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location.beaches.districts
location.beaches.districts_subtitle
Independence Monument Area
hotelsSurreal complex with golden statues, white marble buildings, massive empty plazas. Arch of Neutrality (once rotating), wedding palaces, earthquake monument. Peak Ashgabat weirdness.
Turkmenbashy Palace Area
hotelsPresidential area with golden-domed palace, massive flagpole, government buildings. Don't photograph! Walk around and absorb the bizarre grandeur. Security presence heavy.
Russian Bazaar (Gulistan)
hotelsOne of few 'normal' places - local market with food, goods, real people. More authentic than white marble fantasyland. Where actual Ashgabat residents shop.
faq.title
faq.subtitle Ashgabat
One of world's hardest visas! Transit visa (5 days) easier - need entry/exit points. Tourist visa requires licensed tour and letter of invitation. Apply 2+ months ahead. Expensive ($100-200). Very bureaucratic.
Personality cult of dictators Niyazov and Berdimuhamedov. Oil/gas money built white marble fantasyland. Strict rules (dark cars only, no beards, etc). Isolated population. North Korea of Central Asia. Must be seen to be believed.
Government buildings, military, police, airports, stations. Basically anything official. Random spots may be restricted. When in doubt, don't shoot. Police may check camera/phone. Delete if asked. Be careful.
Nightmare! No international cards. Official rate 3.5 manat/$1, black market 18-20/$1. Exchanging officially loses 5x value. Black market illegal but everyone uses. Bring USD cash. Tour guides help exchange. Surreal economy.
Travel Tips
Useful tips for visiting Ashgabat
Book through licensed tour agency - independent travel nearly impossible. They handle visa, transport, guides. Required for tourist visa. Expect $150-300/day all-inclusive.
Don't photograph anything official - police, government, military, airports. When in doubt, don't shoot. Can lead to detention and phone/camera check. Be paranoid.
Visit Gates of Hell (Darvaza) - burning gas crater 3 hours from Ashgabat. Camp overnight. Incredible sight. Usually included in tours. Best at night.
Bring enough USD cash - no cards work. Exchange through guide at better rates. Official exchange loses 80% value. Bizarre dual economy situation.
Weather
Average temperature by month
Now
9°
9°35%9 м/с
Today20°6°
20°6°Tomorrow
21°10°
21°10°Thu9°3°
9°3°Fri5°3°
5°3°Sat9°1°
9°1°Sun7°-1°
7°-1°Mon
4°0°
4°0°9°
0°Jan
11°
1°Feb
17°
6°Mar
24°
12°Apr
30°
17°May
36°
22°Jun
38°
24°Jul
37°
22°Aug
32°
16°Sep
24°
10°Oct
17°
5°Nov
10°
1°Dec
location.transport.title
location.transport.subtitle
location.transport.bus
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Prices
Cost of food, accommodation and services
Cafes & Restaurants
Budget meal
15 - 30 TMT
~22.5 $
Mid-range
40 - 80 TMT
~60.0 $
Fine dining
100 - 200 TMT
~150 $
Street Food
Local dish
5 - 15 TMT
~10.0 $
Drinks
Coffee
10 - 25 TMT
~17.5 $
Local beer
5 - 15 TMT
~10.0 $
Groceries
Water 1.5L
2 - 5 TMT
~3.5 $
Prices are approximate and may vary by season and area.
Accommodation
Hotels and rental prices
Hostel dorm
50 - 100 TMT / night
~75.0 $
Guesthouse
150 - 300 TMT / night
~225 $
Hotel 3★
400 - 700 TMT / night
~550 $
Hotel 5★
800 - 2,000 TMT / night
~1,400 $
Prices are approximate. Book in advance during high season.
location.payment.title
location.payment.subtitle
location.payment.atms
none
location.payment.cash
Cash-only economy. Foreign debit/credit cards don't work. ATMs extremely limited and unreliable for foreigners. Bring entire trip budget in USD cash (clean, new bills from 2009+). No card payment infrastructure.
location.payment.currency_exchange
Exchange at Airport or Oguzkent Hotel in Ashgabat (limited bank hours). Official banks accept USD and EUR. Bring clean, new, unmarked low-denomination bills. Black market illegal. Check Central Bank of Turkmenistan for rates.
location.payment.tipping
0%
Tipping not customary. Small tips appreciated for guides. Not expected in most places.
Safety
High safety level
Tourist area with low crime rate
Ashgabat is very safe but heavily controlled. Police everywhere. Don't photograph government buildings, military, or police. Strict rules - follow them. No political discussions. Bizarre but safe.