
Why now is the time to visit otherworldly Turkmenistan
Of all the visitable Stans, Turkmenistan is considered the least Westernised, least visited (with just 15,000 foreign visitors annually) and most secretive. However, the recent announcement that the country will do away with the formalities of a letter of invitation, to be replaced with an e-visa (when and how has yet to be clarified) slightly reduces its quirkiness – but it will make arranging a visit less onerous, especially for independent travellers.
So what's in store for those who hop on the six-hour flight from London Gatwick?
The capital, Ashgabat (population: just over a million), has been rebuilt in the last two decades with profits from the country's considerable gas reserves. Historic sites, canals and old trees have been removed to make space for kitsch-meets-bling mega-monuments, bombastic government palaces and sleek high-rise apartment blocks.
In 2013, Guinness, ever on the lookout for daft new records, declared Ashgabat to have the 'highest density of white marble-clad buildings in the world'. The statistic claimed is 48,583,619 square feet; whoever measured it deserves a Guinness entry for dodging Turkmen security. The main drag, Bitarap Türkmenistan Şayoly, had 170 marble buildings at the last count.
Some of the buildings and monuments are otherworldly in their scale and conception. The Wedding Palace is a 410,000 square-foot registry office topped by a disco ball inside a frame of eight-point stars. The Arch of Neutrality is a rocket-like tripod with lifts up its splayed legs and awesome views of the city's Brasilia-style roads and general whiteness.
The Gypjak Mosque can accommodate ten thousand worshippers, and houses both the Koran and the Rhunama, or Book of the Soul, written by the first post-USSR president, Saparmurat Niyazov – nicknamed Turkmenbashi or 'Head of the Turkmen' – who closed all libraries and hospitals outside the capital and proscribed ballet dancing, beards and the word for 'bread'. A huge monument to the pink-edged, green-jacketed Rhunama is found inside Independence Park.
Ashgabat has the world's largest ferris wheel, its largest equestrian statue (Ahal-Teke horses, as once gifted to Queen Elizabeth by Nikita Kruschchev) and used to have the world's highest unsupported flagpole (until Egypt unveiled an even bigger erection). It's also reported that as many as 90 per cent of the cars on its roads are white – owing (depending which source you choose to believe) to a rumoured crackdown on all cars of other colours in 2018, to former-president Berdymukhammedov's alleged personal preference for white vehicles, or to the fact that the colour is considered to be lucky.
The Tolkuchka bazaar (also known as Altyn Asyr Bazaar), a 20-minute drive from downtown Ashgabat, affords visitors a glimpse of older Turkmen ways. Its shape is meant to resemble a Turkmen carpet and while it's only the fifth largest in Central Asia, it covers 250 acres. Stalls sell spices, fake Rolexes, livestock, carpets, souvenirs, vegetables and fruit. Melons are a specialism; Turkmenistan has a crossbreed muskmelon called the Turkmenbashi melon. The second Sunday in August is National Melon Day.
Turkmenistan is twice the size of the UK, almost as big as Spain. It has more than three thousand miles of railways, including lines to Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan, Iran and Russia, and the 336-mile Trans-Karakum Railway across the desert of the same name. The most celebrated 'sight' here is the Gates of Hell gas crater at Darvaza, burning since the Eighties when someone took out a match to prevent the emission of poisonous gases caused by a gas field's collapse twenty years earlier.
A long, Milton-esque stairway in a cave at the foot of a mountain leads to the Köw Ata Underground Lake, where you can swim in sulphurous waters. Ancient Merv is a Unesco World Heritage site, a repository of 4,000 years of history and 'the oldest and best-preserved of the oasis-cities along the Silk Route in Central Asia '.
Nokhur cemetery in southern Turkmenistan contains tombstones decorated with mountain goat horns – believed by the Nokhuris (who claim to have descended from Alexander the Great's soldiers) to protect against evil spirits. Animism, Islam and Zoroastrianism are routinely melded, causing some traditional Muslims to take umbrage at Turkmenistan's bespoke approach to theology.
The country is dotted with photogenic rock-scapes. Yangykala Canyon is the one that you see most often on promotional material, with its striated limestone walls rising out of an ancient seabed.
