Urumqi Grand Bazaar

Introducing Urumqi Grand Bazaar (from Urumqi Municipal Commission of Tourism)
Grand Bazaar is called the people’s world fair. Today, Grand Bazaar is the biggest wholesale and retail trade market of national goods in Xinjiang. These market goods go to Chinese domestic market and abroad. There are hundreds of traders and thousands of customers. Combining Islamic culture, architecture, ethnic commerce, tourism and entertainment, Grand Bazaar is one of the most famous landmarks in Urumqi.

Urumqi Grand Bazaar Fast Facts
• Chinese Name: Guo Ji Da Ba Zha 国际大巴扎
• Best Time to Visit: All year around
• Recommended Visiting Hours: 2-3 hours
• Things to Do: Photography, Local food and handicrafts
• Opening Hours: All day; 09:30-22:00 for Shops
• Entrance Fee: Free
• Address: No. 8 South Jiefang Road, Tianshan District, Urumqi, Xinjiang

What to expect at Urumqi Grand Bazaar

The Grand Bazaar looks like a colorful mosaic, which consists of many shops with different national goods: Uygur embroidered head-dresses, rich silver jewelries, sharp and graceful knives, colorful hand-made carpets, slippery silk cloths, bronze ware, musical instruments, elegant national clothes, eastern cosmetics, national medicines, and jade jewelries. You should pay attention to cashmere shawls made with softest undercoat of mountain goats. Fruit traders sell sweet raisins dried under baking sun, dried apricots, prunes, figs, dates, nuts, eastern herbs and spices, fresh fruits and nice meat.

For attracting more people, there are often performances of national dancers, singers, musicians, acrobats.

Next to the bazaar, you can find a huge area of snack bars and restaurants. There you can taste any kind of food, especially tasty kebabs, pilaf, shashlik, beshbarmak, and lagman. Taste Uygur fruit cakes and ice-cream. Drink flavored wine made from local fruits and grapes with water from mountain streams and collected by the women’s hands. It is possible to have dinner and watch the performance or musical show at the same time.

How to get to Urumqi Grand Bazaar
• Take bus 10, 16, 21, 61, 63, 70, 301, 308, 310, 311, 912, 912, 920 or 923 and get off at Erdao Qiao Station.
• Rent a car/bus from GGC to enjoy a hassle free private transfer from hotels in Urumqi to Urumqi Grand Bazaar.

Additional travel advice on Urumqi Grand Bazaar
• Please take care of your belongings as there are always plenty of visitors at the bazaar.
• Please wear sunscreen, hat and sunglasses to prevent strong sunlight.