[2024 Dunhuang Attraction] Travel Guide for Shazhou Night Market (Updated Oct)

Vibrant Nights: Shazhou Night Market

#chinatrip Shazhou Night Market transformed the evening with its infectious energy and colorful allure. This bustling hub offered: •⁠ ⁠Local street food: savory skewers, spicy noodles, and sweet treats •⁠ ⁠Unique souvenirs: handmade crafts, traditional clothing, and quirky trinkets •⁠ ⁠Lively entertainment: folk performances, music, and interactive games We immersed ourselves in the vibrant atmosphere, sampling local delicacies and shopping for authentic mementos.

Lively Dunhuang Night Market | Explore the Sleepless Night City Scenery

Explore the Sleepless Night City Scenery. The night market is the soul of a city. Whenever I visit a city, I always want to stroll through its night market. To experience the local customs and culture, the night market is a must. Dunhuang Night Market, Shazhou Food Station, Famous Food Plaza, and Dunhuang Style Street are connected together, forming a relatively large night market. In the night market, there are various small commodities, snacks, and food stalls. Outside the night market, there are also various restaurants. Tourists visiting Dunhuang all gather here, making it particularly lively at night. Friends who drive by themselves can navigate to: Dunhuang Night Market. There are several parking lots outside where you can park. Shazhou Food Station's Changluohou Sand Onion Beef Pie has a queue every day. Li Guangji's Apricot Peel Tea is absolutely amazing, sweet and sour, and refreshing. Mobei Grilled Fish is freshly grilled, crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, very delicious. There are so many types and styles of cultural and creative souvenirs. Bookmarks are a must-buy! They are really exquisite. There are ones with caisson patterns or other flying elements. The key is that a coaster is only 5 yuan, fridge magnets are 5-20 yuan, canvas bags, postcards, and fans are 10-15 yuan, handmade ornaments like mud paintings and wood carvings range from tens to hundreds of yuan. Silk scarves are absolutely beautiful!! They are also twenty or thirty yuan. There are also various small camels of different colors, sizes, and materials. They are all very cute, also ranging from ten to thirty yuan. Shazhou Night Market

Dunhuang Night Market (Shazhou Night Market)

Dunhuang Night Market is nationally renowned and is said to be the largest night market in the Northwest! It feels much better than the Grand Bazaar in Xinjiang, and the small commodities are not as expensive! Li Guangji's apricot peel tea is a must-buy (bought nine large cups in two days), and the sand onion beef pie is recommended from two places (one is right inside the big red gate of Dunhuang Night Market, and the other is next to Li Guangji's apricot peel tea).

Dunhuang·Shazhou Night Market | Coming to the Northwest just for this taste||

|Coming to the Northwest just for this taste||. Dunhuang, an ancient small city in the Northwest It has its own character, it has its own flavor Getting to know a city starts with its authentic specialty cuisine 📍【Shazhou Night Market】 ✅Divided into areas for local snacks, handicrafts, 'Sanpao Platform' tea seats, and the operation of agricultural and sideline products, and local specialties ✅Shazhou Night Market has specially opened up a section for intangible cultural heritage snacks, named 'Shazhou Food Post' ✅This area is also the most lively part of the night market ✅The most authentic snacks in the night market are all inside 👉【Specialty Cuisine】 ✅Dunhuang Stuffed Skin Stuffed Skin is a snack made from wheat flour It is an indispensable folk snack in Dunhuang Seasoned with an appropriate amount of mustard, garlic sauce, chili sauce, soy sauce, vinegar, and other seasonings Spicy yet cool, soft and silky but still chewy ✅Donkey Meat Yellow Noodles Donkey Meat Yellow Noodles is a kind of dry mixed noodles, The topping is diced donkey meat + water tofu + diced mushrooms Widely known as one of 'Dunhuang's Eight Oddities' The fourth oddity 'Donkey Meat Yellow Noodles pulled outside the door' refers to the hand-pulled noodles used in it ✅Braised Lamb with Pancakes When the delicious lamb meets the thin and translucent wide noodles, how can one not say 'excellent' The braised lamb is stewed until tender The thin and translucent wide noodles are fully soaked with the flavor of the lamb ✅Lamb Soup with Mix-ins It is a great breakfast choice for locals Based on lamb soup Adding cooked lamb slices, lamb meatballs, glass noodles, fried tofu, black fungus, and the special 'sandwiched sand' The soulmate is the freshly made leavened pancake, torn into pieces and soaked in lamb soup, making it extremely comforting to eat ✅Sand Onion Scrambled Eggs Sand onion is a plant that grows in the Gobi It is called an onion but does not have the taste of onion When scrambled with eggs, it adds a refreshing taste Even those who don't like onions won't refuse it

