Gaya Travel (Malaysia) team was giv en the great opportunit y to experience Uzbekistan, a country wit h enormous tourism potential. Since this was our first time to Uzbekistan on a familiarisation trip courtesy of the Uzbek government, we were not quite sure what to expect. The trip\'s itinerary gave us the opportunity to personally experience the main tourist destinations in the country: Tashkent (the capital city), Khiva, Bukhara, a quick detour to Shaxrisabz (the place where the Uzbek legendary Hero from the 14th century, Amir Temur, was born) and Samarkand. What we only knew prior to our trip was that places like Samarkand and Bukhara were once beacons of Eastern culture and learning during the Middle Ages, therefore filled with splendid vestiges, landmarks and attractions that testify to that glorious age, significant so much so that UNESCO conferred them as part of the World Heritage list.

Tashkent

The sun shone brightly in the morning in Tashkent yet at the same time it was comfortably breezy. The hotel where we stayed was located in the centre of Tashkent, close to attractions like the Amir Temur Square (considered the centre of Tashkent), Temurids History Museum and Oloy Bazaar. As we walked to wait for the shops to open at 10:00 a.m., we noticed that Tashkent is a wellplanned city with tree-studded streets and parks, wide pedestrian pathways, convenient underground passes and boulevards, including an efficient mass transit system that comes with beautifully decorated stations.

We were informed that Tashkent also used to have ancient structures and landmarks similar to the ones in Samarkand and Bukhara, but due to the 7.5-Richter scale earthquake that levelled the city and displaced over 300,000 people back in 1966, Tashkent underwent massive reconstruction, turning it into a modern urban space.

To start learning about Uzbek vernacular architecture that normally comprises minarets, archways and domes, travellers can begin with the Complex Hazrati Imam, a Jami\' Mosque that was formerly a Madrassah, which was completed only a year after construction began in 2008. We admire the craftsmanship that was put into the building of the complex, done by Uzbekistan\'s own master craftsmen using local materials, except for the sandalwood pillars.

This is also the place that keeps one of the four original manuscripts of the Holy Quran that dates back to 627 A.D., developed during the time of Caliph Usman, with the pages made out of deerskin and the writing done in Kufic style. The manuscript was initially brought to Samarkand for safekeeping during the time of Amir Temur and now protected by the state, thus kept in the capital city. Two hours out of Tashkent lies Chimgan, a highland destination popular among Tashkent residents as summer and winter resort, situated on the Tian Shan range. For the wonderful view of Chimgan, visitors should take the chairlift to reach the 800-metre point abovesea- level hill. The ride could prove a bit adventurous for some since getting on and off the chair requires physical maneuvering with the help of local chairlift personnel, besides having just one horizontal bar running across the lap while on the chair to keep passengers in place. Though some may find the ride unnerving, they will be justifiably rewarded by the time they reach the top with refreshing air and picturesque view of the snow-capped mountain range all the way down to the valley below.

Once visitors are finished with admiring the view from the hilltop, they can then make way towards the resplendently turquoise body of water called Charvak Lake, a man-made water reservoir located along Chirchik River that also has a hydropower plant, one of the largest in Central Asia. Guests can enjoy water-based sports such as swimming, catamaran-riding and quadra-cycling here.

Khiva

Khiva is located 25 kilometres from Urgench, the industrial capital city of the Khorazm province, considered as the hottest region in Uzbekistan.

According to legend, the city was founded since the days of Noah after the Great Flood by the clan belonging to the prophet\'s son, Shem. His clan was looking for water around the area and after arriving at the place and tasted its water that was considered sweet, the relieved members of the clan excitedly claimed «hey vah». The clan then dug up wells known as «Khivak» wells, thus giving name to the area. Khiva is magically immersive, literally transports travellers back to the charming times of old, when the merchants and traders of old still ply the Silk Route. Gaya Travel team were truly taken in by the whole atmosphere of this ancient walled city.

During the day, the sandycoloured clay brick structures and bluish tile-cladded domes on tall minarets stand stoically under the postcard perfect blue sky. At night, the air turned tranquil and romantic as lights were set against age old structures, made more dramatic by the presence of the moon.

To truly enjoy the place, travellers should allow themselves to absorb and take in Khiva\'s charms, which could grow in them by the minute. They are also encouraged to simply enjoy getting lost in between the narrow lanes of this ancient city and discover delightful gems such as the beautiful carvings on an old door, old graves covered in burnt clay bricks, resplendent tileworks cladding the walls and domes, including Persian– inspired entrance archways.

There are certain attractions within the walled city that might interest visitors. Chiefly among them is Masjid Juma, the oldest mosque in Uzbekistan dating over a thousand years old with its 113 impressively strong pillars. It is now a museum and has been continuously restored by the government ever since Uzbekistan obtained its independence. Another attraction that will surely delight travellers is the ornately decorated Tosh Hovli – which was essentially a harem and the residential quarters for the Khan (Ruler) of Khiva\'s wives and concubines during the seventeenth century – with its exquisite tileworks adorning the length of its walls.

Visitors can also head to the Islam Khoja complex that comprises a mosque, madrassah and minaret to learn about Uzbek traditional architecture. Besides those attractions, various merchandises such as handicrafts and souvenir items are also widely available for travellers to take back a piece of Khiva with them.

Initially, Gaya Travel team was not sure what to expect from the trip to Uzbekistan, but now that we have learned what the country has to offer, Uzbekistan definitely possesses all the right qualities of becoming a successful tourism destination. (Source: Uzbekistan travel news newspaper)