哈密市

Why this place

Hami is an oasis at the eastern gate of Xinjiang, and its melons are famous across China — 'Hami melon' is the generic Chinese name for the whole family of sweet melons. It is also where the Silk Road split into its northern and southern routes.

What to see

• The Hami melon fields and the local fruit markets
• The Barkol grassland and the Kazakh herders' country to the north
• The Hami King's tomb and the Uyghur architecture of the oasis
• The Yardang landscape and the devil's city at the desert's edge

What to eat

• Hami melons, obviously, and the local grapes and dates
• Uyghur pilaf, lamb and the whole Xinjiang repertoire

Best time

July–September for the melon harvest; May–October generally