To mark the International Women's Day on Mar 8, Dunhuang in Northwest China's Gansu province offered complimentary access to the national 5A-level scenic spots to women tourists from across the country.

Simply present your ID card at the tourist service center of each spot and the women can avail of this special offer to the Mingsha Mountain and Crescent Spring, Dunhuang Yadan National Geopark, and the world cultural heritage Yumen Pass.

The Mingsha Mountain and Crescent Spring scenic area [Photo provided to silkroadexpo.com]

Mingsha Mountain is known for its singing sands. It has many steep cliffs and blade-like ridges. When someone slides down the sands, a drum-like sound is made, which can be as light as music or as heavy as thunder.

Crescent Spring got the name from its new moon shape. Known for its picturesque scenery and location in the middle of the desert, the area gained even more attention for being a venue for camel-riding.

The Yadan National Geological Park [Photo provided to silkroadexpo.com]

About 180 km northwest of Dunhuang, Yadan National Geological Park occupies an area of about 398 sq km and is the largest yardang landform found so far. Yardan are unique landforms carved from bedrock or formed through erosion. They look like ridges, towers or dunes that protrude from the floor of extremely arid regions. The park is also called Devil City, because visitors describe the noise of the strong wind as sounding like some kind of horrific scream. The area is great for hiking though.

The Yumen Pass [Photo provided to silkroadexpo.com]

The Yumen Pass is located in the Gobi Desert, about 90 km northwest of Dunhuang and was a strategic point on the ancient Silk Road. It served as an important passage for jade from the western regions. The parapets of the pass still remain, in square structures.