If you're looking to get a sense of the region's ancient past, the Shaanxi History Museum is where you need to go. The museum is packed with artefacts from thousands of years of history, reflecting the importance of Shaanxi as the heart of several key Chinese dynasties. Among its vast collection, one of the main draws is the display of four original Terracotta Warriors. As you wander through the museum, you’ll come across everything from detailed bronze tools and pottery to fascinating tomb relics, each telling a different part of the region’s story.

The volcanic island of Silhouette is significantly younger than its nearby siblings, formed by a volcanic eruption 63 million years ago (compare to Mahe Island's venerable age of 650 million years). It is home to the archipelago's arguably most affordable luxury resort, Hilton Seychelles Labriz Resort & Spa. The island's reef is one of the best in the archipelago, with nature trails and diverse flora and fauna adding to the appeal.

Xi'an’s largest Taoist temple, the Temple of the Eight Immortals, dates back to the Song Dynasty and remains an active place of worship. The temple was supposedly built on the site of an ancient wine shop and is said to have been constructed to protect against subterranean divine thunder. As you explore the temple, you'll notice vivid scenes from Taoist mythology painted around the courtyard. The temple also has an intriguing historical connection: in 1901, Empress Cixi, mother of China’s last emperor, sought refuge here after fleeing Beijing during the Boxer Rebellion.

The splendid Yuantong Temple is the most important Buddhist site in the entire province, with a history of nearly 1200 years. Unlike at other temples, you enter at an elevation and make your way down through tranquil temple grounds – these feature ornate pavilions and halls (the main hall maintains Yuan dynasty architecture), mountain caves and stone staircases. carved directly into the cliff sides.