What are some photo-worthy spots in Urumqi for solo travelers? Here's a guide to visiting Xinjiang Min Street on your own

Xinjiang Min Street was an unexpected delight during my solo city walk in Urumqi. I first learned about Min Street when searching for popular photo spots in Urumqi online, where I found many beautiful pictures of it. As someone who visited Urumqi during the off-season on a cloudy day, I chose to visit Min Street twice after finding it closed at 10:00 AM on my first attempt. In the afternoon, I finally managed to explore and can now share my personal experience with a travel guide to Xinjiang Min Street, detailed below. 1. Address: No. 349, Longquan Street, Tianshan District, Urumqi. Just search for 'Xinjiang Min Street' for directions. 2. Transportation: From Urumqi Diwopu Airport, take the metro Line 1 to Erdaoqiao Station, Exit A, and walk 896 meters. Alternatively, you can take bus D009 directly. 3. Tips for visiting Min Street alone: a. During the off-season, it's best to go after lunch. While it's open from 10:00 AM to 7:00 PM during the peak season, opening times can be delayed in the off-season. I ended up making a wasted trip at 10:00 AM. b. If you're not knowledgeable about jade, don't buy any in Min Street; it's a complex market. c. For the best photos, choose a sunny day to visit. Cloudy or smoggy days won't do justice, as in my case. d. If you're traveling alone and want to take photos, remember to go up to the second floor. You can access it from inside near the exit; I saw other girls taking pictures there too. e. Don't have high expectations based on overly edited photos of Min Street online. As my photos show, it's more quaint and old-fashioned. It's suitable for solo architectural exploration and sightseeing, but if you're just looking for photo opportunities, it might not be worth the visit. 4. Suggested duration: 30-60 minutes. Xinjiang Min Street is just one building, similar to a wholesale market, mainly dealing in Xinjiang jade. So, there's no need to spend too much time.