Turpan sits at the very center of Xinjiang, a desert bastion at the foot of the "Heavenly Mountains". This area is commonly known as the "Turpan Depression", 328ft. below sea level, the lowest and the hottest place in all of China.

Thanks largely to the people here, this relatively small and economically unimportant place has blossomed in recent years, attracting numerous tourists and travelers, who come here to sample the easy going pace of life and to see the desert. The city itself, despite the intense heat, has been made livable by the construction of vines and trellises, providing avenues of shade from the sun. There are few cars here and donkey cart is the most common and popular mode of transport. The heat means that no one is in a real hurry to get anywhere and it is pleasant just to sit in the shade with a cool drink and watch the world go by.

Turpan is most famous for its splendid grapes. Every household has a ventilated barn on the roof, and some of the world's finest grapes are produced here. 70% of the 500,000 population here are Uigur and the residents here are generally a very friendly bunch, the food is good, the living is cheap and the wine is not bad either!