Central Asia - Turkmenistan (PDF Chapter)

This is the Turkmenistan chapter from Lonely Planet’s Central Asia guide-book.

Although many of the late-ruler Turkmenbashi’s grandiose monuments have been disman-tled, plenty of visitors still think of Turkmenistan as a sort of totalitarian theme park. But Turkmeni-stan is far more than this – it’s an ancient land of great spirituality, tradition and natural beau-ty.

• explore the extraordinary, ever-changing Turkmen capital, Ashgabat, laden with marble palaces and more fountains than Las Vegas
• maps
• discover the ancient minarets and turquoise-tiled mausoleums of Konye-Urgench, a tes-tament to the former glories of the Khorezmshah empire
• transport
• witness the bizarre combination of human accident and natural phenomenon at the Dar-vaza Gas Craters; a vision of hell amid the lunar landscapes of the Karakum desert
• restaurants & accommodation

Coverage includes: Ashgabat, Eastern Turkmenistan, Mary, Merv, Turk-menabat, Karakum Desert, Northern Turkmenistan, Dashoguz, Konye-Urgench, Western Turk-menistan, Turkmenbashi, Understand Turkmenistan, Turkmenistan Today, History, People, Reli-gion, Arts, Environment, Survival Guide, When to Go, Best Places to Shop, Visas & Permits, Itin-eraries, Fast Facts, Exchange Rates, Resources.