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Lamb and Starch-Noodle Soup
PopularWarmingHui flavors
¥15–28
Clear broth from desert-grazed sheep bones accompanies silky starch noodles and hand-torn lamb, with cilantro and pepper—a warming winter favorite.
No online product linked yet.
Silk Road flavors
Mogao ochre
Donkey-meat yellow noodles, lamb-and-starch-noodle soup and lamb-braised flatbread—old Silk Road flavors beneath the desert sky.
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Featured snacks
Northwest China
Region
CuminFull-bodiedFruit fragrance
Dunhuang events and travel information
Published event guides and travel information for Dunhuang.
No published event guides or travel information are available for this city yet.
Travel information
Places and neighborhoods worth exploring in Dunhuang.
🏛️
Mogao Caves
A vast and richly detailed Buddhist-art sanctuary: 735 caves, 45,000 square meters of murals and 2415 painted sculptures spanning ten dynasties.
World Heritage5A scenic areaMust-visit
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World Heritage · Buddhist art¥238/adult · Advance reservation required
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Mingsha Mountain and Crescent Lake
Thunder-like singing dunes surround a crescent spring that has endured for a thousand years—a remarkable coexistence of sand and water.
5A scenic areaNatural wondersDesert
View details
Natural wonders · Desert experiences¥110/adult · Valid for three days
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Yumen Pass
“The spring wind does not cross Yumen Pass”: the Han Silk Road’s northern gateway to the Western Regions and a far-western frontier stronghold.
World HeritageHan Great WallSilk Road
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Historic landmarks · Han Great Wall¥40/adult · Includes Han Great Wall remains
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Yardang Devil City
Wind and time have sculpted hundreds of square kilometers of earth mounds into an abandoned-city landscape that looks otherworldly at sunset.
National geoparkPhotography destinationSunset
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Geological wonders · Yardangs¥50/adult + ¥70 sightseeing vehicle
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Shazhou Night Market
A thousand-year-old gathering place for Silk Road travelers, with whole roast lamb, donkey noodles and apricot tea—the night’s richest western flavors.
Night marketsFoodFree admission
View details
Food experiences · Local cultureFree admission
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Yangguan Pass Ruins
“West of Yangguan, no old friends remain”: the Han Silk Road’s southern pass, with a surviving beacon and museum recalling two thousand years of frontier life.
Historic remainsSilk RoadFrontier heritage
View details
Historic landmarks · Silk Road¥50/adult
Featured snacks
Dunhuang's signature street-food highlights.
🍜
Donkey-Meat Yellow Noodles
Must-tryNoodles and dough dishesAncient Silk Road flavors
¥15–30
Hand-rolled noodles made golden and springy with plant-ash alkaline water receive rich diced-donkey sauce, garlic and chili oil—Dunhuang’s signature noodles.
No online product linked yet.
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Lamb-Braised Flatbread
Must-tryHearty main dishesAncient Silk Road flavors
¥48–88/portion
Lamb and hand-rolled dough sheets braise in one pot, the bread absorbing rich meat juices until soft and flavorful—a hearty Dunhuang banquet dish.
No online product linked yet.
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Dunhuang Niangpi
SpecialtyLiangpi (Cold Noodle Sheets)Summer
¥6–12
Thick, springy steamed wheat sheets with garlic, sesame paste, chili oil and aged vinegar—a popular Dunhuang summer street snack.
No online product linked yet.
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Li Guang Apricots
Local specialtySeasonalFresh fruit
¥25–48/jin
Dunhuang’s distinctive apricot has golden skin with a red blush, honey-sweet juicy flesh and no tartness. It ripens in June for a fresh-fruit season of only 20 days.
No online product linked yet.
🥮
Bubble-Crust Fried Cakes
PopularDessertNight markets
¥3–8/each
Flaky dough encloses brown sugar and sesame, fried into a bubbled crust with a molten center—a leading queue at Shazhou Night Market.
No online product linked yet.
How to enjoy it
How to enjoy Dunhuang's street-food highlights.
🍜 Donkey-Meat Yellow Noodles for Breakfast
- Go early：Most shops serve breakfast and lunch, closing by two in the afternoon. Shunzhang and Daji already have queues around six or seven in the morning.
- Mix thoroughly：Mix the sauce into the hot noodles quickly while they are springy and separate. Add a spoonful of chili oil and a little vinegar.
- Add garlic：Raw garlic is the local pairing: alternate a bite of noodles and garlic for a meeting of sharpness and rich meat flavor.
🫓 How to Eat Lamb-Braised Flatbread
- Eat the dough first：Start with the top layer of amber-colored dough soaked in lamb broth, its soft savory texture the dish’s essence.
- Then eat the lamb：After most dough is gone, lift the ribs below. Braised for over an hour, the lamb should separate easily from the bone.
- Remember the potatoes：Do not miss the large potato pieces at the bottom, rich with lamb fat and broth and soft enough to melt in the mouth.
🍑 Apricot-Skin Tea: Dunhuang’s Favorite Summer Drink
- Look for Lao Majia：Lao Majia at the market entrance is locally praised for tea simmered from dried Li Guang apricots for three hours. The source claims no added water or sugar, with sweetness from the fruit alone.
- Enjoy it chilled：Dunhuang summer temperatures often exceed 40°C. Chilled apricot tea is refreshing; ask for a couple of extra ice cubes.
- Take dried apricot skins home：Buy loose dried Li Guang apricot skins at the market to make it at home: simmer 100g with 1.5L water for 40 minutes, then add rock sugar to taste.
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