Dozens of venomous pit vipers slither and coil among the urns, roof beams and potted trees within this bizarre Chinese temple, built in 1850, and sacred to the deity Chro Soo Kong. The snakes – regarded as benevolent spirits – are seen as guardians of the temple.

The Fremont Street Experience is a highly successful attempt to draw the millions of visitors back to the downtown area. The domed-canopy 90 feet (27,5 meters) above the street was constructed along five city blocks, lined with some of the oldest casinos in Las Vegas. Every evening from sundown to midnight, the canopy becomes a giant screen showing high resolution images accompanied by concert-quality sound. At the top of each hour, visitors pour into the streets, looking skyward in anticipation of one of the six different shows lasting six to nine minutes.

Idre Fjäll is one of the largest ski resorts in Sweden and has 40 slopes of various difficulties for alpine skiing, all of which can be reached with the same lifts. Once on the top, you'll be able to ski in four directions. In order to access the slopes and the lifts you'll need passes that can be obtained at the tourist office, at Idre Fjäll reception and at some local businesses. Ski lessons are available for both children and adults.

Ishiteji, as it's known in Japanese, is No. 51 of the 88 temples that form the Shikoku Pilgrimage, and you can usually see a few pilgrims in their white garb and cone hats. The main hall and pagoda are built in the architectural style of the Kamakura Period (1192-1333). Behind the temple buildings is a doorway to a dark hole in the mountain which forms the backdrop to Ishite. This leads to a series of tunnels filled with peculiar Buddhist statuary, leading out to an inner courtyard area containing a strikingly modern golden dome.