A smaller, much quieter complex of about twenty Buddhist grottoes carved into a cliff above the Dang River, about 35 km west of Dunhuang. The art dates roughly to the same period as the main Mogao Caves but on a much more modest scale, and the caves have suffered more damage from flooding and weathering.
The chief reason to come is the lack of crowds — a Mogao-style visit with a local guide and a torch, but at your own pace and with no queue. The setting in a small canyon of poplars and tamarisks is also lovely. Easy half-day trip if you have a third day in Dunhuang; skip it if you're rushed.