What is Shymkent?
Shymkent, Kazakhstan‘s third-most populous city, is overlooked by most tourists in Central Asia. Though not Kazakhstan’s most culturally enriching city,—that title would go to Almaty—Shymkent is a worthwhile stopover to provide contrast to Almaty’s flair. At the very least, an otherwise long trip from Almaty to Tashkent could be easily broken up by a night or two in Shymkent. If you are visiting in the winter, Shymkent is much warmer than Almaty and could provide a much-needed break from the cold.
What to do in Shymkent?
Shymkent is not an overwhelming sightseeing destination. Its charm is understated. It features a handful of pleasant parks and boulevards alongside a few museums and nice restaurants.
Abay Park
Shymkent’s largest green space, Abay Park is a nice place to spend an afternoon escaping from the city’s bustle. The most interesting part of the park is the WWII memorial pictured above. The large sculpture in the photo sits down a row of plaques from another suspended sculpture of a fighter jet. The plaques between the two feature the names of Kazakh soldiers. There are also several smaller memorials and sculptures dedicated to Kazakh soldiers throughout the park.
Beyond memorials, Abay offers a heavily treed small forest with various paths for exploration. It also houses a stage where Kazakh youth can be found engaging in dance lessons throughout the day. It seems to be one of the city’s most popular places for walking, playing, or simply hanging out and enjoying the outdoors. It is centrally located in the city and is absolutely worth a quick walk through.
Khudozhestvennaya Galereya
Smack in the middle of Abay Park sits Shymkent’s premier fine arts museum. I have not, generally, been particularly impressed by Kazakhstan’s museum scene but I must admit the country knows how to throw together a decent art museum. Khudozhestvennaya Galereya consists of a large hallway and two smaller wings full of Kazakh paintings. There is virtually no information on the paintings or the artists save for their names, but there doesn’t need to be. The paintings are easy on the eyes and not abstract to the point that a walk-through guide is necessary. Instead, there are many nice pastoral scenes of steppe and horses, and some more interesting modernist works pitting industrialization against the traditional nomadic ways. Better yet, there is actually a decent amount of art here. When most museums can be walked through in twenty minutes, this one takes forty five. It is not the Louvre, but I was pleasantly surprised. If, God forbid, you only have time for one museum in Shymkent, I recommend this one.
Bazaar
The Shymkent Bazaar, or Qyrgy Bazaar according to Google Maps, is the trading hub of Shymkent. It fairly similar to Almaty’s Green Bazaar, but that does not make it any less deserving of a trip. It is also very conveniently located in the center of the city. The bazaar’s layout of easy. There is a main, large hall home to stalls of fruit, spices, tea, meat, fish, and more. It is surrounded by smaller hallways with clothes and other various household items. There is nothing extraordinary here, but bazaars are always a great place to get a feel for the pulse of a new city.
Jaman Bar
I asked two young, English-speaking Shymkent residents where I should go while visiting their city. Both immediately responded Jaman Bar (located here). If you have had enough of exploring Shymkent and feel like sitting down for a beer, Jaman Bar is the place to go. With an alternative, young atmosphere and cheap (1,000 tenge) draft beer, Jaman Bar is a staple of Shymkent Nightlife. The bar hosts live music on the weekends, and the owner as well of much of the staff is friendly and English speaking. It has a very welcoming feel and friendly patrons. If Jaman Bar was in the U.S., I would visit often.
Museum of Victims of Political Repression
This is a small but unique museum located on the edge of Abay Park. It does not take long to explore the entire museum, but it is worth a stop. It is the emotionally heaviest museum I have visited in Kazakhstan. Dedicated to the millions of Kazakh people who died during the country’s Soviet period, the museum is a stark reminder of the human rights abuses endured by the Soviet Republics during the 1900s. Though there are no English translations in the museum, they do offer a small leaflet with an English explanation of what you are seeing.
Blinchick Restaurant
This chain of Russian pancake houses is the perfect place to go in Shymkent for a quick, hearty meal. The limited menu features delicious savory and sweet Russian-style pancakes in an experience similar to what you might find in a French creperie. There is not much more to say. The restaurants can be found in multiple locations throughout the city, and though I have not tried them all, I imagine that each are similar.
Wide Open Road 