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All Turkmenistan

The Atlas Obscura Guide To Turkmenistan

16 Cool, Hidden, and Unusual Things to Do in Turkmenistan

Updated October 15, 2025
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The Wedding Palace.
Ashgabat
The entrance to Köw Ata underground lake in Turkmenistan.
Gokdepe
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Unusual Attractions in Turkmenistan

Turkmenistan

The Gates of Hell

A fiery crater has been burning in the Karakum Desert since 1971.
The entrance to Köw Ata underground lake in Turkmenistan.

Gokdepe, Turkmenistan

Köw Ata Underground Lake

This cavernous swimming spot doubles as a home to the largest known colony of bats in Central Asia.
Ruins of Great Kyz Kala fortress at Merv.

Merv, Turkmenistan

Ancient Merv

This famed Silk Road oasis was one of the largest cities in the world before it was destroyed by a Mongol horde.
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Nokhur Cemetery

Nokhur, Turkmenistan

Nokhur Cemetery

A cemetery with goat-horn bedecked gravestones.
The Wedding Palace.

Ashgabat, Turkmenistan

Wedding Palace

If you want to get married in the White Marble City of Ashgabat, you should do it in this surreal disco ball building.
Yangykala Canyon

Balkanabat, Turkmenistan

Yangykala Canyon

Few people have ever heard of, let alone visited, one of Turkmenistan’s most impressive natural attractions.
Turkmenbashi’s Land of Fairy Tales

Ashgabat, Turkmenistan

Turkmenbashi's Land of Fairy Tales

An eccentric dictator's take on a Turkmen version of Disneyland.
See All 16 Things To Do in Turkmenistan
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Unforgettable Experiences Nearby

Explore Turkmenistan

Monuments 4
Sacred Spaces 3
Ecosystems 3
Mosques 3
Mausoleums 3
Nature 2
Caves 2
Architectural Oddities 2
Religion 2
Ruins 2
Archaeology 2
Rites And Rituals 2
Books 2
Silk Road 2
Architecture 2
Natural Wonders 2
Craters 1
Medieval 1
Deserts 1
Museums 1

Turkmenistan Leaderboard

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Stories About Turkmenistan

Why You Should Visit Turkmenistan, Land of Contrasts

An expert guide to Central Asia’s most fascinating country.
Sponsored By Cayman Jack
Macchu Piccu, Peru

Enter For Your Chance to Win a Summer Adventure (Submissions Closed)

We’re teaming up with Cayman Jack for an epic trip giveaway.
Sponsored By Cayman Jack
All illustrations: John Mata for Atlas Obscura

Puzzle Monday: Aw, Hell! Crossword

by AO Puzzles, Atlas Obscura
August 14, 2023
The Black Sea at Cape Kaliakra, Bulgaria.

The Paratethys Sea Was the Largest Lake in Earth’s History

The Black, Caspian, and Aral Seas are the last surviving fragments of a body of water that stretched from Austria to Turkmenistan.
by Frank Jacobs, Atlas Obscura
March 3, 2023
Turkmenistan’s fiery pit, the Gates of Hell, may be extinguished after burning for decades.

Will the Gates of Hell Be Closed Forever?

Turkmenistan’s Darvaza gas crater has been on fire for decades. The inferno may finally be extinguished.
by Sarah Durn, Atlas Obscura
January 19, 2022
Aerial image of Vietnam, displaying the picturesque rice terraces, characterized by their layered, verdant fields.
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