Explore Aksu with unlimited 4G/5G pocket WiFi from ChinaWiFiGo
Hotel delivery · No Chinese ID required · Full Google access
View Plans & PricingArea: 13,400 km² (prefecture-level city)
Population: Approximately 2.4 million (prefecture, 2020 census)
Aksu means "white water" in the Uyghur/Turkic languages, named after the Aksu River that flows through the oasis. Historically known as Aksu was an important garrison town on the Northern Silk Road.
7.2/10 — Aksu is a sunny, relaxed city on the edge of the Taklamakan Desert. Locals enjoy long summer evenings, sweet melons, and strong Uyghur tea. The pace is slower than in eastern China, and hospitality is a way of life.
Aksu Airport (AKU) offers domestic flights to Urumqi and other cities. The city is connected by China National Highway 314 and the Southern Xinjiang Railway. Public transport relies on buses and taxis; no metro system.
Xinjiang Aksu Vocational and Technical College is the main higher-education institution serving the city.
Aksu sits at the edge of the Taklamakan Desert and is fed by rivers from the Tian Shan mountains. It is famous for its apples, especially Aksu sugar-heart apples, grown in the fertile oasis.
Key sites include the Subashi Ancient City ruins, Kizil Thousand Buddha Caves (nearby in Baicheng County), Tomur Peak scenic area, and the Aksu River valley.
Day 1: Visit Subashi ruins and the Aksu Museum; evening stroll along the river.
Day 2: Day trip to Kizil Thousand Buddha Caves and the surrounding desert landscape.
Try hand-pulled lamb noodles (laghman), Uyghur polo (polo pilaf), grilled skewers, and Aksu apples and raisins. Local night markets offer fresh fruit and naan bread.
The Grand Bazaar and modern shopping centers around Xinhua Road sell dried fruits, nuts, carpets, and local handicrafts. Aksu is a great place to buy Xinjiang jujubes and walnuts.
Local Vibe: Aksu is where desert oasis culture meets Uyghur tradition. Bazaars burst with dried fruit, lamb skewers, and the sound of dutar music. People gather in tea houses to talk for hours.
Fun Facts:
• Aksu is famous for apples and walnuts — the region is nicknamed 'the land of fruit and melons.' The Aksu apple is prized across China for its sweetness.
• Ancient Kucha (Qiuci), near Aksu, was a major Buddhist kingdom on the Silk Road with cave paintings that influenced Chinese art.
• The local saying: 'Whoever has not seen Aksu apples has not seen Xinjiang.'
Aksu locals mainly speak Uyghur and Mandarin. Uyghur is a Turkic language with a melodic rhythm. Try these phrases:
رەھمەت (rakhmat) — 'Thank you.'
ياخشىمۇسىز (yaxshimusiz) — 'Hello / How are you?'
خوش (xosh) — 'Delicious!'
• Kumar Tianshan — A legendary Uyghur musician and poet from the Kucha region whose songs are still performed today.
• Amannisa Khan — A famous 16th-century Uyghur female musician and poet of the Muqam tradition, linked to the broader Aksu cultural region.
• Many Silk Road monks and translators passed through Aksu on their way to Dunhuang and Chang'an.
Get unlimited 4G/5G pocket WiFi delivered to your hotel. No Chinese ID needed.
View Plans from $4.99/day Get Custom Quote
