FIND CHINA introduces Dunhuang

Dunhuang is a city in Jiuquan, Gansu province, China. It is sited in an oasis. It has a population of 100,000. Dunhuang City, an obvious stop on the Silk Road tours.

Situated 13 kilometres (about 8.1 miles) east of Dunhuang City is Dunhuang Airport (DNH), a small airport that offers only domestic service. Tourists can fly to Dunhuang from Lanzhou, Xian, Beijing, Jiayuguan and Urumqi. In peak seasons, the airport offers many more charter-flights than in off-season. When you arrive at the airport, it is convenient to take a taxi to access downtown Dunhuang.

There is no railway station in Dunhuang and the nearest station is Liuyuan Railway Station, which is about 128 kilometres (79.5 miles) north of downtown area. Tourists can directly to Liuyuan Railway Station from Shanghai, Beijing, Xian, Chengdu, Lanzhou, Urumqi, Chongqing, Lianyungang, Zhengzhou, Hankou, etc. For the long distance journey between railway station and downtown Dunhuang, tourists should take the bus leaving from Dunhuang Long-Distance Bus Station or taxi to get to downtown Dunhuang, which will take at least two hours. 

Liuyuan Railway Station set a station without a railway on Shazhou Nan Lu (South Shazhou Rd.) to offer a ticket booking service. Dunhuang Long-Distance Bus Station is located at No. 24 Mingshan Road, Shazhou Town, opposite Feitian Hotel. There are bus routes to Xining, Xian, Hami, Turpan, Urumqi and Golmud, etc. If you want to visit Tibet from Dunhuang City, you can first take the bus to Golmud, and then transfer to the bus for Lhasa. Dunhuang Bus Station and Dunhuang Passenger Transport Centre, located at No. 25 Mingshan Road, offers local services between Dunhuang and other cities or regions inside Gansu Province, which including Lanzhou, Jiayuguan, Zhangye, Jiuquan and Wuwei.

Dunhuang has a very dry climate. It has four special characteristics. The first is lots of direct sunshine. The second is little rainfall. The annual average rainfall here is only 39.9 mm. The third is the climate's four distinct seasons. Winter and summer have huge temperature differences. Lastly, sand storms can be a problem in the Dunhuang, with the wind sometimes reaching speeds of 3m/sec.

The best time to visit Dunhuang and the ancient Silk Road is from May to October.

The dishes of Dunhuang take elegant taste, the skill method is novel, and the article of dishes is typical. The local people like to eat mutton, chicken and beef. The Huang noodles in Dunhuang are thin and long and preparation is considered an art form. Another characteristic of food of Dunhuang is Sichuan's flavour, particularly at the mid-night, it is thus clear that small stands of spicy and hot everywhere at the sides of the street.