Turkmenistan is a de facto one-party state with no serious opposition permitted. Should that put anyone off? Only if you also want to discard China, Cuba, Vietnam, Laos, Eritrea; the US is a de facto two-party state and is more likely to go in the other direction than to suddenly announce a trio of options.
Turkmenistan has some of the slowest and most tightly controlled internet – positive messaging only is firmly encouraged – which is, of course, a major issue for locals. Youtube, WhatsApp and Facebook are blocked. There's no roaming. All in all, it's also an excuse for tourists to switch off and forget screens and report back on their experiences once they get home.
Essentials
For the time being, a letter of invitation is required (though this will be retired with the introduction of the new e-visa); tour firms will usually take care of the red tape. The FCDO also advises, 'while Turkmenistan doesn't require COVID-19 vaccination, all travellers must undergo a COVID-19 test upon arrival, which costs about 31 US dollars'.
The five-star Yyldyz Hotel has doubles from £234 per night.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


The Guardian
2 hours ago
- The Guardian
When did people start going on holiday?
When did people start going on holiday? Valentina Otero, Mexico City Sign up to The Traveller Get travel inspiration, featured trips and local tips for your next break, as well as the latest deals from Guardian Holidays after newsletter promotion Post your answers (and new questions) below or send them to nq@ A selection will be published next Sunday.


Daily Mail
3 hours ago
- Daily Mail
Revealed: The worst tourist trap in the world
In every country, tourists eagerly gather at the most popular and talked-about spots , hoping it lives up to their expectations. Though at times, travellers may find themselves disappointed - charged premium prices and squashed shoulder-to-shoulder with others all aiming to chase the same sought-after attraction. Now, the very worst tourist trap in the world has been revealed, in research by Nomad eSIM. There's not one, but two places that tie as the top spots to avoid when travelling – and both are in the United States. Fisherman's Wharf, located in San Francisco, and Wall Drug, in South Dakota, scored the worst in Nomad's analysis. The company looked at thousands of reviews for attractions in 50 popular destinations around the world and tracked mentions of 'tourist trap'. Both Fisherman's Wharf and Wall Drug have 1,000 reviews labelling them as 'tourist traps'. Wall Drug attracts around 2 million tourists each year and started out as a small pharmacy in 1931. Now, it is known worldwide for being a quirky roadside attraction spreading across 76,000sq feet. Visitors can enjoy coffee for five cents, fresh donuts and an old-timey photo studio, as well as over 300 pieces of Western art. However, not everyone is impressed with its offerings and the attraction has received more than 1,000 reviews labelling it a 'tourist trap,' according to Nomad. One slammed it for being 'very crammed and tacky' while another swiped 'you will be ripped off by every store owner in town'. Fisherman's Wharf ties with Wall Drug as one of the worst tourist traps. The historic waterfront spot brings in around 12 million tourists a year who visit for the seafood restaurants, sea lions and souvenir shops. However, many leave disappointed and underwhelmed. According to Nomad, some visitors described the location as 'dirty, run down and overcrowded' and commented 'only worth it to see the seals.' Spain's Las Ramblas, a promenade that runs for more than a kilometre through central Barcelona, placed second in the 'tourist trap' rankings with 826 reviews. The attraction is packed with shops, eateries, and attractions and while some travellers enjoy its energetic vibe, others find the experience chaotic and overwhelming. Known for pickpocketing, the area is often packed with crowds some visitors find that it's 'one of the most overrated roads in the world', and one even went as far as to say that 'it should be on your DO NOT DO list'. Dublin's Temple Bar was listed third, despite being renowned for its lively nightlife and traditional Irish pub s. The Irish icon saw 'tourist trap' mentioned a whopping 687 times. Complaints about Temple Bar range from how dirty it is to the sky-high prices, with one reviewer describing it as 'overcrowded, overpriced and overrated'. Temple Bar was closely followed by Checkpoint Charlie, in Germany, which had 681 reviews dubbing it a 'tourist trap'. The famous Cold War-era border crossing in Germany features plenty of souvenir stalls and draws in plenty of visitors. But it doesn't always impress and according to Nomad, one traveller said: 'For somewhere with so much historical importance, it has become a cheap and nasty tourist spot'. While the Royal Mile in Edinburgh placed five in the 'tourist trap' rankings with 539 reviews. Stretching 1.81km, the cobbled road links Edinburgh Castle the Palace of Holyroodhouse. However, one visitor to the Scottish capital expressed disappointment: 'Bring back the days when locals could live and work in the area without locusts like plagues of tourists!'.


