Once a luxurious flagship of the Soviet Union, this Brutalist structure remains a landmark of Tashkent’s communist past.

Controversially restored in the 1970s, this giant 15th-century mosque is shrouded in legend.

Prowl through this sprawling bazaar under a massive Soviet-era dome for delicious eats.

An underground world of gorgeous, palatial metro stations designed as a nuclear shelter complex.

Ancient barriers wrap around what was once an important stop along the Silk Road.

A sober museum housed in the original administrative building of one of Stalin's largest gulags.

A modern tower, symbolizing the legend of a golden egg on top of the tree of life.

An entertainment center in a huge transparent tent.

This sprawling market is a one-stop shop for traditional Kazakh foods, from mare’s milk to sheep’s head.

Iconic pyramid from famed British architect Norman Foster designed to represent all of the world's religious faiths.

Nicknamed Kazakhstan's Grand Canyon, this natural wonder lies east of Almaty near the Chinese border.

A brilliant turquoise lake in the mountains.

Of five volcanoes located in the massive Tengger caldera, this cone is the youngest and most active.

An Indonesian mosque styled after St. Basil's Cathedral.

This massive complex is made up of hundreds of smaller temples that date back to the ninth century.

Think you have a tough job? Try carrying 200 kilos through a cloud of sulfur down the side of a volcano.

Hundreds of Buddhas in a re-discovered Indonesian temple.

This massive chapel in the middle of the Indonesian forest is both haunting and fowl.

Mount Tambora is the site of the largest and deadliest volcanic eruption in recorded human history.

Once home to Komodo dragons, this island dreamscape has a rare combination of white, pink, and black sand beaches.

A sprawling nature preserve harbors the world's only living dragons.

The largest Lenin statue in Central Asia was moved to an empty field rather than being destroyed.

A bustling bazaar with an elaborate facade in Central Asia’s underrated capital.

A pocket of jungle amidst urban expansion in Panama.