Shangri-La City, formerly known as Zhongdian, was renamed after the fictional paradise of James Hilton's "Lost Horizon" in an effort to promote tourism in 2001. Located in northwestern Yunnan province, Shangri-La is commonly used as a gateway into Tibet.
Bikaner is a historic city in Rajasthan, set on the edge of the Thar Desert in northwestern India. Its landscape is characterized by sandy plains, sparse vegetation, and hardy desert crops, while the city itself is known for its fortified walls, ornate havelis, temples, and busy bazaars. Bikaner developed as an important trading center on desert routes, and its architecture reflects the wealth created through commerce. Today, the city remains closely associated with desert culture, camel breedin
Polonnaruwa, located in Sri Lanka’s North Central Province, served as the island’s capital nearly a thousand years ago. Today, it offers one of the most extensive and well-preserved archaeological sites in South Asia. Visitors can walk among the ruins of royal palaces, Buddhist monasteries, and intricately carved stone temples. One of the highlights of Polonnaruwa is the Gal Vihara, a group of colossal Buddha statues carved directly into granite.
The largest virgin tract of rainforest in Australia (and the second largest in the world), this lush, tropical World Heritage area is a living testimonial to the ancient rainforests which once covered the earth's surface. Cool forest streams, primitive rainforests, stunning mountain scenery and abundant wildlife - a naturalists and bird watchers paradise.