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Best Things to Do
Top 20 Best Things to Do in Dunhuang [2025]
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Mingsha Mountain And Crescent Spring
4.6
/5
26660 reviews
8.9
From £11.51
Mingsha Mountain and Crescent Moon Spring | 6.1 km from downtown
Phone 0937-8883388
Address: 6 km south of Dunhuang City, Jiuquan City
Recommended sightseeing time: 3-5 hours
Featured in 2025 Asia 100 – Best Things to Do
Highlights:
Sand dunes and springs: A desert oasis
Desert dunes & spring coexistence
Saved by 633 users19926 positive reviews
Verified User Reviews
One ticket can be used for three days, which is really good. The child is usually very clingy. He came here to play by himself without paying attention to us. When he came again for the second time, he made good friends and was reluctant to leave.
✨ Mingsha Mountain and Crescent Lake, a miracle in the desert! 🏜️
🌅 In the evening, the golden sand dunes and the emerald green Crescent Lake complement each other in a breathtakingly beautiful scene! 💖
🏊♀️ Enjoy a refreshing stroll through the desert and experience the wonder and magnificence of nature. 💪
👨👩👧👦 Bring your children along for this adventure, allowing them to experience the charm of nature and broaden their horizons. 👶
📷 Snapped countless beautiful photos, each one a treasure! 📸
Highly recommended for those who love adventure and nature! 🌟
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Mogao Caves
4.4
/5
10027 reviews
8.3
From £26.99
Based on 892 reviews
16.7 km from downtown
Phone 400-833-3715
Address: Yangguan Avenue, Dunhuang City, Jiuquan City, Gansu Province
Recommended sightseeing time: 3-4 hours
Featured in 2025 Asia 100 – Best Things to Do
Highlights:
Guided tour of select grottoes
Watch two 20-minute Mogao films
Saved by 475 users5533 positive reviews
Verified User Reviews
In the caves of Mogao Grottoes, time seems to solidify into color. The sky on the mural stretches the ribbon, still light in the thousand-year wind and sand; the Buddha statue smiles, hiding compassion in every garment fold. The plank road is a series of 16 countries to Yuan time. In the mottled murals, there are business travel camel bells, warp rolls, and the piety of the painters at their fingertipsthey may not have left the murals, but they have planted eternity on the rock walls with mineral pigments. Out of the cave, the wind of Mingsha Mountain passed by the ears. Those faded lines and colors were the appearance of generations of faith against time.
The Mogao Grottoes, located on the eastern slopes of Mingsha Mountain in Dunhuang, Gansu Province, are commonly known as the Thousand Buddha Caves. It is the world's largest and most diverse extant site of Buddhist art, earning it the nickname "The Louvre of the East" and "The Art Museum in the Desert." Construction began in 366 AD and continued through the millennia from the Sixteen Kingdoms period to the Yuan Dynasty. The site boasts 735 caves, 45,000 square meters of murals, and 2,415 painted clay sculptures. Visitors must first watch two historical films at the Digital Center before enjoying a guided tour of the caves. Regular tickets offer access to eight caves, while Category A tickets offer a more refined experience. The site also houses exhibition halls and an art gallery, and advance reservations are required. Winter is ideal for filming in Hanfu costumes, with iconic photo spots such as the Sutra Library in Cave 17 and the Nine-Story Tower in Cave 96 serving as photo spots. Family trips can be accompanied by academic experts or lecturers, and the Mogao Academy also offers craft classes, with children receiving certificates for participating.
Encore Dunhuang
4.3
/5
2887 reviews
7.5
From £34.38
Dunhuang Airport/Dunhuang Railway Station | 8.9 km from downtown
Phone 400-1829-777
Address: West side of the digital center of Mogao Grottoes, Dunhuang City, Jiuquan City
Recommended sightseeing time: 1.5 hours
No.2 of Night Attractions in Dunhuang
Highlights:
Desert theater near Mogao Caves
Silk Road stories at Mogao Caves
2188 positive reviews10K views in last month
Verified User Reviews
High cost-effectiveness, service quality exceeded expectations, highly recommended to friends who come here for tourism.
