Written by Wendy Mo |
Shazhou Night Market Dunhuang Night Market, also known as the Dunhuang Night Market, is where Dunhuang’s night comes alive. As the largest night market in Dunhuang, it is divided into several themed zones, including the local flavor snack area (Shazhou Food Street), Silk Road intangible cultural heritage crafts street, agricultural specialty products zone, tea houses, and bars.
Why do so many visitors come here to spend their nights? The answer is simple: it brings together almost every cultural element that they expect to see in Dunhuang.
If this is your first time in Dunhuang, the Shazhou Night Market is the perfect starting point to understand Dunhuang’s local culture. This guide will give you a lot of smart shopping tips to help you explore more efficiently.
Fast Facts
- Location: Qinzhouhu Street, Shazhou Town, Dunhuang City, Jiuquan. It’s about 15 minutes by car from Mingsha Mountain and Crescent Lake Scenic Area.
- Chinese name: 沙洲夜市
- Opening hours: Peak season (May–October) 5:00 PM to around 2:00 AM/ off-season usually closes around 11:00 PM.
- Entrance fee: Free (open street market).
- Best time to visit: 19:30–22:00 for the liveliest atmosphere. If you want to avoid peak tour groups, then visit after 21:00.
- Recommended duration: 1.5–2.5 hours for food-focused visits. 2.5–3.5 hours if you want to have a slow browsing of crafts and intangible heritage experiences.
- What it is famous for: Local street food, Silk Road handicrafts, tea houses & bars, live performances, intangible cultural heritage experiences, street cultural shows & interactive nightlife.
Content Preview
- Top Food Recommendations at Shazhou Night Market
- What to Buy Besides Food? Silk Road Souvenir Shopping Guide
- Intangible Heritage Experiences & Cultural Interactions
- Suggested Visiting Route
- Travel Tips for Visiting Shazhou Night Market
- Explore Shazhou Night Market with China Xian Tour
Top Food Recommendations at Shazhou Night Market
The best foods of Shazhou Night Market are mainly concentrated in the “Famous Snack Plaza (Mingchi Plaza)” and the increasingly popular Shazhou Food Street (Shazhou Shiyi). In these areas, you can find local Dunhuang specialties, Hexi Corridor flavors, and even some Xinjiang-inspired dishes.
With all of their charming flavors, they have become two of the liveliest parts of the night market. Leave some space in your stomach, or better, all of it. Enjoy your food while exploring the market.
Recommended Tour:
Must-Try Foods
Food |
Stall / Brand |
Price |
Why It’s Worth Trying |
Sha Cong Beef Pancake (沙葱牛肉饼) |
Chang Luo Hou Sha Cong Beef Pancake (near Shiyi entrance, 长罗侯沙葱牛肉饼) |
10 RMB / piece (~$1.40 per piece) |
Wild desert shallot aroma combined with Hexi beef filling. It’s pan-fried until golden and crispy. |
Li Guang Apricot Drink (李广记杏皮水) |
Li Guang Ji (prominent entrance of Shiyi, 李广记) |
10 RMB / cup, 12–15 RMB / bottle (~$1.40 per cup / ~$1.70–2.10 per bottle) |
Made from local Li Guang apricots, slow-cooked and served chilled. It tastes sweet and tangy, perfect for digestion. |
Donkey Meat Yellow Noodles (驴肉黄面) |
Donkey Meat Yellow Noodle King / Da Ji / Shun Zhang stalls (驴肉黄面大王/达记) |
15–28 RMB for noodles + extra for meat (~$2.10–4.00 noodles + extra for meat) |
The signature dish of Dunhuang. Hand-pulled noodles topped with braised donkey meat sauce and it’ll be served with sliced donkey meat. |
Dunhuang Liangpi (敦煌酿皮) |
Mingchi Plaza stalls 名吃广场 |
8–15 RMB / portion (~$1.10–2.10 per portion) |
A traditional wheat-based cold noodle dish. Famous for its chewy texture and spicy-sour flavor, deeply rooted in local food culture. |
Desert Roast Fish (漠北烤鱼) |
Core area of Shiyi |
Around 48 RMB / fish (Around ~$6.70 per fish) |
Pre-treated basa fish grilled over high heat with a secret sauce, crispy skin, and tender meat. |
Other Worth Trying Snacks
Red Willow Lamb Skewers / Lamb Chops: About ~$0.70 per small skewer. Larger portions are priced by weight. If you want to try those with the best value, just go to the busy local stalls with a strong charcoal fire.
