1 . The ancient Lake Baikal has a wealth of beautiful surprises. Nature aside, the region is also rich with culture — home to the Buddhists and the Buryat ethnic minority. Here are some more highlights.

Explore Olkhon Island

Absorbing your wilderness — conquering fantasies in hiking and camping wild on the dramatic cliffs and sandy bays of Olkhon, Lake Baikal’s largest, sparsely-inhabited island. Visit the Olkhon Island in an old Soviet army jeep to view the largest of the shaman ritual sites and spot some Baikal seals sunbathing on the rocks below.

Visit the Ivolginsky Datsan

The Ivolginsky Datsan is the largest and most important Buddhist center in Russia. As you walk around this complex of brightly-colored temple buildings and simple monastic (僧侣的) dwellings, keep a look out for white towers and trees decorated with colorful prayer flags. Spin the prayer wheels, admire the giant Buddha statue with the offerings of coins, colored silks and rice and listen to the chanting of the monks amid clouds of smoke.

Hike the Great Baikal Trail

The Great Baikal Trail project aims to eventually surround Baikal with a series of paths. You can currently hike through a pine forest between the villages of Listvyanka and Bolshiye Koty, or from the picture—perfect fishing village of Baikalskoye to the cold Lake Slyudyanskoye via a striking cliff edge path.

Dive in

Legend has it that Baikal’s waters have miraculous properties, a swim in which gives you five extra years of life. The best places to take a dip include the golden sandy beaches along the northern shore of Olkhon Island, where the water of Maloye Morye(Little Sea)is at its shallowest and warmest, and at the long pebble beach in Severobaikalsk.

Hit the hot springs

The land around Lake Baikal is alive with hot springs, particularly in the small spa town of Arshan, situated in the picturesque foothills of the snowpeaked Eastern Sayan Mountains. The town itself is shabby, but the 1920s Arshan Spa still has the power to cure all kinds of ills with the mildly sulphureous (硫磺的) mineral water, according to the local legend.

4 . The official operation of Universal Beijing Resort (UBR) made Beijing the hottest tourist destination recently. After about 20 years’ preparation, China’s first Universal Studios theme park, and also the biggest Universal Studios theme park in the world, has attracted great attention. It marks the entry of another international chain into China’s thriving theme park industry.

China has become the largest market for theme parks across the world. Today there are nearly 3,000 theme parks in China and over 400 among them are large-scale.

The popularity of theme parks partly comes from the intellectual property they have acquired over the years, which can include characters and stories. Take the Shanghai Disney Resort as an example. From Mickey Mouse to Snow White, Disney had a lot of elements to draw from in designing the theme park. A fan of Disney’s animations Mr. Wu said that he had visited the resort so many times because of his love of the characters and themes throughout the park.

Theme parks have played a leading role in promoting tourism and other relative kinds of consumption (消费). For the past five years, the Shanghai Disney Resort has welcomed 83 million visitors, earning over 40 billion yuan in total. Disney’s impressive performance was carefully viewed by other international firms eager to take part in China’s theme park economy, Steinbock pointed out. According to Steinbock, capital investment in China’s theme park projects in the first half of the 2020s could reach $20 billion. “These huge investments show foreign investors’ rising confidence in China’s business environment.”

“Although the COVID-19 pandemic has created a huge impact on the global tourism market, we are still very positive on the business environment of the Chinese market,” said Tom Mehrmann, president and general manager of UBR.

7 . If you ever decide to visit the village of Obidos in Portugal, you needn’t bother bringing a book to pass the time. Just book a stay at The Literary Man hotel and you can choose from its collection of over 50, 000 books.

Built in 2015, The Literary Man has already become famous as the world’s best hotel for book lovers. It features a constantly growing collection of literary works, most of which are written in English. Books can be found actually everywhere inside The Literary Man, lining the walls of its public sitting room, on the bed stands of its 30 bedrooms, at the in-house gin bar, and even in its old wine cellar. The over 50, 000 literary works cover a variety of genres, from novels and poetry to cookbooks.

But what happens if you find a really good book and can’t finish it until the end of your stay? You can always take it home with you, as most of the books at The Literary Man are available for purchase, including some old, rare titles priced as high as $ 550. However, most visitors actually prefer to add to the hotel’s collection instead of taking from it. The book collection is growing at a faster rate that it will soon reach 100, 000 books than expected.

“Our guests love to bring their own books to add to our collections, and the ones that don’t have books with them usually send them later in form of a donation.” said a representative of The Literary Man hotel.

The Literary Man is not the world’s only reading-themed hotel, but it definitely has the largest collection of books. The Library Hotel, in New York, features around 6, 000 books, The Nines, in Portland, Oregon, offers visitors a collection of 3, 000 books, as does the Book and Bed hotel in Tokyo, Japan. So if you’re looking for diversity, The Literary Man is probably your best option. Prices at the Obidos’ library hotel start at $90 per night.

