Mingsha Mountain and Crescent Lake

Mingshashan Yueyaquan Scenic Area; National 5A Tourist Attraction · Dunhuang, Gansu

A crescent-shaped spring-fed pool cupped between towering golden sand dunes on the southern edge of Dunhuang, the Silk Road oasis town in Gansu. Mingsha Shan, the Singing Sand Mountain, takes its name from the low rumble the dunes make when sand slides down their faces, and its ridges rise well over a hundred metres above the water. Crescent Lake has survived in the desert for some two thousand years, fed by groundwater, with Qing-style pavilions and a small temple on its shore, and water engineering has stabilised its level after it shrank in the late 20th century. Visitors climb the dune ridges for sunset, ride camels in long caravans, sled down the sand and fly over the dunes by paraglider or helicopter. It lies about 6 km from town and pairs with the Mogao Caves.

Mingshashan Yueyaquan Scenic Area, Dunhuang, Dunhuang, Gansu, China

Daily with seasonal hours that change several times a year: roughly 5:00-20:30 last entry in summer, 6:00-19:30 in autumn and 7:00-19:00 in winter per recent notices, though some listings show 7:30-18:00. Ticket valid 72 hours with re-entry.

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