Mingsha Mountain and Crescent Moon Spring — Attraction in Dunhuang City

Security gives preference to nationals over foreigners. Up on the dunes, there are so-called 'ladders' which you should apparently use to walk to the top of the dune. I had no knowledge of this because there were no clear signs. Everyone else who was Chinese didn't bother with the ladder, leaving trails all over the dune. So I did the same.

About 30 seconds in of walking up, I hear the voice of an angry man shouting behind me. He was telling me to get off and use the ladder in Chinese, but it took me a while to realise because every other people on the thing weren't using a ladder - so I didn't even know they existed. I guarantee you that he only singled me out because of my skin colour. The man was probably watching me the moment I stepped close to the dunes. So I got off the dune, walking past everyone else who was happily scaling it without a ladder - leaving trails all over the place.

Left a sour and unwelcoming taste in my mouth.

Apart from that, the views are a...

A big Dunhuang Unesco Global Geopark Guide Map signboard show us the layout plan of Mingsha Mountain & Crescent Spring before Park, infact as we venture further, Crescent Spring is surrounded by sand dunes known as the Mingsha Mountain (鳴沙山).

Our group today is taken to have a camel ride along the so called the Echoing-Sand Dune to Crescent Lake!!! Indeed an exciting bumpy & humping camel ride...then slowly strode the other side of dune. The Camel Guide made stop after 10mins, he asked if we want our photographs taken, he will use our mobile camera at a charge of RMB20 per person.

Well layout Directory Signboard leads tourist to walk through the Crescent Spring Temple, its gift shop and the scenic spot around the Dunhuang Unesco...

We were told to come here by some travelers from YouTube and it made for a very fun day. It was a good long walk from the hotel where we stayed and the taxi drivers tried to rip us off on the way back, but other than that it was a beautiful site!! The temple is gorgeous and there is much to do around it. You have to buy a ticket to enter the area, but in my opinion it is a fun stop if you plan to venture all the way out there. Sand dunes are MUCH bigger in real life and we did manage to walk up one, and the sight was breathtaking. On the way back we were caught in a sand storm, but I enjoyed it! Definitely felt like...