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Love shopping? We've got the perfect excuse to jet off to Turkey's biggest city. The Istanbul Shopping Fest (ISF) runs from now until 29 June. If you're a fashion fanatic, don't miss out on this vibrant event. This year marks the bicentennial of the discovery of the ancient Nabataean city of Petra. Discover, on foot, the magnificent nature reserves of Jordan, from the desert of Wadi Rum to the Gulf of Aqaba. Shipwrecked galleons, coral reefs, exotic underwater life... diving is a fascinating sport and the potential surprises to be found are endless. Here, we take a look at some of the best places to dive all around the planet. The elegance of hi-tech engineering and the pure simplicity of Japanese art come together to reach new heights in the Tokyo Sky Tree, a 634-metre communications tower due to open in May. Tickets to the top are about to go on sale. In the heart of India, there's a land called Madhya Pradesh, where they call the tiger 'sher' and the bear 'bhalu'. This was the place where Rudyard Kipling set the marvellous series of stories that he called the The Jungle Book and that went on to become an animated classic and Walt Disney's last film. Koh Lanta, a beautiful tropical island in the Andaman Sea off the southern coast of Thailand is calling to you to leave behind the daily grind and head for this remote haven, away from the big hotels, to one of the very best spa resorts in the world. In northern Thailand, Bo Sang is all set to celebrate the Umbrella Festival, one of the world's most colourful festivals, which celebrates the skills of local artisans and the beauty of their crafts in a magical display of indescribable delicacy. Christmas may be over for another year, but there are still birthdays to be bought for and these four toy shops are a delight in themselves - and not just for the kids, either! Life on the Thai island of Phuket is clearly shaped by the warm seductive waters of the Andaman Sea. Here, where the turquoise waves lap at the white edge of Nai Yang beach, set amid the lush green of a plantation, lies the Indigo Pearl, one of the most unique resorts on these tropical shores. In China, life has changed tremendously. Yet even today to enter the Forbidden City is to be transported back in time to the days of Imperial China, to the magnificence and mystery of the ancestors of Pu Yi, the last emperor of the Asian giant, who abdicated a century ago. From Australia to Venezuela, from Canada to Korea, 28 of the planet's most spectacular destinations have reached the finals in the vote for the New Seven Wonders of Nature. The islands themselves are practically hidden among mangroves and rainforest, but the coastlines of dazzling white coral sands lapped by turquoise waters are the perfect setting for pirates to have buried their treasure chests long ago. In fact, the real jewels and gems are the lesser known islands that lie off the south western coast of Thailand. If you're looking for something a little out of the ordinary for your next trip, Thailand's coastal town of Hua Hin is celebrating the tenth King's Cup Elephant Polo Tournament, and it promises to be mammoth fun. The white sands of a tropical beach, a mountain peak, or the wide plains of Africa: these are some of the places the hotel reservation site hotels.com has named as their choice from which to view the most spectacular sunsets the planet has to offer. Once believed to be the original site of the Garden of Eden, the many islands of the Seychelles offer peace and tranquillity, unique ecology and marvellous opportunities for outdoors sports. The archipelago is a perfect place for a honeymoon or romantic getaway. This new 'top level' five-star hotel, rising high above the vibrant city of Hong Kong, boasts 312 deluxe rooms and the very latest in modern facilities. In Thailand, they're getting ready to celebrate Songkran, the astrological passing to the new year, which is marked by ancient rituals, dance and other performances, Buddhist ceremonies and lots and lots of water. This year they've an extra reason to celebrate. Romance, mystery, adventure, thrills... all hotels have their own tales to tell. Here, though, are some whose stories are five-star scripts: hotels that have not only welcomed Hollywood stars as their guests, but have also served as backdrops to some of the biggest box-office successes of recent years. After nearly twenty years, the restoration project is complete on this great jewel of Byzantine architecture in Istanbul. Where will you find a rabbit hot on the heels of a tiger? And where will the meeting of the two be heralded by dragon dances and spectacular firework displays? Of course we're talking about the Chinese New Year, and in particular the celebrations in Hong Kong, where, once again in early February, ancestral symbolism will come alive in the heart of one of the planet's most modern and most cosmopolitan cities. Until around ten years ago, the people of this small Himalayan kingdom had no access to television, and mobile phones didn't make an appearance until the twenty-first century. Today the country is slowly opening up to the west while taking great care to meet the challenge of joining the modern world without losing sight of the spirituality and adherence to tradition that permeates Bhutanese daily life. This month, the centuries-old temples of Hampi, in southern India, are celebrating the 500th anniversary of the Vijayanagara empire with a traditional festival of folk culture and elephants, brimming with life and colour. The discovery of the fabulous terracotta warriors of Xi'an brought the legend of the fearsome Emperor Qin Shi Huang to the West. A visit to this great army offers you the opportunity to take a trip to the heart of China and delve into the deeper history of the country.
