Mount Emei, China

“It’s better to travel than to arrive,” said Gautham Buddha. Whether you’re walking through the bustling Chinatowns or trekking on the sacred mountain of Emei, it’s impossible to get over the Buddhist chants that mesmerise the surroundings. Mount Emei is one of the four sacred Buddhist Mountains of China; located in the Sichuan province. It lies amidst Emeishan traps, which were generated due to the volcanic eruptions during the Permian era. Standing at 3,009 metres above sea level, Mt. Emei is the highest of the four sacred mountains. Regarded as Bodhimanda, which means a place of enlightenment, Mt. Emei is apt for a spiritual and peaceful getaway.

• Martial arts are one of the most popular practices of China and practicing them in the monasteries of Mt. Emei is considered sacred. Mt. Emei is the birth place of Chinese boxing which originated in the Shaolin Monastery.

• When at Mt. Emie make sure you pay a visit to all the temples as archaeologists have dated them back to the 1st century. The infrastructure is mostly Buddhist and the site has around 75 monasteries and temples. The only way to travel between the temples is through cable cars which are easily accessible.

• Sunrise and sunset are those two moments in the day that you don’t want to miss when in Mt. Emei. These moments are a unique phenomenon where the sky turns into a bouquet of purples and greens.

• Wild life enthusiasts can trek through, to catch a glimpse of the Tibetan macaques, which are rare and found only in Tibet, North-east India and China.

• More than 200 different species of plants can be found on Mt. Emei and vibrant species of flora too.

Best time to visit — All around the year

Cuisine — Chinese

Languages spoken — Mandarin and English

How to get there — 154 kms by road from Chengdu