'World's strangest country' with deserted ghost capital to finally open up to tourists

One of the most isolated and “strangest” countries in the world is preparing to open itself up to more visitors.

Former Soviet state Turkmenistan is a funny old place. Jordan Egbert, who runs the Counting Countries YouTube channel, offered his audience a peek into his travels through Turkmenistan, and concluded: “This is the strangest country in the world – there are no people around anywhere.”

Jordan was shocked to find out that the capital city, Ashgabat, was full of lavish monuments, sparkling shopping centres and hotels, but all of them were empty. “The question is, where is everyone?” he asked.

“After visiting more than 130 countries, this place is unlike anywhere I have ever been. The president requires all buildings and cars to be white. Tourists are under strict requirements to have a guide with them at all times and are banned from visiting certain places and cities.” His visit came ahead of an announcement that some tourists to the US may soon have to pay a $15,000 bond.

The content creator also ventured into an airport that appeared to house more staff than travellers, before examining government buildings, a graveyard, and traditional nomadic tent settlements. He additionally revealed that Turkmenistan blocks access to most online platforms and applications, with Wi‑Fi being “pretty much non‑existent.”

Jordan discovered that even the tourist trail was deserted. A popular swimming spot and the famous Door to Hell gas crater were empty, as was a plush yurt camp. The YouTuber claimed that the capital’s airport had more staff than passengers.

There would be a good reason for that. Turkmenistan welcomes very few tourists each year. While exact figures are difficult to obtain due to the government’s secretive nature, most inbound estimates are well below 100,000 each year. Some put them as low as 7,000, in a country of seven million.

That could soon change, however. In April, the country’s legislature approved procedures enabling would‑be foreign visitors to obtain e‑visas, Eurasianet reported.

That should make obtaining a visa much easier than the current, complex, and baffling system, which can take months and result in a denial without any reason. Hopeful visitors have to score a Letter of Introduction from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs after booking their visit with a government‑approved tour operator, before the visa is granted, meaning you need to be willing to stump up money before your trip is guaranteed.

Although e‑visas have yet to come into force, when they do, it’ll be possible to get a visa online without needing a Letter of Introduction, according to CNN. Prospective holidaymakers will still need a “sponsor” in Turkmenistan, which means booking onto a tour.