Best Places to Visit in Dunhuang: Mogao Town, Crescent Spring, Jiuquan Suzhou

Dunhuang has long been a significant hub on the Silk Road and is recognized as a national historical and cultural city. To the east, the towering Sanwei Mountain rises sharply, while to the south, the majestic Qilian Mountain looms, home to the Mogao Caves, a UNESCO World Heritage site, as well as the western terminus of the Great Wall, Yumen Pass and the historic Yang Pass. Dunhuang is full of historical and cultural atmosphere in various places and the following is the best places to visit in Dunhuang.

Top 1: Mogao Town

Mogao Town, located in the eastern part of Dunhuang, borders Crescent Moon Spring Town to the south and the Dunhuang city center to the west. Named after the famous Mogao Caves within its jurisdiction, the town is rich in tourism resources and historical sites. It boasts convenient transportation, with National Highway 313 running through it, along with essential infrastructure like airports and train stations, making it a key transportation hub known as the "Gateway to Dunhuang."

The most prominent attraction is the Mogao Caves, a UNESCO World Heritage site, which were excavated from the Sixteen Kingdoms period to the Yuan Dynasty, spanning approximately 1,000 years—an unparalleled feat in Chinese cave art. They serve as a dazzling repository of ancient Chinese civilization and an important witness to the dialogue and exchange between different cultures along the ancient Silk Road. In addition to the Mogao Caves, the town features numerous historical sites, such as the Xuanquan Ruins, Wei-Jin Tombs, Sanwei Mountain, and the Hongliu Spring Resort.

Top 2: Yueyaquan Town

Yueyaquan (Crescent Spring) Town is located in the southern part of Dunhuang, at the northern foot of Mingsha Mountain. It is named after its proximity to the 5A scenic area of Mingsha Mountain and Crescent Spring, with the Dang River to the west and Dunhuang City to the north. The town features several attractions, including the Mingsha Mountain and Crescent Spring scenic area, Dunhuang Cultural Expo Garden, Yueyaquan (Crescent Spring) Small Town, and Leiyin Temple.

"Relying on the mountains to eat from the mountains, relying on the water to eat from the water", Yueyaquan Town leverages its advantageous geographical location and abundant tourism resources to develop Dunhuang's Silk Road cultural tourism industry. Here, colorful sands, seven-star grass, iron-backed fish, Gobi cuisine, starry desert skies, and camel rides attract visitors from all directions. The themed inns in the town each have their unique characteristics, with desert-yellow architecture seamlessly blending with Singing Sand Mountain. Local rural tourism blooms like a desert flower, vibrant and flourishing, as the canvas of rural tourism unfolds.

Top 3: Yangguan Town

Yangguan (Yang Pass) Town is located in the southwestern part of Dunhuang, bordered by the Dang River Reservoir to the east and the ancient Yumen Pass to the north. Named for the Yang Pass ruins within its boundaries, it is known as the "Gateway to Eastern Civilization". Inside Yang Pass and Yumen Pass were throats for ancient overland trade in China and essential stops along the Silk Road.

Surrounded by desert and Gobi, the town features sprawling vineyards that contrast sharply with the ancient Yangguan Road, a picturesque ecological tourism area forming a delightful contrast. Being immersed in it, tourists feel like they have arrived at a paradise on earth, full of joy and lingering.

The town has been built along the tourist routes of Yang Pass and Yumen Pass to create a picturesque scenery of grape fields for tasting fresh grapes, staying in farmhouse, and eating farm meals, evolving into a tour space for agricultural production, sightseeing, fitness, and leisure activities.

Top 4: Jiuquan Suzhou

Jiuquan is the superior city with jurisdiction over Dunhuang, located in the central section of the Hexi Corridor in Gansu Province. It serves as a vital node on the Eurasian corridor, linking the east and west, making it the largest key city between Lanzhou to the west and Urumqi to the east. The name "Jiuquan (Wine Spring)" originates from 121 BC, when General Huo Qubing reclaimed the Hexi region, toasting to victory with his soldiers by pouring wine into a spring.

Suzhou District is the political, economic, and cultural center of Jiuquan, situated to the east of Dunhuang. The district boasts a wealth of tourist resources, including historical and cultural relics, desert mirages, the Qilian Canyon, expansive Gobi wetlands, and unique local customs, with a blend of the vast grandeur of the desert border and the enchanting beauty akin to the Jiangnan region.

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