30 September 2025
A Slow Morning in Hotan & Moving to Tuancheng (和田团城)
Our day began with logistics: changing a train ticket and booking a flight. This led us to extend our stay in Hotan (和田) by one more night and move to a hotel near Tuancheng (团城)—which, looking back, was a great decision.
We wandered into 和田团城 around 11am. Most shops were just opening, the streets were quiet, and the atmosphere was calm and charming in a slightly surreal way. With its carts, large decorative props, and beautifully styled storefronts, 团城 is great for photography and slow, aimless strolling.
We even managed to score a silk rug after some intense bargaining. Browsing the carpet shops alone was already an experience.
Sand-Cooked Coffee & The Friendliest Cat Ever
We stopped by a beautifully decorated café we found on Dianping (大众点评). I ordered sand-cooked coffee (沙煮咖啡), and the barista very kindly let me film the entire process. The coffee was strong and pleasantly bitter—perfect for my taste.
A teenage café cat immediately trotted over, jumped onto our seat, and sprawled next to us as if we were long-lost friends. I’ve never met a cat so affectionate. The yogurt cake (酸奶蛋糕) was refreshing too.
After seeing more carpet shops (and even catching someone rehearsing for a performance), we headed to 玫瑰花烤肉店 for lunch.
- The honey peppermint tea (蜂蜜薄荷茶) tasted as good as all the reviews claimed—though one pot was far too large for just two people.
- The yogurt (酸奶) was rich and delicious.
- Kaobaozi (烤包子) and lamb skewers (烤羊肉串) were satisfying class
Afternoon Break & Evening Snacks
After a rest, we went out again around 6pm for Badam wood ice cream (巴达姆木冰淇淋)—creamy, nutty, and a perfect evening snack.
Then we took a taxi to Yotkan Ancient City. Although it’s quite far from the city center, taxis are easy to catch both when arriving and leaving because many drivers wait outside the entrance.
Side Story: The Post Office Mystery
Right beside the entrance was a post office (邮局). Since I had postcards ready, I went in to buy stamps—only to be told they didn’t have postcards at all. Maybe sold out? I walked out confused but amused.
Yotkan Ancient City (约特干故城) – Pretty But Too Commercialized
The entry ticket of Yotkan Ancient City was expensive, and the site felt more like a newly built theme park than a historical ruin.
Perfect for families with kids who enjoy spacious, lively walkways—but if you’re hoping for authentic ruins, you might find it too artificial.
After returning to our hotel near 团城, we took another walk around the area. With the warm yellow lights, the streets felt almost theatrical and oddly romantic. One thing about China: city centers are never truly dark at night thanks to the abundance of lighting and neon.
Change of Travel Plan｜Goodbye to the Taklamakan Crossing (塔克拉玛干沙漠)
Our original plan was:
- Drive across the Taklamakan Desert (塔克拉玛干沙漠) from Hotan (和田) → Kuqa (库车)
- Train from Kuqa → Turpan (吐鲁番)
- Transit in Lanzhou (兰州)
- End the trip in Beijing (北京)
But travel reality had other ideas.
Why We Had to Change
- Car rental: private hires started at 2,000 RMB, since you must pay for the vehicle’s empty return.
- Shunfengche (顺风车): possible but unpredictable, especially with heavy luggage.
- Bus: couldn’t locate the correct station.
- Train: would require doubling back to Kashgar (喀什), defeating the purpose of crossing the desert.
- Luggage: getting heavier each day, unsure if bus/train storage could handle it.
- Golden Week (国庆黄金周) approaching → transport rush everywhere.
In the end, after discussing with my travel companion, we decided to fly instead. Flights were only 1–2 hours and far more convenient.
New flight route:
- Hotan (和田) → Kuqa (库车)
- Kuqa (库车) → Turpan (吐鲁番)
- Turpan (吐鲁番) → Beijing (北京), via Lanzhou (兰州)
The Train Ticket Issue
I had already purchased the Kuqa → Turpan train ticket on Ctrip (携程). Since foreign passports cannot be verified in-app, I had to visit the train station in person to cancel it.
The process was smooth—just some queueing. I also asked whether the staff could help verify my account through the app. They confirmed that foreigners simply cannot complete identity verification on Ctrip, which explains the earlier failed attempts.
Ending｜A Day That Wasn’t Planned, But Became Unexpectedly Lovely
This day wasn’t packed with major sights, bucket-list attractions, or dramatic adventures.
Instead, it was one of those rare travel days where slowing down becomes the highlight:
- wandering quiet streets of Tuancheng
- sharing stories with local artisans
- drinking sand-cooked coffee
- playing with a cuddly café cat
- tasting ice cream at sunset
- laughing at the postcard-less post office
- adjusting travel plans without stress
Sometimes, the best parts of travel are the small things—the gentle pace, the unplanned conversations, the moments that feel like gifts.
Hotan surprised us, softened our day, and gave us stories we didn’t know we needed.
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