Shymkent.
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Overview

Shymkent (Kazakh: Шымкент) is a city in the Kazakh Desert, and is the third largest city in Kazakhstan.

Understand

Shym - means clay or adobe, and kent means city. Place around Shymkent hillfort was settled millennia ago due to proper relief and water source. Recent excavations on Hillfort discovered ash from thick layer of ash from arias and their fire worshiping around the 5th century BC. Place was always a nice oasis next to Sayram but got a big expansion after the railway was built in late Russian Empire. During World War II, many factories were moved to Shymkent and placed near the railway and compact blocks of apartments were built nearby. Also a lead factory was established to process the huge lead ore deposits in nearby Karatau mountains. It produced 9 out of 10 Soviet lead bullets. The Soviet government encouraged skilled people from all over the country to settle in the city. After the USSR collapsed, the city tripled in population and quickly expanded with a sprawl of private houses.

The star-like city design reflects having a hillfort as a visual destination. Later, the old city's road network continued in Soviet street design. Nowadays you can walk 25 centuries in 1 kilometer. You start on Soviet Al-Faraby (Lenin) square among rectangular Soviet architecture, then cross an irrigation ditch entering the medieval old town with bent streets, walk by old mosque, then enter the hillfort.

Get in

There are overnight buses from Almaty's Sayran bus station that leave at roughly half hour intervals from 18:00-21:00 everyday. The journey takes approximately 12 hr, 2,400 tenge (Aug 2012).

There are 5 buses everyday leaving from Tashkent. Journey takes about 4½ hr, 1700 tenge (Jul 2019). You will arrive at Samal bus station.

Overnight buses will arrive at the Samal bus station, 5 km out from the city center. From there, you can take buses from 35-40 tenge for a marshrutka to the center. Taxis to the center are also available for 300-400 tenge.

Get around

You can take "gypsy cabs" for 300-400 tenge anywhere in the city. Bargain if they try to overcharge.

Buses run to and from the center and all of the microdistricts. Routes are marked at some bus stations and locals know where most of them go.

"Marshrutkas" are mini-buses that run largely the same routes as the buses.

If you plan on walking remember that the districs are broken into "microryons" which look like city blocks on the map but are often four times the size.

See

Shymkent hillfort Shym-Qala. Place was settled in the 5th century BC by arias due to proper relief and water source then developed in Citadel which was destroyed and rebuild many times. Shym-Qala have museum and archaeological exhibitions

Museum of Turkestan Region. Used to be in old city center, moved to the new building with all archaeological exhibitions and collections which are great.

Art museum. Gallery and museum exhibiting local artists

Private Carpet Museum. It is a private museum located in a basement of an old Soviet building. You enter backyard and every surface is decorated with some kind of carpet ornament. If you are lucky artist come out and offer you to visit her studio in basement which is great.

Shymkent Zoo. Great zoo from Soviet times. Wide variety of steppe and desert species, lots of shade.

Old mosque in Old town. Old mosque from the late 19th century.

Park Ken-Baba. It used to be a cathedral park near Russian Cathedral built in Russian Revival style hiding in far corner of the park. Some oak trees older than 100 years, but a bit noisy and crowded.

Abay Park. Old vast park from Soviet times was renovated but lacks benches. Ramp for scating is in northern most part of park.

The big Tulip Fountain. On the corner of main street Tauke Khana and Momysh-Uly.

Block with dozens of murals. There is a whole block in old district filled by a local artist with variety of murals. You start walking around the block and discover more and more murals all over the place

Soviet mosaic with fairy tale motif. There is a huge Soviet mosaic on building of School #9.

Soviet mosaic with educational motif. Huge Soviet mosaic on building of college.

Soviet mosaic with Lenin. Huge Soviet mosaic on side of apartment building with Lenin showing directions to the bright future.

Lenin statue. If you wonder where is the Lenin statue from ex-Lenin square so here it is. A bit disproportional due to lower pedestal surrounded by quiet park and nice Soviet architecture of ex-Lead Factory.

