Yining is a small county-level town in the west of the autonomous province of Xinjiang, northwest China. It lies near the Kazakh border and is pretty remote, yet it has a small airport and is connected to Urumqi by highway.
Yining has no real outstanding city attractions to speak of, barring a town square and a river, although its surroundings are pretty and the Kazakhstan border is just 100kms away. There are some decent hotels in downtown Yining, with Stanlin Street being the main thoroughfare and having the best of them.
Sayram Lake National Park is near to Yining and is a fine area of mountains, lakes, and big skies. It lies amid the Tianshan Mountains and is best visited during the summer.
Getting There & Away
Yining is on the G218 national highway and is linked to Urumqi (the Xinjiang provincial capital) by nearby highway G312. Urumqi is a 700-kilometer drive or 15 hours by bus. There is no rail service, yet Yining comes with a small airport and has daily flights with Urumqi. Flight time is around 1 hour.
Things to Do
Yining Attractions
- Stanlin Street
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This is the main street in yining and comes with the best offering of hotels, shops, and eateries.
Side trips from Yining
- Sayram Lake National Park
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A fantastic place for getting away from everything; boasting crystal clear lakes, fresh air, and high mountains.
- Kazakhstan
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The southeast portion is accessed via highway 312 to chorgos.