Ratings by backpackers :

Description : A dull oasis town with some historical relics outside

Comments : Another interesting stopover (if you have the time...)

What to do : Rent a bike and visit the sights / Back in town, check out museums / Send email

What you may not like : the lack of charm of the city / the polluting industries in sight

How long ? One day

Where to stay ?

• Xiongguan Hotel (622 5115) / Dorm 12 (5), 14 (4) or 16 (3) in correct rooms or 40 to 50 in Dbl with bath / Correct toilet & bath / HW 7 to 9:30 & 19 to 23 // Go there for the best deal in town for dorm

• Wumao Hotel (622 7514) / Dorm 30 in Dbl with toilet but no shower / Better Sgl and Dbl 100 & 160 / Correct bath / HW 21 to 23 / (bad) Bike 2Y per hour // Go there for the cheapest Dbl in town, the charming staff,... / What you may not like : to go up 5 floors, the karaoke on some of the floors, the wait for the key when you are back from the shower...

• Jiayuguan Hotel (622 6983), a three stars hotel with an old wing / Dorm 25 (4), 37 (3) or 40 (2) without bath / Sgl & Dbl with bath 60 & 80 (120 HS) / Correct toilet & shower / HW 7 to 9, 12:30 to 14:30 & 19:30 to 24 / Bike 2Y per hr // Go there for the best rate for Sgl & Dbl with bath in town, gain face by walking the lobby,...

• The Youth Hotel (622 4671), a strange castle style hotel in the southern part of town / Dorm 20 (3) or 40 (2) without bath / Dbl with bath 80 / Correct toilets / Common shower / HW 20 to 24 / Bike 2Y per hr or "40Y minimum per day" // Go there to be alone in the dorm (at least in LS) as the place is not very popular with travelers / What you may not like : the location, the cold rooms, the bad lightning

 

Xiongguan Hotel	xiongguan binguan
Wumao Hotel	wumao binguan
Jiayuguan Hotel	jiayuguan binguan
Youth Hotel	qingnian binguan

What to see / visit :  Take a bike and leave the ugly town for the desert's sights :

• Jiayuguan Fort : (3), 15Y + 3Y to go up

• Overhanging great wall : (3), 8Y / Reach it by taking the small dirt road from the Fort, toward the mountains, by following a wall. The sight of it from a distance is great but as you approach, you get the feeling that this stuff is made from plastic... If you still have legs, the view from the top is rewarding. Back in town, you can continue your great wall experience by checking :

• Great wall Museum : (2), 8Y + 2Y to go up + 2Y to see photos of African's girls (!) / Without English description, the place is of poor interest and the view from the top nothing special (especially coming from the "real" stuff...)

• If you are rich and/or with particular interests, you can also check the nice but small Xincheng Wei-Jin Art Gallery : 31Y, Taxi 80Y return

Internet ?  China Telecom, 10Y per hour, 12 computers, 10am to 10pm daily

Bus Schedules :  Prices below without/with insurance

Notes : To Dunhuang, last two buses not recommended

Trains  << Click there

The trip to Dunhuang : Big Bus / SS / L & R / Y28 / 7 hrs

Having arrived late, the driver was eager to catch up the time : if we stopped a lot to get "illegal" passengers waiting outside the bus stations, the lunch stop was skipped under the pretext that there was "too much wind..."  At least, the wind gave some interest to the scenery, flat and bare nearly all the way.

See also trip from Zhangye to Jiayuguan...