Xinjiang-style Baked Buns (Kawap / 烤包子): Around ~$1.00 each. Crispy crust with juicy lamb filling, finish it when it’s still hot.
Hu Yang Stewed Pancake (胡羊焖饼): A small portion costs about ~$4.00–5.50. Don’t underestimate it, a small portion is enough to serve 2–3 people, great for sharing.
Fried Puff Pastry Dessert (泡儿油糕): Around ~$0.70–1.20 per piece. It’s light and airy. For the best taste, please eat it while it’s fresh and hot.
Recommended Tour:
What to Buy Besides Food? Silk Road Souvenir Shopping Guide
Except for the food, Shazhou Night Market is also one of the most convenient places to buy souvenirs in Dunhuang. The handicraft area brings together a wide range of Silk Road–themed products. From traditional handmade crafts to cultural and creative souvenirs popular with younger travelers, you can find whatever you want in this place.
- Dunhuang Painted Clay Relief Art (敦煌彩塑泥版画)
Local artisans use mineral pigments to make this clay art, and they usually recreate famous Dunhuang motifs such as flying apsaras and the Nine-Colored Deer from the Mogao Caves.
The clay board has a strong, handmade texture. Some stalls allow you to choose your own designs and customize colors on the spot, so it’s not just beautiful but also highly meaningful.
- Night Light Cup (夜光杯)
The cup is carved from jade-like stone from the Qilian Mountains. A good Night Light Cup should be thin and semi-translucent, glowing softly under light. Reputable vendors provide material proof, and you should avoid extremely cheap “glass versions.” And be careful, it is quite fragile, so carry it by hand instead of shipping.
- Etles Silk / Dunhuang-Style Scarves (艾德莱斯丝绸 / 敦煌风披肩)
They are inspired by Silk Road culture, featuring bright colors. The silk is commonly used as scarves, shawls, or gifts.
- Flying Apsaras Souvenirs (飞天文创书签 / 帆布包 / 冰箱贴)
These are the best-value souvenirs, and many visitors would opt for them. Fridge magnets (Nine-Colored Deer, Flying Apsaras, Crescent Lake) cost about ~$0.40–1.00, and canvas bags are around ~$2.00.
- Camel Keychains (骆驼造型小挂件)
Camel Keychains are a classic Silk Road symbol that can easily remind people of the ancient caravan trade. Their prices usually start from about ~$1.40, and with such a low price and portability, they become the most commonly purchased small souvenirs.
Shopping Tip
- Except for the handicrafts, dry local specialties such as dried apricots, apricot kernels, Dunhuang jujubes, and black goji berries can also be found in this area.
- However, the same products in supermarkets in the city center are often cheaper.
- If you buy in bulk, many vendors at the night market would offer shipping services, so you don’t need to carry everything with you while traveling.
Intangible Heritage Experiences & Cultural Interactions
Shazhou Night Market has gotten to the next level in recent years. To make it more attractive to visitors, intangible cultural heritage experiences and interactive cultural activities are brought in to show a full picture of Dunhuang culture.
- Live craft making & customization
- Sand art: You can see the live craft making in some sand bottle stalls. Artisans will show you how to use the fine colored sand to shape the dunes of Mingsha Mountain and camel caravan silhouettes inside glass bottles. You can also choose the designs you like and let them be made on-site.
- Dunhuang woodblock carving: Craftsmen can carve motifs such as camel caravans and the Mogao Caves by hand on-site. Some stalls will accept the special orders with custom sizes or engraved text.
- Hands-on intangible heritage experience
In the cultural street area, you can actually participate in making simple crafts such as small clay camels and painting clay reliefs with mineral pigments.
- Immersive performances
There are scheduled performances every night (especially lively around 9:30 PM) around the central overpass and square. Most popular ones include Dunhuang dance flash mobs (Apsara dance, Hu Xuan dance), hand-drum shows, and short traditional opera segments.
- NPC street interactions
Performers will dress in Tang-style costumes, such as “Dunhuang patrons” and “Zhang Qian,” and walk through the streets. Please feel free to interact with them. During festivals, these may become themed parades like “Princess Arrival” or “General’s Procession.”
- Instagrammable landmark
“Dunhuang Pure Space” public restroom: it may be funny to find that a restroom is a landmark, but actually, it’s nothing ordinary. It features grotto mural elements, desert yardang-inspired design, and immersive light installations. Besides, it has two floors with seating and luggage storage, and is designed like a cultural art space.
