Editor's Note: As major outposts on the ancient Silk Road, Ningxia and its oases were an intersection for many cultures in Chinese history – primarily Muslim, Han, Jewish and Mongol.

Ningxia in China’s desertified northwest was originally made its own a region to give the Hui people an autonomous area. But while its known mainly for Muslim culture and desert landscapes, there’s much more to this (relatively) uninhabited region than that.

Shapotpu Scenic Area [Image Credit: photostock.china.com.cn/Zhang Xu]

Day 1 Shapotpu Scenic Area 沙坡頭風(fēng)景區(qū)

In the Tengger Desert 20km west of Zhongwei City, Shapotou Scenic Area is a blend of typical desert landscape and water town sceneries which are mostly seen in southern China. It also has exciting activities like sandboarding and bungee jumping.

Entry: 100 yuan/person (April – Nov.); 65 yuan/person (Dec. – March)

Opening hours: 08:00 a.m. – 06:00 p.m.