Land of grapes

The crescent-shaped lake in the Mingsha Mountain.[Photo by Qiu Lei/For China Daily]

The town's history of grape-planting can be traced back to the 1960s, and the industry started to grow evidently in 2000.

After visiting the Yangguan Pass, tourists can pick up grapes and have meals under grape vines at farmhouses.

Located on the ancient Silk Road, the Yangguan Pass is the last stop where Chinese merchants got stamps on their passports and other identification documents and left for foreign countries.

A famous Tang Dynasty (618-907) poem reads: "Out West past the Yangguan, old friends there'll be none."

Yueyaquan is a crescent-shaped lake in Mingsha Mountain, or Echoing-sand Mountain. It has never dried out since its origin in the Eastern Han Dynasty (25-220).

The lake is surrounded by traditional Chinese architecture with a history of more than 200 years.

The sand there is in five colors - red, yellow, blue, white and black. An echo can be heard in the sand when the wind blows.

Travelers can climb barefoot to the top of a large sand hill and get a panoramic view of the beautiful desert. It's exciting to sit on a plank and slide down from the top of the hill.

Tourists can also ride a camel for a relaxing trip. Or, they can ride a motorcycle with a coach or sit in an automobile to explore the vast desert and enjoy the excitement of what feels like a roller-coaster ride.