Ashgabat - White Marble Capital of Turkmenistan, Ashgabat, Turkmenistan

Ashgabat (or Ashkhabad) is usually the first point of entry for everyone visiting Turkmenistan - one of the most secluded, eerie and peculiar countries on Earth. And, believe me, there are not many who would choose it as a holiday destination. For me, however, traveling to Central Asia was always a dream. I love discovering all the unpopular and seemingly not attractive from a tourist's point of view places. And I love getting surprised that those places are in fact a lot better and exciting than some overrated spots in Western Europe! So why not start the Central Asian journey from the state reputed to be the most difficult to enter? In this article I will describe my expectations and reality, what is true and what is a myth about Ashgabat, from my own perspective.

The easiest and probably the only way to get to Ashgabat (considering you're not coming by land from the neighboring countries like Uzbekistan with an organized tour or a transit visa) is to travel by air. Turkmenistan Airlines have direct connections with important European cities like Paris or London. Other carriers, for example Turkish Airlines fly from Istanbul, and some Asian and Russian airlines from the East. ...... (follow the instructions below for accessing the rest of this article).