The hotel has good sound insulation, quiet and undisturbed at night, ensuring a good rest environment.
The hotel has beautiful green environment and fresh air, suitable for relaxation and leisure
The whole performance had no main plot, and I felt lonely. The first act was like a catwalk of ancient people. The second act was about Taoist Wang, which was a bit of a storyline. The third act was short and the space was small, dividing the audience into many groups. The audience was so panicked that they didn't know where to go or where to look. In the fourth act, there were finally seats... It felt chaotic, and the audience ran around like monkeys... This was my first time experiencing such a performance, and after watching it, I felt like I was watching a poetry recitation
No.
4
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Yangguan Pass Relic tourism District
4.5
/5
2526 reviews
7.2
From £5.25
Based on 59 reviews
56.4 km from downtown
Phone 0937-8833089
Address: Yangguan Scenic Spot, Yangguan Town, Dunhuang City, Jiuquan City
Recommended sightseeing time: 2-3 hours
No.1 of Family-Friendly Attractions in Dunhuang
Highlights:
Gobi views & distant mountains
Spectacular ancient beacon tower ruins
1533 positive reviews10K views in last month
Verified User Reviews
There were some unexpected surprises, especially the scenery of the Yangguan site, which was very shocking. The perspectives of several museums were also great, not many people, and the experience was very good. I should have stayed a little longer.
Dunhuang Yangguan, an ancient pass carrying thousands of years of history and profound cultural heritage, shines brightly in the long river of time. Today, Yangguan Scenic Area has become a place for people to explore history and feel the charm of culture.
From the perspective of historical events, Yangguan was built during the reign of Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty and is an important pass on the southern route of the Silk Road. Zhang Qian was sent to the Western Regions and took a key step in the communication between Chinese and Western civilizations from here. Countless caravans, messengers, and monks traveled back and forth along this ancient road, bringing silk, porcelain, and tea from the Central Plains, and also bringing back spices, jewelry, culture, and art from the Western Regions. It witnessed the strength and tolerance of the Han Dynasty and the prosperous scene of the exchange of Eastern and Western civilizations. During the Tang Dynasty, Yangguan was still a military stronghold and a trade hub. Countless soldiers were stationed here to resist foreign enemies and defend their country. "I advise you to drink another glass of wine. There will be no old friends when you go west of Yangguan." Wang Wei's poem fully expresses the special meaning of Yangguan as a place of farewell in people's hearts, and also makes its name spread through the ages with poetry.
On the cultural level, Yangguan is an important symbol of frontier culture. Many literati and poets have left immortal poems for it. These poems not only describe the magnificent scenery of Yangguan, such as "Yangguan Road in the remote area, Hu sand and frontier dust", but also express people's complex emotions about war, separation, homesickness, etc., and have become a shining pearl in the treasure house of ancient Chinese literature.
When you walk into the Yangguan Scenic Area in Dunhuang today, the first thing that comes into view is the quaint and majestic Yangguan Duwei Mansion, where you can seem to see the heroic figures of the soldiers ready to go. Going further, the ruins of the former site of Yangguan stand quietly in the desert. Although they have experienced vicissitudes, they can still make people feel the majestic momentum of the city at that time. Those pieces of ancient bricks and stones seem to be telling the story of the former golden weapons and iron horses, beacon fires and wolf smoke. There is also the iconic "Yangguan Avenue", which is spacious and flat, which makes people think of the prosperous scene of the endless stream of caravans in ancient times.
The rich historical relics and the carefully crafted cultural landscape in the scenic area complement each other, which not only preserves the profound sense of history, but also vividly shows the historical culture of Yangguan to tourists through sculptures, museum displays and other forms, allowing people to travel through time and space, touch history, and feel the unique charm of Yangguan. Whether it is to trace the footprints of history or to feel the influence of ancient culture, Dunhuang Yangguan Scenic Area is undoubtedly an excellent place worth visiting.
No.
