Want to go to Dunhuang? This ultra-practical guide is a must-have!

History: The word 'Dunhuang' appears frequently in textbooks. Located at the westernmost end of the Hexi Corridor, 'Dun, great; Huang, prosperous' — the glorious Dunhuang has a long history of over two thousand years and was once the vital throat of the world-famous Silk Road.

Culture: Dunhuang is a crossroads where multiple cultures converged and collided — Chinese, Indian, Greek, and Islamic cultures met here. The Mogao Caves in Dunhuang are a World Cultural Heritage site, known as the art museum of the East.

Wonders: Here you can find the Yadan Devil City (Yadan Geological Park), a 5A scenic area, where you can experience nature's ingenious workmanship — the Dunhuang Yadan landform geological relics and natural landscape. Here you can also find Mingsha Mountain and Crescent Moon Spring, where sand and spring coexist in perfect harmony, renowned through the ages as a 'desert wonder.'

Cuisine: Dunhuang cuisine, with its elegant taste, innovative techniques, iconic dishes, and self-contained theory, stands out from the dishes of 34 cities across China, ranking first among China's 'New Eight Great Cuisines.' The three great Dunhuang banquets — 'Dunhuang Banquet,' 'Dream of Dunhuang Banquet,' and 'Dunhuang Music and Dance Banquet' — are famous worldwide, incorporating the essence of Dunhuang culture and local specialties. Locals in Dunhuang enjoy eating lamb, chicken, and beef, and are particularly particular about noodle-making. Characteristic Dunhuang foods such as Dunhuang Liangpizi (cold jelly noodles), Dunhuang Saozi noodles, donkey meat yellow noodles, and lamb soup with vermicelli are the most common dishes on the streets. As a foodie, how could you not try them?

How to get to Dunhuang

Shuttle bus: The airport shuttle bus stops right at the exit, with staff waiting there. It costs 10 yuan per person, departs upon flight arrivals, and terminates at Dunhuang Hotel.

Public bus: To take the bus, you need to walk to the main road outside the airport. The fare is 3 yuan. The city terminal is at the entrance of Silk Road Yiyuan Hotel, with buses approximately every 30 minutes.

Dunhuang has launched the Dunhuang Train, which takes only 12 hours from Lanzhou to Dunhuang. It features Dunhuang flying Apsaras dance performances, free WiFi, and a bar with karaoke. High-speed trains can be taken from Liuyuan to Dunhuang.

Trains from Lanzhou to Dunhuang depart in the afternoon or evening the day before and arrive the next morning, and the return trip follows the same schedule. This effectively prevents transportation from delaying your sightseeing time.

Dunhuang Bus Station offers services to Liuyuan, Jiayuguan, Jiuquan, Hami, Turpan, Urumqi, Lanzhou, Xining, and other places.

◆ Donkey meat yellow noodles

Donkey meat yellow noodles are a signature dish of Dunhuang, available at almost every restaurant. The yellow noodles are named for their bright golden color, as fine as dragon's whiskers, flexible and stretchy, with a chewy texture. The deliciousness of Dunhuang's yellow noodles lies mainly in the mushroom sauce. This sauce is made from minced mushrooms, diced donkey meat, and tofu skin, creating a thick gravy with small, firm tofu cubes that have a bit of bite.

◆ Hu sheep stewed pancake

In ancient times, Dunhuang was a nomadic area for minority groups, collectively called 'Hu people.' The dish involves stewing lamb and flatbread together. Before stewing, the dough is coated with oil, rolled thin, and then placed on top of the lamb after it has been stewed enough. Lamb broth is poured over the bread and further stewed. It is a true feast for lamb lovers. Are you drooling yet?

◆ Dunhuang Saozi noodles

Dunhuang Saozi noodles are a traditional handmade wheat noodle product. You might wonder: aren't Saozi noodles a specialty snack of Xi'an? In fact, Saozi noodles are also a traditional noodle dish in Dunhuang. Serving guests with Saozi noodles is the best hospitality of Dunhuang locals.

◆ Dunhuang Liangpizi

Dunhuang Liangpizi (cold jelly noodles) can be translucent golden or smooth as jade. When mixed with special seasonings, they taste sour, spicy, tender, and refreshing. Liangpizi is especially suitable for hot summer days — tender, tasty, sour, spicy, and cooling, appetizing and refreshing. You can find Liangpizi sold at almost every roadside stall in Dunhuang.

Heji (mixed soup) is a beloved breakfast in Dunhuang, more like an upgraded version of lamb soup with vermicelli. Heji is made by mixing lamb broth with other broths. Besides lamb and vermicelli, the bowl also contains meatballs, fried tofu, and 'jiasha' meat (fried layered meat), making it perfect for replenishing energy in the morning. Not trying this authentic local breakfast in Dunhuang would be a regret.

