TIPS: Travel to Almaty, Kazakhstan

Travelling to Almaty feels SO EASY. Even with the language difference, I would do it again in a heartbeat. Esims are easy to get and data is cheaper than Mongolia - I got my esim from Trip.com and had no issues with data and connection throughout my stay.

The ride from the airport into the city can be done via Yandex Go and costs less than S$10. Download the app in advance and register - if you have any issues registering with an international number, you can register first via email and then verify or add your phone number after. It works just as well. It is a 30-40min ride into the city and I remember just thinking how it reminded me so much of Singapore, with trees lining the side of the road.

I stayed at AQ minisuites which had a fantastic location near the mall and supermarket, and was close enough to the attractions. AQ minisuites is a bit like a capsule hostel so you are in a small separated area, but it was great and clean, and the toilets were in good condition.

I love the cafes in Almaty! You can get great coffee and yummy croissants for reasonable prices. Almaty is also very international so you can find foods of different cuisines. It is worth trying local cuisine at least once tho - my hostel recommended Navat, which has a number of outlets and some are even 24/7.

To go out of the city, you can take a tour if you are solo travelling. I booked a 2 day tour to Charyn Canyon and Kandy Lake through getyourguide (not the most cost-efficient but with english speaking guides and good reviews). You can also go check out other agencies such as Joinmeasia - there are more options available if you can speak Kazakh or Russian.