Sunday, September 27, 2026

My 29 days Free & Easy Visit to Northern Xinjiang (Urumqi, Fuyun, Beitun, Altay, Burqin, Jiadengyu, Karamay, Kutuin, Yining & Nalati & Tekes Baqua City), China Aug 9 > Sept 6 2026

Here is Xinjiang - KM's 4th Visit
(2006, 2015, 2025 & 2026)
Urumqi, Xinjiang, China
Fuyun, Xinjiang, China
Beitun, Xinjiang, China
Altay City, Xinjiang, China
Burqin, Xinjiang, China
Jiadengyu, Xinjiang, China
Karamay, Xinjiang, China
Kuytun, Xinjiang, China
Yining, Xinjiang, China
Nalati, Xinjiang, China
Tekes Baqua City
Xinjiang, China

" Sunsets are proof that ending can often be beautiful too. Every sunrise brings you a new hope & begins with new eyes " 

Sunset in Downtown Urumqi
Xinjiang, China (5 Sept 2026)

Global warming, drastic climate change, extreme weather looks like everywhere, glacier meltdowns (a fault line has already occurred near the Himalaya Nepal / China border recently), volcanic eruptions & earthquakes shaking the earth every moment, hazardous haze making our daily life hazy & crazy, torrential rains, severe flooding & wild fire, on-going regional war conflicts etc; sound like for Aug / Sept 2026, the world's weather had made a dramatic change (turn turtle) as though it never rains but it pours (the red flag & warning signs are there) ! Thus travelling is no longer a fun & easy thing but full of challenges these days so you need an "oomph" & an extra ounce of mental, physical & spiritual strength / energy plus a weather watch in order to keep your passion in travelling alive & burning so that your desire to see the world after retirement could still be ambitiously pursued & fulfilled !  

Against all  the odds, here goes my northern Xinjiang story ..... 2 seniors (aged 76 & 63) "dancing" to Xinjiang rhythm taking public transport (trains, long distance & public buses) from one county town to another, thriving to see the best of the natural landscapes & cultural traits of northern Xinjiang, China on a 29 days free & easy trip, eating simple Xinjiang & Chinese food along the way & last but not least, a decent hotel room for a peaceful slumber in each city in the wild, wild northern Xinjiang !  

Towards the end of our 29 days Xinjiang trip, my travel buddy started counting the "dinosaur eggs" we visited; we came, we saw & we left our footprints in these wonderful places of northern Xinjiang, most were my 1st time visits (except Urumqi, Burqin & Kanas National Geopark). Well done KM & Boon ! Following are the major tourist attractions we visited:   

  • Urumqi International Grand Bazaar, Urumqi
  • Heavenly Lake, Urumqi
  • Koketuohai, Fuyun 
  • Irtysh Grand Canyon, Fuyun
  • Wu Bai Li Commercial Street / Night Market, Altay City
  • Five Color Beach (Wucaitan), Burqin
  • Kanas National Geopark, Jiadengyu
  • Hemu Village, Jiadengyu
  • Urho Devil Town 
  • Karamay 100-mile Oilfield
  • Dushanzi Grand Canyon, Kuytun
  • Ili Oldtown, Yining
  • Sayram (Sailimu) Lake, Yining
  • Gouzhigou Bridge, Yining
  • Tekes Baqua City
  • Nalati Grassland
Not to forget the numerous walking & food streets, night & wet markets, museums, shopping malls, riverside boardwalks, gardens & parks etc we had the liberty to explore in each of the city we stayed overnight .......  

Expenses incurred (29 days): Rm4,310 + CNY2,341 = Rm5,738 (US$1,400)

  1. Airfare (Cathay Pacific, KL > Urumqi > KL): Rm2,236                         
  2. Hotels (28 nights, twin sharing): @Rm1,646
  3. Trains (5 rides): Rm214
  4. Long distance buses (18 rides): CNY870
  5. Cable car: CNY110
  6. Town Bus (34 rideas): CNY34
  7. Private car hire (Wucaitan & Dushanzi): CNY50 + CNY80
  8. Shuttle bus: CNY110
  9. Entrance fees: FOC (Senior above 70s)
  10. DiDi (23 rides, twin sharing): CNY297 @CNY149
  11. Food: CNY938  
  12. Groceries: Rm50
  13. Sim Card: Rm48
  14. Airport Bus / Grab: Rm10 + Rm36
  15. Travel Insurance (Annual Plan, pro rata):Rm80   
Exchange Rates: US$1 = Rm4.10; CNY1 = Rm0.6064

My travel buddy: Boon from Petaling Jaya, Selangor. 


