Ten highlights along China's Yellow River

All travel is by definition quixotic — the most seasoned globetrotters can be led on wild goose chases, deceived, and/or just plain make huge mistakes all by themselves about what's around that next corner. Trekking up to the Scottish highlands to look for "Nessie," aka, the Loch Ness "monster," allegedly "sighted" — perhaps even several times — a half-century ago in the Highlands' breathtakingly gorgeous 23-mile-long freshwater lake just south of Inverness, is an epic, decades-long wild goose chase.

It happened at an indoor wall for the sport of “bouldering”. I was standing watching some athletic young men conquer a tricky route that was beyond my abilities, half-listening to their banter, when I suddenly understood what they were discussing. A proposal to climb outdoors. They had never done it. They dreamed of it, but were uncertain how to go about it.

Bad news for beachgoers in southern China this summer: Many Hong Kong-area beaches are now covered with thick blankets of garbage that are making them unusable and environmental hazards.

Top 10 lists are ubiquitous, especially in travel; it seems there’s one for everything. And when it comes to destinations, whether it’s a “most popular” or “up-and-coming” ranking, these lists tend to be a mix of well-known cities and semi-under-the-radar places. Unless you’re a Booking.com user planning 2020 travel, apparently.

Croatia is an endlessly appealing destination with sun-drenched beaches, picturesque hilltop towns and atmospheric streets.

The parent and child relationship is a famously complicated one. It’s one of the few in life where the love is often so pure—and the bond so established—that both members expect to continually transition together through the different stages of life. But as children grow and develop their own identity, boundaries are redefined and the foundational rules drummed into us are questioned.

China Airlines has responded to a woman who said they locked her cat in its cage for 38 hours before sending them both back to the US, leaving her thousands of dollars out of pocket.

One of the world’s leading photographers on disappearing cultural practices, Jo Farrell has spent the past ten years documenting the last known women in China with bound feet. Rough Guides travel editor Greg Dickinson caught up with Jo to discuss her archive of experiences travelling around China with a camera.

Taiwan’s capital Taipei is one of East Asia’s most vibrant metropolises. It's is famous for its night markets; Taipei 101, one of the world’s tallest buildings; and the National Palace Museum, which holds a vast collection of imperial Chinese treasures. But beyond that, there are many more things to do in Taipei including urban hikes, historic neighbourhoods, hot springs, and a volcanic mountain park on the outskirts.

Wherever you go in downtown Shanghai, you’ll be struck by international influence both past and present. From the leafy avenues of the former French Concession to the modern malls on Nanjing West Road, this is a city that grew up with globalisation.

© xujun/Shutterstock

From narrow hutongs to wide-flowing rivers, China is a land of opposites, superlatives and fascination. There will always be plenty to see and do here, and the likes of the Great Wall, Forbidden City, the Bund, Zhangjiajie and Terracotta Army usually take the limelight. In need of more eclectic inspiration? Look no further – here are eleven other things to see in China.