The Northwest Loop must include a luxurious stay at the Solitary Interstellar + Dunhuang Villa

Where is enshrined as a legend year after year? The Northwest Loop! Connecting 8+ stunning landscapes, it's a complete loop without retracing steps. Set off now! Witness the "Northwest Tiffany Blue" that has reappeared after three years at Dongtaijinoer Lake, check in at the popular Highway 315 U-shaped road🛣️, marvel at the world-class desert wonder - the Mingsha Mountain Crescent Spring, and step into the "Rainbow on Earth"🌈 Danxia landform... Stay at 🛏️【Dunhuang Villa + Solitary Interstellar】, enjoy the ultimate desert Gobi view, and unlock the luxurious wild play of the Northwest Loop! 🌈Northwest Loop 7 days and 6 nights luxury wild trip 🔆Private small group, available for two persons booking, one order per group. ✅Professional driver-guide service (free airport transfer) ✅Personal butler 1v1 customized travel ✅Selection of 6 nights luxury hotels & scenic accommodations ✅Full journey scenic spot tickets + scenic transportation + cultural experience ✅Full journey breakfast + drinking water + seasonal fruits ✅Formal electronic travel contract, PICC travel accident insurance 🚗Itinerary D1 Xining airport pick-up - free time D2 Xining - Menyuan rapeseed flowers - Qilian grassland horse riding - Zhangye Danxia D3 Zhangye - Jiayuguan Fort - Shazhou Night Market D4 Dunhuang - Mogao Caves - Mingsha Mountain Crescent Spring D5 Dunhuang - Water Yadan - Solitary Interstellar Gobi stargazing - luxury hotel D6 Dongtaijinoer Lake - Highway 315 - Chaka Salt Lake - Chaka Town D7 Chaka Town - Erlang Sword of Qinghai Lake - Xining disband 🏨Hotel Accommodation 🔷 Interstellar Gobi Luxury Hotel Built in the Gobi desert, close to the Water Yadan, with a hexagram layout, the design is full of a sense of technology. There are various accommodation options, including tents, glass rooms, and villas where you can also camp in your own tent. The glass room has a transparent glass ceiling, and you can see the dazzling stars✨ while lying in bed 🔷 Villa The exterior is based on the Mogao Caves and folk architecture, showcasing the simple style of the Western Regions desert, like a desert palace. Adjacent to the Dunhuang Mingsha Mountain Crescent Spring scenic area, it fully captures the charm of the Western Regions desert. Excellent location🔝convenient for travel, and the fourth floor's Star Picking Pavilion offers views of Mingsha Mountain and the 🌌brilliant starry sky 🔷Sofitel Xining A luxury accommodation brand under the French Accor Group, with French-style architecture and a red roof. Great service experience, very convenient transportation 💡Trip Highlights 🔶Check in at 9+ stunning places——📸Life photos get√ 🔶Mogao Caves A-class ticket——Unlock 8 caves + 2 digital movies 🔶Independent explanation at Jiayuguan——Witness the history of warriors 🔶Luxury setup at Chaka Lake——Round-trip train plus shoe covers to prevent erosion 🔶Qilian Mountain grassland horse riding🏇🏻——Enjoy the leisure time on horseback 🔶Ride camels🐫+ ATV off-road——Explore the beauty of Mingsha Mountain, experience the desert 🔶Solitary Interstellar stargazing——Follow a professional guide to learn about stargazing⭐knowledge

Dunhuang is not only home to the Mogao Caves and the desert, but also boasts a bustling night market

