Presidential Palace area

Ashgabat & Darvaza Gas Crater, Turkmenistan

Home to the Oguzkent Hotel, located right next to the Presidential Palace.

Places in Presidential Palace area

Oguzkent Hotel continental restaurant A continental restaurant on the top floor and a Turkish restaurant with quality food at reasonable prices.
Oguzkent Hotel top-floor bar A bar on the top floor of the hotel next to the Presidential Palace.

Best time to visit: April to June and September to November, avoiding the extreme summer heat of the Karakum Desert for the Darvaza excursion.
Getting around: The Berzengi district, home to a cluster of high-rise hotels along Archabil Avenue including the Oguzkent Hotel, anchors Ashgabat's accommodation scene; the Darvaza Gas Crater requires a roughly 3.5-hour drive north into the Karakum Desert, with the final 8km off-road best done in a 4x4.
Currency: Turkmenistani Manat (m)
Language: Turkmen; Russian is widely understood. English is limited.
Timezone: TMT (UTC+5)
Current trends: Ashgabat's Guinness World Record status for the highest concentration of white marble buildings continues to define the capital's identity as a garden city of grand, state-run luxury hotels, while the Darvaza Gas Crater's status as Turkmenistan's number one tourist attraction keeps driving overnight yurt-camping excursions into the Karakum Desert, with most Ashgabat hotels now arranging SUV transport for the 3.5-hour drive to the flaming 'Gates of Hell.'

Berzengi district — The most popular area for tourists to stay, near the foothills of the Kopet Dag mountains, home to a cluster of high-rise hotels along Archabil Avenue.
Darvaza Gas Crater district — Located in the Kara Kum Desert approximately 270-300 km north of Ashgabat, home to the flaming crater and nearby yurt camps.