1 . Can’t-miss attractions along the China-Laos railway: China section

The China-Laos railway, an over-1,000-kilometer-long cross-border railway connecting the city of Kunming in Southwest China’s Yunnan province with the capital of Laos, Vientiane, is set to be inaugurated in December, which will link destinations worthy of a visit along the way. Check out some of the can’t-miss destinations along the Chinese section of the railway.

Fuxian Lake in Yuxi

Just 30 minutes from Kunming, the city of Yuxi is home to Fuxian Lake, China’s largest deep-water lake sitting on a plateau. Famous Chinese travel writer Xu Xiake (1587 — 1641) once paid a visit and wrote about its pristine water. What makes the lake more mysterious is the possibility that an ancient city lived under its quiet and calm surface.

Sun-River National Park in Pu’er

The word “Pu’er” may remind many of the renowned tea from Yunnan Province, but it is also the name of a city. Not surprisingly, it is one of the country’s major Pu’er tea producing areas. Back in ancient China, the region served as an important stop along the Tea Horse Road, a trade route linking Yunnan and Southwest China’s Tibet autonomous region.

Wild Elephant Valley in Xishuangbanna

A group of wandering Asian elephants in Yunnan grabbed headlines this year when it set off on a rare 500-kilometer trek from Xishuangbanna, a major habitat for wild elephants in China. For those wishing to interact with the giant creatures themselves, the Wild Elephant Valley is a must-visit.

3 . China is one of the best tourist destinations with many great museums, which will show you the Chinese civilization for the past thousands of years.

The Palace Museum, Beijing

There are always long lines at the gate, but it’s worth the wait. The palace Museum had been the Chinses imperial (皇帝的) palace from the Ming dynasty to the end of the Qing dynasty.

When you wander in the museum, you will be amazed at this largest palace complex in the world! It has about 1,807,000 rare and valuable artworks that witness the 5,000-year Chinese civilization.

Opening Hours:

April 1 — October 31: 8:30 — 17:00

November 1— March 31: 8:30 — 16:30

Closed on Mondays (except for national holidays and July-August)

National Museum of China, Beijing

This is the second most-visited museums in the world. Opened in 2003, the museum is devoted to educating the art and history of China through its collections, exhibitions, and academic researches.

Here you'll find the most brilliant masterpieces in China. It is now holding approximately 1,400,000 amazing objects. These objects are like storytellers who reveal Chinese history from the Yuanmou Man of 1.7 million years ago to the end of the Qing Dynasty.

Opening Hours:

9:00 — 17:00

Closed on Mondays

Museum of Terracotta Warriors and Horses (兵马俑), Xi'an

The Museum of Terracotta Warriors and Horses is featured with thousands of life-sized terracotta figures of warriors and horses. They are arranged in battle formations and different from each other with individual characteristics.

Thousands of treasures still remain to be unearthed at this archaeological (考古的) site, and more mysteries of the Qin dynasty will be revealed someday in the future.

Opening Hours:

March 16— November 15: 8:30 — 18:00

November 16— March 15: 8:30 — 17:30

Shanghai Museum, Shanghai

Visiting Shanghai Museum is ranked No. 2 out of 10 things to do in Shanghai. Perhaps, this is the most modern museum in China, housing a diverse collection of around 1,020,000 artifacts that chart the nation's history.

There are eleven galleries in three exhibition halls, covering most of the major categories of Chinese art: bronzes, sculpture, ceramics (陶瓷制品), paintings, calligraphy, seals, jade, coins and Ming and Qing furniture.

Opening Hours:

Monday to Sunday: 9:00 — 17:00

4 . Here are four small places in England, all packed with delightful scenery and more.

In the town, ancient buildings lean casually into one another. As a result, wandering down the high street feels like walking through a fairy tale or a Hollywood movie as Lavenham has appeared in many Hollywood movies. Behind the high walls are several excellent restaurants, but first time visitors should go to the Lavenham Guildhall, where you can drink tea in a well-preserved Tudor room.

