Uzbekistan - a country in the Central Asian continent has always been a mysterious land for all tourists in the world. In addition to the unique architectural works and the most ancient culture in the East, Uzbekistan is also famous for being located along the legendary "Silk Road". With a journey of only 1 week to explore Uzbekistan, Nguyen Anh Tuan pointed out 3 destinations that must be conquered when coming to this country.

Nguyen Anh Tuan, currently working in the business field, has just traveled to Uzbekistan. This trip explored 3 Central Asian countries: Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan. The journey to Uzbekistan lasted 1 week from August 30 to September 6. On this trip, he visited 3 famous tourist cities of Uzbekistan: Samarkand, Bukhara and Khiva and spent 1 day walking around the capital city of Taskent before returning to Vietnam.

Uzbekistan is located on the "Silk Road" - an ancient trade route connecting China with mysterious West Asia. The major cities on the oldest trade route of mankind such as Samarkand, Bukhara and Khiva are always attractive destinations for tourists because of their architectural works imbued with Islamic culture. These are all tangible heritages recognized by UNESCO and carefully preserved. Uzbekistan has a diverse nature with rocky mountains, burning deserts, deep rivers and dry steppes.

Located in the heart of Central Asia, the Republic of Uzbekistan is famous for its numerous architectural monuments, amazing natural landscapes, magnificent palaces, ruins of ancient civilization fortresses, outstanding cultural events, cuisine and famous craft workshops…

“The first thing that impressed me when I came to Uzbekistan was probably the cleanliness. Every street, alley, wharf or train station was very clean and there was no trash. The weather was a bit sunny during the day but not too hot, and at night it was extremely cool and a bit chilly,” Tuan shared.

Uzbek cuisine is probably one of the reasons why you should visit this wonderful country. Uzbek cuisine is a blend of Iranian, Arab, Indian, Russian and Chinese cuisine. Only in Uzbekistan can you fully enjoy the dishes prepared in the traditional style that are famous all over the world. A common feature is that on the dining table in Uzbekistan there is always round bread.

In Uzbekistan, Islam is the majority religion but it is not the state religion. Unlike many Middle Eastern countries, Uzbekistan has a more liberal style. You can see young women wearing short skirts in the street. Being a Muslim country, many people go to mosques to pray at any time.

According to Anh Tuan, prices in Uzbekistan are not too expensive compared to Vietnam, especially taxis are extremely cheap. Uzbek people are extremely friendly, gentle and hospitable, wherever we go people ask to take pictures with us.

"When coming to Uzbekistan, there are 3 places that tourists should definitely not miss: Khiva, Bukhara, Smarkand. These are 3 cities that I have been through, each city has its own beauty and I am really impressed by the ancient architectural works from many centuries ago that are still preserved almost intact", said Anh Tuan.

If Samarkand has magnificent mosques and schools, Bukhara is famous for the Kalyan Minaret tower - a symbol of this city. Khiva has a large ancient citadel with many UNESCO-recognized monuments. Among them, the city that left the most impression on Anh Tuan is Samarkand. The mosques and schools here are covered with colorful ceramic pieces with sophisticated and eye-catching colors and patterns.

The first destination on Anh Tuan's journey to Uzbekistan was the city of Samarkand - a 3,000-year-old ancient city located at the cultural crossroads of the legendary Silk Road.

This place is likened to a paradise on earth with a past of great development in the Timurid era. The heart of the city is the Registan Square. There are magnificent mosques with emerald domes, mausoleums with historical and cultural values, along with precious jade mosaic murals and colorful artistic decorations that have always been brilliant through the ups and downs of history.

It's impossible to get lost in Samarkand because your feet seem to naturally follow the three main directions of the city.

Samarkand with its stunning structures such as Registan Square including three Islamic academies Tilla Kari, Ulugh Beg and Sher Dor; Bibi Khanym Mosque; Gur Emir Tomb, Shah-i-Zinda Complex and Ulug Bek Observatory.

Bukhara is considered a "museum city" with more than 140 historical architectural works, with the central area recognized by UNESCO as a World Cultural Heritage.

Kalyan Minaret is an impressive 48 m high tower, the most famous stop for tourists when coming to Bukhara city, the tower is located in the old town of Bukhara along with the mosques. In addition to the space for Muslims to pray 5 times a day, Kalyan Minaret is also used as an astronomical observatory, or an enemy observatory in some typical periods.

In addition, Bukharam is also romantic with the Abdulaziz Khan, Nadir Divan-Begi and Ulugh Beg Islamic academies; Kalyan square; Toqi Telpak Furushon domed market; Chor Minor, Islamic academy, Magok-i-Attari mosque and Ark fortress.

“Before returning to the capital Tashkent, Khiva is the last destination in Uzbekistan. Khiva is a World Heritage Site with a large ancient citadel that is almost completely preserved. This is a very worthwhile destination to visit and the sunset here is also very beautiful,” said Anh Tuan.

Uzbekistan has three cities that carry the breath of the ancient Silk Road: Samarkand, Bukhara and Khiva. Of these, Khiva is the farthest and smallest city, but it is the place that brings the most feeling of going back to the past.

The commercial streets are also splendid and exude prosperity. Every building in Khiva is decorated with extremely detailed mosaic structures. Every corner of the city is a part of the royal architectural treasure.

The ancient city of Khiva is like an open-air "silk road" museum. Behind the large walls is the small city center of Itchan Kala. Walking along the ancient streets of Itchan Kala, climbing the impressive mud walls, visiting castles, mausoleums, churches and enjoying food at the restaurants are experiences not to be missed when you come here. Khiva is one of the bustling, bustling commercial centers, witnessing glorious and splendid events.

But it is also a testament to the harshness of desert life. Khiva was a slave trading city with strict rules and punishments. In the 9th century, Muhammad Ibn Musa al-Khwarizmi taught algebra and developed the theory of algorithms.

It can be said that Khiva is the place that opens up a world with the most brilliant achievements and also hides the deepest secrets on the Silk Road.

This trip to Uzbekistan, Anh Tuan did not encounter many difficulties, except that the journey by night train from Bukhara to Khiva was a bit difficult because he booked the train ticket a bit late so he could not choose a sleeper ticket and had to sit all night.

In addition, Anh Tuan also gave some notes and tips for Vietnamese tourists when traveling in Uzbekistan. Before coming to Uzbekistan, you should carefully research and make a specific schedule about tourist attractions and monuments in each city. Because each place has many attractions, temples and monuments to avoid getting lost. Most people in Uzbekistan follow Islam, so when visiting buildings in this country, visitors should choose polite clothes. Do not wear clothes that are too short or bare shoulders or arms.