Dunhuang, China Travel Blogs

Dunhuang, on the silk road
Jul 24, 2005 (3 photos)

... the moon slowly rise and illuminate the campsite and it is a beautiful evening. The next morning we visit the 1000 Buddha caves. Dunhuang is famous for its buddha caves and this set is smaller and less known than the Dugao caves which we will visit in ...

Sand Dunes and Mogao Caves
Jul 5, 2004

... a South African journalist, who I had last seen in Mouang Sing, Laos some two and a half months ago and had made it to Dunhuang via a completely different route to me! At 6pm when it had cooled down, we headed out to the sand dunes, just outside of town ...

From Dunhuang's famous caves to Jiayuguan
Jun 17, 2006 (11 photos)

... the subsequent periods up till the 19th century. From the 7th to 9th century, culture and art enjoyed a golden period in China, so did Dunhuang Art. The caves include a 30m long reclining Buddha and two huge sitting buddhas. The tour includes a visit to ...

Doing the Gobi
May 26, 2005 (9 photos)

... the thing when coming from the snow. The train actually stops at Liuyuan, so we had another 2hrs of bus before getting to Dunhuang. Only 15RMB, but I probaby would have paid more if there was an option that came with suspension. We were firmly in desert ...

DunHuang
Apr 22, 2009

We are on the edge of the Gobi desert. Yesterday we went to the sand dunes. It was amazing. I have pictures which will be coming soon. Today we had to cancel our morning trip because of a sand storm. Which is also an interesting experience. In the ...

Cave carvings in the desert
May 10, 2006

The wait in Dunhuang paid off and the depressing grey weather of the day before was replaced by crystal clear blue skies and vibrant sunlight. Not that it really matters when your destination for the day are a bunch of dark caves sealed off from all ...

Even Buddhists try to buy a good afterlife
Oct 15, 2007 (8 photos)

... some lunch and then went for a camel ride partway up the Singing Sand Dunes, which are encroaching on the outskirts of Dunhuang. (The dunes sing in a high wind. We heard nothing but the sound of camels snorting.) This wasn't the adventure it might ...

Western Thousand Buddha Caves
Aug 24, 2007 (19 photos)

Another smaller grottos.

a tour to Mogao Grottoes, Dunhuang.
Sep 16, 2008 (6 photos)

... was opened, which greatly enhanced the bi-latual communications and exchanges of ideas between the East and West. Dunhuang, emerging as a must-go stop during this thousands of miles trade line, has witnessed so colorful transportation ...

Crescent Moon Lake***
Aug 24, 2007 (29 photos)

The desert nearest to a town on earth.

Yadan Geological Park***
Aug 25, 2007 (93 photos)

Magnificent!!! Must Go!

Jade Gate & Yang Gate Pass***
Aug 25, 2007 (37 photos)

The Jade and Yang Gate Pass are 2 very important passes in the ancient travel routes.

Dunhaung Ancient City Studio***
Aug 25, 2007 (97 photos)

A Grand and big interesting studio whereby numerous movies were made...

Dunhuang Mogao Caves***
Aug 24, 2007 (49 photos)

World famous Grottos

The DL
Aug 21, 2007

So here's the deal- Right now I'm in the tiny little desert city of Dunhuang where there is little else to do but hang out in an internet cafe, which is conveniently across from our hotel. Here's the blog situation. I get to Beijing, after a few days ...

Dunhuang - the amazing Buddhist grottoes
Oct 19, 2009 (12 photos)

... , frescoes and carvings by paying the guardian paltry sums, which he used for the upkeep of the site. In 1943 a Dunhuang Arts Academy was established which began to restore the cave and protect and research its remaining contents.Among the items ...

Sand Dune Subterfuge
May 9, 2006

Dunhuang is a lowkey city, one you have the sense is primarily sustained by tourists passing through on their way to the famed Mogao grottoes. A surprising number of "backpacker" cafes, engrish signs and hotels dot the main road by the bus station. Despite ...

Train to Dunhuang
Aug 24, 2007 (49 photos)

Great train journey. Quiet and peaceful as it's only 2-3 hrs.

Transport sucks in Gansu
May 11, 2006

... day. He had to get back home to Liuyuan anyway so it worked out for all parties. Arriving at Liuyuan's train station from Dunhuang is a lot different from arriving by train from some foreign locale. For one, you just don't feel as popular. All the same ...

Caves and Dunes
Sep 1, 2006 (4 photos)

... night on a bus (not helped by the fact we're both feeling a tad ropey) that was again overloaded, saw us arrive in Dunhuang decidedly grumpy! Anyway, we quickly found a hotel and had a nap. We then planned our trip to see the World famous (first we'd ...

America! I like Bush!
Jun 15, 2007

... , I'm seeing the goddamn caves I planned this trip around before I get on that train to Lanzhou tomorrow night.  Dunhuang has the greatest selection of restaurants ever. There are FOUR western cafes here if you care. But I'm avoiding that shit ...

Dunhuang, Gansu
Jun 5, 2006

Train to Dunhuang for 26 hours

Another ugly train hub
May 8, 2006

... doesn't have its own train station and it's a good hour by minibus or car to get there from Liuyuan. Unlike Turpan, Dunhuang's satellite train hub wasn't nearly as atmospheric as Turpan's. What Liuyuan made up for in ambiance, however, it rapidly lost in ...

Singing sand
Jan 22, 2006 (8 photos)

... before venturing further into the Gobi Desert. In the 4th century a monk traveling the Silk Road had a vision just outside of Dunhuang: Budhas shining from the cliffside. He dug a cave into the soft sandstone and decorated it with carved Budhas. Over 1,000 ...

Dunhuang, China
Oct 10, 2008 (14 photos)

... and cotton fields. I arrived into town at a reasonable hour, the temperature was nice and needed a cold beer to cool down. Dunhuang looks like a nice town,  nicest we have seen since arriving to China...and after 840kms on the bike we have two rest ...

Lei Yin Temple and Han Great Wall
Aug 24, 2007 (12 photos)

A very typical Chinese temple that don't welcome non Chinese and non Buddhist due to method of praying.

Dans les dunes a Dunhuang!
Jul 21, 2009 (12 photos)

... très beau), et la vue du temple et de l'oasis au milieu des dunes depuis en haut est très impressionant. Des notre arrivée à Dunhuang on s'est booké un trek en chameau pour s'aventurer dans le désert et y passer la nuit, un peu comme j'avais fait au ...

Moving right along...
Jun 13, 2004 (1 photos)

... that the train that went there went via Xianing (The opposite direction) and there was no direct bus and we had to stop in Dunhuang, we checkec the LP and Dunhaung seemed nice enough so we went back to the ticket counter to the lady that sugested it and ...

Dunhuang-Hami
Jun 3, 2009 (5 photos)

Wed. 3rd Jun. Dunhuang-Hami. 465ks. 10 Hrs The Chief Blogger should be back on deck tomorrow. It was off to the Grottos this morning, where we spent about an hour and a half being shown around this favourite tourist spot. It is well developed and not what ...

Clothes Sizes
Aug 16, 2006

Clothes here come in either the Chinese sizes, which are quite small, or occasionally in western sizes. In an effort to put off doing the laundry for couple of days I went shopping for t-shirts (plus at 4 for a dollar, it would be cheaper to wear them ...