Mount Fanjing in south-west China

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Building temples in the sky. Mount Fanjing, China

Incredible views are on offer at the top of south-west China’s Mount Fanjing, even when the mist rolls in. But you’ll need to put some work in to get there. This sacred mountain in Guizhou rises more than 330ft (100m) above the surrounding landscape, the highest peak of the Wuling Mountains. To get to the summit, you’ll need to climb almost 9,000 steps, which wind up and around stone outcrops and through a gorge.

The buildings perched at the top are two Buddhist temples, the Temple of the Buddha and the Temple of Maitreya, which are linked by a perilous-looking small footbridge. For those who can’t make the 8,888 steps to the top, there is a cable car taking you two-thirds of the way up. But for those who can, your efforts will be handsomely rewarded with spectacular sights – and a satisfying, if exhausted, sense of self-achievement.