Xinjiang travel guide: Savour the summer freedom of the Ili grasslands
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In Zhaosu, the Tianma Bathing in the River Show features horses racing through shallow water in a spectacle inspired by the region’s equestrian heritage.
PHOTO: COURTESY OF TOH EE MING
Toh Ee Ming
- Xinjiang's Ili region offers stunning natural landscapes and growing tourism with improved infrastructure.
- Visitors enjoy diverse activities like horse riding, hiking, and cultural shows.
- Tourism growth brings challenges such as overcrowding and cultural commodification, with locals balancing tradition and modern demands.
AI generated
XINJIANG, China – As our convoy peels away from Yining, the landscape seems to exhale. We flash past endless fields, the rapeseed yellow and lavender still weeks away, with grazing sheep and horses dotting the plains.
My strapping, cowboy-hat-wearing driver-guide Jia Yunfei, who goes by the English name Max, blasts AC/DC as he banters over the walkie-talkie with the other drivers.