Back up small Lenin statue. There is another small Lenin statue for a back up purpose or if you are deep into Lenins. It is standing on ex-cotton factory. Free to visit.

Do

Shymkent marathon usually takes place on the second Sunday of September. Mega Planet: most popular youth hangout place in town, a mall with indoor skating rink, movie theater, Western-style chain grocery store and an upstairs food court. On Tauke-Khan avenue. Spartak - awesome outdoor swimming pool, soccer field and basketball court. Across from Mega on Tauke-Khan avenue. Cinema: playing (mostly Western movies dubbed in Russian) on the top floor of Mega Center. Babylon: arcade complex also on the top floor of Mega Center, complete with games and laser tag Football: FC Ordabasy play soccer in the Premier League, the top tier. Their home ground Kazhymukan Munaitpasov Stadium (capacity 20,000) is one km north of Old Town. The playing season is Mar-Nov. Nauryz celebrations in late March are among the largest in Kazakhstan. The events happen at the Ippodrom (Hippodrome) in the northern part of the city.

Russian Drama theatre. Renovated Russian drama theatre offers wide variety of plays.

Buy

There are good souvenir shops in Park Ken Baba, on Tauke-Khan avenue. They sell stuffed camels, magnets, keychains, leather goods, plates and figurines.

Mega Planet Mall. First mall of Shymkent.

Soviet Central Shop. Old Soviet Central Shop in somewhat brutalist style building still having many boutiques.

Shymkent City Mal. Latest addition to consumerism.

Markets Ayna Bazaar: good for buying food and random stuff (some clothes, Chinese electronics, burned CDs with Kazakh music, etc.). In a microregion a bit outside of town, but public transport regularly goes there. Koktem Bazaar: good for fresh produce and fruit.

You can also change your Uzbek soms to Kazakh tenges and reciprocally near Южная (Yuzhnaya) bus station.

Eat

Shymkent is all about eating and drinking. Among local Kazakhstani people Shymkent has a reputation of a gastronomic center. It is relatively easy to find proper place to eat just check if it is crowded or not. It is crowded so people like it and food is fresh. Generally every market has huge pedestrian traffic and many places to eat cheap and good food.

Жеті тандыр restaurant. Located in the old Soviet restaurant Oral building not far from Shym-Qala. Retained all Soviet mosaics and most of decorations. Great variety of Kazakh, Uzbek or European cuisine.

Heaven resto-bar. Expensive but great choice.

Душевная кухня restaurant. Gastronomic restaurant, one of the best in city

Aladin restaurant. Outside decorations are in best of Uzbek style architecture. Taste variety of Uzbek cuisine while still in Kazakhstan.

Madina cafe. It is a cheap bus drivers' eatery but it has great plov and kebabs.

Drink

Traditional drinks like kumys, kozhe and others are available mostly on bazaars. Try it on your own risk but better taste drinks in crowded place where demand is high.

Koshkar-Ata spring. This spring was water source for Shymkent for millenia and still has great drinking water for free.

Puer. Small tea house in a quiet place to sit and contemplate.

Amber bar and beer. Local craft beer and snacks.

Jaman Bar. Local craft beer and snacks.

Sigma bar. Local craft beet and snacks.

Sleep

Hotel Nurotau. The rooms are better than the hotel looks from the outside. Single rooms 4000 tenge, doubles 5000-7000 tenge, triple 8000 tenge. Wi-Fi is available.

Hotel Ordabasy. This mid-range hotel is in Ordabasy plaza, in front of the large MiG monument. As of 2010, a double-room goes for 6,400 tenge with a private bath, satellite TV, and balcony (if facing the street). No late check-out is available.

Rented apartments are available - bargain for your room. Don't pay more than 2,000 tenge for a normal room or 4,000 tenge for "elite" (newly remodeled room) in a rented apartment. No meals included, so-so conditions for the most part, but inexpensive. There are apartments on the main road (Tauke Xana/Respublika) close to the bus stop Ogonyok. The apartment rental is done out of a rainbow-colored cafe right on the street. Other hotel options include Hotel Shymkent, and Clara Sapar (better option for business/diplomat guests).