Apricot peel water is a local specialty beverage in Dunhuang, made from Li Guang apricots. It is similar to sour plum soup but with a milder taste. Inexpensive and delicious, it is not only tasty but also great for relieving heat.

The Mogao Caves are a key national cultural relic protection site, commonly known as the Thousand Buddha Grottoes. They are hailed as the most valuable cultural discovery of the 20th century and the 'Eastern Louvre,' located at the western end of the Hexi Corridor, famous worldwide for their exquisite murals and sculptures. The Mogao Caves consist of two parts: the Dunhuang Mogao Caves Digital Exhibition Center and the actual Mogao Caves.

Mingsha Mountain is located 6 kilometers south of Dunhuang city at the northern foot of Sand Singing Mountain, named for the sound of moving sand. It was anciently called 'Sand Horn Mountain' or 'Divine Sand Mountain.' Since ancient times, water and fire have been incompatible, and desert springs seldom coexist, but in Mingsha Mountain, you can see the strange scene of desert and clear spring side by side. Hence, 'Sand Ridge Singing in the Clear Sky' is one of the 'Eight Scenic Spots' of Dunhuang.

Crescent Moon Spring is shaped like a crescent moon, with dense reeds on the south bank, surrounded by shifting sand. Even in strong winds, the spring is not buried by sand. It becomes a wonder because 'the spring reflects the moon without dust' and 'eternally, sand does not fill the spring, and the spring never dries up.' Legend has it that iron-backed fish and seven-star grass grow in the spring, which can cure difficult diseases and grant immortality, earning it the name 'Medicine Spring.'

【Yadan National Geological Park】

Yadan National Geological Park, also called Yadan Devil City, features a large area of unique Yadan landforms. Over thousands of years, under the action of flowing water and wind, the landscape has gradually transformed into various strange shapes — some like animals, some like buildings, some like warships — very spectacular.

【Dunhuang Ancient City】

Dunhuang Ancient City was built in 1987 for the Sino-Japanese co-produced historical film 'Dunhuang,' modeled after the ancient Shazhou City of the Song Dynasty. Later, it became the filming location for many movies and shows such as 'Creation of the Gods,' 'New Dragon Gate Inn,' and 'Running Man.' 'Dun, great; Huang, prosperous' — the ancients used this phrase to describe the prosperity of ancient Dunhuang. Today, the Dunhuang Ancient City, located 16 kilometers west of Dunhuang city, recreates Dunhuang's former glory and legendary tales.

Yumen Pass was established when Emperor Wu of Han opened the route to the Western Regions and set up the four commanderies of Hexi. It got its name because jade from the Western Regions entered through this pass. Yumen Pass is also known as Xiaofangpan City, along with Hecang City (Dafangpan City).

Dunhuang Night Market is located on Yangguan East Road in Dunhuang city and is the largest night market. With its distinct local characteristics and rich folk customs, it is hailed as the 'Night View' and 'Folk Scene' of Dunhuang.

You can leisurely enjoy tea and rest while various local specialty snacks tempt your taste buds.

Most eye-catching are the handicrafts lined up along the street: Dunhuang's unique crystal stone glasses, white jade camel, Dunhuang silk carpets, sculptures, mural reproductions, and luminous cups are all dazzling.

Here, you can find treasures you desire.

Dunhuang Travel Notes

a) If you choose to travel in winter, just bring winter essentials.

b) If you travel between June and September, remember to bring both summer and autumn clothes because of the large temperature difference between day and night. You'll need a jacket early morning and late evening to avoid catching a cold; midday it's hot, so summer clothes suffice.

Also, be sure to protect yourself from the sun. Sunglasses and sunscreen are essential. The UV rays in Dunhuang are particularly strong. Whether you care about your looks or not, pay attention to sun protection, or you might end up looking like an African — that would be troublesome.

Dunhuang is deep inland, blocked by tall mountains, far from humid ocean currents. It has an extremely arid continental climate, dry with little rain all year round, and huge temperature differences between day and night.

When visiting the Yadan landforms, be sure to bring plenty of water.

The distances between Dunhuang's tourist attractions are long, the spots are scattered and monotonous, with long bus rides and long train rides. Bring food, playing cards, etc. Also, a comfortable, well-fitting pair of shoes for walking is particularly important.

The Silk Road itinerary is long, and the climate varies greatly, so travelers may experience temporary discomfort from the change in environment. You should bring some medicines: band-aids, cold medicine, gastrointestinal medicine. However, there are many local pharmacies in Dunhuang, so you don't need to bring too much.