Türkmenabat
TurkmenistanBWk
© OpenStreetMap, CARTO
Beyik Yüpek ýolunynʿg gadımy şyahari | An ancient city of the Great Silk Road
Why visit
Türkmenabat is rarely visited, most travelers in Turkmenistan focus on Ashgabat, Merv, or the Darvaza gas crater. But the city is the closest major center to several extraordinary destinations: the ruins of ancient Amul (just south of town), the Köytendag Nature Reserve in the Lebap mountains (with dinosaur footprints and rare wildlife), and the underground Kainar Baba lake. The local bazaar is excellent for Turkmen carpets and traditional textiles. Sample plov, manti, and the local smoked fish from the Amu Darya. Day-trip to the surreal Karakum desert.
When to avoid
Turkmenistan is one of the world's most closed countries, visa application is difficult and tourist visas require an itinerary and licensed guide for most regions. Internet is heavily censored. Install VPN and apps before arrival (though some VPNs blocked). Photographing government, military, or police buildings can lead to arrest. Money-changing is opaque. Bring USD cash. Don't discuss politics. Power cuts are common. Most Western credit cards do not work. Summer heat is brutal.
