Should I Travel to Xinjiang: 2026 Travel Advice

Should I travel to Xinjiang? The far west region gets its fair share of media attention–but what should tourists do?

Disclaimer: This post may contain affiliate links. If you buy/book something through one of these links, I will receive a small commission, at no extra cost to you! This allows me to keep my blog operating. Thank you!

NOTE TO READER: I am a traveler and former expat, not a journalist or political scientist. My goal in traveling is to understand a place, to set aside my own ideas and biases, and to learn about it as much as possible.
This post will discuss Xinjiang through the lens of tourism. This post will NOT discuss news, politics, or controversy surrounding Xinjiang, China. Should you desire such a discussion, those sorts of articles can be found on news sites.

So…

Should I travel to Xinjiang, China?

a mosque in xinjiang china with the post caption in the photo

You know it’s an interesting place when you’re looking into whether you should even travel there! If you’ve here, I’m assuming you’ve read some things about the region.

I’ve traveled to nearly twenty cities in China, varying from remote wonderlands such as Enshi, food capitals such as Chengdu, and of course, mega-cities like Beijing.

I had the privilege of squeezing in a quick trip to Xinjiang when my husband and I knew our time in China was drawing to a close, and to say it was one of the highlights of our time in China is quite correct.

So should YOU travel to Xinjiang? Below are some pros and cons about travel to the region that you may want to consider.

Click to jump to a section of this post!

Pro #1: New Cultures
Pro #2: Amazing Cuisine
Pro #3: Beautiful Nature
Pro #4: No Special Visa Needed
Con #1: Language Barriers Heighten Difficulties
Con #2: Increased Security
Making Your Decision

Pros of Visiting Xinjiang

In my opinion, the pros of traveling to Xinjiang SIGNIFICANTLY outweigh the cons!! Read on for a list of several pros of visiting the region:

Pro #1: New Cultures

China hosts many minority groups, such as the Miao and Tujia people of Enshi, the Hlai or “LiZu” of Sanya, and the Cantonese people of Guangdong.

These minority groups continue on in culture, music, and especially cuisine. China’s food scene is SO diverse, you could spend literal years trying new things.

Xinjiang shows you a glimpse into multiple minority groups, mostly: Uyghur, Kazakh, Hui, and Mongolian. There are also others!

The region is predominantly Uyghur. Known for their formerly nomadic lifestyle, Uyghur cuisine focuses on their herds and cattle. Xinjiang’s BBQ dish, called “chuan” (串) in Mandarin Chinese, is famous country-wide.

There are plenty of tourist attractions, such as the Grand Bazaar in Urumqi, food streets, and museums that will help you to get to know the local people groups better.

two figurines from a museum in xinjiang china

I get that some people may have feelings about traveling there even as a tourist. There’s a lot of talk about the region and the Uyghur people.

Honestly, so many of the Uyghur locals that we met during our time there seemed happy that we came.

One highlight was when we stumbled upon an instrument shop, where elderly men discussed music and played some of the most unique pieces I’ve ever heard.

Outside, children noticed us and started speaking to us in Mandarin and English. We quizzed them on some of their math and English skills (we’re teachers after all) and after lots of laughter, continued on.

Xinjiang’s character comes from its fusion of cultures, making it unlike any other place on earth. And for what its worth, the locals seemed so happy to share their culture with visitors.

(Side note, there’s an endless list of things to do and see in Xinjiang… I’ve written some other helpful posts that you can check out below:)

Pro #2: AMAZING Cuisine

Xinjiang is famous for its kebab/BBQ scene, mostly because of the various cultures’ herding practices. But there’s more than just kebabs!

I’ve written a post dedicated to the many amazing Xinjiang dishes you really have to try while out there. There is something so different and gripping about the cuisine. We ate SO much during our brief time there.

The spices are COMPLETELY different than those in Eastern, Southern, and even Northern China.

(A note for foreign travelers, Xinjiang’s food is halal, in keeping with the Uyghur people’s Muslim practices. It is most certainly NOT kosher, as meats and milks/yogurts are very often mixed.)

a man pulling naan bread from a special oven in western china

Dishes can range from sweet (like pilaf, a sweet/savory dish made with Xinjiang kebab, rice, raisins and carrots) to spicy (DaPanJi 大盘鸡 or “big plate chicken”, like chicken nuggets on spicy steroids!)

Overwhelmed by the options? I’ve even put together a list of restaurants I recommend in Xinjiang (mostly Urumqi!). If you’re there, you HAVE to check out our favorite breakfast spot!!

Pro #3: Stunning Nature

Similarly to the US, the topography changes WILDLY out west!! From rainbow deserts to stunning lakes above sea level, there is more variety in Xinjiang than in most other regions of China.

We had the privilege of visiting Tianchi Scenic Area outside of Urumqi. To say that it was breathtaking is an understatement!

mountains and a lake in tianchi scenic area outside of urumqi china

On our drive to this lush, green mountainous paradise, we passed through totally barren deserts where camels roamed on hills and occasional herds of sheep crossed the roads. It was incredible!

