A visit to Astana, Kazakhstan's futuristic city

The city of Astana is a magnificent sight, especially at night. Note the 105m Baiterek Tower that resembles a bird's nest. (Kazakhstan Embassy in Malaysia pic)
PETALING JAYA : At first glance, Astana – with its polished steel, bold lines and endless symmetry – feels like a city too new to have a soul.
But spend a few hours on foot, take in the angles, enjoy the cool spring winds and the warmth behind the cold exterior, and something begins to shift.
Kazakhstan's capital grows on you in ways you don't expect. It's clean, efficient, and full of contradictions, with the older generation speaking in broken Russian and Kazakh, while the youths converse in almost fluent English.
The city has a population of 1.5 million and holds over 500 international events (fun fact: J.Lo is slated to perform there in August!). Its Opera House, for instance, showcases some of the best talents with a fusion of nomadic, Russian and European culture.
Here are some of the highlights of the city, which officially became this post-Soviet nation's capital in the late 1990s.
Baiterek Tower
Every capital has its monuments. Astana has Baiterek, which is a 105m tower resembling a bird's nest. Locals say it represents a mythical bird that laid an egg in the tree of life.
The elegant Ak Orda Presidential Palace is located at one end, while the tent-shaped Khan Shatyr shopping mall sits at the other.
The Astana Grand Mosque has four 130m-tall minarets, each made of five parts to symbolise the five pillars of Islam. (Kazakhstan Embassy pic)
Astana Grand Mosque
With Islam being the predominant religion practised in Kazakhstan, the Hazrat Sultan Mosque was built in 2022.
This 68,062-sq-m house of worship, with its marble and turquoise domes standing majestic against the skyline, is able to accommodate close to 250,000 people at one time.
This makes it the largest mosque in Central Asia and among the 10 biggest in the world.
National Museum
From the Stone Age to the Silk Road era, the biggest museum in Central Asia is home to many historical artefacts as well as contemporary art pieces.
Check out warrior and nomadic costumes, rock carvings, Soviet memorabilia, and much more. It also has a separate hall for temporary exhibitions.
The Ramstore Bridge bisects the 2,450km-long Ishim River, which divides the city into older and newer halves. (Kazakhstan Embassy pic)
River and ferry rides
A walk along the Ishim River will likely make you fall for Astana. There are wide walkways lined with weeping willows and bridges. Locals speak in Kazakh, Russian and English, while kids zip past on scooters.
Lines of cafés serve crisp beer, coffee, and delicious horse meat. With the distant smell of barbecue in the air, couples lean on railings, enjoying the cool spring breeze.
Like Paris, the city is divided by the river into the left and right banks.
On the right bank is an older part of the city, featuring mainly Soviet-style architecture. The left bank holds the newer, more futuristic part of town, full of glittering high-rises.
As the sun sets, the modernity of the city becomes even more evident. (Kazakhstan Embassy pic)
Cuisine
Often paired with salads, cheese and flatbreads are staples. Halal horsemeat dishes are also frequently on the menu.
Desserts are mostly dairy-based. Baursak, deep-fried dough balls that resemble airy doughnuts, are dipped in jam or honey. For something creamier, try kurt, a salty fermented cheese ball.
Wash it all down with shubat, a fermented camel-milk drink that's considered a delicacy and tonic to aid digestion.
Incidentally, beer lovers are in for a treat: a generous-size can of local beer costs just US$1-2! The tenge, Kazakhstan's currency, trades at roughly 500 tenge to US$1 (about RM4.25).
Sink your teeth into baursak, deep-fried dough balls that are dipped in jam or honey. (Kazakhstan Embassy pic)
When should you visit?
The best time to head over is during spring (April-June) or early autumn (September-October), when the air is crisp and the city comes alive with outdoor festivals, long sunsets, and breezy riverside strolls.
How do you get there?
AirAsia flies directly from Kuala Lumpur to Almaty, from where you can board a domestic 1.5-hour flight to Astana.
Kazakhstan is open to the world with visa-free entry for many countries, including Malaysia.
With growing foreign investment and a strong push towards global integration through tech, trade, and tourism, the country is primed to position itself as a bridge between Europe and Asia.

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