Travels in the Far West
By Cui Meng/GT, Published: 2015-10-10 00:29:43
Tourists select souvenirs in a local bazaar, in Urumqi, capital of the autonomous region. The International Grand Bazaar, with its strong “minority” atmosphere, attracts many visitors each year.
Editor's Note:
Northwest China's Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, a core area of the Silk Road economic belt, is one of the top attractions in China. After being affected by destabilizing factors in recent years, the travel and tourism sector of Xinjiang takes a dive. However, this year, the tourism industry in the autonomous region revives.

According to the data from a research company, during this National Day holidays, Xinjiang received a total of nearly 5 million domestic tourists, with year-on-year growth of 30.96 percent. The total spending by domestic tourists reached 5.8 billion yuan($0.9 billion). Photos: Cui Meng/GT

A Kazakh staff member at an “ethnic minority park” in the Heavenly Lake(Tianchi) scenic spot in Tianshan waits to have photos taken with tourists.
A Kazakh dancer dances in a park, showing a local folk dance to the tourists.
Tourists take photos on the viewing deck of Maya mountain at the Heavenly Lake(Tianchi) scenic spot in Tianshan, at an altitude of 3,056 meters.
In Fuyun county, Xinjiang, two travelers hike in the Erqis grand canyon at the Keketuohai scenic site.
In the Burerjin county in Xinjiang, some shutterbugs gather together on a viewing spot of Wucai Beach, waiting to record the sunset.
Tourists try to record the most beautiful moment of the sunset.
Tourists try to record the most beautiful moment of the sunset.
A rider travels a suspension bridge at sunset.
Two tourists drift past Wucai Beach.
Wucai Beach at sunset
Tourists ride through forests and fields in Burerjin county in Xinjiang.
A pleasure-boat tours Kanas Lake.
Kanas Lake filmed from above.
Some travelers wait to record the sunset at Hemu village, preparing on a hillside outside the village. Hemu village (Kanas, Xinjiang), ranked as one of the six most beautiful villages in China, is one of the only three remaining places where the Mongolian Tuwa tribe lives.
Early morning in Hemu village