Mingsha Mountain & Crescent Lake

Mingsha ('Echoing Sand') Mountain is a range of pure golden dunes that sing when the wind moves them, and at its foot lies Crescent Lake - a spring that has held water for a thousand years while the desert moved around it. The classic move is a camel train across the dunes at sunset.

Climb the dunes on foot for the view, then ride the sand chute down. The park is huge - plan three to four hours, and buy the one-entry ticket in the afternoon so you can stay for sunset.