Dunhuang Shazhou Night Market

Dunhuang Shazhou Night Market is a large open-air evening market in the Yangguan East Road area of Shazhou Town, the urban centre of Dunhuang in Jiuquan prefecture, Gansu province, China. Dunhuang is the oasis city closest to the Mogao Caves and the Mingsha Dunes, and the market is the town's main after-dark gathering place for visitors who have spent the day at those sites. Listed hours are daily from about 5PM to 1AM in the tourist season, with shorter hours in winter, so visitors in colder months should confirm times locally.

The crowd is mostly domestic tourists, tour groups and families, with local residents and a smaller number of international visitors. Entry is free, and there is no cover charge or dress code. The atmosphere is open-air and tourist-friendly: dozens of food stalls, craft and souvenir stalls and drink vendors line the lanes. Music is limited to occasional street performers and recorded music, so the market is more of a stroll than a nightclub.

Food and drink are the programme. Stalls sell regional Gansu and Silk Road dishes, with donkey-meat yellow noodles, lamb skewers and hand-pulled noodles among the typical choices, and apricot-skin water, a chilled sweet-sour drink made from dried apricots, is a signature refreshment in the desert climate. Local fruit, notably melons and dried fruit from the Hexi Corridor, is also commonly sold. Prices are listed at roughly CNY 5-100 (about USD 1-15), with snacks at the low end and sit-down dishes or souvenirs higher.

No reservations are required, and there is no bottle service. Bargaining is common at souvenir stalls but not at food stalls. Payment is mostly by WeChat Pay or Alipay, with cash accepted at some vendors.

The market is reachable on foot from many central Dunhuang hotels or by a short taxi ride. Visitors should note that the evening temperature drops sharply in the desert, even in summer, and a light jacket is useful after sunset.