Traveling to the “Soviet North Korea” (Turkmenistan)

We traveled to Turkmenistan - one the wackiest and most controversial countries on Earth. Often named the 'World's Strangest Country', and sometimes dubbed the North Korea of the former Soviet Union, Turkmenistan is a nation of censorship and strange extremes.
This Central Asian and former Soviet state, is one of the Least Visited Countries in the World & one of the most isolated nations on the planet.
We have been obsessed with travelling to Turkmenistan for years, in order to discover more about this hermit state. And despite it being one of the most difficult countries to access on Earth, we have been desperate to find a way to visit for an awfully long time.
So, when we found out about a certain tour company offering a way in, and an unprecedented amount of freedom within one of the World's most controlled societies, we knew we had to travel there.
So on that note, welcome to the city of Ashgabat, the capital of Turkmenistan.
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#ashgabat #turkmenistan #travel #ussr #centralasia #туркменистан
Traveling to the “Soviet North Korea” (Turkmenistan)

[@MattandJulia]

What is the "strangest" place you've ever travelled?🙃 Thank you for watching! If you enjoyed the video, please drop a "like" on it, it really helps our channel grow and us to keep making these videos ❤

[@0.x.0845]

Great vlog...visit more places in Turkmenistan

[@robertholland7558]

Taking certain hallucinatory drugs gets one to some strange places…….

[@testcardsandmore1231]

The strangest place I've ever travelled is to the Nort Korea of east Asia. 😃 It felt a little sketchy at first since this was in 2017 when Trump and Kim threatened each other with fire and fury, but we ended up having a great trip.

[@peterbergman2131]

Brighton

[@robertholland7558]

@@peterbergman2131 best comment. Been there as well, 50 years ago. Strange place indeed.

[@maksphoto78]

You know it's the real deal when you're advised to exchange money on the black market.

[@MattandJulia]

Haha, unfortunately it seems to be becoming more common around the world 😘

[@robertholland7558]

@@MattandJuliaeven seen bald and bankrupt doing that.

[@seamusobrien2675]

Your gentle and kind way of travel shows through and colors our experience. Your best line for me was when you said "ordinary people just get on and live ordinary lives". This is something we all must remember.

[@minime7375]

Growing up in communist Romania ngl it was weird and somewhat traumatizing seeing that the cult of personality is alive and well in other places. Even though I was very very young when the communism fell I remember this atmosphere, people being afraid to speak, praising the regime all the time for fear of ending up in prison or interrogated by the secret police. It is eerie similar to North Korea, people are right to call it that. Although communism was “imported” from Moscow all over Eastern Europe, it’s strange and heartwarming at the same time to see young Russians like Julia or Elina who find this type of closed society unusual and foreign to them. It says a lot about the changes that took place in the last 30 years.

[@wesyoung2983]

We just had our foreign exchange student of 10 months return to her home in Turkmenistan. I absolutely loved the food she prepared for us from her homeland.

[@NiklazSchwarzschild]

Plov?

[@ashleyupshall7641]

The Stans are fascinating Turkmenistan is probably the hardest to find on Y.T. Great to see, thank you and keep it coming. 😊

[@MattandJulia]

So glad you enjoyed it Ashley! ❤️🙌🏼🙏🏼

[@adriwthomas]

What an interesting place! Thank you for sharing Turkmenistan with us!

[@NigelOrmsvik]

Fascinating to see these places you wouldn't normally know much about. Great informative video guys, thanks 😊👍

[@MattandJulia]

Thank you so much Nigel! Really appreciate it 🥰❤️

[@richkroberts]

Interesting. I’d like to hear more about your experiences once you leave the country. You seemed quite guarded in what you could say. Understandably so, in case your video was confiscated, you wouldn’t have wanted any negative comments expressed for fear of reprisals. Thanks for taking us along.

