GreaterGo

Shwedagon Pagoda is the most sacred place in Yangon and where the Burmese people take pride the most. Legend has it that the pagoda enshrines the relics of four Buddhas, namely the staff of Kakusandha, the water filter of Koṇāgamana, a piece of the robe of Kassapa, and eight strands of hair from the head of Gautama.  The Shwedagon Pagoda today stands close to 110m, covering in hundreds of gold plates. The top of the stupa is encrusted with 4,531 diamonds. The largest of which is a 72 carat diamond. There are hundreds of colourful temples, stupas and statues in the pagoda for your exploration.

Mandalay Hill, around 240m tall, is located in the northeast of the city centre. Your trip around Mandalay may start by climbing up and viewing the scenery of the city atop the hill. There are four entrances on Mandalay Hill. The southern approach to Mandalay Hill has two giant chinthes guarding. The chinthes are lion-like creatures often seen at the entrances of pagodas and temples in Myanmar. 

The Persian Empire once dominated the entire Middle East and the backbone of the entire Silk Road. It was also one of the few great empires that were able to fight against Sparta, a prominent city-state in ancient Greece. Many camel caravans started their business journey from Persia to China for expensive silk and porcelain, which were then sold to other countries. This magnificent empire’s capital city was Persepolis, meaning the capital of the Persians. 

Bazaars are of cultural significance in the Islamic world. They, together with mosques, are the central feature of daily life in Islamic Middle-Eastern and Central Asian countries along the Silk Road. Bazaars in the Middle East are like night markets in Taiwan, creating a distinct cultural vibrancy. Persia, as the commercial centre of the Silk Road, surely had busy bazaars in her important cities. Tehran Grand Bazaar has been the best among all.

Lake Baikal, “the Pearl of Siberia”, is one of the best treasures of Russia. Located at the centre of Siberia, Lake Baikal is the deepest lake in the world and renowned for its huge water storage. Take the Trans-Siberia Railway travelling around the lake to Ulan-Ude or Irkutsk, then take a minibus and you will arrive at the lake.

Winter Palace, the former residence of Russian emperors, is naturally the most iconic landmark of Saint Petersburg. The palace is more than just a palace for tsars – it is also a museum. Catherine the Great renovated and expanded the palace into a great royal complex of six buildings. Apart from expanding the Russian empire, Catherine the Great was keen on collecting treasures. Famous paintings and art pieces were purchased from merchants from around the world and stored in the State Hermitage Museum of the Winter Palace. Eventually, rich collections were built up over the years.