Dashilan used to be the busiest suburban commercial area, and one of those most steeped in history. This traditional market is kept as it once was; some of the longest-standing brand boutiques started here, as well as the very first cinema in Beijing - and all of them are still running. Dashilan represents the other side of Beijing. It shows you that this city is not only about royal families but also about regular residents who lived outside the palace. This place breathes vitality of daily life. This is also the main exhibition spot of Beijing International Design Week, making for a unique chemistry between the area's traditional vibe and modern art and design exhibits.

Chocolate lovers will be glad to know that free samples are given out at the end of each tour of the gourmet chocolatiers Angell & Phelps facility. Their history spans decades to 1925, which means that people have had the opportunity to indulge in their wonderful chocolate for nearly a century.

In this Queensland rural town, the Historical museum is worth visiting, as is Proserpine Lake — or Peter Faust Dam, as it is better known. Ideal for water sports and fishing for the popular barramundi (Asian sea bass), you may also fancy a local eco-tour. To put the cherry on top, take one of the Whitsunday Crocodile Safaris up the Proserpine River.

Beijing Capital Museum was formally open to the public in 1981, and the Confucian Temple was its original site. In order to accommodate a larger collection, a new museum was built in December 2001. There are more than 5000 pieces of cultural relics here like porcelain ware, calligraphy works, paintings, coins, jades, seals and Buddhist statues.