[@MattandJulia]

Thank you so much for watching! More videos to come about our experience in Turkmenistan 🙂❤

[@sallysampson628]

As always, thanks so much to letting us tag along with you both. I knew next to nothing about this country (most of the places you visit actually) so it’s fascinating and living in the U.K. hard to imagine or understand the differences. However, people are pretty much the same all over aren’t they. Can’t wait for your next vlog. Also, I don’t get why you’ve not got many thousands more followers?! I’m thankful I found you! I do tell my friends to find you on KZbin. Many KZbinrs travel, but you go beyond and really do your homework and justice to your channel with humility, respect and integrity 👍🏻🥰🍦🍦🙅‍♀️🙅‍♀️

[@enaidyeltneb369]

What a fantastic analogy, Julia. Like we are in a computer game and it is still rendering… what better way to describe something to a generation that loves their tech.

[@costasworldofmusicmemories5792]

What a fascinating country Turkmenistan is. In the west , it's shrouded in mystery. Great video as always guys. Looking forward to more from there. Hope you guys are doing ok. We are on our way to a wedding in Rhode Island (USA) of my best friend's daughter and on to Boston. Sending you much love❤❤ from Harriet, Jim and Yuki

[@user-vw2jt4gi1v]

Matt and Julia I personally want to thank you for the beautiful places you are taking me … I would never see them without your amazing videos! I love watching you and hope nothing but the best for the two of you for a very long time to come! Bless you ❤

[@joeshmooo5327]

Wonderful video, you two are good on camera. Cheers

[@MattandJulia]

Thank you very much! ❤️🙌🏼

[@TraceyD-vg3vv]

I was in Ashgabat just over a month ago and was really interested to see what your reactions would be. Towards the end of your video, when you sat down on the end of the bed ready to reflect on your day, I noted the looks on your faces: you looked confused. And then I said to my partner, also watching, 'Look at their faces: that's exactly how I feel about the place'. Then you identified that feeling as 'confused'. It WAS a confusing experience. The city is beautiful, extravagant, orderly, peaceful but, weird. It's hard to communicate to people what it was like and so I really appreciate being able to, basically, share the experience with you. Thank you for your video! :)

[@agneswatson9592]

Such a different place, amazingly clean! Loving the content. ❤❤

[@aprilborrillo2482]

So Very Interesting! Thank you, can’t wait for the next one! ❤

[@gabriellagirardi4741]

Very beautiful video. Really interesting to know this beautiful and "mysterious" country which you introduced to us in a wonderful way. Take care🌻🍀🌻🍀🌻

[@MattandJulia]

Thank you so much Gabriella! Really appreciate your lovely words, so glad you enjoyed it 🥰❤️

[@margaretwalsh1456]

That was so very interesting...didn't know anything about that country...thank you for sharing. 😊

[@annecaunce]

Got home yesterday from a month's solo trip to Greece, my 2nd time doing so. I'm the wrong side of 60 and this is as adventurous as I'm going to get, so I adore watching your videos. You're doing what I always dreamt of until life got in the way and I am so glad to see how successful your channel has become. I've learnt so much from you both and the places you visit and this video was no exception. Great content as always.

[@SerendipitySoulFluidArt]

What a fascinating video! I love that you explore all of these places that so few people really go to and dig into the way that you and Matt do, Julia. This really shows you that while life is very different, life is really beautiful in a place such as Turkmenistan. I LOVED the market - TBH your “old town” walk felt like walking through Ma’adi, where Inlived outside of Cairo. Very rural with buildings and family’s on the edge of the desert and Corniche el Nile…. But DEFINITELY very different than the busy streets of Cairo. ❤ PLOV and more PLOV! ❤ PS. An internet detox is not a bad thing but for you two, who earn a living on KZbin, that had to be a bit frustrating. This was worth the wait!! ❤

[@stankormy5717]

Thanks for the tour of Ashgabat M & J! You are right, it’s straight out of a video game!!!

[@MattandJulia]

Haha, the modern part honestly feels surreal 😅🙌🏼

[@user-hp5bl8qu2q]

Another great video.Thx.

