From... A Hidden Culture Reveals Itself
Here is some information to guide you through your adventures in Turkmenistan.
Note: It is important to travel with major foreign currency (Euro, Pound, Dollar) since most hotels and travel agencies are still working on getting together an infrastructure that would be able to accept credit cards.
Currency & Exchange Rate:
$1.00 = 5,200.05 TMM (Manats)
Museums, Historic Sites and Places of Interest:
Turkmen History Museum
Address: 1 Shevchenko Street, Ashgabat
Hours: Daily 10:00am to 6:00pm, closed Monday
Entry Fees: 10,000 manats (US$2)
Tel: 993-12-35-45-54; 35-51-38
Museum of Fine Arts
Address: 84 Mahktumguli Prospect, Ashgabat
Hours: Daily 10:00am to 5:30pm closed Tuesdays
Entry Fee: 5,000 manats (US$1)
Gallery Shop:
Address: 33 Zhitnikova Street, Ashgabat
Hours: Daily 10:00 to 6:00pm
Carpet Factory
Address: 23 Liebknecht Street, Ashgabat
Hours: 10:00am to 6:00pm, closed from 1:00 to 2:00 pm for lunch
Carpet Museum
Address: 5 Gorogly Street, Ashgabat
Hours: Daily 10:00 am to 6:00pm, closed for lunch between 1:00 and 2:00pm closed Sundays
Entry Fees: 25,000 manats (US$5)
Historical Site of NISA
Located in the Akhal velayat, settlement of Bagyr (30 mintes by car from Ashgabat)
Hours: 8:30 am to 5:00 pm, closed Tuesdays
Entry Fee: 5,000 manats (US$1)
Geok-Depe Fortress
Located in the Akhal velayat, town of Geok-depe (40 minutes by car from Ashgabat)
Tel: 99-3132-23-24
Hours: Daily 10:00am to 5:00pm
Abiverd
Located in the Akhal velayat, village of Sarakhs (4.5 hours by car
from Ashgabat)
Tel: 993-134-2-14-44
Mary Historical site and ethnographical museum
Located in the city of Mary at 1 Komsomolskaya Street (5 hours by car from Ashgabat)
Tel: (37022) 3-27-22
Hours: Daily 10:00am to 5:00pm
Mary Historical site "Ancient Merv"
Located about 1 hour by car from the city of Mary
Tel: (37064) 2-22-17
NOTE: English speaking guide is available at the Mary Historical Museum.
Charjou Historical and Ethnographical Museum
Located in the city of Charjou (7 hours by car from Ashgabat) on
35 Shaidjanov Street
Hours: Daily 10:00am to 5:00pm, closed Mondays
Tel: (993-422) 4-80-79.
Kerki
Located 3 hours by car from Charjou
Tel: (993-444) 22-98.
Ethnographical Museum Turkmenbashi
Located at 2 Magtymova Street, Turkmenistanbashi (about a 7 hour drive by car from Ashgabat)
Hours: Daily 10:00am to 5:00 pm, closed Mondays.
Tel: (993-222) 7-62-13
Dekhistan
Located in the Kizilatrek region, village of Madau (about 7 hours by car from Ashgabat)
Tel: (432-42-1-34)
Keneurgench
Located at 79 Moskovskaya Street, city of Keneurgench in the Dashhouz velayat (8 hours by car from Ashgabat)
Tel: (360-47) 2-10-08
Holidays In Turkmenistan
New Year - January 1
Memory Day - January 12
Ramadan - January 30
National Flag Day - February 19
International Women's Day - March 8
Novruz-Bairam (religious) - March 21
Drop of Water is a Grain of Gold Holiday - April 6
Horse Day - April 27
Victory Day - May 9
Revival and Unity Day - May 18
Holiday of Poetry of Magtymguli - May 19
Carpet Day - May 25
Kurban-Bairam (religious) - one day a year (refer to Muslim calendar)
Ramadan-Bairam (religious) - one day a year (refer to Muslim calendar)
Day of election of first President - June 21
Turkmen Melon Holiday - July 10
Turkmen Bakhsi Holiday - July 14
Remembrance Day - October 6
Independence Day - October 27-28
Student Youth Day - November 17
Harvest Holiday/Bread Day - November 30
Good Neighborliness - December 7
Day of Neutrality - December 1
