For most travelers, flying into Urumqi Diwopu International Airport marks their first step into the Xinjiang province. Here I answer the top 4 questions about flying to/from Urumqi, Xinjiang.

When your home is made of mud-brick, sometimes it’s hard to decorate. Perhaps that’s why something as simple as a door becomes an ornate masterpiece for many Uyghur homes in Xinjiang?

Xinjiang is known for some crazy things, but only one odd fact has landed the Chinese province in the Guinness Book of World Records: Xinjiang is home to the geographic center of Asia. It’s the point furthest from the sea than anywhere else in the world.

Last week a good friend and fellow Xinjiang-enthusiast loaned me a copy of Life magazine dated December 13, 1943. I get excited about these type of things (it’s weird, I know) and even after a quick glance I knew I wasn’t going to be disappointed.

Invited to a Uyghur wedding? Sleeping in a Kazak Yurt? Traveling during a religious festival? Take this quick lesson on Central Asian etiquette and you’ll be ready for any situation you face in Xinjiang.