- Information
- Traveler Advice
- Forums
48HourVisit.com
Planning a short visit? Check out 48HourVisit.com, your online guide for short stays and weekend getaways. Ad
The Glossary
The Silk Road's southern crossroads is Hotan or Khotan, an oasis town that had for many years been China's gateway to the West. Hotan's three rivers—Karakash, Yurungkash and Black and White Jade—provided the water needed to survive Taklaman Desert, making the town a convenient meeting place for ancient traders from Tibet, Central Asia and Pakistan, to exchange not only goods but also philosophies, technologies, and religions. For centuries, Hotan was the center of a Buddhist empire as well as a flourishing business center specializing in jade, carpet and silk. Today, Hotan is a minor agricultural town, still the pilot city of Hotan Prefecture in Xinjiang Province noted for its many archaeological and cultural treasures dating back from 300 BC.
In between the city's concrete buildings and cobblestone streets are rainbow-colored mosques and museums such as the Hetian Museum, which has over 9000 cultural relics including ancient pottery, silk, tapestries, and paintings that depict the city as one of the world's earliest Buddhist states.
Hotan's main historical sources, like accounts of ancient monks, can be found at the hidden library of the Caves of the Thousand Buddhas, near the next town, Dunhuang. East of the city is a string of cemeteries containing specimens of early textiles, tapestry, and the mummified remains of Caucasians believed to have lived in Hotan from 300 to 100 BC.
Over 1000 Uighur workers produce more than 150 million meters of silk every year, making silk weaving a lively cottage industry in Hotan. Tourists can visit the mechanized Silk Factory and the Silk Workshop, where silk is still woven by hand. Hotan's carpet and kilim (tapestry-like rug) industry is also over 2000 years old. Hotan Carpet Factory has a small workshop where carpets are still made entirely by hand.
A tour to the mines of Kunlun Mountains is a good means to see Hotan's nephrite jade, but for a higher quality of jade, tourists and locals usually scour the riverbed of White Jade River, where the rare finds are white and black jade. To observe how the city's specialty rice and pomegranate wines are brewed, a trip to the Khotan Winery is enough. For those who cannot make it to the factories, KHotan's Sunday Bazaar is a one-stop shop for silks, carpets, wines, and jades in different shapes and colors.
Only flights from Urumqi are available to access Hotan. There are lots of cheap places to stay in, but foreigners are usually not allowed to stay there and are referred to the more costly "foreigner places."
User blogs:
Loving Laos
Laos seems like a long shot to become Southeast Asia’s next big thing. The food doesn’t win any prizes, the roads are severely potholed by frequent flooding and locals regard the prospect of increased tourism with a sunny indifference that exceeds even Mediterranean proportions. Laos is the least developed and most enigmatic of the three former French Indochinese states ... Read full Blog post
In our Magazine
Summer Destination to Avoid: Gulf of Mexico
EPA is failing to do their job monitoring the air and reporting factual data. The people need to be made aware that their lives and long term livelihood are at stake because of the air quality in Gulf of Mexico.
How to Avoid Traveling Troubles
Traveling to a certain destination might not become memorable if there are too many troubles along the way. Remember that even the best trips are usually not trouble-free. Follow these tips that help lessen the hassles.
Unique Toys from Japan
Japan is known for its fascinating, and sometimes, eccentric culture. From anime, karaoke, to advanced technology, the Land of the Rising Sun always has something unique to offer.