5
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Site of Yumen Pass
4.4
/5
2118 reviews
7.1
Based on 117 reviews
68.7 km from downtown
Phone 0937-8821984
Address: Dunhuang City, Jiuquan City, Gansu
Recommended sightseeing time: 1-2 hours
Highlights:
Hara Lake's reed spectacle
Gobi's Hala Lake & reeds
1043 positive reviews10K views in last month
Verified User Reviews
Amidst endless yellow sand and the boundless Gobi Desert, a lonely earthen fortress stands in the desolate northwest wilderness. This is Yumen Pass. Today, few visitors visit, and those who do often offer a fleeting glimpse, snap a photo, and then move on to the next attraction. Yet, this seemingly unassuming earthen fortress carries the deepest emotional codes of Chinese civilization—it serves as a geographical reference for frontier poems, a spiritual symbol of homesickness for soldiers stationed there, and a historical witness to the clash and integration of civilizations. Standing before the ruins of Yumen Pass, we encounter not only a lost military history but also a collective nostalgia that transcends time and space.
When Yumenguan just entered, those drums were very big, and they were super loud and very interesting. It was very big inside. I went to two attractions by sightseeing car. It was very sun-dried. The traces of history felt like they were about to weather. I wanted to see it as early as possible.
No.
6
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Dahaidao
4.7
/5
753 reviews
7.1
From £4.71
>100 km from downtown
Phone 0902-6581888
Address: Qijiajing Town, Yizhou District, Hami City, Uygur Autonomous Region
Recommended sightseeing time: 3-5 hours
Highlights:
Stargazing feels like a secret
Fossil mirage & wild camels
681 positive reviews10K views in last month
Verified User Reviews
The tour leader, Miki, was great. The itinerary was well planned and he was also very enthusiastic about helping us take videos and photos. He took us to experience the thrill of riding on an off-road vehicle in the Dahaidao and climbing the slopes. The excitement was full. He also treated us to sweet cantaloupe during the break. This trip to the Dahaidao was awesome👍
It is a hardcore scenic spot that is worth visiting. The beautiful scenery is all in the back, and the food is not expensive. However, it is very demanding on the vehicle. The general city SUV is not a big problem, but it is better to have a higher chassis. Also, if you go out from the north gate, the car must be less than 2.2 meters high, otherwise there are a lot of height limit poles and you can't get on the highway. The road infrastructure out of the north gate is average, and there is no clear road surface. People with poor directions or average road recognition ability should be cautious. The temperature is high, so be sure to check the tires. I encountered two tires that were blown along the way, and one of them was the spare tire.
No.
7
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Dunhuang Museum
4.7
/5
1098 reviews
7.1
Based on 90 reviews
Mingsha Mountain and Crescent Moon Spring | 1.4 km from downtown
Phone 0937-8818173
Address: 1390 Mingshan North Road, Dunhuang City, Jiuquan City
Recommended sightseeing time: 1.5-2 hours
Highlights:
Next to Mogao Caves Heritage
Experience ancient painting techniques firsthand
855 positive reviews10K views in last month
Verified User Reviews
Teacher Cai’s explanation was excellent. He knew the history of Dunhuang like the back of his hand and told many historical stories about cultural relics. Everyone listened with great interest and their love for Dunhuang was evident.
Teacher Rong gave a very good lecture for three and a half hours. He gave a very thorough explanation of the history of Dunhuang. It was better to visit the Dunhuang Museum before going to Mogao Grottoes. Teacher Rong spent about half an hour explaining the Dunhuang murals in the corridor. Without his explanation, I basically couldn't understand anything. There are also replica caves. By comparing the replicas with the originals, I discovered the superb craftsmanship of ancient times.
No.