The second-floor window offers a direct view of Shazhou Tower, making it one of the best photo spots in the night market.
Suggested Visiting Route
We’d recommend you start your visit from Shazhou Food Street (Shazhou Shiyi). It is the most vibrant and essential part of the exploration
Route:
South Archway Entrance → Shazhou Tower Photo Spot → Shazhou Food Street → Intangible Cultural Heritage Creative Zone → Silk Road Craft Market → Agricultural Specialty Area → Dunhuang Pure Space (the “Instagram-famous restroom”)
Small Hidden Gem: There’s a small post office in the market where you can buy Dunhuang postcards. Remember to stamp a commemorative postmark and mail them home.
How to Include Shazhou Night Market in Your Dunhuang Itinerary
We’d suggest you prepare 2–4 days for a Dunhuang tour. This duration allows you to explore basically all the major highlights. Visit the market on your arrival night (Day 1) or after visiting Mingsha Mountain & Crescent Lake on Day 2.
2-Day Classic Itinerary
Day 1:
- Arrive in Dunhuang, then finish hotel check-in
- Pay a visit to Mingsha Mountain & Crescent Lake
- Explore Shazhou Night Market after 19:00
Day 2:
- Go to see the Mogao Caves
- Departure
Travel Tips for Visiting Shazhou Night Market
- Best Time to Visit
The real magic of Shazhou Night Market shows up after sunset. Once the sun goes down (around 7:00 PM in summer), lanterns light up, and stalls will open fully. Only at this time, the charm of the night market is fully expressed.
- Peak time:8:00 PM – 11:00 PM. The crowd is at its liveliest, and be prepared for the strong energy.
- How to avoid crowds: There are two ways to achieve this, 1) arrive before 7:00 PM, and you’ll see fewer people, which would be easier to grab seats as some stalls are just opening. 2) Visit after 9:30 PM. Tour groups are about to leave at this time, so you can have a relaxed walk and take photos under the colorful lights.
During peak season, some food stalls stay open until 2:00–3:00 AM, while in the off-season most close around 9:00–11:00 PM.
- How to Get There
Shazhou Night Market is located on Yangguan East Road in downtown Dunhuang. Dunhuang’s city center is very small, so it’ll be easy to walk to the market from most hotels (around 10 minutes). A taxi ride is fine, and it usually costs about ~$1–2 (around 10 RMB).
- Shopping & Bargaining Tips
- Don’t rush when buying souvenirs, even if you really like them. There are many similar or even exactly the same items in the handicraft area; however, they may vary in price. It’s wise to compare at least 3 stalls and negotiate reasonably before paying.
- Basically, all stalls are clearly priced, and most of them accept mobile payment (WeChat/Alipay). Bargaining is not expected.
- You’ll find products with lower prices in the deeper part of the market, as stalls there may have lower rent.
- Safety & Belongings
The market is a really popular place, and it can get extremely crowded in peak season. So it’s necessary to keep your backpack in front of you, avoid putting phones or valuables in your outer pockets, and always stay aware in dense walking areas.
- What to Wear
- You may be shocked by Dunhuang’s large temperature difference between day and night. Evenings can still feel cooleven in summer, so a light windproof jacket is always needed.
- If you’re traveling in spring & autumn, it’s better to pack a windbreaker or a light down jacket. And if your journey happens in winter, don’t forget your warm coat and a scarf.
- We would suggest families traveling with children bring a safety wristband for easier and safer tracking in crowds.
Final Note
If you only have one free evening in Dunhuang, spending it in the Shazhou Night Market never goes wrong.
You’ll get to see the most authentic local street life, and it’s a great opportunity to immerse yourself in the strong cultural atmosphere of the Silk Road. Visiting this night market is one of the easiest and most enjoyable ways to catch the spirit of the city.
Recommended Tour:
Explore Shazhou Night Market with China Xian Tour
In Dunhuang, every time the wind blows, it tells a secret that once happened on the Silk Road. To better understand the charm of its history, after visiting the astonishing Mogao Caves and exploring the incredible natural scenery in Mingsha Mountain and Crescent Lake, try to end your day in Shazhou Night Market’s lively atmosphere.
For a truly unforgettable Dunhuang tour, let China Xian Tour make the plan for you. Our professional team will unveil the best highlights of the Silk Road to you, and we’ll design seamless itineraries to let you experience Dunhuang beyond just a night out.
Contact us now and expect to have a hassle-free journey with local insights and carefully planned routes.
