweet and delicious, plus free mixed vegetables. The service in the store is very good, you can get free refills if the rice is not enough. Eat Again Baked Bun Shop Recommendation index: Address: 120 meters south of the intersection of County Road 085 and Huancheng Road, Yizhou District Xinjiang's baked buns are so cheap, 3 yuan for one bun I could eat three meals a day, the buns are big, filled with large chunks of lamb and onions~~

The Altun Ancient Street in Hami means "Golden Land" in Uyghur. It is a street with a strong ethnic minority atmosphere and cultural heritage. It is also a street that tourists from all over the world must visit in Hami. In December 2008, it was listed in the fourth batch of national historical and cultural villages. It has preserved the traditional layout and rural life style of the ancient Uyghur villages in Xinjiang, records the long history and culture of the local area, and has become a business card of the Uyghur traditional cultural village. Walking on the ancient street of Altun in Hami, you can feel the strong The atmosphere of ethnic minorities. The buildings on both sides of the ancient street have different styles. Some are antique buildings, some are traditional ethnic houses, and some are It is a shop. These buildings are very well preserved. It makes people feel as if they have traveled back to the Hami City of the Qing Dynasty.