8
Dunhuang Yardang National Geopark
4.6
/5
2747 reviews
7.1
From £6.08
>100 km from downtown
Phone 0937-5900110
Address: About 180 kilometers northwest of Dunhuang City, Jiuquan City
Recommended sightseeing time: 2-3 hours
Highlights:
Stunning Yardang views & perspectives
Wind-eroded formations & ship-like hills
Saved by 111 users1279 positive reviews
Verified User Reviews
Dunhuang Yadan Devil City is famous for its hundreds of millions of years of wind etched Yadan landforms. Thousands of earth hills such as fleets, castles, beasts stand still in the Gobi, and the wind is old and low like ghost words, and it is treacherous and shocking. At sunset, the golden light is splashed, and the rock body is like burning ruins; After nightfall, the galaxy pours down, the light-free starry sky and the Yadan silhouette intertwine magical feeling. It is recommended to report to the photography group, capture the barren aesthetic with wide-angle lens, wear dark clothing to strengthen the silhouette tension. Tickets include sightseeing cars, the whole journey is not walkable, prepare enough sun protection and dry food, feel the original wildness of the earth.
The Yadan landform is well worth visiting, though 70% depends on your imagination, and the overwhelming magnificence is truly undeniable. Although the sandstorm started to pick up around 8 PM, waiting for the sunset amidst the wind and sand was well worth it.
Speaking of sunset, I didn't catch the sunset bus because I wasn't sure about the schedule. Fortunately, the guide on bus 37 (either slept or was he tired) made arrangements, and we managed to catch up after waiting at sunset for an hour and a half. He also kept an eye on the situation and urged safety. He even sent me a photo of the sunrise the next morning. Friends are great, very generous („ಡωಡ„)
No.
9
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Ancient Sound of Dunhuang
4.7
/5
304 reviews
6.6
From £31.17
Dunhuang Airport/Dunhuang Railway Station | 8.6 km from downtown
Phone 400-6666-272
Address: 甘肃省酒泉市敦煌市阳关东路7970号
Recommended sightseeing time: 1-1.5 hours
Highlights:
Cave show: Dunhuang music culture
Dunhuang shows year-round
280 positive reviewsRecently viewed by 1,000+ people
Verified User Reviews
Freshly released immersive theater in June 2025! In the first 20 minutes, the audience slowly immersed themselves in the story along with the actors, which was very unique! The Ctrip package also gave a conspicuous bag with a pass book inside, which could be stamped for free. The children loved this kind of interaction!
Worth a visit. Even the kids were stunned. It was an immersive performance. People moved around in the performance scenes. The costumes and props were exquisite. Parking was also convenient. Dunhuang is doing a good job in tourism.
No.
10
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The Western Thousands Buddha Grottoes
4.3
/5
262 reviews
6.0
Based on 46 reviews
31.3 km from downtown
Phone 0937-8857158
Address: Dunhuang, Jiuquan
Recommended sightseeing time: 1 hour
Highlights:
Admire exquisite murals and Buddha sculptures
Admire multi-dynasty Buddhist art grottoes
33% positive reviewsRecently viewed by 1,000+ people
Verified User Reviews
The West Thousand Buddha Caves are on the road from Dunhuang to Yangguan. They belong to the Thousand Buddha Caves and are located to the west of the Mogao Grottoes in Dunhuang, hence the name West Thousand Buddha Caves. At present, the West Thousand Buddha Caves are also under the unified operation and management of the Dunhuang Research Institute.
The emergency tickets for the Mogao Grottoes in July have been sold out. We queued for more than an hour at the West Thousand Buddha Caves. You can see 4 caves, and the 30 tickets are very cost-effective. If you miss the Mogao Grottoes, you can come here as an alternative. There are also separate explanation services here, which can give you a basic understanding of the northern grottoes.
It was not well protected before 1984. After seeing the last cave, it was changed beyond recognition. Only the painting on the top of the cave can be appreciated. The overall explanation here is better than that of the Yulin Grottoes, and the experience is better with fewer people in a batch.
When you come out of the parking lot, you can see the solar thermal station, which is also quite shocking.
The driver of Gansu F20907, Master Shen, for the Dunhuang East Line One-Day Tour, which includes the Western Thousand Buddha Caves and other attractions, has superb driving skills and a very good service attitude. He was humorous and took us to various attractions smoothly and safely throughout the trip. The cultural landscape is rich and the travel experience is great and happy.
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