The 8888 steps to the top of Mount Fanjing in southwestern China take one to five hours to climb, depending on your fitness. But there’s also a cable car service to the twin Buddhist temples on top of this sacred, 2572-meter peak in the Wuling Mountains.
Mexican photographer Christian Vizl spends his life capturing the beauty of the planet’s oceans with his camera and has won dozens of awards for his work. New out: his black-and-white book of plates, Silent Kingdom: A World Beneath the Waves (published by Earth Aware Editions).
The colorful paintings typically found on the walls of Somalia’s grocer stores, doctor’s offices and electrical stores have a positive dual purpose: Everyone can see at a glance exactly what’s on offer, and the artists earn a living with their street art.
So you think winter’s the only good time to ski and sled? Think again! These summer toboggan runs promise breathtaking descents.
It takes 9 minutes to cover the 3.5 kilometers of the world’s longest summer toboggan run, which you will find in Imst, Tirol.
Sled runs, called sommerrodelbahn even outside Germany, are a real export hit. You can even speed down the Great Wall of China on a 1.5-kilometer track near Mutianyu, 70 kilometers northeast Beijing.
In Ocho Rios in northern Jamaica, you can race through the rain forest on a sled and enjoy the Caribbean beaches of the former fishing village after whizzing down the 1000-meter piste.
Culture clash
The best way to travel is on your stomach: Try something you’ve never had before at these culinary festivals.
Stars on the street
In Singapore, good food is so important that even street cooks work to the highest standards – and are rewarded with Michelin stars. The city’s Food Festival is a must for fans of Chinese, Indian and Malay cooking. (July 12-28)
Not always haute cuisine
French-Canadian cuisine is both famous and notorious, the latter for poutine: french fries in gravy topped with cheese. For a more sophisticated experience, visit the Festival Bouffe ton Centro in Sherbrooke near Montreal (August 3).
Parcels for the palate
Pierogies are ubiquitous in Poland. Krakow even hosts a festival in honor of the tasty dumplings that can come filled with ground meat, mushrooms or sauerkraut (August 11-17).