Shinjuku's Kabukicho red-light district transforms after dark into a spectacle of neon-lit alleyways. The experience is defined by its visual energy, from the looming Godzilla head to the blinking signs of robot-themed restaurants. While not officially part of the district, the nearby lanes of Golden Gai and Omoide Yokocho offer a contrasting, intimate atmosphere with their tiny, traditional bars and eateries. A relatively new addition to the neighbourhood, Thermae-Yu is a six-storey onsen. The complex uses natural hot spring water sourced daily from Shizuoka. With facilities open for 22 hours every day, it functions as a popular overnight refuge for those who have missed the last train, offering a place to rest until the city stirs again at dawn.

San Diego is home to an array of world-class golf courses, but for many, Torrey Pines Golf Course reigns supreme. This municipal golf facility boasts 36 holes and is located atop cliffs that overlook the majestic Pacific Ocean in the La Jolla area. Golf enthusiasts are treated to unparalleled views of the ocean and surrounding scenery while playing on the immaculate greens.

Tiananmen Square is where Mao Zedong announced the founding of the People’s Republic of China in 1949. The square is dominated by the red Tiananmen Gate and Mao’s enormous portrait, which you’ll see everywhere. Every morning at sunrise, there’s a flag-raising ceremony, and on the first day of the month, it’s done with a military band. The square is also home to the Monument to the People’s Heroes, a 38-metre granite obelisk in the centre, and the Mausoleum of Mao Zedong, where people still queue to pay respects.

The Senso-ji temple is Tokyo's oldest-established Buddhist temple. Though a major tourist attraction, this is primarily a traditional, local site where worshippers cast coins, clap ceremoniously and bow in respect to an image of Kannon, the Goddess of Compassion.