http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R29A0GyLYlE Mogao Caves, Gobi Desert, China

Travel time from downtown Dunhuang, China by bus: about 40 minutes. Ideal trip length: As long as they let you stay. UNESCO Heritage Site since 1987. Tips: No cameras allowed. Take a flashlight and wear walking shoes/clothing. Be ready for sun and crowds if you are going in the summer.

A monk once had a vision of 1,000 buddhas bathed in gold. So he started digging...

Read this National Geographic article about the Mogao Caves: Caves of Faint--In a Silk Road oasis, thousands of Buddhas enthrall scholars and tourists alike to learn more.

And yes, there is an app...check it out here