# Hami travel guide (哈密) Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region · Northwest, China · 6 places Canonical: https://cnatrip.com/en/destinations/xinjiang-uygur/hami ## Quick itinerary - **Day 1:** Hami Ghost City (Yardang Park) → Hami Urban Area → Hui King's Mausoleum (Hami Uygur King's Tomb) - **Day 2:** Hami Urban Area → Baishitou Scenic Area → Barkol Grassland → Guaishi Mountain ## The feel of the place - **Oasis for Travellers:** From Turpan eastward to Wuwei in Gansu stretches an unbroken expanse of desert and Gobi. The Four Commanderies of Hexi are four oases in Gansu, and Hami is the first oasis on entering Xinjiang. In ancient times, travellers who crossed the lifeless, parched desert reached this place to be greeted by Hami's melons and Turpan's grapes. The footprints of earlier travellers have long been buried by sand, but this oasis remains a haven for those on the road. ## Getting there & around ### Getting In and Out Hami is an important gateway to Xinjiang. ### By Air ### By Rail Hami is the first stop in Xinjiang on the Lanzhou–Xinjiang Railway. If you have enough time, consider starting your eastern Xinjiang journey here. ### By Road The long-distance bus station is located at the junction of Guangchang North Road and Jianguo Road. Buses leave from here every day, heading east to Dunhuang and west to Turpan and farther destinations. Bus routes 3, 5, 8, 11, 12 and 17 serve the station. ### Getting Around the City The urban area is very small. Taxi flagfall is ¥7 for the first 3 km; beyond 3 km the fare is ¥1.4 per km by day and ¥1.96 per km at night. Taxis at the long-distance bus station and railway station tout for trips to the various scenic spots. ### Village Homes Stepping into the courtyard of a Uyghur family, you'll see tall poplar trees, heaps of grapevines and lovely young Uyghur girls, along with handicrafts such as embroidered pillowcases, folk paper-cuts and traditional musical instruments, all glowing in the bright sunshine. Everything feels fresh and new. - **Hami Airport (哈密机场)** — Located east-northeast of Hami city, 12.5 km from the centre of the old town. It currently has flights to Shanghai, Chengdu, Tacheng, Urumqi, Zhengzhou and Xi'an, as well as round-trip flights to Urumqi, Korla and Dunhuang. - **Railway Station Enquiry Desk (火车站问讯处)** — - **Hami Bus Station (哈密客运站)** — ## Eat & drink Hami melons are named after the Qing emperors, who were fond of this sweet melon. When they asked their attendants what it was called, the attendants only knew it was tribute from the King of Hami, so it became known as the Hami melon. In fact, many parts of Xinjiang grow Hami melons, and the finest ones come from Dongxiang district in Shanshan, Turpan. Unless you are a true gourmet, however, it is hard for outsiders to tell the difference between melons from different places. Because Hami melons keep well, locals store some in cellars when they ripen in summer, so that the sweet melons can be enjoyed all year round. There are many types of Hami melon, and the finest is the Golden Empress (金皇后). Among early-ripening melons, the Red-Heart Crisp (红心脆) is the best, while among late-ripening ones the Black Eyebrow (黑眉毛) is the favourite. The Hami melons grown locally in Nanhu are very authentic. Besides Hami melons, the region is especially famous for Hami jujubes, Hami barley, cotton, grapes, piyazi (onion), white-skinned garlic, and more. - tip: Local Snacks Hami's local snacks come in a wide variety: cold beef salad, hot lamb hooves, cured lamb bones, spicy-numbing chicken, youxiang (fried pastry), fentang (starch-noodle soup), lamb tenderloin, cold-skin noodles, and more. During Eid al-Adha and Eid al-Fitr, nearly every Hui household in Hami makes fentang and youxiang. When guests and relatives come to pay New Year visits, they are served fentang and youxiang. Fentang is the dish in which Hui women show off their skills most, and whoever makes the best fentang takes great pride in it. Hami-style Hui fentang is slightly sour and mildly spicy, suiting northern palates. Youxiang is a must-have at Hui festivals and celebrations; its surface is golden and glossy, and it tastes richly fragrant with oil. ## Shopping Hami's folk embroidery is very famous. Local Uyghur and Kazakh girls must hand-embroider a full trousseau before they marry, which turned embroidery into an everyday craft. Exquisite embroidery can be seen on local women's flower caps, garment hems, hanging pouches, flower felt rugs, and shoulder bags, and at markets you can buy a wide range of embroidered goods full of ethnic character. ## Where to stay There are not many places in Hami's urban area worth lingering over, so keep overnight stays to a minimum. For example, you can take a direct bus from Barkol to Turpan. Spend at most one night in Hami city, so your accommodation arrangements can be flexible. ## Things to see - **Hui King's Mausoleum (Hami Uygur King's Tomb)** (★★★): Admission Peak season ¥35, off-season ¥18; Time needed 1–2 hours — https://cnatrip.com/en/places/hui-king-s-mausoleum-hami-uygur-king-s-tomb - **Hami Ghost City (Yardang Park)** (★★★★): Admission Peak season ¥40, off-season ¥20; Opening hours 8：30—22：30; Time needed 3–4 hours — https://cnatrip.com/en/places/hami-ghost-city-yardang-park - **Barkol Grassland** (★★★★): Admission Free; Time needed 2–3 hours — https://cnatrip.com/en/places/barkol-grassland - **Mingsha Mountain** (★★★): Opening hours 5:00–20:30 (January 1–August 19); 6:00–19:30 (August 20–December 31); Time needed 1–2 hours — https://cnatrip.com/en/places/mingsha-mountain - **Yiwu Populus Euphratica Forest Scenic Area** (★★★★): Admission ¥80; Time needed 4–5 hours — https://cnatrip.com/en/places/yiwu-populus-euphratica-forest-scenic-area - **Yadan Dahaidao Scenic Area** (★★★★): Admission ¥20; shuttle bus ¥30; self-drive tours ¥50–100 per vehicle; Time needed 3–5 hours — https://cnatrip.com/en/places/yadan-dahaidao-scenic-area --- Source: China Self-Guided Travel 2025 (《中国自助游》, Tianjin Science & Technology Press, Aug 2024), pp. 837–844. Prices, hours and transport details are as printed in the August 2024 edition and may have changed. Always confirm with the venue before you travel.