The Sun
4 hours ago
- The Sun
I lived on a cruise ship – we got no days off but you did get free food and didn't have to pay tax or rent
A TRAVEL fan has revealed what it was really like to live and work on a cruise ship. Anaya Daisy, who is currently exploring Thailand but was previously working on a cruise ship in the shore excursions department, claimed that during her stint on the ship, she never got any days off. Despite this, she revealed the benefits to living on a cruise ship and explained that not only was the food free, but she didn't have to pay any rent or tax either. Posting on social media, the brunette got candid on cruise ship life, as she said: 'Do you get days off while working on a cruise ship? Now, this is a question I get asked quite a lot, both by people off the ship and then guests that are actually on the ship, but the answer, unfortunately, is no, we don't get any days off.' Anaya explained that 'most of the crew' don't get any days off, as it is 'an unwritten rule' that you work the entirety of your contract. The content creator, who doesn't have to pay tax whilst on board, acknowledged that contracts can range from anywhere for three months up to nine months. She added: 'Because the cruise is running nearly every day of the year, we can't have any days off because obviously, we're gonna have passengers, and who's gonna look after the passengers if everyone's having days off? 'Yes, this does sound like a lot, and yes, it sometimes does feel like a lot, but even though we're working seven days a week, that doesn't necessarily mean that you're gonna be working all of the entire day.' Anaya then expressed that rather than having a day off, many departments will get the middle of the day off to relax and explore the cruise ship. Her hours vary, but she never works more than 10 hours a day. But Anaya, who gets free food onboard and is allowed to eat at the crew buffet, isn't bothered by never having a full day off, as she claimed that there are 'so many perks of working on a cruise ship.' In particular, for Anaya, who lives in a 'basic' but free shared accommodation with bunk beds, waking up in a different country every day is something she finds 'literally insane.' I 'live' on a cruise ship with my son & fiancé - the food's amazing, there's childcare & our laundry's done for free too Not only this, but she then continued: 'Although that's not a full day off, you're still getting time to actually enjoy the ports that we're going to and enjoy the countries that we're visiting. 'It might sound kind of crazy that we don't have any days off, especially if you have a really long contract, but you just get used to it after a bit and I suppose it's the price you pay for seeing the world, so, yeah, I really don't mind.' Social media users react Anaya's TikTok clip, which was posted under the username @ has clearly left many open-mouthed, as it has quickly racked up 94,300 views, 3,220 likes and 107 comments. Social media users were stunned by Anaya's full on work life on the ship and many were eager to know more about life on board. It might sound kind of crazy that we don't have any days off, especially if you have a really long contract, but you just get used to it after a bit Anaya Daisy One person said: 'Up to nine months without a day off is crazy!' Another added: 'Love the ship content.' A third commented: 'That sounds so full on, sounds amazing though.' Pros and cons of going on a cruise ship Whether you're considering a long holiday, working remotely or even living on board a cruise ship for a few months or years, here are the pros and cons from a former cruise shipper. Pros Travel the world, learn and experience new cultures Meet new people Don't have to think or worry about room cleaning, or food Cons Internet connection can be painfully slow and expensive Limited luggage allowance so have to wear the same clothes on rotation Having no control of where the ship would go next and the possibility of visiting the same ports Having the same onboard entertainment, on-demand movies, and little choice of TV channels No fresh newspapers or new books unless someone adds them to the library Relatively the same food week after week unless major menu changes occur seasonally. Occasional rough seas, bad weather and viral outbreaks while inboard. Meanwhile, one user asked: 'Genuine question because I want to work on a cruise but how do you see the world if you don't get a day off?' To this, Anaya confirmed: 'Because sometimes we have breaks off in the middle of the day and I work in the excursions department so I spend a lot of time on the trips and seeing the places that way.' At the same time, someone else questioned: 'What happens if you get really sick?' Setting the record straight, Anaya explained: 'You would see the medical centre if you were ill. If they thought you were too sick to work then you'd get 'signed off'. If you've not been signed off by medical then you'd still have to work.' Not only this, but one person wondered: 'How common is cheating?'