Situated in an oasis in China’s largely dry and arid Northwest, Dunhuang is right up against the scenic dunes of the expansive Kumtag Desert. The city’s vibrant night market is held in the city centre, and popular with tourists. Many souvenirs are sold, including jade and jewellery, scrolls and sculptures. Make sure to see the Mogao Caves or ‘Caves of a Thousand Buddhas’, in which Dunhuang monks in centuries past collected scriptures from the West on their way to China.