Rising like a gleaming spine along the raw sandstone cliffs of Zhangjiajie National Forest Park in China’s Hunan Province, the Bailong Elevator, also known as the "Hundred Dragons Elevator" is both a marvel of modern engineering and a looming monolith that stirs ancient fears. Piercing 326 metres into the sky, it is the tallest outdoor elevator in the world.

Lumpini Park was established in 1925 by King Rama VI, who sought to create a space for learning and leisure in what was then the outskirts of Bangkok. While a museum never fully came to life, the space evolved into Bangkok’s first public park, named after Lumbini, the birthplace of Buddha in Nepal, reflecting the king’s emphasis on cultural heritage and Thai identity in a rapidly modernising world.

In ancient times, this area was a fertile swampland, rich in natural resources and home to a thriving population of wild elephants. These gentle giants, long regarded as sacred beings and powerful symbols of royalty throughout Southeast Asia, roamed freely across the land, their presence deeply influencing the spiritual and cultural identity of the region.

The Blue Temple, also known as Wat Rong Suea Ten, is a striking Buddhist temple, renowned for its stunning blue and gold color scheme. Built in 2005 on the site of an ancient abandoned shrine, it is a relatively new addition to Chiang Rai’s historical landscape and was funded by a local artist named Phuttha Kabkaew, who had a strong vision of fusing the beauty of traditional Buddhist art in the contemporary world.

Hidden beneath the dramatic limestone cliffs of Guilin’s Seven Stars Park lies a sprawling karst cave system, veiled in myth and mystery. Named after the seven towering peaks that crown the landscape, said to mirror the celestial pattern of the Big Dipper, this subterranean realm has captivated explorers and spiritual seekers for a millennia.

Tucked behind the imposing facade of Kongōbu-ji Temple, the head temple of Koyasan’s esoteric Shingon Buddhism, lies Japan’s largest Zen rock garden, Banryūtei, or “The Garden of the Reclining Dragon.” Far from your average gravel swirls, Banryūtei is a deliberate masterpiece spanning over 2300 square metres. It was established in 1984, some 1150 years after the death of Grand Master Kobo Daishi, as a place of calm contemplation.

Established in 1876, Vihara Dharmayana stands as one of the oldest Buddhist temples in Bali and the only one of its kind in Kuta. Known locally as Kongco Kuta, the temple was built to honour Tan Hu Cin Jin, a Chinese nobleman and architect who served the King of Mengwi. The site was famously visited by the 14th Dalai Lama during his tour of the island in 1982.

The origins of Pura Besakih are veiled in ancient legend, its story whispered through centuries beyond recorded memory. For more than a thousand years, this sprawling temple complex has stood as the spiritual heart and the “Mother Temple” of the whole island. Perched nearly a kilometre above the sea, on the jagged southwestern flank of Mount Agung, it commands a breathtaking view and an air of sacred power.