Hotan, also known as Khotan, is a small Silk Road town in south Xinjiang Autonomous Region. For those in the region and into anything Silk Road, it’s worth seeing but is very remote.
Hotan used to be the center of a Buddhist empire, with the old nearby capital Yoktan as the main focus. It is all about silk and jade in Hotan and there are many shops and workshops to check out. In addition to standard green jade is black jade and white jade, yet you’ll need to bargain hard to get a decent price.
Hotan Bazaar is the star attraction and a good, albeit touristy, place for picking up stones and silk. Things to see and do all revolve around trade, including: the Hotan Carpet Factory, White Jade River, the Silk Workshop and Silk Factory, and the Hotan Winery with its pomegranate and rice wines.
Getting There & Away
Hotan Airport is near town but only receives flights from Urumqi, the Xinjiang capital - 1,000kms to the north. Urumqi Diwopu International Airport receives flights from Beijing (4 hours). Bus is the only way to travel from nearby towns; Kashgar is 8 hours and Urumqi about 30 hours away.
Things to Do
Hotan Attractions
- Hotan Market
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The main attraction in town and where you can bargain for all types of jade and silks.
Side trips from Hotan
- Taklamakan Desert
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The small town of niya is a minivan ride away from hotan and sits on the edge of the desert. treks and camel rides are popular.