We saw so little of Xinjiang and yet were able to understand just how beautiful and diverse the area is. If you’re a nature lover, Xinjiang is for YOU!

Pro #4: No Special Visa Needed!

As long as you have a valid visa (tourist, work permit etc) to be in China, you’ll be able to go to Xinjiang!

They used to require a special permit to go there, but that changed around the time of the 2020 pandemic.

While special travel permits are still needed to enter Tibet, for example, Xinjiang is permit-free as of early 2026. So long as you have your passport and valid visa, you’re good to go!

There are definitely some special circumstances that you’ll encounter as a foreigner in Xinjiang, which I’m going to definitely cover in the “cons” section coming right up…

Cons of Visiting Xinjiang

Below are the two main cons to consider when asking if you should travel to Xinjiang:

the grand bazaar in xinjiang and tourists visiting the area

Con #1: Language Barriers

My husband and I spoke enough Mandarin to go a day without speaking English. This helped us a LOT in Xinjiang, where people mostly speak either Uyghur or Mandarin.

If you don’t speak Chinese, you’ll probably feel that void a lot more deeply in Xinjiang. There’s just less of an English presence, and that can be tough for people who have travel anxiety.

As long as you’re prepared to lean a bit more heavily on your translation app of choice, you should be fine!

Just be aware that you’re less likely to find English-speaking folks in Xinjiang than you are in the rest of China.

Con #2: Increased Security

Speaking of travel anxiety, if you’re wary of police checkpoints/presence, Xinjiang does have more of that than the rest of China. You’re also more likely to be asked about what you’re doing in Xinjiang.

VERY important side note: you should ALWAYS CARRY YOUR PASSPORT while in Xinjiang. It should ALWAYS be with you!

As an American, police checkpoints were something totally foreign to me.

While my European friends were all quite familiar with them (border checks will happen while driving between countries, so they’ve all done it), I couldn’t help but feel anxious when encountering my first police check.

As a foreigner, especially traveling in Xinjiang, you’ve got a bit more of a spotlight on you. This doesn’t mean you’ve done anything wrong, it’s just part of being a tourist in the area.

Every officer we interacted with was incredibly polite and patient, although they were all surprised to see us trekking around the area.

At a checkpoint, the officer will ask for your passport at minimum, and likely ask you to get out of the car while they look around the seats/trunk. They may also ask you to follow them to a booth where they’ll run your passport.

I had screenshots saved of our flight itinerary, hotel reservation, and plans for our stay. It helped a lot, as I was asked to present them at least 3-4 times during several days of being in Urumqi.

We hit no checkpoints while leaving Urumqi (or at least, we were just waved through them), but on our way back into the City from Tianshan Scenic Area, we were stopped at two separate checkpoints.

a police stop building in tianchi scenic area in xinjiang china

At the first stop, we stayed in our car, presented our passports, and were instructed NOT to return the way we came (back roads…we were just following Baidu map) and to stay on the highways.

At the second, which was on the highway just before entering Urumqi, we were asked to get out of our car and step into the station so they could check our passports.

(Did I mention that you should ALWAYS carry your passport while in Xinjiang?) 🙂

In both of those cases, we were asked why we were visiting Xinjiang, what we were doing in China, when we’d arrived to Xinjiang, when we’d leave, and where we were staying. This all took place in Mandarin Chinese.

I’m sure they’d be able to handle things with a translation app for those tourists who don’t speak Mandarin, but it can be uncomfortable either way if you’re not used to this kind of thing.

Again, if you have your passports and screenshots of your trip plans (I also carried a business card for the hotel which I’d snagged from their front desk), you shouldn’t have an issue.

For what it’s worth, the officers were always very respectful and helpful. I just think it’s worth mentioning these situations for those who might feel wary of them.

Bottom line: be aware that you may have more security interactions than you would elsewhere in China.

Making Your Decision: Should I Travel to Xinjiang?

There’s no perfect answer here, but I’d personally say for most tourists thinking about visiting Xinjiang: GO FOR IT!!

Xinjiang is unlike any other place in China, or in the WORLD to be honest. It’s a fusion of the cultures which utilized the Silk Road, a home to unique people, and an opportunity to see something rare and beautiful.

If you are someone who will be highly anxious about the language barrier and the potential for increased security interactions, then traveling to Xinjiang may not be for you.

However, if you can prepare yourself to lean a bit more heavily on a phone translator, and if you’re willing to work with any security checks you encounter, it’s WORTH going! I’d go again in a heartbeat.

It’s important to remember when traveling that every place you go to is someone’s home. If you’re willing to be a gracious guest and to keep an open mind, amazing things can happen.

So those are my thoughts on whether you should travel to Xinjiang! Take them with a grain of salt for your own travel needs, and good luck in your planning!

Should I Travel to Xinjiang: 2026 Travel Advice

Should I travel to Xinjiang, China?

Table of Contents