Home to Gold I Hill, the cobblestone street known as “one of the most romantic sights in England”. Shaftesbury is a major charmer. The tiny Dorset town is also home to the ruins of Shaftesbury Abbey, built in 888 AD by King Alfred, a man well-known for creating England. Shaftesbury is also surrounded by a wealth of incredible countryside rich in picnicking potential including Duncliffe Wood and Melbury Beacon.

St Ives used to be little more than a traditional fishing village, but now it has developed into a popular coastal town. Its soft, sandy beaches regularly win awards and there are also plenty of top seafood dining options. The town has even gained a reputation as a serious arts center, with lots of outstanding galleries led by the Tate St Ives, which features attractive modern art exhibitions focusing on British artists.

Recognized as the “pretticst village in England”. Castle Combe is famous for its handsome honey colored stone houses and flower-lined lanes (小巷) which have decorated countless postcards and magazine covers over the years.

5 . A BUTTERFLY-SHAPED island in the central Aegean hopes to become Greece's first carbon-free tourist destination. Under a deal with the government, Volkswagen, a carmaker, has donated several new electric vehicles for use by Astypalea's public services; it will sell others at cost price lo its 1,200 residents. In return, the government has offered some money for islanders to buy electric cars and will build a hybrid solar and wind-fueled power plant to replace a group of polluting diesel-fired generators (柴油发电机).

Unlike other nearby islands, Astypalea is not connected to Greece's electricity grid. With only 3,000 rooms for visitors in small hotels or flats, tourism is still low-key. Many residents make a living in the old-fashioned ways: raising goats, keeping bees and fishing. The island was selected for Volkswagen's e-mobility experiment after Nikos Komineas, the go-ahead mayor, contacted the transport ministry for help in finding an electric bus to try out on its rugged roads.

Most islanders sound keen on the project. Mr Komineas expects the number of private cars on Astypalea to fall by a third over the next five years. Its residents, he says, will get around on e-scooters and electric minibuses, which will be free, linked to a mobile-phone app and available all day.

Some observers find the plan a little impractical. A plan for a solar park that would generate half the island's electricity within three years will not get under way before the tourist season ends. A single wind turbine (涡轮机) will be installed only in 2026, assuming the licensing process goes smoothly. That is not normally the case in the Aegean, where islanders worry that tourists will go elsewhere if the view is spoiled by a turbine 200 meters high. And even then, the hybrid power unit is planned to cover only about 80%of summer demand. But it is a start.

8 . London’s Compass

CENTRAL LONDON

London’s heart is made up of many boroughs (区) including Camden, Islington, the City of Westminster, and the City of London.

Hidden Gem: Oasis Sports Centre.

This sports complex in the centre of Covent Garden boasts two swimming pools. One is an outdoor heated pool, which is popular for fitness fans and sunbathers alike.

NORTH LONDON

More than 120 languages are spoken in this multi-ethnic and vibrant region, which is steeped in history, renowned for its culture, and boasts excellent transport links.

Hidden Gem: Hampstead Heath

A huge public park made up of woodland, meadows and heathland. It also boasts Golders Hill Park Zoo, two cafés and sports facilities including three swimming ponds and a Lido. Times vary. Admission to the heath is free.

SOUTH LONDON

Otherwise known as ‘south of the river’, this area is less built up than the north and loved for its array of open spaces.

Hidden Gem: Tooting Bec Lido.

Swim outdoors at this 90-metre freshwater swimming pool, which recently reopened for the summer. It boasts a kids’ paddling pool, changing cubicles and a café.

EAST LONDON

Once the centre of working-class London, the cast is going through a period of regeneration especially.

Hidden Gem: East End Canals.

Explore the towpaths of the Regent’s Canal and Hertford Union Canal, between Mile End Road and Wick Lane, to take in sights like Mile End Park and neighboring Victoria Park.