The fifth series of Race Across the World returned to our screens on Wednesday, along with a brand-new cast this time navigating themselves through a line-up of destinations from China to India.
The first episode, which aired on 23 April, introduced us to five intrepid duos who set off on a 14,000km race to try and reach the end point on the southernmost tip of India first.
Among the teams are the unlikely duo of previously married couple-turned-friends Yin and Gaz, sisters Elizabeth and Letitia, and young Welsh couple Fin and Sioned.
Completing this year's cast are brothers Brian and Melvyn, as well as mother and son pair Caroline and Tom.
This year, the teams will be trekking across China, Nepal and India. The pairs will travel their way through towns, cities and rural areas with a limited budget and resources carried in backpacks, making decisions as to what transport they will use, which route to take, where they will sleep and how much to spend.
After launching into the race at the Great Wall of China, the teams will aim to reach checkpoints along the way whilst also setting their sights on being the first to reach the final destination.
With this year's race in full swing, here are the locations (we currently know about) across Asia where cameras followed our five new teams for the latest instalment of Race Across the World.
The start
The Great Wall of China
The race began at the Great Wall of China, overlooking the village of Huanghuacheng, around 80km north of China’s capital, Beijing. A fitting start for such a long trek, the walk across the entire Great Wall would certainly compete for an extensive journey in itself, stretching over 21,000km. One of the new seven wonders of the world, the Great Wall of China, is the largest manmade project that represents over two thousand years of Chinese history. The series of fortifications starts in the east at Shanhaiguan in Hebei province and ends at Jiayuguan in Gansu province to the west.
Checkpoint one
Huangling, China
Around 2,000km to the south of the Great Wall is the first checkpoint, Huangling in the Jiangxi province, which has nestled on the slopes of Huayi Mountains for over 500 years. This community is famous for its Hui-style architecture and drying chillies on rooftops, creating a colourful bird’s-eye view. This picturesque village, dotted with historical buildings and ancient sites, is surrounded by a scenic spread of lush greenery across the mountain slopes. The town is six centuries old, but lay in a dilapidated state until 16 years ago, when it transformed into a rural tourist hotspot. The teams were told to reach Huangling via cable car, then alight to cross the Leixin Suspension Bridge before finally checking into the Huangling Shaiqiu Hotel.
Checkpoint two
Sanya, China
In the second episode, the five teams prepare to leave Huangling for 2,700km journey to the city of Sanya, on the southern tip of Hainan Island. Along the way, the teams stopped at different places from glitzy cities to deep rural gems, including the cosmopolitan city of Xiamen on the coast, the Longji Rice Terraces near Guilin, and the ancient town of Fenghuang. After traversing much of southeastern China, the leg ends with Sanya, one of China’s most southerly cities. Sanya attracts much of the wealthy elite in China due to its tropical climate, but as a result of this weather, it is also prone to monsoon storms. The city has several beaches along its coastal areas, including Dadonghai Bay and Yalong Bay, while one of its most impressive cultural landmarks is the Nanshan Temple. The temple is dominated by a statue of Guanyin, the Buddhist goddess of compassion and stands taller than the Statue of Liberty, as its three connected portraits look out while standing on an artificial islet. The Yazhou Ancient City, Yalong Tropical Paradise Forest Park and Wuzhizhou are also among other popular places to visit in Sanya.
The end
Kanniyakumari, India
To win a prize of £20,000, the teams must reach the endpoint of Kanniyakumari first. Located on the southernmost tip of India and a popular pilgrimage point, Kanniyakumari sits at the converging point of three major bodies of water, the Arabian Sea, the Bay of Bengal and the Indian Ocean. Alongside its sublime coastal views, the town is filled with historic monuments, such as the 95-foot-tall Thiruvalluvar Statue, as well as temples, churches and waterfalls. However, one of its major pulls is being the location for some of the best sunrise and sunset spectacles in the country, as its geography allows for witnessing both, appearing as if the Sun rises and then drops back below the horizon line.
Watch Race Across the World on Wednesdays at 9pm on iPlayer and BBC One
For more travel news and advice, listen to Simon Calder’s podcast
