Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
subterranean world. At the bottom awaits a
superb lake of clear water naturally heated
to about 36°C. Underground swimming is
one of Central Asia's more unusual activities,
and is worth it if you don't mind the steep
entry fee - particularly annoying given the
facilities here are all in poor condition. The
turnoff to the lake is clearly marked along
the main Ashgabat-Balkanabat road. By
marshrutka or bus from Ashgabat to Bal-
kanabat or Turkmenbashi you could easily
ask the driver to stop at the Köw Ata turnoff,
although it's a good 90-minute walk from the
road. There's a good shashlyk restaurant on
site here, making this a great lunch stop.
EASTERN
TURKMENISTAN
Squeezed between the inhospitable Kara-
kum desert and the rugged Afghan frontier,
the fertile plains of eastern Turkmenistan
have long been an island of prosperity in
Central Asia.
The rise of civilisations began in the
Bronze Age, reaching their climax with the
wondrous city of Merv. In the 13th century
invading Mongols put paid to centuries of
accumulated wealth, but even today the
region continues to outpace the rest of
Turkmenistan, thanks mainly to a thriving
cotton business.
Gozli Ata & Yangykala
Canyon
A respected Sufi teacher in the early 14th
century, Gozli Ata had a large following un-
til his untimely death at the hands of Mon-
gol invaders. His
mausoleum
(N 40°20.051',
E 54°29.249')
, located in a natural depression
of rocky desert, is now a popular place of
pilgrimage. Gozli Ata's wife is buried in
an adjacent mausoleum and, according to
custom, visitors must first pray at her last
resting place. A cemetery has sprung up
nearby; gravestones here contain a notch
in the top where water can collect to 'feed'
the soul of the deceased. Gozli Ata is 135km
north of Balkanabat; an experienced driver
is needed to find it.
From the turnoff to Gozli Ata (marked
with a 9km sign), another road continues
north to
Yangykala¨Canyon
(N 40°27.656', E
54°42.816')
. With bands of pink, red and yel-
low rock searing across the sides of steep
canyon walls, Yangykala is a breathtaking
sight and one of the most spectacular natu-
ral attractions in Turkmenistan. Just as al-
luring as the beautiful views is its solitary
isolation in the desert; few Turkmen are
aware of its existence.
Canyons and cliffs slash for 25km to-
wards the Garabogazköl basin and lie ap-
proximately 165km north of Balkanabat and
about 160km east of Turkmenbashi, making
it easy to slot in a trip to the canyon be-
tween the two cities. It's possible to camp on
the plateau above the canyon, although it
can get windy there. While most tour com-
panies run trips to Yangykala Canyon, not
all include it on their standard itineraries,
so make enquiries when planning your trip.
Mary
%
522 / POP 123,000
The capital of the Mary region is a
somewhat spartan Soviet confection of
administrative buildings and vast gar-
dens disproportionate to the size of the
city. Mary (pronounced MAH-ree) is the
centre of the major cotton-growing belt,
which gives the city an air of prosperity;
the markets bustle on weekends and com-
merce is surprisingly brisk.
Mary's history dates back to the 1820s
when the Tekke Turkmen erected a fortress
here, preferring the site to ancient Merv,
30km east. In 1884, a battalion of Russian
troops, led by one Lieutenant Alikhanov,
convinced the Turkmen to hand over con-
trol of the fort before things got bloody.
Cotton production quickly picked up and
the guarantee of continued wealth came in
1968 when huge natural gas reserves were
found 20km west of the city.
Apart from the excellent regional mu-
seum there is nothing much of note to see
in the town itself, although it makes for
a handy base from which to explore the
nearby ancient cities of Gonur and Merv.
1
¨Sights
Mary¨Regional¨Museum¨
MUSEUM
(
%
4 50 98; Gowshuthan köçesi; admission 14.15M,
entry & guided tour 28.50M;
h
9am-6pm)
Mary's
highlight is this excellent museum housed
in a sparkling white-marble palace across
the river from the centre of town. The enor-
mous premises is home to a collection of
taxidermy, temporary exhibits and a gal-
lery of Turkmen art, but the real reason
to visit is the superb archaeological collec-
