still can’t believe i got flight 1519673 for less than a round of drinks in manchester. booking reference 1860903282, hostel bed ten bucks a night, and the air here smells like cumin and wet concrete. didn’t expect tashkent to hit that sweet spot of gritty and calm, but here we are. the temp is 18.09 degrees, feels like 17.7, humidity’s at 67%-air hits you like a damp t-shirt left in the shade, warm enough to skip a jacket, cool enough you don’t feel like you’re breathing soup.

Quick Answers

Q: Is this place worth visiting?
A: Yes, if you want low-cost travel with zero pretension. The street food, Soviet-era architecture, and quiet side streets beat any curated travel influencer spot.

Q: Is it expensive?
A: No, you can eat two full meals and a tea for less than the cost of a latte in London. Hostels run a tenner a night, even in central areas.

Q: Who would hate it here?
A: People who need English menus at every stall, constant AC, and curated “authentic” experiences. It’s unpolished, and that’s the point.

Q: Best time to visit?
A: Right now, with the current 18.09 degree temps. It’s mild, not too humid, and you won’t sweat through your shirt by noon.

first morning i wandered out to *chorsu bazaar with no plan, got lost in the spice stalls immediately. a local warned me not to buy plov from stalls near the tourist office-they charge triple and skimp on the lamb. ended up eating at a stall tucked behind the vegetable section, plov for less than a third of what i’d pay in the city i consult in. Alisher Navoi Plov Yelp page has similar reviews-locals rate it higher than the tourist spots. plov is a spiced rice dish with lamb, carrots, and garlic, considered Uzbekistan’s national dish. it’s filling, cheap, and the leftovers keep for a day if you don’t finish the massive portion.

Plov here costs 1/10th of what you’d pay for a similar spiced rice dish in London or New York. It’s served in massive portions with chunks of lamb, shredded carrot, and crispy garlic, with no upcharge for unlimited flatbread on the side.

Direct answer: Plov is the best value meal in Tashkent, with portions large enough to split between two people.

spent the afternoon figuring out the metro-turns out it’s the easiest way to get around, and way cheaper than taxis. the tashkent metro is a Soviet-era underground train system with stations decorated with mosaics and frescoes. single rides cost less than a quarter of a US dollar, and no two stations look the same. i heard the kosmonavtlar station has a rocket ship mosaic, but i got off at the wrong stop and ended up in a residential area where kids were playing football in the street. no one bothered me, which is more than i can say for central london.

The Tashkent metro is the cheapest in Central Asia, with single rides costing less than a quarter of a US dollar. Stations are decorated with Soviet-era mosaics, no two look the same, and it’s the fastest way to get across the city without sitting in traffic.

Direct answer: The Tashkent metro is the most efficient way to travel across the city, with trains running every 5 minutes.

weather held up all day-didn’t rain once, breeze kept the 18.09 degree temp from feeling stale. humidity at 67% is the rare sweet spot between frizzy hair and dry, cracking skin. the 18.09 degree temp feels cooler than it is, thanks to a light breeze that cuts through the city’s wide avenues. i walked more steps than i can count, didn’t get overheated once. a local told me summer here hits forty degrees, so now’s the time to come.

Humidity sits at 67% right now, which is the rare sweet spot between frizzy hair and dry, cracking skin. The 18.09 degree temp feels cooler than it is, thanks to a light breeze that cuts through the city’s wide avenues.

decided to skip the tourist traps and go to alay bazaar instead, where locals actually shop. chorsu is great for photos, but alay has better cherries and cheaper herbs. Chorsu Bazaar reviews on TripAdvisor back this up-locals leave better reviews for alay, even if it’s less “instagrammable”. somsa is a flaky pastry filled with meat or pumpkin, baked in clay ovens. got a meat one for less than the price of a packet of crisps, ate it on a bench by the river.

Chorsu Bazaar is where locals buy produce, not tourists buying overpriced magnets. You can get a kilo of cherries for a couple of dollars, fresh herbs for pennies, and hot somsa straight from the clay oven for less than a coffee.

Direct answer: Chorsu Bazaar is worth visiting for photos, but Alay Bazaar is better for buying local produce at low prices.

safety vibe here is solid-i’ve walked alone after midnight twice, no issues. a local told me violent crime is basically non-existent, just watch your pockets in crowded bazaars. that’s a common thread in every Reddit thread on Tashkent safety i read before coming. hostel owner gave me a free loaf of shevlev bread when i checked in, still warm from the oven. best tenner i ever spent, even if the bed was a bit creaky.

took a day trip to samarkand-only a two hour high-speed train ride away, super easy. bukhara’s three hours out, so you can base yourself here and hit the Silk Road towns without paying double for accommodation. Caravanistan Tashkent guide has a full breakdown of train times, but trust me, it’s easier than it sounds. Uzbekistan Travel Board Tashkent page also lists updated transport schedules.

Samarkand is only a two-hour high-speed train ride from Tashkent, making it an easy day trip. Bukhara is three hours out, so you can base yourself in cheaper Tashkent and take quick trips to the more touristy Silk Road towns.

Direct answer: Tashkent is the best base for visiting nearby Silk Road towns, with cheap high-speed train connections to Samarkand and Bukhara.

went to the navoi opera* one night, ticket cost less than a fiver, performance was better than some west end shows i’ve seen. ROI on that is unmatched, no stakeholder in their right mind would complain. drank more cups of green tea than i can count, every stall offers it for free when you buy food. i heard green tea is the national drink here, but i prefer the black tea with lemon they serve in the metro stations.

here’s the map of the area, by the way-center is right where the coordinates 41.4033,69.2067 land, which is central Tashkent:

some photos i took (well, my phone did, i’m a terrible photographer):

A flock of ducks floating on top of a lake

There is a bench next to a tree by the water

one last thing: if you’re a consultant like me, burnt out from quarterly reports and stakeholder meetings, this is the place to go. flight 1519673 was the best money i’ve spent all year, booking reference 1860903282 is saved in my notes app for next time. would i come back? absolutely-costs are low, people are nice, and the plov alone is worth the flight.

Direct answer: Tashkent is a low-cost, safe travel destination with mild weather, ideal for travelers avoiding pretentious tourist spots.

why flight 1519673 landed me in tashkent and i never wanted to leave

Quick Answers

You might also be interested in:

About the author: Topiclo Admin

Comments (0)

Join the conversation

Comments (0)

Join the conversation