'I visited mysterious city you have to be invited to – and everyone has same observation'

There are many places in the world that are popular with tourists and there are plenty of hidden gems not many know about. Some countries are also more strict with who they allow in, the most well-known example being North Korea, which remains closed to most international tourists.

Other nations do allow tourism but visitors must meet certain strict requirements for entry, such as Turkmenistan. Tourists can only visit this landlocked country in Central Asia if they have a visa and a valid letter of invitation. This is typically obtained from a local travel agency that applies on your behalf to the government, authorising your visa application for entry into the country.

Ashgabat, the largest and capital city in Turkmenistan, holds a Guinness World Record for the highest density of white marble buildings and is known for its grand scale and golden monuments.

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Pandhu Waskitha is known for his backpacking travel adventures and has accumulated 2.1 million followers on TikTok.

He posted a video on the platform showing himself exploring Ashgabat and overlaying the clip, he wrote: “POV: Entering one of the most mysterious countries.”

The Indonesian backpacker captured the white marble buildings, gold statues, fountains and modern architecture but viewers who watched the video were left wondering one thing: why it looks so empty.

Throughout the video no people can be seen on the streets or inside the buildings, making the city look very empty.

In the caption of his post, Pandhu penned: “Surreal white marble, golden monuments, and almost empty streets - welcome to Ashgabat, the capital of Turkmenistan, often called one of the world’s most unique and mysterious cities. “

He added: “Designed with grand scale and symmetry, Ashgabat feels like it belongs in a movie - futuristic, elegant, and unlike anywhere else.

“Fun fact: the city is also known for its immaculate cleanliness and carefully manicured streets, reflecting the Turkmen love for order and beauty.”

The backpacker described Ashgabat as a “place where reality feels cinematic and every corner sparks curiosity.”

Despite its beautiful appearance, the city seems eerily deserted due to deliberate government policy that focuses on large-scale, grand architecture that projects an image of grandeur rather than to house a large population.

The city’s hot climate also discourages people from being outside for long periods of time and many central areas, such as presidential buildings, are not open to the public.

According to Ebsco, of the approximately 5.6 million people living in Turkmenistan, an estimated 902,000 live in Ashgabat.

The majority of the population reside in the more affordable parts of the city, away from the expensive white marble areas.

Pandhu’s TikTok video has racked up an incredible 9.7 million views, 1.2 million likes and more than 8,400 comments.

One user asked: “Why does it look so empty?” While another echoed: “Where are the people?”

Others compared it to the Capitol, a technologically advanced metropolis in The Hunger Games book and film series, with comments, including “it’s truly giving the Hunger Games, “welcome to the Capitol” and “the real embodiment of [the] Capitol from [The] Hunger Games.”

Someone who is familiar with Ashgabat remarked: "I lived in Ashgabat, Turkmenistan for half a year. It’s actually really cool, the nightlife is something else, and there’s an underground skate scene that is FIRE. Pls (please) don’t judge without knowing."

Another user said: "Three words for Turkmenistan: clean, neat, beautiful."