CN · Gansu · 40.14°N 94.66°E

dunhuang

Painted Silk Road caves and rolling sand dunes around a crescent-shaped oasis.

Best time
May–June and September–October are best for the caves and the dunes. July–August afternoons are scorching, December–February is freezing, and spring can bring dust storms.
How long
2–3 days
Getting there
Batik Air flies direct from KL a couple of times a week in season (about 7 hours); otherwise connect through Xi'an. The airport is about 20 minutes from town. Malaysians can visit mainland China visa-free for up to 30 days.
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CN · Gansudunhuang40.14°N 94.66°Egowherelah.com
Dear group chat,Painted Silk Road caves and rolling sand dunes around a crescent-shaped oasis.— gowherelahTo: whoever’s drivingDunhuangCN, Gansu
KLdunhuang
≈ 4,175 km from KL, as the crow flies
​莫高窟中段第96窟的窟檐建筑（九层楼）

Photo: 慕尼黑啤酒 · CC BY-SA 3.0

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Photos: Wikimedia Commons, credited on each.

An oasis town on the old Silk Road, where traders and pilgrims rested before or after crossing the desert. The Mogao Caves hold a thousand years of Buddhist murals, and just outside town huge sand dunes rise around a small crescent-shaped lake.

Makan

  1. Beef noodlesGansu's hand-pulled beef noodle soup, served in Hui Muslim-run shops all over town.Map ↗
  2. Lamb skewersCumin-dusted lamb grilled over charcoal at the night market.Map ↗
  3. Dried fruitApricots, raisins and dates from the oasis.Map ↗

Things to do

  1. Mogao CavesPainted Buddhist caves dug over a thousand years. The standard visit takes in about eight of them, after a film at the visitor centre.Map ↗
  2. Mingsha Shan and Crescent LakeTowering dunes around a crescent-shaped spring-fed pool. Climb up or ride a camel at sunset.Map ↗
  3. Yadan landformsWind-carved clay ridges out in the desert, about 2.5 hours west, often combined with the Jade Gate Pass.Map ↗
  4. Shazhou night marketEvening stalls of skewers, noodles, dried fruit and souvenirs.Map ↗

Good to know

  • Book Mogao online ahead with your passport details; the main tickets sell out in summer.
  • Many beef noodle and lamb restaurants in Gansu are run by Hui Muslims and are halal. Look for the qingzhen (清真) signs.
  • Do the dunes at sunset and the caves in the morning, out of the afternoon heat.

Last checked October 2026. Things change, so check opening times, fees and transport before you go.