Located a few kilometers south of Dunhuang city in western Gansu Province, north China, Crescent Moon Lake is a true oasis in the desert. The site is also known as Crescent Spring in reference to the natural spring located here.
Crescent Moon Lake is only small but it is well made up with green grass and a temple complex. The Echoing-Sand Mountains surround the spring and have made possible its creation. A depression in the sand was formed thousands of years ago by resident high winds, and although very dry, the pool never dries or covers up.
The main dunes don’t shift like normal dunes and some reach 100m or more in height. Climbing the dunes is a popular pastime but is best done in the evening when it cools down. Views from atop the dunes are spectacular; from here visitors can properly discern the crescent shape of Crescent Moon Lake.
You can even climb the main dunes by wooden steps for a small fee, or go dune surfing or camel riding.
Getting There & Away
Dunhuang Airport receives flights from Beijing, along with many other Chinese centers in the region, and nationwide. Flight time from Beijing is 3 hours and the airport is 13kms from downtown Dunhuang. There is also a train station in Dunhuang, yet bus travel here is easier. Lanzhou, the Gansu capital, is between 17 and 24 hours away. Tour buses and taxis run to Crescent Moon Lake from Dunhuang.