[@dudeerino2226]

Fascinating trip you're on - I look forward to the remaining segments. I'm guessing this footage is days old at this point since I can't see how you would have uploaded anything while in country. Also, quick note, I just found your channel a short bit ago diving down another KZbin rabbit hole. You are both no BS awesome. Matt, you have a smile and friendliness to you that makes me want to buy you a pint and sit down for a long chat. Julia, and please don't take this in a "creepy old man" way, you are beautiful. Not just outwardly (which is of course true as well), but you have a thoughtfulness and way of looking at the world and the people in it that is....well, beautiful to me. Take care and stay happy you two.

[@ammiep.245]

Amazing vid! Surprising to see that it is not an empty city but with locals going out and about! Looking forward to your next destinations in Turkmenistan :)

[@MattandJulia]

Thank you so much! Really glad you enjoyed it!! ❤️ Can’t wait to share more 😊🙏🏼

[@sarahcovey8413]

I have a deep fascination for places like this - thank you for this video and for sharing your experiences! I love how you normalize daily life in each of the places you visit. Looking forward to hearing more about your experiences in Turkmenistan!

[@lecrab]

Very interesting, can't wait for the next one.

[@lindauhrig1513]

Wow! What an interesting and wild place! You are getting to experience some fascinating parts of this word and I’m learning so much from you!

[@nixmor5333]

Great to see you guys back together. I'm fascinated by this country. Can't wait to see more.

[@curnobullen]

Brilliant video. Thank you for sharing 👍🏻

[@SC-zg4ps]

Love you guys! I'm from the US and have been learning Russian just for the travel possibilities. I may never be able to set foot inTurkmenistan and it might be years before I can visit Russia but I'm looking forward to it someday.

[@Ultra-Violet]

russia is spent, done, they'll be digging themselves out of a hole for the next 20 years.

[@rejselyst-dk]

This is probably my favorite and most accurate video about Ashgabat. I went to Turkmenistan last year and was also able to get a loose and cheap tour. I loved that you showed the old/soviet Ashgabat (like no one else), it really has a totally different vibe, way more lively! The city is completely different at night, everyone's out and it is filled with green lights. We even went to the giant circus, and had some difficulties getting the tickets as it was fully packed. Ashgabat is definitely different from smaller cities though. I found Koneurgench to be very authentic and way less shiny, though I only spent a short time there. Turkmenistan is probably the most unique country I have been to, but I feel some KZbinrs exaggerate the emptyness and pricing a bit too much.

[@MattandJulia]

Thank you so much for your interesting and informative comment! Really appreciate it 🙌🏼❤️😌

[@tikavaka]

Any suggestion or recommendation for the cheap and loose tour?

[@Paperhearts1121]

I love Julia's analogy about the computer game! Thank you for the video ☺

[@cornishdiaspora918]

Super interesting, thank you!

[@lacharmer441]

Great video, thank you!

[@carolali8851]

Two things really stood out, the city is very clean and nothing appears to be crowded. The streets and sidewalks seem to be quite spacious. The wildlife you managed to film didn't appear to be too ferocious 🐱♥

[@MattandJulia]

Yeah, this is all really true. No rubbish anywhere on the streets, anywhere 🙏🏼 They were tame-ish 😅

[@asan1050]

Hey Matt and Julia, Thank you very much! Interesting place, somewhat abandoned. I was hoping you would show us some traditional food or drink, Enjoyed the video.

[@Andreas_1969]

What an amazing video! I`m very much into the post-soviet countries, visited Uzbekistan and would absolutely like to go to Turkmenistan, too. And, by the way, Julia, I love Georgian lemonade 🙂

[@WilnaWanderlust]

After watching so many of your videos this time i decided to subscribed ❤️❤️❤️

[@AuroraRose_Andromeda]

Thank you both for sharing this country that many don't know even exists or of the countries background. I cannot wait to see the next installments of this country. I love seeing your adventures through your eyes and what you both experience. I am in aw of how this country is. The cars, the buildings, everything. Def have me intrigued. Be safe!

