Founded in 962AD during the Warmadewa dynasty, Tirta Empul is one of Bali’s most sacred temples, located in the cool highlands of Tampaksiring near Manukaya village. Its name, which means "holy water spring," is derived from a natural spring that bubbles up into the temple’s central pool and continues to feed the nearby Pakerisan River. This revered site is dedicated to Vishnu, the Hindu God of Water and Preservation

The Ayung River is Bali’s longest waterway, stretching 68.5 km's from the lush northern highlands down to the southern coast at Sanur. It snakes its way through deep gorges, remote jungles, rice terraces and traditional villages, making it one of the island’s most scenic natural features. Despite its size, the Ayung maintains a gentle flow for much of its length, making it ideal for outdoor activities like rafting and river trekking.

Garuda, the colossal bird being of Hindu myth, soars through Balinese religious imagination not as a gentle guardian but as a relentless force cutting across the realms of gods, demons and mortals. His wings are said to darken the sky when spread, the violent wind from their beat capable of stripping the leaves from the forests.

Perched on a ridge above Ubud’s sacred Campuhan River lies one of Bali’s most curious artistic enclaves, the Blanco Renaissance Museum, once the home and studio of the flamboyant artist Don Antonio Blanco. Often called the “Dali of Bali,” Blanco's vibrant persona and sensual art helped solidify his reputation as one of the island's most celebrated foreign creatives.

Just 12 kilometres off the southeast coast of Bali lies Nusa Lembongan, a compact gem in a trio of islands that make up part of the Lesser Sunda chain, born from volcanic origins. Though it spans only 8 square km's, the island is a place of striking contrasts and natural beauty. Bright coral reefs encircle the island, while soft white beaches and weathered limestone cliffs shape its edges.

Dating back to 1297, Chiang Mai’s oldest standing temple, Wat Chiang Man, was originally founded by King Mengrai as a royal encampment during the construction of his new capital. As the first temple within the city walls, it soon became a central hub for the emerging Lanna Kingdom, hosting religious ceremonies, political gatherings and significant social events, intertwining both spiritual devotion and civic life at the heart of the city.

Dewi Danu rules the highland lakes while Dewi Sri dwells in the fertile lowlands, yet their powers meet within Bali’s sacred subak system. Waters from the mountains descend through canals to the rice fields, where temples serve as ritual gateways, transforming the flow of water and the growth of grain into a divine exchange between earth and goddess.

On Bali’s southeastern coast, Goa Lawah Bat Cave Temple stands out as a powerful spiritual site where myth and nature collide. With thousands of bats roosting above its shrines, this atmospheric temple offers a raw glimpse into the island’s ancient traditions.

Cat Cát Village lies in the misty mountains of northern Vietnam, known for its cascading waterfalls, terraced hillsides and narrow stone paths that wind through the valley. The landscape, shaped by water and cloud, gives the village a magical atmosphere that draws travellers seeking both beauty and stillness.

Originally known as Wangcun, this stunning 2000 year old village began as a sleepy Tujia ethnic settlement, nestled deep within the rugged cliffs of western Hunan Province. Established during the Han Dynasty, it was once little more than a modest cluster of wooden dwellings, with smoke curling gently from hearth fires and echoes of ancestral chants reverberating across the canyon.

Located at the base of Mount Shaoshi in Henan Province, the Pagoda Forest at Shaolin Temple is a sacred necropolis within the broader monastery complex. With its origins tracing back to 618 AD during the Tang Dynasty, the forest is home to over 240 stone and brick pagodas, each serving as a tomb or memorial for esteemed monks, abbots and martial art masters.

In 1974, farmers digging a well unearthed a hidden world, the Terracotta Army. Thousands of life sized soldiers, horses and chariots stand frozen in silent formation, crafted around 247 BC to guard China’s first emperor in the afterlife. This colossal underground army offers a mesmerising glimpse into the ambition, artistry and power of an ancient civilisation.

Founded by the Kingdom of Shu in the 4th century, Chengdu and the Jinjiang River served as a crucial intersection to three trade corridors for the Silk Road. In 316AD it was established as the Capital under the Qin Dynasty and was not only a key centre for trade but became renowned for its music, poetry and cuisine.

Tucked into the vibrant heart of Chengdu, the capital of Sichuan Province, Kuanxiangzi Alley is a rare remnant of Qing Dynasty urban design, its origins reaching back over 300 years. Established in the late 17th century, the alley was constructed over an ancient military garrison and gradually developed into an elite residential area.

One of the world’s most respected facilities for panda conservation and research is the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding. Established in 1987, the base was created to increase the wild panda population and ensure their survival, at a time when only around 1,000 remained. Over the years, it has become a symbol of scientific study and wildlife preservation.

Shaped by both chance and design, one of Bali’s most unexpected natural wonders is Kanto Lampo Waterfall. Unlike the island’s ancient cascades that have poured down jungle cliffs for centuries, this waterfall is a relatively recent creation. In the early 2010s, adjustments to a local irrigation system redirected water across a rocky cliffside and over time the flow carved its way over volcanic stone, giving rise to the unique cascade we see today.

Built in honour of its namesake Saraswati, the Hindu goddess of knowledge, music, art, wisdom and learning, Pura Taman Saraswati is a graceful water temple nestled in the heart of downtown Ubud. This sacred site blends spiritual reverence with classical Balinese aesthetics, offering a peaceful retreat just steps away from the town’s busy centre.

Nestled in the eastern highlands of Bali, in the quiet village of Ababi at the foot of Mount Agung, Tirta Gangga is a royal water palace steeped in beauty and spiritual reverence. Commissioned by the last Raja of Karangasem in 1946, this sacred estate pays homage to Balinese Hindu devotion. Its name, meaning “blessed water from the Ganges,” reflects its role as both a royal retreat and a site for spiritual purification and ceremonial bathing.

Bảo Lạc Town, near Vietnam’s northern border with China, hides a blood-soaked past beneath its calm surface. For centuries, this rugged land was home to fiercely independent Tày, Nùng, Hmong, and Dao tribes who lived and died resisting Vietnamese and Chinese domination. Imperial forces repeatedly tried to crush their autonomy, but the mountains ran red as rebellion flared again and again.

Standing proudly at 1175 metres above sea level, on the peak of Mount Lempuyang, this ancient temple complex is among Bali’s oldest and most revered, believed to predate most Hindu temples on the island. Although there is some confusion about the site’s exact age, the establishment of temples here stretches back at least a millennium.