Ulaanbaatar Travel Guide

Ulaanbaatar, the capital of Mongolia has little of the chaos, confusion and crowds associated with Asian capital cities. Instead, this city located in a deep valley amidst the high mountains of Bogd Khan, Bayanzurkh, Chingeltei and Songino Khairkhan grew from humble beginnings as a camp city where Mongol hordes rested in between bouts of pillaging and looting.

Lacking the charms of Hanoi, the colour of Bangkok, the splendours of Beijing and minus the exuberance of Hong Kong, Ulaanbaatar is a curious admixture of Soviet regimentation and Mongol wilderness. Unfriendly and impassive utilitarian apartment blocks contrast sharply with the close kinship of the towns of felt gers and yurts in what once was the "City of Felt".

A Soviet satellite for over seven decades and a vassal state of China for centuries before, Ulaanbaatar became the capital of Outer Mongolia only in 1911 once the country gained a measure of automony from China. Mongolia's swing towards the Soviets led to the destruction of all Ulaanbaatar's older buildings, monasteries and homes. The result is a relatively modern city with shops, hotels and restaurants that are now oriented towards the tourist trade.