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Voykit pocket guide · China
Shihezi
石河子
Skip Shihezi unless you have a specific reason to visit: it's a quiet, tree-filled city with little for tourists. Half a day is enough to see the square and lake.
Shihezi is a planned city built in the Junggar desert from 1954, known for having more trees per acre than any other Chinese city. It sees very few tourists and offers a peaceful break from Xinjiang's busier destinations. The main attractions are People's Square, Mushroom Lake and the nearby Tianshan foothills. Most travellers use it as a stop between Urumqi and points west, or skip it entirely.
- Country
- China
- Local name
- 石河子
- Best months
- Apr–Oct
- Avoid
- Dec–Feb (temperatures -20 to 0°C (−4 to 32°F))Dec–Feb (temperatures −4 to 32°F (-20 to 0°C))
- Stay
- 0 nights
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- CNY
- Money
- Alipay and WeChat Pay accept Visa, Mastercard, JCB and Amex cards; single payments over ¥200 carry a fee of about 3% on a foreign card (smaller ones are free), and per-payment and yearly caps apply — check the app. Keep a second way to pay.
- Daily spend
- Budget ¥150–250 excl. bed · Mid ¥250–400 excl. bed · High ¥400+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- A roaming eSIM from outside China routes traffic through its home network, so Google, WhatsApp and Instagram work without a VPN — the simplest setup.
- Emergency
- Police 110 · Fire 119 · Ambulance 120
- Plugs
- Types A, C, I · 220 V · 50 Hz · Many sockets take flat two-pin (A), round two-pin (C) and angled three-pin (I) plugs; UK plugs need an adapter.
- Tipping
- Restaurants: No tip; upmarket hotels add 10–15% service.; Taxis and DiDi: No tip.; Tour guides and drivers: Expected on organised tours: about ¥100–200 a day for a guide, ¥50–100 for a driver.; Hotel porters: Not expected; ¥10–20 in luxury hotels.
- Water
- Not for drinking from the tap; bottled water ¥2–5, and kettles and free bottles in hotel rooms. Restaurants serve hot water or tea.
- Toilets
- Public toilets are frequent and free; squat toilets outside hotels and malls. Carry tissues — many have no paper.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Local bus ride | ¥1 |
| Taxi within town | ¥5–10 |
| Train from Urumqi (hard seat) | ¥24 (check) |
| Bus from Urumqi | ¥30–36 (check) |
| Watermelon (per kg) | ¥3–5 (check) |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- URC · Urumqi Diwopu International Airport
- About 2.5–3 h by bus or train from Urumqi to Shihezi
Typical fares
- Bus from Urumqi to Shihezi
- about ¥30–36, 2.5–3 h (check)
- Train from Urumqi to Shihezi (hard seat)
- about ¥24, a little over 2 h (check)
- Taxi within town
- ¥5–10
Show 7 more sections and the pocket cardHideGet around, See and do, Sleep, Phrase card, Etiquette, safety and scams, One and two days, Sources, Pocket card
Get around
Local buses cost ¥1 per ride. Taxis start at ¥5; most trips within town are under ¥10. Walking is pleasant except in winter.
See and do
Known for
- Tree cover per acre (highest in China)
- People's Square
- Mushroom Lake
- Nearby Tianshan hiking (Nanshan)
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Nanshan (Tianshan foothills) | Bus from Shihezi, about 2 h | About 2.5 h |
| Urumqi | Train or bus, about 2.5–3 h | About 3–3.5 h |
Sleep
- University area
- The university hotel is the most convenient option; check for availability.
- City centre
- Near People's Square; a few local hotels, no international chains.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Hello | 你好nǐ hǎo |
| Thank you | 谢谢xiè xiè |
| How much? | 多少钱？duō shǎo qián |
| Where is the bus stop? | 公交车站在哪里？gōng jiāo chē zhàn zài nǎ lǐ |
| I don't understand | 我不明白wǒ bù míng bái |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: Handshake and a nod; use surnames with a title; avoid: Hugs and cheek kisses
- Face: Disagree privately and indirectly; avoid: Correcting or embarrassing someone in front of others
- Gifts: Give with two hands; expect the gift to be refused once or twice and opened later; avoid: Clocks, umbrellas, white flowers, sets of four
- Business cards: Present and receive with both hands, read it, keep it on the table; avoid: Writing on it or pocketing it at once
- Queues and crowds: Hold your ground politely in scrums at buses and lifts; avoid: Taking pushing personally
- Temples: Walk clockwise around Tibetan stupas and prayer wheels; remove hats; avoid: Touching statues or photographing where signs forbid
- Politics: Listen; follow your host's lead; avoid: Raising Tibet, Taiwan, Xinjiang, 1989 or the party leadership
- Numbers and colour: Red and 8 are lucky; red envelopes carry money gifts; avoid: Writing names in red; the number 4
Scams and watch-outs
- Winter temperatures can drop to -20°C; pack accordingly.
- English is not widely spoken — have a translation app ready.
- The university hotel may be the only reliable accommodation; book ahead.
Shihezi is very safe for tourists. The main risks are winter cold and language barriers. Avoid walking alone late at night in unlit areas.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Shihezi yet. Suggested stay: 0 nights. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Tree cover per acre (highest in China)
- People's Square
- Mushroom Lake
- Nearby Tianshan hiking (Nanshan)
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Wikivoyage: Shihezi, revision 4697207 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=4697207
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Printed from Voykit (/shihezi). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.