Hotan - Xinjiang Province

Another of the oases that line the Silk Road, Hotan has seen trading in jade since 5000BC, and there is still an active jade trade in the city today. It is most famous today for its colourful Sunday market which offers a dazzling array of silks, carpets and jade. The city is set in the Taklamakan Desert, and there are a number of interesting ancient sites within easy reach on a day trip.