[@garyjoyce8223]

Nice vlog, reminds me of my visit in April. I even stayed in the same hotel!🙂

[@Torrie97400]

Hello Priviet thanks for your video! So nice to discover those countries where very few touristes go, from a french regular viewver in indian ocean!

[@madmousetales]

I’m so jealous (as usual 😂) what an incredible experience ! ❤

[@ellenbalgley9985]

❤ wow you definitely taught me something today I never even heard of country .stay safe !!!

[@allangardiner2515]

Matt and Julia are a unique source of certain kinds of information.

[@lindathalman3506]

Surreal Matt and Julia. Wow. This is not the 12th century dusty camel meeting place of cartoons, paintings. Modern like Uzbekistan. Stunning Yep all those white cars because it gets super not in summer; Monumental buildings. And the food? How did you feel about doing the black market for changing money??? In Argentina it was basically "safe". Safe in Turkmenistan? Amazing video. Thanks Julia and Matt. Believe we met you a few weeks after this visit when we did the stupendous Uzbekistan tour with you in April 2024! Bises, hugs, thanks for this vlog.

[@MattandJulia]

Hey Linda! Glad you enjoyed it! Yeah, the Uzbekistan Group Tour was just 5 days later! 🥰 The food was great, lots of Plov (your favourite!) and the black market is completely normal there, it’s how everyone that can does it 😊❤️

[@robichag]

amazing video. wow.

[@MattandJulia]

Thank you so much! ❤️🙌🏼

[@norma-3631]

Wow! Very interesting.

[@MattandJulia]

Glad you enjoyed it! 🙏🏼❤️

[@mirzicd]

Wow! Incredible

[@Vousemvolta]

Amazing content guys, never seen this "free" walking in Turkmenistan! Is that possible for you to share wich tour did you guys hire?

[@marinavlady6922]

Funnily enough, I love the peace and quiet of this city and also the idea of white cars. Wedding every day, why not? 😂

[@MattandJulia]

Haha, you have found your lady! 😀❤️

[@Rafa-pr5fe]

To be honest, while watching this post-Soviet center of Ashgabat, I had the impression that it was a "wet" dream combining the "Teutonic-Neronic" style of Albert Speer with the "Georgian-official-Byzantine" style characteristic of a certain mustachioed cannibal from Moscow. With the addition of Turan-Persian spices. One immediately recalls the malicious epigram composed by a certain Roman poet, observing the scale of Nero's "Domus Aurea" complex, in which he wrote that the citizens of Rome should emigrate from the city because it would be home to only one person. It's just that of all these styles, Nero, apart from gigantomania, had a sense of aesthetics and artistic taste, and as Oscar Wilde said, even murder is forgivable, but not bad aesthetic and artistic taste.

[@etherdog]

So much of Ashgabat is unrecognizable from 30 years ago--the Russian bazaar used to be a piddly and dirty market. Hard to believe that one can be nostalgic for Soviet architecture. A buddy and I hiked and hitched from Baharden to Nohur to Kona Cassir. The Nohurly claim to be descended from the army of Alexander the Great, and their blue eyes and fair skin lend credence to that claim.

[@barbaram2196]

I can’t believe you are there. Man, I envy you that trip!

[@karadanvers6136]

Julia when you said about rendering I was wondering if you have ever seen the game DayZ? It’s based on Czech and Russian cities. All I see is DayZ buildings when I see this video. They even have a map of Pripyat.

[@MattandJulia]

I didn’t, but I will check it out 😌❤️

[@Rianewjob01]

Love the ultra modern building with the moving image of a camel train.

[@madelinesherman5306]

Love the different places you visit. As an American, we know so little about these countries. Thank you

[@AhmedBayoumy1]

Great video guys. Which travel agency that gives such freedom in their tours??😊

[@SafeAndSounds]

Very interesting place. Thank you for taking us along. But, the big question is: why is the beautiful park so empty?

[@charola41]

Obviously, a taxi driver collecting foreigners in such a country, is not going to be in the opposition, right? The price he pays for 1 kg of chicken is around the same price we pay in Spain. Turkey actually pays less than Spain, nothing to do with the number that man says!. Easy to check.

