North Korea is known for being mostly closed off to outsiders and its residents living under Kim Jong Un‘s dictatorship.
But there’s another destination that has similarly strict rules – even determining what colour cars residents drive and a curfew.
Turkmenistan has been governed by Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedow since 2022, who used to be a dentist, and his son Serdar. They rule with absolute power.
Bordered by Kazakhstan, Afghanistan, Uzbekistan, Iran, and the Caspian Sea, the country has several rules that outsiders might find bizarre.
A strict 11pm curfew has been in place in Ashgabat since the pandemic and has never officially been lifted, Lad Bible reports.
What’s more, when visiting the capital tourists might be surprised to only see white cars driving around.
Any other colour car has been banned from the area since 2018.
Ashgabat has a range of jaw-dropping monuments and architecture, and boasts impressive fountains and sculptures.
Turkmenistan has been governed by Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedow since 2022, who used to be a dentist, and his son Serdar. He rules with absolute power
A strict 11pm curfew has been in place in Ashgabat since the pandemic and has never officially been lifted
Social media apps are completely banned in Turkmenistan and tourists are restricted on what they photograph during their visit.
The country gained independence from the Soviet Union in 1991 and has substantial gas reserves.
It’s thought to have a population of around 5.6 million, according to the BBC.
News and media in Turkmenistan is controlled by the state and any foreign outlets are banned.
For Brits wanting to enter Turkmenistan will need a passport that has an expiry date at least six months after the day you intend to leave the country and a visa.
The visa requires a letter of invitation, which can be obtained by tourists from travel agents.
Those visiting on a business trip will ‘need letters from the relevant government ministries or companies you want to do business with,’ according to the UK Foreign Office.
Social media apps are completely banned in Turkmenistan and tourists are restricted on what they photograph during their visit
‘If you have the wrong visa or if you overstay your visa, you could be prosecuted and possibly imprisoned,’ the site warns.
After obtaining the letter of invitation, travellers can apply for the visa at the Embassy of Turkmenistan or buy one when they arrive in the country from some borders and Ashgabat International Airport.
One keen traveller, Pandhu Waskitha, went to Ashgabat and shared footage from his trip to the mysterious destination on his TikTok, @backpackertampan.
In the video caption, he described the ‘surreal white marble, golden monuments, and almost empty streets’.
The video showed huge, white buildings and seemingly deserted areas, despite having an estimated population of around 941,130.
Pandhu wrote how the area is ‘often called one of the world’s most unique and mysterious cities’.
The country gained independence from the Soviet Union in 1991 and has substantial gas reserves
He penned: ‘Designed with grand scale and symmetry, Ashgabat feels like it belongs in a movie — futuristic, elegant, and unlike anywhere else.’
Footage showed how the city boasts immaculately clean roads and perfectly pruned gardens.
The traveller gushed: ‘It’s a place where reality feels cinematic, and every corner sparks curiosity.’
