Kina

Yuen Long is an important transport hub and a gateway to the Mai Po Marshes and the nearby walled villages.

Mongolia. The name alone stirs up visions of nomadic herders, thundering horses and, of course, the warrior-emperor Genghis Khaan.

Jiuzhaigou National Park (九寨沟风景名胜区, Jiǔzhàigōu Fēngjǐng Míngshèngqū), an enchanting Unesco World Heritage Site, is one of Sichuan’s and even China's star attractions. More than two million people visit annually – or rather, used to visit annually – to gawk at its famous bluer-than-blue lakes, rushing waterfalls and deep woodlands backlit by snowy mountain ranges.

Many travelers find themselves drifting into Hubei (湖北; Húběi) through the Three Gorges, the precipitous marvel that's a continuation of Chongqing's uniquely lush and hilly landscape. This classic trip down the Yangzi is the perfect introduction to Hubei's natural beauty.

Vast, thinly populated and with an average altitude of over 14,764 ft (4500m), western Tibet (Ngari, མངའ་རིས་) is a rough and ready frontier occupying one of the remotest corners of Asia. For most travelers the main attractions of what is likely to be a two- or three-week overland trip are the almost legendary destinations of Mt Kailash and Lake Manasarovar. Indeed, many of the Tibetan and Indian pilgrims you meet on this road have been planning a visit all their lives.

The most important city in western China and the economic engine of the upper Yangzi, Chongqing City (重庆; Chóngqìng) is a massive and enthralling urban sprawl. Chongqing makes up for a lack of top-notch sights with fantastic food and charismatic geography: its combination of steep hills at the confluence of the Yangzi and Jialing Rivers is a prelude to the even more dramatic scenery of the Three Gorges downstream.

Yunnan (云南, Yúnnán) is the most diverse province in all China, both in its extraordinary mix of peoples and in the splendour of its landscapes. That combination of superlative sights and many different ethnic groups has made Yunnan the trendiest destination for China’s exploding domestic tourist industry.

Är du ett fan av vinter, is, snö och gillar häftiga upplevelser? Då kanske det känns lockande att besöka Harbin International Ice and Snow Sculpture Festival i Kina.

The road between Jishou and Zhangjiajie runs through hills, terraced fields and minority villages, and past rivers and lush, verdant scenery via the Tujia settlement of Furong (芙蓉镇; Fúróng Zhèn), an old town elevated to fame in the 1986 film Hibiscus Town. Until around 10 years ago, the town was simply called Wang Village (王村; Wáng Cūn), before being renamed in honour of the movie. Wandering down the steps of the old riverside town is charming, but the main draw is the gushing waterfall alongside the hamlet, splendidly illuminated come nightfall.

Home to the wondrous Harbin Ice & Snow Festival, and the world's largest indoor ski facility, the capital of Heilongjiang (哈尔滨; Hā’ěrbīn), located on the Songhua River, is a stylish city and a highlight of any trip through Dongbei.