Khotan (和田; Hétián; also known as Kotan or Hotan), is a town on the southern (Jade) Branch of the Silk Road in Xinjiang Province in China. Khotan was once center of a Buddhist empire. The old capital, Yoktan, is about 10 km west of the current city. While the main Silk Road route from here goes west to Kashgar and onward to Central Asia, an important branch cuts off here over a pass to Leh in the north of India. That pass is thought to be the route by which Marco Polo reached China.
Photos: Wikimedia Commons contributors.
Bus 101 (there are different variants of this bus, so ensure it goes where you plan to) passes in front of the Main bus station and goes to the Sunday bazaar and the Sunday animal bazaar (a couple of stops after "New Hotan..." monument roundabout. ¥1. Buses have a late-night surcharge but otherwise cost ¥1. Hiring a taxi to show you the sights outside of town, especially given many travel agencies have closed, is a good way to get around. It will cost in the hundreds of yuan depending on the number and distance of destinations, many of which are geographically close but may not be well known or quick to access, given the long lineups for checkpoints.
Khotan Market. Almost as large as the Sunday Market in Kashgar, but more chaotic and free-spirited. Open every day, busiest in the early afternoon (XJ time), and on Sundays. Not to be confused with the "International Bazaar" which is a tall landmark building near the bus station and more like a mall than a market. Jade Factory (at the intersection of GuJiang BeiLu and JiaMai Lu, near the Hotan Market), ☏ +86 9032035281. Free entry to see people carving Jade with modern tools and intricate Jade pieces for sale. No tours, but you can look and ask questions if you speak Mandarin.
Desert Camp and Camel Trek. Camel ride into the Taklamakan Desert with overnight camping. You can enjoy a camp fire dinner and breakfast in the desert. Necessary camping equipment, tents, sleeping bags and blankets, etc. can be provided by.Guide on Line
Marco's Dream Cafe, YouYiLu, ☏ +86 15292661017. Run by a Malaysian woman and her family, has awesome local travel information and affordable western and Malay food options, coffee and desserts. SE of the Public Square (Tuanjie Guangchang). The Night Market is a massive indoor food hall, about a 20-minute walk south of the central square. At the eastern entrance there are the usual Chinese dishes and sweets, but going inside many more Uyghur options are available for food and desert. Somewhat higher prices than the atmospheric night market in Kashgar but typically still quite modest. Options for everyone and the ability to mix and match.
Fresh-ground espresso (often at reasonable prices) is surprisingly common at numerous bakeries, juice joints and cafés. While an actual "espresso" often isn't on the menu (usually milk drinks or americanos are), ask for an americano with less water and more coffee. Beer is often available from shops but not restaurants. After making sure it is OK with staff, you can often BYOB. Homemade beer is available at a stall in the night market and from vendors selling bottles. There is a bar/café outside the eastern entrance to the night market.
Guide content from Wikivoyage contributors (CC BY-SA) — abridged; the full article has much more.
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