Travel Itinerary: Kuala Lumpur > Urumqi > Fuyun > Beitun > Altay > Burqin > Jiadengyi > Burqin > Karamay > Kuytun > Yining > Nalati > Yining > Tekes Baqua City > Yining > Urumqi (total mileage on ground transport by trains & buses / MPV vans = approx 3,560km) 

1) Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia > Urumqi (transit in Hong Kong) > Kuala Lumpur  (by air)

2) Urumqi > Fuyun > Beitun > Altay > Burqin > Jiadengyu (by train & public buses / MPV vans, approx 1,000km)

Urumqi > Fuyun > Beitun > Altay City
> Burqin > Jiadengyu, Xinjiang, Chinas
 (approx 1,000km)

3) Jiadengyu > Burqin > Karamay > Kuitun > Yining (by trains & public buses, approx 620km) 

Jiadengyu > Burqin > Karamay 
> Kuytun, Xinjiang (approx 620km)


4) Kuitun > Yining > Nalati > Yining (by train & public buses, approx 1,000km) 

Kuytun > Yining > Nalati > Yining
Xinjiang (approx 1,000km)

5) Yining > Tekes Baqua City > Yining (by public buses, approx 230km)

Yining > Tekes Baqua City > Yining
Xinjiang (approx 230km)

6) Yining > Urumqi (by train, approx 710km)

Yining > Urumqi, Xinjiang (approx 710km)

Travel Highlights:

1) Urumqi, Xinjiang, China

Hongguangshan Scenic Area
Urumqi, Xinjiang
Hongshan Park, Urumqi
The Central Asia Park, Urumqi
Grand Bazaar Walking Street, Urumqi
International Grand Bazaar, Urumqi
Erdaoqiao, Urumqi, Xinjiang
First Street, Minjie, Urumqi
May First (Wuyi) Starlit Night Market
Urumqi, Xinjiang

2) Tianshan Tianchi (Heavenly Lake), Xinjiang, China

Tianshan Tianchi, Xinjiang, China

3) Fuyun, Xinjiang, China

Fuyun Walking Street / Night Market
Xinjiang, China
Fuyun County by Night 
Fuyun Riverside & Irtysh River, Xinjiang

Fuyun Museum, Xinjiang

4) Koktokay, Xinjiang, China

Keketuohai, Xinjiang, China

5) Irtysh Grand Canyon, Xinjiang, China

Irtysh Grand Canyon, Xinjiang

6) Beitun, Xinjiang, China

Monument of Genghis Khan
Deren Park, Beitun, Xinjiang
Beitun, Museum, Xinjiang, China
Longjiang Xiaozhen, Beitun, Xinjiang
Yudai River Waterfront Leisure Area
Beitun, Xinjiang, China

7) Altay City, Xinjiang, China

Altay Swan Lake Park, Xinjiang
Aletai Museum, Xinjiang, China
Wu Bai Li Commercial Street
Altay, Xinjiang, China
Kelan River & Kelan Park
Altay, Xinjiang, China
Hualin Park, Kelan River Valley
Altay, Jinjiang, China 

8) Burqin, Xinjiang, China

Burqin Museum, Xinjiang
Burqin Hedi Night Market
Xinjiang, China
China-Russia Old Wharf  Style Street
Burqin, Xinjiang
Kanas Tower Bridge, Burqin, Xinjiang

9) Five Coloured Beach (Wucaitan), Xinjiang 

Wucaitan, Xinjiang

10) Jiadengyu, Xinjiang, China

Silk Road International Food Bazaar
 Jiadengyu, Xinjiang

11) Kanas National Geopark (UNESCO), Xinjiang, China

Fish Viewing Platform
Kanas National Geopark, Xinjiang
Wolong Bay, Kanas National Geopark
Xinjiaqng
Moon Bay,
Kanas National Geopark, Xinjiang

12) Hemu Village, Xinjiang, China

Hemu Bridge, Altay Mountains
Xinjiang

13) Karamay, Xinjiang, China

The Hundred-Mile Oilfield, Karamay
Nine Dragon Pool, Karamay, Xinjiang
Black Oil Mountain
Karamay, Xinjiang 
Karamay River Scenic Spot
Karamay, Xinjiang
Karamay No 1 Oil Well Monument
Karamay, Xinjiang 
Jixian Lu Pedestrian Street,
Karamay, Xinjiang

14) Urno Devil Town, Xinjiang, China 

Urho Devil City (Ghost City)

15) Kuitun, Xinjiang, China
 
Kuytun Botanical Garden, Xinjiang
Lian Hua Temple, Kyutun
Xinjiang
Lin Zhexu Memorial Hall
Kuytun, Xinjiang


16) Dushanzi Grand Canyon, Xinjiang, China

Dushanzi Grand Canyon, Xinjiang


17) Yining, Xinjiang, China

Light of The Silk Road Tourist Town, Yining
Yili Oldtown, Yining, Xinjiang
Yili River Tourist Resort Area, Yining
Hanren Street Grand Bazaar
Yining, Xinjiang
Liuxing Street, Yili, Xinjiang

18) Sayram Lake (Sailimu Hu), Xinjiang, China

Sayram Lake, Xinjiang

19) Guozigou, Xinjiang, China

Guozigou, Xinjiang, China

20) Nalati Grassland, Xinjiang, China

The Valley Prairie, Narati, Xinjiang
The Sky Prairie, Narati, Xinjiang
Nalati Town, Xinjiang

21) Tekes Baqua City, Xinjiang, China

Tekes Baqua City, Xinjiang
(Eight Diagram City)

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