andaria is a beautiful land, mostly known for its great beer, food and their impressive Lorewalkers who tell inspiring stories and are masters of knowledge and of Azeroth’s history. But there is so much more there, to know, to see, and nothing is better than visiting it yourself to know the treasures Pandaria has for you. In this article I will talk about my own trip to the continent, the different experiences I had there, hoping that you will find something interesting.

For a relaxing or family holiday: Valley of the Four Winds.

This place covered in green and favoured by soft winds is perfect for those looking to disconnect, to relax, to enjoy nature in a calm way. In the middle of the valley, you can find Halfhill Village, the centre of commerce in this region as it is very well connected with many roads crossing it. In its outskirts, you can find a quite important, yet charming market. The inn is lovely, simple, maybe a bit small, but perfect to forget about busy life in a city like Stormwind. The village is on a hill and on its upper levels one can find some shops, it is also the place where they store most of its records and seeds. In this village there is also the headquarter of the Tillers, an organisation dedicated to farming. But what to do in this place? Well, for those who like beer a visit to the Stormstout Brewery is mandatory as for generations it has probably been the most important brewery on the whole of Pandaria. The brewery is run by the Stormstout family. It had to close for some time, apparently the member of the family who was in charge at the time made a big mess, and they also had some problems with Hozen. but for what I have heard it is all good now and they are back in business, so go and try some, learn first-hand how it is done!
What is a Hozen? Monkey-like race living in Pandaria and various islands of the Great Sea. Short lifespan and very immature, their behaviour remind one of a human teenage boy running around in the jungle. They are a wild and independent race and hostile to anyone who wander into what they consider their territory.
Not a fan of beer? If you like nature and vegetables then visit the Heartland, a massive farm very close to the Halfhill Village, perfect for a nice picnic. The view is astonishing with all the colours of the vegetables. The land is owned by different Pandaren, including some of the members of the Tillers and it is also used for animals. They produce large crops thanks to the magic properties of the water source nearby, which comes from the Valley of Eternal Blossoms.

For those that love adventure: Kun-Lai Summit

If you are looking for an adventure, this is your place. The Kun-Lai Summit was created by titans, shaped by the Mogu before they were affected by the Curse of Flesh. This impressive mountain can be a bit dangerous to climb so I would recommend you go with someone that is used to it or hire a guide.
What are the Mogu? The Mogu are powerful magical constructs created by the Keepers in ancient times. They are said to be both proud and hateful and powerful both when it comes to the physique and magic. Like many other creations then they used to be immortal but also got cursed by the Curse of Flesh and lost their way.
The ascension is long, and it gives time to think about the history of this mountain that is very related to Pandaren history. Here you have something to think or talk about while you ascend:
“Many years ago, Lei Shen, also known as the Thunder King, first emperor of the mog who stole the power of storms from the titan keeper Ra, and his Mogu legions marched there, and Xuen, the spirit protector of the lands and it people, fought against him. The agreement was that if Lei Shen lost, he will leave the Kun-Lai Summit and its people alone, at peace, however if he won, the people living there will bow to the Thunder King. Lei Shen and Xuen fought for thirty days and thirty nights. In the end Lei Shen won, and the lands where conquered, Xuen was bound atop Mount Neverest. But then the Pandaren Kang, known as Kang the Fist of First Dawn, the first monk, learnt to fight using his body, as Pandaren where enslaved by the Mogu, unable to hold a weapon, used as work force. He taught this to many others and escaped to Kun-Lai Summit. One day he went to Mount Neverest to meditate and found Xuen. The spirit guided Kang and his disciples. Taught them strength, but not just the physical one to fight, but also endurance, like the trees there, they are bended, twisted, but they need to be to endure the winds. These trees were used to build their monastery and long story short, the Pandaren revolution won and Pandaren were freed from the Mogu. But this is not the end of Pandaren history. Once free, Xuen warned the Pandaren that they will need to keep protecting these lands from other enemies, like the mantid. The mantid have a strange cycle, ever hundred years they swarm the land, sending many young mantids to their death, they don’t understand why…”
What is a Mantid? The mantid are a race of insectoid creatures native to Pandaria, originally descended from a group of Aqir — insect-like spawn of the Old Gods — that settled in the southern parts of ancient Kalimdor. The mantid forced the Yaungol out of their homeland Townlong Steppes and devour everything in their path in order to build their own crystalline empire of ruthless warriors and scheming feudal lords.
I hope the story was enough to make the climbing a bit nicer and interesting, the view from the top of the mountain (the actual top, there is a small, unmarked path, only for brave ones) for sure was worth the effort, and after walking so much, going up, then down, you might want something more relaxing to do. For this I suggest a visit to The Shado-Pan Monastery, where the Shado-Pan, protectors of Pandaria train and live. They seek to remove the corruption created by the Sha. The conflict between the Alliance and the Horde on the Pandaren continent created quite a turmoil… The Shas of Anger, Violence and Hatred escaped from their prisons, the Sha of Anger fled, but the other two stayed here. Luckily, they were defeated so now it’s a peaceful place of training once more. You can find it near the base of the mountain and can probably see it from the top of it.

For scholars and lovers: The Jade Forest.

If during your holidays you need to learn something, see something interesting or just want to make a travel to learn more, you should visit the Temple of the Jade Serpent. A temple to a venerable spirit of wisdom and foresight, where, during the time of the War of the Ancients, the emperor Shaohao trapped the Sha of Doubt here. Apart from those that come here to meditate, other come to visit the library and its live archives. But that is not all, it’s an especially sacred place for Jinyu, they use a scrying pool to see through the continent, so for those interested in divination or scrying arts this is a mandatory stop.
What is a Jinyu? The jinyu are a race of humanoid fish-like creatures that live in Pandaria. They are an elder and wise race, looked up to even by the Pandaren. Masters of the water, they have been known to stick their staffs in rivers and literally hear what the land is saying. The waterspeakers are an upper caste, spiritual leaders that use the river to listen to the future.
For those searching for a romantic trip, The Arboretum, near the Temple of the Jade Serpent, is the perfect place. It is the base of operations of The Order of the Cloud Serpent, and where future serpent riders train, but that is not all there is to it. The place is covered in pink, from the cherry blossoms that fall from trees. Anywhere along the small river that runs through the landscape is the perfect setting for a romantic date.

Conclusion and thanks

As it can be seen, Pandaria has many different things to offer to everyone, and hope this article helped you decided your next holidays. Finally, thanks to Lorewalker Hiyorin Icepaws for her help in the planning of this trip and suggesting all these magnificent places to visit.