The main night market in Dunhuang is the Shazhou Night Market, located right in the center of the city. Of course, the city of Dunhuang itself is not very large, but this night market is extremely lively. You can also visit during the day, mainly for the small commodity stalls. However, as night falls, the whole market transforms into a vibrant night market, with foodies crowding in front of various gourmet and snack stalls. The Shazhou Night Market in Dunhuang mainly features Northwestern Chinese snacks, such as roasted buns, hand-grabbed rice, various types of naan, and other foods, immersing visitors in a scene reminiscent of the bustling Silk Road of ancient times. The core area of the Shazhou Night Market is called Shazhou Food Post, where there are many delicacies to explore: 1️⃣ Sha Cong Beef Pancake Sha Cong is a plant that looks like green onions but doesn't have much of an onion flavor. The beef pancake tastes good, so there's often a long queue. 2️⃣ Sweet Fermented Wheat Milk Tea Sweet fermented wheat is something similar to fermented rice used in alcoholic beverages, and making milk tea with it is quite innovative. It tastes good, but the price of sweet fermented wheat milk tea here is higher than outside. 3️⃣ Roasted Buns These are filled with lamb, not very friendly for those who don't eat lamb, but according to lamb lovers, they are very fragrant. 4️⃣ Apricot Peel Water It tastes a bit like sour plum soup, but a little more sour. 5️⃣ Red Willow Grilled Meat Lamb skewered with red willow branches has a rich meaty fragrance wrapped with the fresh scent of the plant, and of course, it's a favorite among lamb enthusiasts. 6️⃣ Donkey Meat Yellow Noodles This local popular dish of yellow noodles with donkey meat is said to taste good, although I haven't tried it, according to the internet. 7️⃣ Puffed Oil Cake A local specialty dessert, sweet lovers might want to give it a try. It's worth noting that Dunhuang Night Market and Shazhou Night Market are together, but they are not the same night market. Friends who have enough time can explore both.

Traveling the Qinghai-Tibet Loop during the off-season, you can avoid 80% of the pitfalls by 8 PM

September to November is the off-season in Qinghai and Gansu, with fewer people around. During this time, you can spend 8 days and 7 nights entering the Qinghai-Gansu region to deeply explore its natural beauty. Although Qinghai and Gansu are beautiful, it's still necessary to do your homework before going. Remember these 20 points to avoid 80% of the pitfalls on the Qinghai-Gansu loop: 1. The northwest region is vast, located on the plateau, and many places are still undeveloped with inconvenient transportation. It is recommended to carpool or charter a car. 2. Look for businesses with proper qualifications, be discerning, and beware of price traps. 3. The signal is not good, download maps in advance. 4. The temperature drops quickly, so it's advised to wear thick clothes. 5. When you first arrive in Qinghai, don't run or jump, and avoid extreme emotions, which can exacerbate altitude sickness. 6. Sunglasses are a must, not just for show, as the sun can be blinding. 7. The water in scenic lakes is clear but should not be consumed directly, as untreated, it contains elements harmful to the body. 8. The journey will pass through uninhabited areas, so prepare some food in advance (ham, compressed biscuits, coarse grain rice balls). 9. Hotel conditions along the way are limited, those with high accommodation standards can prepare some disposable items. 10. Normally, there won't be severe altitude sickness, but individual physical conditions vary, so it's wise to have some medicine on hand in case of emergencies. 11. Prepare strong hydrating skincare products, neglecting protection could lead to skin peeling. 12. Don't drive in unfamiliar terrain! It's really easy to get lost. 13. Don't wash your hair too often, be careful of catching a cold and triggering altitude sickness. 14. Don't stop to take photos on the roadside, as you may be charged. 15. Make sure to use the restroom, because you don't know when you'll have the next opportunity. 16. Don't trust navigation too much, ask locals for directions. 17. Sunscreen essentials: sunglasses, sunscreen spray (SPF 30 or higher), parasol, sunscreen, sun hat, etc. 18. Clothing to bring: jacket, sweater, thermal underwear, raincoat, jeans. 19. ID card, bank card, a small amount of cash, support for Alipay payments. 20. Don't take photos in the middle of the highway, don't climb mountains, don't trust strangers, safety first. Qinghai-Gansu 8-Day Loop Itinerary The best choice is a comfortable business car that allows you to stretch your legs, and you can bring luggage at will. The 8-day journey is about 2700 kilometers, so comfort is very important. D1. Xining airport/train station pick-up D2. Xining—Qinghai Lake—Chaka—Delingha D3. Delingha—Chaka Salt Lake—Dachaidan (overnight stay) D4. Dachaidan—U-shaped Internet-famous road—Water Yadan—Xitaijiner Lake—Dachaidan (overnight stay) D5. Dachaidan—Emerald Lake—Boluo Transfer Well (petroleum town)—Dunhuang D6. Dunhuang—Mogao Caves—Mingsha Mountain Crescent Spring—Shazhou Night Market—Dunhuang (overnight in Dunhuang) D7. Dunhuang—Guazhou—Jiayuguan Fort—Zhangye Danxia—Zhangye Danxia (overnight stay) D8. Zhangye—Biandukou—Qilian Grassland—Menyuan Rapeseed Flower—Daban Mountain—Heiquan Reservoir—Xining

Dunhuang Night Market Travel itself is a kind of study of the body and soul; the market itself is the most authentic life in the world. Therefore, no matter where I visit, I always love to go to the local market. The best travel is to live like a local, and the best life is not to taste the taste of every local life.