[@MattandJulia]

We never said he was opposition or anything? We just asked him about his life…🙂

[@charola41]

@@MattandJulia I've never said you did... relax, all is well. Thank you for your work, I really appreciate it!

[@rejselyst-dk]

​@@charola41 The price of the chicken in the video is actually at the official rate. The current black market rate is about 17-20 manat pr. dollar, so about $1.

[@Dora-wg2ux]

As a belarusian, who is native of the russian language, i am going to tell you the next: Matt, you're speaking practically with no accent and the same to your wife (sorry, i am not your follower and i have been faced with your chanel for the second time). Special attention to wife's skills of speaking russian. 1000% respect and admiration.

[@lauras.the.traveler20_]

I think it’s cool to have small talk with a local, probably so much more info than what’s online

[@MattandJulia]

Us too ❤️

[@cpmow831]

It’s like you are walking around an amusement park that just opened

[@redpower690]

All those government subsidies sound great but where is the government getting the money from, I don't think it grows on trees. Possibly from gas and oil and the fact they can drive prices down with manufactures who want to sell in the country. Might be a good idea in a lot of countries. That would stop a lot of these large corporations for gouging the population.

[@seamusobrien2675]

When the government owns and operates its resources it is possible for the country to benefit. When private industry owns and operates, at all the benefits with the exception of a small wage bill are shipped overseas all end up with the incredibly rich. It's relatively simple

[@kimberlygatz2381]

Yeaaahhhh… this seems like a weird country and one I’ll be happy to just view through your camera.

[@andrewlucas6236]

What was the place behind you in the shopping mall , "Australian Life"? I was shocked to see it.

[@thundexx1]

you should travel to myanmar i herd thats the place people want to go to if they wanna experience ptsd at this time of year.

[@msmith5030]

Hallo. What a difference between old and new. Seems strange to see you walking about in an area with so few people. Cannot believe how cheap the utility bills are. Cannot see the UK doing that. Anyway was really nice to see parts of the world that nobody visits. Good luck and take care😀

[@Minnesinger1]

Great vid. What tour operator did you go with?

[@Raven-Claws88]

An interesting looking place, blending Turkic and Central Asian culture with their former Soviet past. I can imagine that it helps that you speak Russian well! Thank you for sharing this. I'd be curious what the coastal places or the areas near the Afghan border look like.

[@lindathalman3506]

Must correct my earlier post: it gets super HOT in Central Asia in summer. It's at least 40C on 6 July 2024 as I type in the capital of Turkmenistan; mid-30's in Kiva, Uzbekistan. Do visit Central Asia fellow Matt and Julia fans. Simply amazing!

[@MattandJulia]

Couldn’t agree more Linda, one of the world’s most underrated regions! 😊

[@14Forseti]

Wow. Thats by far the best vlog I have seen about Turkmenistan.🤩 Is it now allowed to film more freely?

[@MattandJulia]

Thank you so much! 🙌🏼 Sort of, it’s a little grey, and only with certain tour company can you book this slightly more independent style ❤️

[@14Forseti]

@@MattandJulia ok I see. Thank u 😃

[@ruxrox]

The higher the city's reflective rate the cooler it is. So, it's an intellect in charge.

[@0.x.0845]

Beautiful Turkmenistan ❤

[@stevethepom]

Do they not know that the pandemic is over ? or is it just another revenue raiser taking money from tourists pockets ?

[@tahseen812]

Turkmenistan 🇹🇲 is the only country in ex USSR that I haven't visited yet so it's been on my radar for quite some time. It's so hard to get there though and as you said in the video, it could be an expensive experience with the visas, invitations, PCR test and all that. Great informative and interesting video nevertheless. Thanks for sharing :-)

[@danielcargill8019]

That's a huge food market

[@OysteinAasen]

So nice to finally see some real neighbourhoods with actual people in them, not just more of the same white marble and empty boulevards footage with the occasional Gates of Hell detour!