8 . Lighthouses are built on or near the shore to help guide ships away from danger. However, the threat of rising sea level has many people worried about the future of lighthouses worldwide.

The East Point Lighthouse in New Jersey has been lighting up the Delaware Bay for more than 200 years. But the waters that surround it may bring about its end. During storms, water hits a wall that is just nine meters from the front of the lighthouse. After each major storm, the wall around the lighthouse has to be rebuilt and 1, 300-kilogram sand bags and other methods are used to protect it. A simple fix would cost about 3 million dollars.

Rising sea levels have already forced the relocation of several lighthouses. In 1999, the National Park Service moved the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse in North Carolina, nearly 884 meters inland, which cost about 11. 8 million dollars. In 1993, the Southeast Lighthouse on Block Island, which is still guiding ships, was moved more than 91 meters inland.

Tim Harrison is the editor of Lighthouse Digest, a publication (出版) based in the northern state of Maine. It has a list of 53 lighthouses around the United States that may be lost because of the effects of climate change. “Lighthouses were built for one purpose: to save lives. Some of America’s lighthouses continue to be used to guide ships and other boats. But a good number have been replaced by modern technology. Instead, the lighthouses are valued more for historical reasons.” Tim said. “Now it’s our turn to step up and save these lighthouses.”

But some lighthouses have already been lost. Both the Galveston Jetty Lighthouse in Texas and the Sabine Bank Lighthouse in Louisiana were lost to storms or rising seas. And the Kauhola Point Lighthouse on Hawaii’s Big Island was taken down after erosion nearby was so severe that it could not be saved. Other lighthouses that are considered to be in danger from rising seas include the Sand Island Lighthouse in Alabama and the New Point Comfort Lighthouse in Virginia.

9 . There are many resorts in the world. Make your Branson, Missouri vacation easy by booking a complete vacation package with general attractions, shows and more. Located in the rolling hills of the Ozarks, Branson also features numerous outdoor activity options for a varied vacation experience.

When planning a wonderful holiday to Branson, book the Two-night Branson Getaway Package, which includes two nights of staying, dinner and a show at the Dolly Parton’s Stampede, and admission to the traditional Acrobats (杂技) of Shanghai!

Price: Adult: $156.

Children: Ages 3-19: $81.22, Ages 0-2: Free.

Whether you are planning a weekend holiday in Branson or a short mid-week trip, you will love the Branson Dolly Parton’s Stampede Getaway, which includes two nights of staying and Dolly Parton’s Stampede Dinner and Show!

Price: Adult: $ 156.

Children: Ages 3-19: $73.01, Ages 0-2: Free.

Have the ultimate vacation in Branson with the Silver Dollar City Package, which includes two nights of staying, a two-day pass to Silver Dollar City, and dinner and a show aboard the Showboat Branson Belle!

Price: Adult: $315.

Children: Ages 3-19: $74. 00, Ages 0-2: Free.

For an exciting vacation in Branson that children will simply love, book Branson’s Fun for Kids Vacation, which includes two nights of staying, admission to the Branson’s Wild World VIP Animal Adventure, Escape Mini Golf & Jungle Arcade, Hamners’ Unbelievable Magic Show, Fritz’s Adventure, a one-day pass to Silver Dollar City and admission to the Dolly Parton’s Stampede!

Price: Adult: $ 474.

Children: Ages 3-19: $68.78, Ages 0-2: Free.

10 . When it comes to planning a student trip, there are few better choices than our nation’s capital. There are many places of interest in Washington, DC, with sites that will attract students who are interested in everything from history, art, to STEM. Don’t miss these must-see sites on your trip to Washington, DC.

Managed by the Smithsonian Institution, admission (入场券) is free, and all locations are open every day except December 25. Students will love the exhibitions of the National Air and Space Museum, and everyone can enjoy the National Zoo, which is home to giant pandas, Sumatran tigers, and much more.

This is an amazing place for students interested in art. It includes the East Building and the West Building and houses the gallery’s more modern works and a collection of older works. The museum welcomes visitors from 10 am to 5 pm from Monday to Saturday and 11 am to 6 pm on Sundays. There is a variety of free self-guided and audio (音频) tours available.

The Newseum aims to increase public awareness of the importance of a free press. Visitors can experience the story of news, the role of a free press in major events in history and how freedom of speech is applied to their lives.

Only 16 miles south of Washington, DC lies Mount Vernon, George Washington’s home. This historic place features beautiful gardens and wonderfully kept grounds. The outbuildings surrounding the main house still run today. Visitors can tour these structures in addition to the inside of the main house and go there by subway.