This Chinese 2000-year-old natural wonder is a true desert oasis

This Chinese 2000-year-old natural wonder is a true desert oasis - Crescent Lake, near Dunhuang in western China, is a veritable desert oasis. Straddling the ancient Silk Road trade route the lake, known as Yueyaquan in Chinese, is a 2000-year-old natural wonder.

Click through the gallery and discover more about this fabled and beguiling destination.

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Yueyaquan, the Crescent Lake - Crescent Lake is located about 6 km south of the city of Dunhuang, in Gansu Province, northwest China. It stands on the ancient Silk Road route.

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Yueyaquan - Named for the fresh water spring that resembles the shape of a half moon, the lake is believed to have existed for around 2,000 years. It's known as Yueyaquan in Chinese.

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Crescent Lake - Crescent Lake is 218 m long from east to west and 54 m from north to south. Depth has varied over the years, from approximately 7.5 m 50 years ago to a worryingly low 0.9 m in the early 1990s. In 2006 the local government refilled the lake, which has increased in depth ever since.

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Desert oasis - The lake is accessed via a visitor center facility replete with landscaped gardens and an additional water feature.

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A 2000-year-old destination - A veritable oasis, picturesque Yueyaquan features blankets of lush greenery—an incongruous verdant canvas set against an arid desert backdrop.

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A Silk Road stopover - Besides the lake, visitors can explore the site's ancient buildings, including the centerpiece Mingyue Pavilion.

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Historic site - The lake's Mingyue Pavilion framed by the Mingsha Mountain sand dunes.

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Fragile ennvironment - The encroaching Mingsha Mountain sand dunes—reinforced by the mighty Gobi desert—have always threatened to engulf the fragile oasis.

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Craftsmanship - Made entirely from wood, Yueyaquan's impressive tiered pavilion amazes with its multiple gables and overhanging eaves.

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Blending with the background - Intricate in detail and crafted by expert hands, the lake's pavilion building work blends well with the surrounding landscape.

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Surviving the centuries - The lake's remarkable longevity is due to its low altitude and the fact that its position prevents excess sand from the surrounding dunes smothering it.

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A popular tourist attaction - A hugely popular tourist site, the lake is regularly appreciated by visitors arriving from nearby Danhuang.

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Han Dynasty architecture - Yueyaquan's towering Mingyue Pavilion is a wonderful example of ornate Chinese Han Dynasty architecture.

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Lakeside views - Visitors are free to roam the site and climb the pavilion, which affords jaw-dropping views of the surrounding dunes.

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Crescent Lake at night - As dusk creeps up on the lake, the idyllic and tranquil setting is enhanced considerably by the illuminated form of the Mingyue Pavilion.

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Camel train ride - The traditional manner by which to explore Crescent Lake is by camel. It's also the easiest way to explore the Gobi Desert.

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Mingyue Pavilion - Enclosed within its sandy amphitheater, the pavilion and its outhouses appear as if they were built using plastic Lego bricks.

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Mingsha Mountains - Nestling at the foot of the Mingsha Mountain sand dunes is a belt of emerald flora, nourished by the lake's pure spring water.

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Dunhuang - The nearby city of Dunhuang is an ideal base from which to discover the region's cultural riches. Pictured is the entrance to the Mogao Caves, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

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Mogao Caves - Also known as the Thousand Buddah Grottoes, the caves constitute a system of 492 temples which contain sublime examples of richly endowed Buddhist art spanning a period of some 1,000 years.

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Western Thousand Buddha Caves - Other cave sites located around the Dunhuang area include the Western Thousand Buddha Caves. Again, the cave walls are festooned with stunning examples of Buddhist artwork. (Photo: CC BY-NC 2.0)

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Mogao Caves pagodas - The odd-looking pagodas standing outside the Mogao Caves appear as sentinels guarding the treasures within.

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Dunhuang - A shopkeeper carves a traditional Chinese seal, known as a chop, in the city's busy night market.

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Dunhuang - Erected on 4th-century foundations and rebuilt in 1844, the mud brick White Horse Pagoda honors a loyal steed owned by Kumarajiva, a Buddhist master. (Photo: CC BY 2.0)

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Mingsha's singing sand dunes - A camel train makes its way across the celebrated singing sand dunes, a spectacular feature of the Kumtag Desert's Mingsha Mountains. Wind passing over the surface emits a strange whistling sound, which echoes mournfully in the air.

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Dunhuang Yardang National Geopark - Located about 180 km northwest of Dunhuang, the park is distinguished by a series of mysterious rock formations. (Photo: CC BY NC-ND 2.0)

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Dunhuang Yardang National Geopark - The uniquely shaped rocks have evolved over a period of 700,000 years. Pictured is a formation known as "The Golden Lion Welcoming His Guests." (Photo: CC BY-NC-ND 2.0)

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Dunhuang Yardang National Geopark - Centuries of erosion by wind and rain has shaped Yardang's weird, unworldly landscape.(Photo: CC BY 2.0)

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Yumen Pass - Recently awarded UNESCO World Heritage status, this once impregnable military fortress standing on the Silk Road dates back to the Han Dynasty.

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Yang Pass -

Likewise, the Yang Pass, which also dates back to 120 BC, was an important landmark on the Silk Road.

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