[@beyondappalachian8218]

after bald left they made some improvements. lol

[@laakssim]

That's amazing! I thought it is almost impossible to get a visa to Turkmenistan. If I've undestood correctly, the bald man has tried multiple times and always got refused 😄

[@yelv7671]

What a great introduction of Turkmenistan . Are ATMS available in airport? Thanks

[@jonathanlewis1912]

Aiming on going there in 2025 and it will be the last of the ex USSR countries for me to visit. Can I ask which agency you booked through for your guide, Who did you fly with etc? Booking with their national airline is not the easiest task for sure!

[@user-hp5bl8qu2q]

What kind of food is there?

[@Peter.R.M.]

Its fascinating to see the OTT buildings and monuments in the new city. Looking for comparisons in history, they seem almost like the modern equivalent of buildings from ancient Nineveh in Mesopotamia. Presumably they were built for the same purpose - as personality cult for the leader.

[@MattandJulia]

Interesting comparison! 🙏🏼

[@FatherMarty]

Can you comment on the many people I saw walking around in very beautiful traditional dress? Particularly the women and schoolgirls? Is that required or just the norm?

[@MattandJulia]

It is required school uniform, green for youngsters and red for university students 😌

[@stankormy5717]

Y’all about to enter clown world! Stay safe M& J!

[@MattandJulia]

We always do, hope you enjoy the video ❤️

[@themthem794]

🙂 Thanks Matt and Julia, would never have known how Turkmenistan looks like.. 🙂

[@miriam2909]

I felt like this city had no soul, no life, no joy.

[@bernds9228]

I have been there 10 years ago. We had the impression that no one was living in the new buildings, no illumination in most of the appartements, no shops. We travelled overland to Khiva, Usbekistan. The most bizarre border checks in my live!

[@ekaterini2957]

Thank you for showing where folks actually live and work -- footage of the capital is usually just the shiny parts, not the reality for the citizens....

[@nazaharin]

I understand that the President is ex-dentist. Everything white like our teeth.

[@markdixey3180]

How did you manage to do Visa on Arrival at Ashgabat?

[@simongray8019]

Back in 90's I worked for a small British airline. We operated a scheduled service under the British Airways brand to Turkmenistan and yes it was a strange place to visit. As only two services a week were operated we usually had three or four days layover there. A very interesting place to visit though

[@alyonabakurova5838]

Was it hard to get Turkmen visa for you, guys? Asking because I'm from there living in Russia right now. Once I brought my husband there using family visa but they gave it only for 7 days and rejected in prolongation.

[@achiburshakib5804]

I am from Bangladesh 🙂🇧🇩. I am your new subscriber ❤. Love to watch your vedios. Are you guys married and where are you from?

[@RichardJohansson-re3jv]

I have been to all former sovjet countrys even Transistria but not Turkmenistan.Very interresting.

[@MattandJulia]

Interesting, do you have a favourite? Glad we could share Turkmenistan with you ❤️

[@RichardJohansson-re3jv]

@@MattandJulia Uzbekistan the neighboring country is very exotic.Old citys and beautiful moskes with oriental style.I also liked Armenia. Mountains and old churches carved out in the mountain.

[@lynlandham3779]

I bet y'all are going to see that big burning gas hole!

[@MattandJulia]

We really hope so! 🤞🏻🥰

[@robertholland7558]

Bring a bag of marshmallows. Oh and a really long stick made from nonflammable material.

[@joemcdermott6887]

Can you let me know the name of the company that you booked the tour through.

[@keyup2626]

Fascinating country, and very bizarre all light coloured cars.

[@jessedylan6162]

I'll bet that Georgian lemonade has more sugar content than one could imagine, that's why it tastes so good BUT is really bad for one's health. Anyway, thanks for this wonderful video and keep up with your labor of love.

[@cehaem2]

It has a unique taste as it's tarragon flavoured. Tarkhun is manufactured and sold all across the former USSR. Georgia is quite famous for its spring water that also massively contributes to its unique taste.