CAPITAL ASTANA - POPULATION 15.3 MILLION - AREA 2,717,300 SQ KM -OFFICIAL LANGUAGES KAZAKH, RUSSIAN
Until Borat's recent arrival on the big screen not many people knew where Kazakhstan was, let alone contemplated going there. But though the country itself was unhappy with its portrayal, it's undoubtedly worked wonders for its visibility, and visitor numbers are growing rapidly. Bleak and oil-filled, Kazakhstan's tourism offerings might be fairly few and far between, but for those with a penchant for desolate open spaces, they're enchanting. Climb soaring Mt Talgar in the Almatinsky nature reserve or spend 77 hours train bound from Moscow across the empty steppe. Vegetarians who shun plov rice and manty dumplings might relish a quick trip to Govinda's in Almaty for what must count as one of the world's most unusual locations for a Hare Krishna feed-up. |
