Jump to Navigation
CNNGo TV: Hanging out in Ulaanbaatar

CNNGo TV: Hanging out in Ulaanbaatar

Genghis Khan fashions, monasteries and black markets -- this booming capital is our most unique stop thus far

Monk

It's not exactly New York or London. And it's a far cry from Shanghai or Tokyo as well. But Ulaanbaatar is certainly one of the more unique stops CNNGO has made over the past 18 months.

These days - with Mongolia in the midst of a mining boom - the country's capital is littered with construction cranes ... hotels are booked ... and flights in or out are chocked full. (Obviously in the dead of winter when daily high temperatures still sit well below zero degrees Celsius, it would certainly be a very different picture)

Here's a run through of the sites and places we hit in our week-long dash through Ulaanbaatar:

 


Mongolian model

National Museum of Mongolia

Torgo Fashion Designer O. Bold welcomed us to the National Museum of Mongolia, and its current exhibition on the country’s most revered figure, Genghis Khan.

For a look at the museum’s latest offerings, head to their website: http://www.nationalmuseum.mn

Gandan Monestary

Admittedly, the Gandan Monastery is hardly undiscovered. But we were given the all-access tour thanks to Munkhbaatar.

 If you’ve brushed up on your Mongolian, check out the details here: http://www.gandan.mn/

black market

The Black Market

The Black Market, or Naran Tuul, offers an insight into traditional Mongolia.

As our tour guide D. Tamiraa tells it, you’d be hard pressed to find a Mongolian who hasn’t visited this sprawling complex of shops, tents, and food stalls.

http://www.mongoliatourism.org/

River Sounds live music venue

River Sounds is part live music venue, and also part disco, where many young locals dance until dawn.

You can find the details here: www.mad-mongolia.com

International air times

CNNGo TV ulaanbaatar

What’s the world’s best street food?

Have your say and vote for your favorite in our global Facebook poll.