Dunhuang Travel Guide

Situated in a rich oasis at the junction of Gansu, Qinghai and Xinjiang provinces, Dunhuang connects Qilian Mountains in the south and vast desert in the west. Covering an area of 31,200 km², the city’s symbol is a Rebound Pipa Statue deriving from Dunhuang murals in Mogao Grottoes.

Dunhuang was founded in 111 BC in Han Dynasty and played an important role on ancient Silk Road. During the Sui and Tang dynasties, the Buddhism got great development in the area and the monks painted murals inside the Mogao Grottoes. Today, the city has been declined for its role on Silk Road but is famous for its Buddhist art and manuscripts, which were put on UNESCO's list of the world's cultural heritage worthy of special protection.
 

Attractions

Dunhuang is a famous tourist destination reputed for its ancient brilliance on the Silk Road and profound Buddhism culture. Mogao Grottoes with treasured Buddhist murals is the most famous Buddhist cave throughout China and the world attracting people from home and abroad.

           Mogao Grottoes                                           Crescent Spring

Yumen Pass and Yangguan Pass are the witnesses of Dunhuang’s brilliant history on the Silk Road. Apart from the historical attractions, Dunhuang with many Sand Dunes also boasts amazing natural sceneries like Crescent Spring, a marvelous spectacle in the desert and Echoing-Sand Mountain, where the sand create gentle music when the wind blows.

More about Dunhuang Attractions:
White Horse Pagoda        Dunhuang Museum        Yulin Grottoes
 

Transportation

Surrounded by vast Gobi, Dunhuang in the remote northwest of Gansu Province often gives people the image that it’s difficult to get to. However, Dunhuang as a hot tourism city has convenient transportation for you to easily arrive by plane, train and long-distance bus. The city is quite small and it’s very convenient to get around by rickshaw and bicycle with cheap price. More about Dunhuang Transportation>>
 

Weather

Dunhuang has an arid continental climate with an annual average temperature of 9.48°C (49.1°F) and distinctive four seasons. July is the hottest month while January is the coldest. The temperature varies greatly between day and night. The city gets seldom rainfall and precipitation is outstripped by evaporation. May to September is the best time to travel to Dunhuang. More about Dunhuang Weather>>
 

Food

Local Dunhuang people like mutton, chicken and beef and they take noodle as their staple food. Dunhuang Cuisine has refined taste, novel skills and special dishes. The most famous dishes are Hand Pulled Saozi Noodle, Niangpizi and Yellow Noodle. Other famous ones include Apricot Peel Water, Camel Hoof on Silk Road and Fried Oil Cake. More about Dunhuang Food>>
 

Restaurants

Restaurants in Dunhuang serve authentic and delicious Chinese food with reasonable price. If you want to try authentic noodles in Dunhuang, we recommend Shunzhang Lvrou Huangmian Restaurant and Daji Lvrou Huangmian Restaurant which specialize in yellow noodles with donkey meat. More about Dunhuang Restaurants>>
 

Shopping

What to Buy in Dunhuang
Top-rated local products: Dunhuang melon, painted sculpture, luminous cup, carpet, craft of camel, calligraphy and painting, antiques, Dunhuang wax printing and glasses of crystal stone, etc.

Where to Buy in Dunhuang
The city is not big and most famous shopping places are gathered around the Rebound Pipa Statue at city center. Dunhuang Pedestrian Street and Shazhou Market are good places for shopping. Daily articles, food and souvenirs can be found at those places. The souvenir market out at the Mogao Grottos is also a good place to buy because of its good price. More about Dunhuang Shopping>>
 

Nightlife

Nightlife in Dunhuang is of local characteristics. There are not many bars, discos or clubs since it is a tourist city not so modern. Watch the sunset at Gobi desert or hang out at the Shazhou Market are both good ways to experience local life.

You are recommended to enjoy Summer of Dunhuang at Dunhuang Hotel, hang out at Shazhou Night Market and take part in the performance by Dunhuang Musicians and Dancers at the street to experience local customs and life. More about Dunhuang Nightlife>>