Explore Fenghuang, China

A former frontier town, Fenghuang marked the boundary between the Han civilisations of the central plains and the Miao, Tujia and Dong minorities. Protective walls went up in the Ming dynasty, but despite the implications Fenghuang prospered as a centre of trade and cultural exchange. Its mix of residents built a breathtaking riverside settlement of winding alleys, temples and ramshackle stilt houses, when illuminated at night is quite stunning.