China

China is vast. Off-the-scale massive. A riveting jumble of dialects, as well as of climatic and topographical extremes, it's like several different countries rolled into one. Take your pick from the tossed-salad ethnic mix of the southwest, the yak-butter-illuminated temples of Xiàhé (this butter is made with the milk of the dri, the female of the yak, but everybody uses it…), a journey along the dusty Silk Road, spending the night at Everest Base Camp, etc.    You're spoilt for choice, whether you’re an urban traveller, hiker, cyclist, explorer, backpacker, China’s diversity is second to none.

China's landscapes span the range from the sublime sapphire lakes of Tibet, to the impassive deserts of Inner Mongolia, you can cross Hong Kong or bike between the famous karst pinnacles in the south, take a selfie among the gorgeous yellow rapeseed of Wùyuán, hike the Great Wall as it meanders across mountain peaks, or flake out on a distant beach and listen to the thud of falling coconuts.

The Chinese live to eat. Expect your tastebuds to be tantalised by the Peking duck in Běijīng, a seasoned ròujiāmó (shredded pork in a bun), etc.