Located in Shanghai's historic Old City near the City God Temple, Yu Garden is one of the best preserved examples of classical Chinese garden design. It was originally constructed in 1559 during the Ming Dynasty by Pan Yunduan, a high ranking imperial officer. Pan built the garden as a retirement retreat for his aging father, Pan En, intending it to be a place of comfort and tranquility. The name Yu itself means peace and contentment, symbolising his filial piety.

The Jingjiang Princes’ Palace, constructed in 1372 during the early Ming Dynasty, served as the residence of Zhu Shouqian, a nephew of the dynasty’s founding Emperor Zhu Yuanzhang. Perched at the foot of Duxiu Hill in Guilin, the palace was more than just a lavish estate, it embodied the Ming strategy of installing Vassal Kings across the Empire to maintain dynastic stability and guard the frontiers.

The Jiajing Emperor, who ruled China’s Ming Dynasty from 1521 to 1567, is often remembered for his sadistic and tyrannical reign marked by cruelty, decadence and obsession with immortality. His relentless pursuit of eternal life led him to engage in dark and brutal practices, one of the most notorious being his bloodlust for a substance called “red lead.” This concoction was allegedly made using the menstrual blood of young virgin girls.

Celebrated in March, the Balinese New Year known as Nyepi is a truly unique spiritual occasion unlike any other in the world. Instead of loud celebrations, fireworks or street parties, the island enters a state of complete silence. No flights arrive or depart, no vehicles take to the road and even electricity use is minimised. Known as the “Day of Silence,” Nyepi is devoted to self-reflection, meditation and purification.

Accurate records about this is small, unassuming temple are scarce but local belief holds that it predates the founding of the city itself, making it over 800 years old. This would place its origin in the early days of the Lanna Kingdom, likely established under the reign of King Mengrai or his immediate successors. Despite its modest size, Wat Mung Muang has long been a silent witness to the ebb and flow of northern Thailand's political and cultural evolution.

Although not formally declared a public park until 1880, the sacred origins of Nara Park stretch back to 708AD, when Japan’s capital was transferred to the Heijo Palace area, now the city of Nara. As the heart of early Japanese civilisation, Nara became a place where political ambition, religious reverence and spiritual mystery intertwined.

First established in the 17th century, Pura Batur is one of Bali’s most venerated temples, second only to Pura Besakih on the sacred slopes of Mount Agung. Perched at roughly 900 metres above sea level, this mountain sanctuary overlooks the dramatic caldera of Mount Batur, an active volcano steeped in myth and raw geological power.

Just south of Da Nang on Vietnam’s central coast, the Marble Mountains (Ngu Hành Sơn) rise like ancient sentinels above the surrounding flatlands. These five striking limestone and marble hills are each named after one of the five elements of Eastern philosophy: metal (Kim), wood (Mộc), water (Thủy), fire (Hỏa) and earth (Thổ). Steeped in legend and spirituality, the mountains have long served as places of worship and retreat.

Founded in 1593 by the powerful samurai warlord Toyotomi Hideyoshi, Kongōbu-ji was established as a spiritual monument dedicated to immortalising his mother. This temple’s creation was more than just an act of filial piety, it became a lasting symbol of religious devotion and architectural mastery. Nestled in Koyasan, Kongōbu-ji quickly rose to prominence as a central hub for Shingon Buddhism, intertwining Hideyoshi’s legacy with the sacred landscape of Japan.

Yaoshan Mountain scenic area, standing at 909 metres, received its name in 221 BC with the construction of the Yao Emperor Temple at its summit. As the tallest peak in the Guilin region, it offers breathtaking panoramic views of the surrounding karst landscape, limestone formations that define the area’s iconic scenery. This early naming coincided with the unification of China under the Qin Dynasty, marking Yaoshan as a site of both natural prominence and emerging cultural si

Mount Kōya, or Kōyasan, was first settled in 819AD by the legendary monk Kūkai, also known as Kōbō Daishi, who introduced esoteric Shingon Buddhism to Japan after studying in China. Nestled in a secluded alpine basin surrounded by eight lotus-like peaks, this sacred site in Wakayama Prefecture was chosen for its geomantic significance and spiritual isolation. By imperial decree in 816, Kūkai began transforming the mountaintop into a monastic haven.

Tanah Lot, which translates to “Floating Land,” is one of Bali’s most revered and iconic sea temples. Located in the village of Beraban...

When the Zhangjiajie Glass Footbridge opened to the public in August 2016, it instantly shattered world records as the highest and longest glass bottomed suspension bridge. Stretching 430 metres across and suspended 300 metres above the Zhangjiajie Grand Canyon, it connects the dramatic cliffs of Yuanjiajie and Tianzi Mountains, terrain said to have inspired the floating mountains in Avatar.

In 1777, the Nguyen clan was extinguished in a brutal massacre that marked the end of their reign, save for one, a fifteen-year-old boy named Nguyen Phuc Anh. Orphaned and on the run, he hid in the southern reaches of Vietnam, surviving betrayal, jungle sickness and assassins sent by the rival Tay Son brothers. Legend tells of a mysterious hermit who gave the boy refuge in the sacred mountains of Thien Thai, prophesying that the boy would reclaim his bloodline and raise an em

Located in the dusty outskirts of Phnom Penh lies Choeung Ek, the most infamous of Cambodia’s killing fields. Once a peaceful longan orchard, it now stands as a site of incomprehensible horror and grief. While over 300 killing fields have been identified throughout the country, Choeung Ek alone bore witness to the execution of more than 17,000 men, women and children during the Khmer Rouge regime.

In the heart of Sichuan Province, nestled at the confluence of the Min, Dadu and Qingyi Rivers, the Leshan Giant Buddha looms as one of China’s most awe inspiring historical landmarks. Towering at 71 metres high, this colossal statue is the largest stone Buddha in the world and remains a profound testament to ancient Chinese ingenuity and spiritual devotion.

In the shadowy heart of Balinese folklore, the Leyak (or Leak) stands as one of the most feared and sinister supernatural entities but these dark witches do not act alone. They serve under the terrifying rule of Rangda, the fearsome queen of black magic and witchcraft, whose grotesque visage and unrelenting malevolence embody the island’s deepest fears.

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

Standing at about 70 feet tall, this towering pyramid temple is set deep within the jungle and is believed to be the first temple in Angkor built entirely of green sandstone and pre-date Angkor Wat by nearly 200 years. Originally called Hemasringagiri or "the mountain with golden summits", it was commissioned in 975AD by the boy King Javavarman V, who ascended the throne at a tender age of 10.

Famous for its thousands of vivid orange torii gates, Fushimi Inari is an ancient Shinto head shrine and a designated World Heritage site, located in the southeastern part of Kyoto. Dedicated to Inari, the Shinto god of rice, prosperity and foxes, the shrine dates back to the 8th century and remains one of Japan’s most iconic spiritual landmarks