A Mysterious and Stunning Trip to Dunhuang in April
For me, a kid from Northeast China, Dunhuang has always been a place I longed to visit, because it is filled with mystery. The great distance, the deep history, my childhood impression of the Mogao Caves—the 'Nine-Colored Deer'—the endless desert, and the oasis of hope in the sand, the Crescent Moon Spring, all kept telling me: I must go there! This April, my dream finally came true. Now I am writing down this experience, hoping it might be a little helpful for my fellow Northeasterners who want to visit Dunhuang.
1. Transportation: I started from Dandong, Liaoning, so between Shenyang and Dalian airports, I chose Shenyang Taoxian Airport. My route was Shenyang–Lanzhou, then Lanzhou–Dunhuang. On this route, you can see from the sky deserts and snow-capped mountains that are rare for us. (For those who don’t like flying, here’s an alternative: fly from Shenyang to Lanzhou, then take the tourist train from Lanzhou to Dunhuang.)
2. Accommodation: Dunhuang city is not large, and as a tourist city, there are many places to stay. I chose Jinjiang Inn Shangpinmiaojie Branch (no ad). It’s affordable and clean. I highly recommend the Zero-Pressure Room; it costs a bit more, but the latex pillows and mattress let you fully rest after a tiring day.
3. Getting Around: Dunhuang Airport, Dunhuang Railway Station, and the Mogao Caves are quite close to each other, but there are no buses to the city center. So you need to take a taxi to and from these three spots. Mingsha Mountain and the Crescent Moon Spring are within the city, and you can take a direct bus there.
4. Attractions: I arrived in Dunhuang in the evening, but it gets dark very late there. You can check in and then go out to eat and stroll around.
Day 1: I booked a one-day tour in advance. The spots were: Dunhuang Ancient City (the ancient Dunhuang city scenes we see on TV come from here; those who like taking photos can experience a swordsman or chivalrous woman style here), West Thousand Buddha Caves (it feels like a mini Mogao Caves, with murals to see inside), Yangguan Pass, and Yumen Pass.
Day 2: In the morning, I took a bus to Mingsha Mountain and the Crescent Moon Spring. The moment I got off the bus and saw Mingsha Mountain, I was truly stunned. Yes, stunned. I suddenly felt like I had traveled to Egypt? Then I immediately started video calling my parents and friends, eager to share this shock with them. I highly recommend riding a camel at Mingsha Mountain. It costs 100 yuan, but you ride up and down the sand dunes, an amazing experience. One thing to share: there will be an official Mingsha Mountain photographer 'blocking the way' to take pictures. They charge 20 yuan per photo when you exit, but I don’t recommend it. The camels are in teams of five, led by one handler. They also take photos for us midway, 20 yuan per person, using our own phones and taking many shots. I think that’s good value. When I climbed to the top of the sand dune, what a sense of achievement!
In the afternoon, I took a taxi to the Mogao Caves. First, you watch a digital film, then you visit the caves. The digital film venue and the actual caves are some distance apart. You can visit 8 caves in total. Many people, after finishing their assigned 8 caves with their guide, wait inside to follow another guide to see caves they haven’t visited. I think they are very energetic, because after 8 caves I was already exhausted. When you leave, don’t forget to find a café near the exit where you can buy creative ice cream shaped like the Nine-Story Building and the Crescent Moon Spring—15 yuan each, which is acceptable.
5. Food: I personally like Dunhuang’s apricot peel tea, recommended. Dunhuang’s donkey meat with yellow noodles is excellent, highly recommended. Also, Dunhuang people eat a lot of lamb, and since it’s not far from Xinjiang, there are many freshly baked naan breads that are delicious. You can try sweet fermented barley milk tea, but I still prefer the apricot peel tea. The local Li Guang apricots are famous, but if you’re not careful, you might buy Xinjiang apricots instead.
That’s basically my budget trip. A few special points to share: 1. A local told me that there is a filming site for the movie 'The Ghouls' (Jiuceng Yaota) that you need to take a taxi to. If you have enough time, go check it out. I missed it, a bit regrettable. 2. The ticket for Mingsha Mountain is valid for three days. Again, if you have time, you can go multiple times. For me, once was not enough.
This little sharing, I hope it might help you a bit. I’ve never written a travelogue before, almost zero experience, please forgive me. If your heart moves you, just go out and travel!
