Understand
Urumqi is quite famous for its claim that it is the most inland major city in the world, that being the farthest from any ocean.
There are two major ethnic groups, the traditional Han 1,5 million and Uyghur 0,25 million, Other ethnic groups in Urumqi include Kazakhs, Kyrgyz, Mongols and Hui Muslims.
Regardless of ethnicity, most people in Urumqi can speak some level of Mandarin Chinese, however in some parts of the city Uyghur, a Turkic language, is dominant. Few people speak English, even in some of the large hotels. When taking a taxi, it is a good idea to have a piece of paper with the name of your destination written in Chinese.
Despite what some of the guidebooks say, Urumqi has a lot to offer and can provide a great introduction to Xinjiang.
