Ulaanbaatar People & Culture

I love the food (buuz rules!) and the people are great, but the mobs of little street kids who mob any white person around the central department store are tiresome! Apparently there were incidents where they even kidnap Mongolian women to be pseudo-mothers. They live underground around the hot water pipes for the city, and just mobbed me even inside the store itself until I just pushed my way through the scrum of 3 foot tall kids grabbing at me (holding my wallet the entire time obviously!!). Then again, it was February, it was -40 I went there to go trekking, so probably I was the only foreigner they had seen for months ;)

When traveling in UB, us common sense. Don't go out alone after dark. Keep drinking to a minimum if in small groups. When you do go out, go in groups as pickpockets and aggressive robbers target single people and the obnoxiously drunk

The people are generally very friendly and a lot of younger people speak at least a little English. Nightlife is quite fun, although slightly random, but beware drunken Mongolian men as they can be a little over-emotional... generally I would say cross the street, but don't panic! Best advice I would give is use it as a base and get out of the city on some trips into the country!

Ulaanbaatar is the capital city of Mongolia and there is all most one million people are living and there is number of really good restuarants you may want to try .There are like Indian and Mexican , Mongolian BBQ /completely different from Korean BBQ/ and Chinese Restuarant . The city is little dusty than the counttry side but it's the one of the cool city I like :) because I grew up there:)

I spent 16 days out in the Ikh Nart Nature Preserve = a very stunning place on the steppes of the Gobi Desert. The local nomads are very friendly people - the scenery was spectacular - and the work we were doing was very physical. I would go back in a heart beat!

While in Ulaan Baatar, go to a culture performance. They will have traditional dancing, instruments, singing, contortion and throat singing. The throat singing is so interesting. While in UB try one of the many Mongolian BBQ places, some that started in the 1200's and others that recently started in the US. All are worth a try. Also, if you have time, get out of town and go to a ger camp, even if it is for a night. It is so peaceful out there.

if you like chess-there is a intellectual museum in Ulaanbaatar and there is the worlds biggest chess table with pieces and thousands of chess boards and pieces from around the world. Fantastic!!!

I really liked Ulaanbaatat, but am not sure why. It feels more like an eastern European city than an east Asian one. It's pretty run down in places too, but its got quite a nice 'small town' feel. I was there during the Naddam festival in 2006 which was simply spectacular. Definitely recommended.

I love the food (buuz rules!) and the people are great, but the mobs of little street kids who mob any white person around the central department store are tiresome! Apparently there were incidents where they even kidnap Mongolian women to be pseudo-mothers. They live underground around the hot water pipes for the city, and just mobbed me even inside the store itself until I just pushed my way through the scrum of 3 foot tall kids grabbing at me (holding my wallet the entire time obviously!!). Then again, it was February, it was -40 I went there to go trekking, so probably I was the only foreigner they had seen for months ;)

There is a totally charming children's playground here.. or at least there was in 1988. check out the dragon slide. also the natural history museum has pretty neat dinosaur reconstructions.

Good restaurant on central square! Boeddhistic monastery is worth visiting!